Author: Korir Issa

Mozambique claimed the top spot in Standard Bank’s Africa Trade Barometer (ATB) for 2025, leaping from third place in August 2024 to first. Three quantitative factors drove the ascent: currency stability — the metical averaged 63.9 MZN per USD over three years — strong export performance as a share of GDP, and Foreign Direct Investment inflows ranked third among all ten surveyed markets, buoyed by the multi-billion-dollar Coral South and Coral Norte Floating LNG projects. Yet the headline ranking masks a deeply uncomfortable reality. In the Survey Trade Barometer, which captures what businesses actually experience on the ground, Mozambique ranked…

Kenya and Uganda have moved to calm fears of fuel shortages as escalating conflict in the Middle East disrupts global oil shipments and drives prices higher. Kenya Secures Imports Through April Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi confirmed Kenya has sufficient petroleum stocks to meet domestic demand and regional obligations. Scheduled imports are secured through April 2026 under the government‑to‑government framework, insulating the country from volatile spot markets. “Kenya has sufficient petroleum products to cover both the country and the region in the wake of the crisis in the Middle East,” Wandayi said. Uganda Highlights Alternative Supply Routes The…

Kenya’s annual inflation rate eased to 4.3% in February 2026, down from 4.4% in January. This marks a seven‑month low and keeps inflation within the Central Bank of Kenya’s preferred 5% target range. The decline was largely driven by lower fuel and energy costs. Food Prices Still Pressuring Households Despite the headline drop, households continue to feel the pinch of rising food costs. Staples such as Irish potatoes and cabbage recorded notable increases, while sukuma wiki (kale) rose by 2.4%. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) report highlighted food and non‑alcoholic beverages as the biggest driver, rising 7.3% year‑on‑year.…

Kenya successfully raised KSh106.3 billion ($824.1 million) from the initial public offering (IPO) of the state‑run Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), according to Bloomberg. Uganda Secures Strategic Stake The IPO received a boost when the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) acquired a 20.15% stake for $255.4 million. Uganda’s Cabinet approved the purchase on February 23, 2026, underscoring the country’s reliance on Kenya’s petroleum infrastructure. “The Government of Uganda’s participation has secured a 20.15 percent strategic shareholding in KPC,” Uganda’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Development announced. Today at the Uganda Media Centre, the Minister of @MEMD_Uganda, @NankabirwaRS formally announced the Government’s…

Nedbank Group has received exemption from Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority (CMA), freeing it from the obligation to make a mandatory takeover offer for all NCBA Group shares. This approval satisfies a condition in Nedbank’s plan to acquire approximately 66% of NCBA’s issued ordinary shares, advancing its East Africa expansion strategy. The bank also confirmed that irrevocable shareholder undertakings to accept the offer have risen to 77.54%, up from 71.2% previously. This higher level of commitment signals strong investor confidence and increases the likelihood of smooth execution. A “Control-and-Scale” Bet on Kenya According to Business Daily, Nedbank is positioning the NCBA…

Pepsi’s largest bottler outside the US, Varun Beverages Limited (VBL), is set to expand its footprint in Africa by launching a mega‑production facility in Kenya. The company confirmed the move in its audited financial results for the year ended December 31, 2025, identifying the incorporation of a wholly owned Kenyan subsidiary as a milestone. “We have incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary in Kenya under Varun Beverages Limited to carry on the business of manufacturing, distribution, and selling of beverages,” the report stated. Construction is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026, with commissioning targeted for Q4 2027. The…