Author: Khusoko

Khusoko provides market insights into Africa's business investment as well as global trends that impact East African businesses.

Amidst the growing trend toward eco-conscious spending and consumption among people who want to pursue more sustainable choices and practices, Mastercard has released its Mastercard Carbon Calculator for Kenya and the wider region. Developed in collaboration with the Swedish fintech Doconomy, the Mastercard Carbon Calculator is a feature that provides access to insights and data about environmental impact. It enables consumers to receive a snapshot of the carbon emissions generated by their purchases across spending categories. Banks and financial institutions can easily adapt and customize the feature for eco-conscious consumers, by seamlessly integrating the Carbon Calculator into their mobile apps…

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Tanzania has joined the East African Community’s One Network Area for lower cross-border call tariffs.  The network guarantees cheaper calls across the EAC due to the harmonized calling rates. In 2014, members of the East African Community made a commitment to create one network area (ONA). Then, according to the Communications Authority, the focus was to open the mobile market, creating competition, consumer protection, interconnection issues. This was on the realisation that the high cost of international mobile roaming was an impediment to the regional integration efforts.

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 It’s blockbuster fight week, but different from anything you’ve ever seen. On Monday, from 02:00 CAT, SuperSport (Grandstand, Action and Max 1) will broadcast the exhibition bout between 12-time, five-division champion and boxing legend Floyd “Money” Mayweather and social media sensation Logan “The Maverick” Paul. Mayweather’s reputation precedes him, but he’s also never fought anyone this big. Mayweather’s last official boxing fight came at junior-middleweight, while Paul’s only professional bout was at the cruiserweight limit when he lost a decision to fellow YouTuber KSI in 2019. For good measure, he’s 18 years younger than Mayweather. Mayweather is 50-0 as a professional…

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Equity Bank Kenya received 22 accolades in the 2021 Banking Awards by Think Business awards as the leading bank in Kenya. Equity Bank was ranked Best Overall Bank in Kenya and Best Bank in Sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility for the 5th year in a row. The lender also emerged the first position in 10 other categories including Best Tier 1, Bank, Best Bank in Trade Finance, Best Bank in Agriculture and Livestock Financing among other categories. It also took 1st runner up position in four categories including Best Bank in SME Banking, Best Bank to borrow from, Best Bank in…

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Kellen Kariuki has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Board of directors of Standard Chartered Bank Kenya. She replaces Engineer Patrick Obath who has retired. The appointment took effect on 31st May 2021. Prior to her promotion to chair the board, she served as an independent non-executive director of the board since her appointment on 10th February 2021. Kellen has a rich experience in the banking and finance industry. Currently, Kellen is the Managing Director of Feruzi Holdings Limited, a consulting firm engaged in financial advisory, real estate, and agribusiness. She is also a non-executive director at AMREF Health…

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MSMEs are facing an existential crisis. The economic impact of the COVID-19 has been as bad as we had feared … possibly worse.  About 17% of businesses surveyed by MSC in India, Indonesia, Kenya, and the Philippines have closed due to local restrictions and low demand for goods and services, while micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in the informal sector fared worse. A recent World Bank report suggests that in Kenya, one-third of household-run MSEs have not been operating for months. Declining income and rising expenses is a double whammy for enterprises in such trying times. On the demand side,…

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