The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group has appointed Amena Arif as its new Country Manager for East Africa and Malawi. In her new role, Arif will help IFC strengthen the private sector, create jobs and opportunities, and help businesses and economies in the region recover from the effects of COVID-19. She will be based in Nairobi, Kenya. Arif joined IFC in 2012 after building a career in commercial banking with Citibank and ABN AMRO Bank. She led IFC’s debt and equity investment transactions working with financial institutions in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Lebanon. Most recently,…
Author: Khusoko
Khusoko
Khusoko provides market insights into Africa's business investment as well as global trends that impact East African businesses.
A guardian or parent has to choose an education plan that can provide safety, preservation and growth, as well as fit into their investment objectives. The following are key factors to consider: Individual Profile of the Investor: This refers to the different and unique characteristics each parent/guardian has. The age of the beneficiary is an important factor to consider before making any investment decisions as it affects both the time horizon of an investment that you are willing to take. Time horizon refers to the time in which one intends to save with the plan, for instance a couple with…
Kenya on Friday extended its 10 pm to 4 am nationwide curfew for another 30 days as a containment measure to curb the spread of COVID-19. “Cognisant that the propagation of coronavirus within our borders has been fueled by political gatherings and large social gatherings, I hereby direct that all forms of political gatherings be and hereby prohibited for a period of thirty days effective midnight on this March 12, 2021,” Uhuru said. In January, Uhuru extended the curfew by three months in a bid to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.
Business leaders and ICT experts from across Southern Africa will convene from March 17 to 19 for the Huawei Tech Summit 2021, an online event to unpack the opportunities of digital transformation for African business. The event will share you the changes, challenges and chances in the post-epidemic era and how to win by leveraging the ICT technology in this era. SAVE THE DATE: March 17-19, 2021 10:00 – 11:30 (UTC +2) Attendance is free, but registration is essential Visit website to learn more. Making Technology the New Driving Force for the Post-Epidemic Era The epidemic has brought great changes to the…
Equity Group Wednesday signed a $100 million (KSh10.96 billion) loan deal with leading European development banks aimed at deepening lending to micro small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) hit by Covid-19 disruptions. The loan is from Germany’s DEG, the Netherland’s FMO and Britain’s CDC Group. “The syndicated facility indicates cross-cutting trust on Equity’s ability to manage a sophisticated financing mechanism. The three development banks recognise the critical role that Equity plays in promoting access to finance for MSMEs,” said Equity Group CEO James Mwangi. Chief Investment Officer at FMO Huib-Jan de Ruijter said the facility will be a lifeline for the…
Bonds have continued to play their defensive role in portfolios amid sustained volatility in other investments. In 2020, this role was made easier by the massive rally in yields that was underpinned by aggressive monetary easing across governments coupled with the pandemic induced flight to safety. This year, however, portfolios may be subjected to a bumpy ride given the growing risk of higher yields, as economies recover and inflation expectations rise faster than initially expected. Accordingly, markets are pricing in the possibility that central banks may have to begin normalizing monetary policy sooner than earlier guided. Moreover, the impact of…