Bank of Uganda Raises Rate to 12% as Inflation Forecast Hits 7.5%
The Bank of Uganda’s Monetary Policy Committee raised its benchmark Central Bank Rate by a hefty 225 basis points to 12.0% on Tuesday, citing escalating conflict in the Middle East, a widening current account deficit, Shilling depreciation pressures and mounting inflation risks. The decision, taken at a special meeting on October 14, 2026, lifts the […]
Hundreds of Kenyan Tech Workers Face Uncertainty as Microsoft Scales Back Operations at Its Africa Development Centre
Microsoft is winding down most engineering operations at its Africa Development Centre in Nairobi, employees were told Monday, in a move that could affect roughly 400 to 500 local roles and marks the latest chapter in the company’s ongoing, piecemeal global workforce adjustments. Staff at the ADC, based at Dunhill Towers in Westlands, learned of […]
Protecting the Luxury Experience: How Physical Security is Evolving in High-End Retail
By Quintin Roberts, regional sales manager, Genetec Luxury retail has always faced unique security challenges. High-value merchandise has long made high-end boutiques, jewelry stores, and fashion houses attractive targets for theft. Today, however, security leaders are managing a broader and more complex set of risks. Unlike many other retail environments, luxury stores are designed around […]
From Layoffs to 10 Million Customers: How M-KOPA Rebuilt Its Business After a Difficult 2017–2019 Period
Fifteen years after it began selling solar kits on mobile money installments, M-KOPA is celebrating a milestone few predicted during its darkest stretch. The company has now reached more than 10 million customers across five African markets and posted a record $600 million in revenue for the 2025 financial year, up 45% from the year […]
Who Is Eric Muriuki Njagi? The Fintech Architect Taking on Absa’s Pan-African Growth Strategy
In the high-stakes world of African banking, few figures have shaped the invisible rails of digital finance as profoundly as Eric Muriuki Njagi. Widely regarded as the “digital brain” behind Kenya’s fintech revolution, the systems architect has spent more than 25 years designing the platforms, regulatory frameworks, and infrastructure that let banks scale through mobile […]
Kenya Targets New IMF Deal and Sh151.2 Billion in World Bank Financing at the 2026 IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury, John Mbadi, is leading a high-level delegation to the 2026 IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok this week, aiming to secure critical budget financing and reset relations with the International Monetary Fund. The meetings, running from October 12 to 18, bring together roughly 10,000 to 12,000 participants — […]
Tanzania Targets Foreign Capital in Mining, Energy and Infrastructure at Tanzania Investment Forum 2026
Tanzania’s Prime Minister Dr. Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba on Thursday urged international investors to seize opportunities in East Africa’s fast-growing economy, telling a high-level forum in London that the country is entering a new phase of expansion anchored by political stability and strategic reforms. The inaugural Tanzania Investment Forum 2026, held on 8 October, brought together […]
Kenya’s Digital Economy Is Growing.Now Nairobi Wants a Bigger Seat at theTable
Kenya’s membership of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) could help local startups reach new markets, strengthen digital-skills partnerships and give the country a collective platform in global debates on artificial intelligence, data and digital trade, according to Omar AlNemer, the organisation’s Chief of Council Affairs and Strategic Relations. Speaking to Africa Digest News, AlNemer said […]
Quickmart vs Naivas: Why IFC’s Two Kenyan Supermarket Bets Are So Different
The International Finance Corporation’s conditional KSh 1.94 billion ($15 million) investment in Quickmart is drawing inevitable comparisons to its earlier, highly successful bet on Naivas. Both deals put IFC capital into Kenya’s leading homegrown supermarket chains. Beyond that surface similarity, the two transactions could hardly be more different in structure, timing, strategy, and risk-reward profile. […]
Airtel Global Pay vs M-Pesa GlobalPay — How the Two Virtual Cards Differ
As East African consumers increasingly shop online and subscribe to global streaming and software services, two of the region’s dominant mobile-money players have taken sharply different approaches to virtual cards. Airtel’s Global Pay operates as a tightly controlled prepaid system, while Safaricom’s M-Pesa GlobalPay functions as a real-time pass-through linked directly to a user’s main […]