Category
Finance
Personal and national finance in Kenya: banking, credit, taxes and money decisions explained clearly.
KRA Stands Firm: No Extension for June 30 Income Tax Return Deadline
The Kenya Revenue Authority has shut the door on any hopes of a deadline extension, insisting that all taxpayers must file their 2025 income tax returns by June 30, 2026. With only two days remaining, KRA is urging Kenyans to act immediately or face stiff penalties and default tax assessments.
Kenyan Banks Seize Record 42.5% of NSE Investor Wealth in Sustained Bull Run
Kenyan banking stocks have captured a record 42.5 percent share of all investor wealth at the Nairobi Securities Exchange, with the sector's combined valuation surging 70.4 percent to 1.56 trillion shillings over the past year. The rally, driven by stronger profits, acquisition deals, and Family Bank's new listing, has pushed banks past Safaricom in total market value.
Micro Traders Push M-Pesa Pochi Users Past Kenya's Business Tills
Safaricom's M-Pesa Pochi wallet has overtaken business tills in merchant numbers, reaching 2.1 million users by March 2026 - double its count from a year earlier. Fuelled by food vendors, kiosk owners, and boda boda operators, Pochi's 86 percent revenue growth signals a decisive shift in how Kenya's informal economy handles digital payments.
CBK Targets Sh80 Billion in July Bond Auctions Amid Rising Interest Rates
The Central Bank of Kenya plans to raise Sh80 billion in July through the reopening of long-term government bonds and a debt switch operation, as it works to manage refinancing risk in a high-interest-rate environment driven by rising global commodity prices and persistent inflation pressures.
Family Bank Hunts for Strategic Investor to Trim Founders' Dominant Stakes
Family Bank is seeking a strategic investor to dilute the dominant stakes held by founder Titus Muya and the Kenya Tea Development Authority, which together control 59.5 percent of issued shares. The move, disclosed in listing documents ahead of the bank's NSE debut at Sh18 per share, is aimed at satisfying Central Bank of Kenya ownership regulations.
NCBA-Nedbank Buyout Clears Two More Regional Regulatory Hurdles
South Africa's Nedbank Group has received unconditional clearance from two major regional competition bodies - the CCCC and the EACCA - for its planned 66 percent acquisition of NCBA Group. The Sh110 billion deal, first announced in January, is now on track to close by the end of 2026.
Iran-Israel War Fallout Deepens Kenya's Debt Servicing Burden
Kenya's debt-servicing burden is set to worsen as the Iran-Israel conflict drives borrowing costs higher across Africa. With interest payments projected to reach 1.25 trillion shillings and inflation climbing to 6.7 percent in May, Treasury CS John Mbadi has warned that a spending review may be unavoidable if hostilities continue.
Kenya Mobile Money Tops 53 Million as M-Pesa Faces 16% VAT Threat
Kenya's mobile money subscriptions surpassed 53 million in March 2026 even as the government proposes a controversial 16% VAT on M-Pesa transactions.
Kenya Bonds Go Global as CBK Launches Clearstream Market Link
Kenya's Central Bank has connected the country's bond market to international investors through Clearstream, removing local account barriers for global buyers.