Flower exhibitors at the International Floriculture Trade Expo (IFTEX 2025), held at the Oshwal Centre, Westlands in Nairobi. [Nanjinia Wamuswa, Standard] Countries including Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania continue to demonstrate robust gross domestic product growth, positioning East Africa as one of the world’s fastest-growing economic regions. This expansion has fostered a burgeoning middle class, driving demand for high-quality goods and services. Growing investment in border efficiency and regional transport networks is reducing costs and accelerating business operations, and with the African Continental Free Trade Area, businesses in East Africa are set for improved access to a market of over 400 million people through increased…
Author: By Clare Ochieng
Safaricom Group chief executive Peter Ndegwa. [File, Standard] Safaricom shareholders have approved a final dividend of Sh0.65 per share, bringing the total payout for the 2025 financial year to Sh48.08 billion. The total dividend for the year ended March 31, 2025 comes to Sh1.20 per share following an interim dividend of Sh0.55 per share that was paid out earlier this year. This comes as the company’s share price rose 68.7 per cent compared to last year. “We closed the financial year on a strong note, surpassing $3 billion (Sh387 billion) in total revenue, a clear signal of our business resilience and…
SBM Bank Kenya CEO, Bhartesh Shah, during a courtesy call at the Standard Group headquarters, on February 11, 2025. [File, Standard] SBM Bank Kenya has reported a profit after tax of Sh202 million over the first six months of this year, marking an improvement from a loss of Sh943.1 million over a similar period last year. The bank said that among the factors that drove the turnaround were an expanded customer base, which grew as the bank sought to grow its presence in Kenya, as well as deepen relations with existing clientele. Customer deposit balances surged by 37 per cent…
From left: Insurance Regulatory Authority Director Market Conduct Anne Chelagat, Britam Group Managing Director and CEO Tom Gitogo, and Britam Director Legal and Company Secretary Hilda Njeru during the Britam 2024 Sustainability Report Launch in Nairobi, on June 24, 2025. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard] Britam Holdings gave business worth Sh2.4 billion to local and minority-owned suppliers in 2024, according to disclosures in its 2024 Sustainability Report, indicating “commitment to inclusive procurement and ESG-aligned business practices”. The firm implemented targeted supplier inclusion measures during the year, including a 50 per cent discount on prequalification fees for women- and youth-owned businesses and full…
A waiter at Koriema butchery in Baringo County chopping roasted goats meat gfor his customers on January 27,2023. [FILE/Standard] Kenya is losing an estimated Sh76 billion worth of food every year due to poor handling and food safety practices, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) has revealed. As the country gears up for World Food Safety Day on June 7, 2025, under the theme ‘Food Safety: Science in Action,’ Kebs has issued a strong appeal to all stakeholders in the food value chain to prioritise food safety from the point of production to the consumer’s plate. Speaking during a food safety workshop in Nairobi on Thursday, Kebs managing director Esther Ngari highlighted the critical need to address food handling practices. “Food safety is everyone’s business,”…
Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa speaking during Safaricom investor briefing on May 9, 2025. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard] Safaricom on Wednesday launched an overdraft facility for micro and small businesses as it eyes providing working capital to over one million enterprises that are using its Pochi La Biashara payment platform. The new product, dubbed Taasi, is akin to Fuliza, but targeted at small enterprises. Safaricom also said entrepreneurs would have the option of making partial repayments unlike in Fuliza, where the money advanced to individuals is recovered at one go, which it said offered flexibility on repayments and loan terms. Taasi will be available…