Business Insights Africa Magazine

Network International (Network), a leading enabler of digital commerce across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, has launched innovative in-person payment solutions in Kenya, as part of its plans to transform payment across Africa. “Launching our point-of-sale solutions is part of our strategy to enter the in-person payments market in Kenya. As a...

Now in its third edition, the award by Speak Up Africa and the Ouagadougou Partnership Coordination Unit offers four winners a combined total of US$50,000, mentorship and media training. Applications close on Friday 6 November 2026 at 23:59 GMT. Speak Up Africa and the Ouagadougou Partnership Coordination...

Ireland Kenya has changed its name to the Irish Chamber of Commerce Kenya in a move aimed at strengthening trade and investment links between Kenya and Ireland.The organisation unveiled its new identity on October 29 at a reception hosted by Ireland’s Ambassador to Kenya, Caitríona Ingoldsby, and chamber chairperson Katherine Muldoon at the Irish Residence in Nairobi.The...

Kingdom Bank has opened a new branch on Wabera Street in Nairobi’s Central Business District, expanding its network to 30 branches across the country. The branch, located at the site of the former Trattoria Italian restaurant, will serve micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, traders, professional firms and retail customers operating in the city centre.

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) plans to summon commercial banks to explain how they intend to meet minimum capital requirements, as the regulator steps up efforts to strengthen the banking sector. CBK Governor Kamau Thugge said the regulator had already called in some lenders to explain their plans, while others that may struggle...

Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) has expanded its branch network to 94 following the opening of its Isiolo branch, as the lender steps up its physical presence in underserved markets ahead of a target of 100 outlets by the end of 2026. The expansion comes as banks seek to deepen their reach beyond major urban...

Highlights: East Africa revenue increased 24.8% to USD 1.78B, with constant-currency growth of 18.2%, accelerating to 18.6% in Q2. Airtel Kenya paid KES 8.4B (USD 65M) for a 25-year 5G licence, securing 100 MHz of spectrum in the 3500 MHz band to expand network capacity Airtel...

Uganda is spending hundreds of millions of dollars rebuilding three stadiums for AFCON 2027. The question now is whether a commercial operating plan for the post-tournament period can be in place before the first ball is kicked. Paulo J. Cruz, CEO of African Collaborations Group (ACG) (www.ACGafrica.com), made that case in an interview published this week in...

Binance (www.Binance.com), the world's leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency exchange is working with police across Africa to catch the criminals behind online scams. By showing investigators where money goes after a scam, Binance is helping to turn reports from victims into real arrests. Scams often start with a simple message such as an investment...

The National Defence University-Kenya (NDU-K) has reaffirmed its commitment to academic excellence, institutional accountability and strategic leadership following its 15th Regular Council Meeting held at the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), Nairobi. The meeting was chaired by the Vice Chief of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General John Omenda, representing the Chief of the...

 Henry Dannell, a specialist cross-border credit adviser, has successfully brokered a $20 million trade finance credit facility for a UK-registered petrol commodities trader expanding its international operations through a newly established entity in Kenya.  The facility will provide the company with access to capital on a trade-by-trade basis, enabling it to pursue larger transactions and increase its trading capacity without relying solely on its own balance sheet.  The client had historically funded its commodities transactions using company capital, an approach that supported its existing activities but limited the size and frequency of trades it could undertake. Having already secured $10 million in junior investor capital from Switzerland, the business sought additional financing to support the next stage of its expansion.  Beyond the capital requirement, the transaction presented a more complex challenge. The company required a banking partner that could understand its international trading model, proposed operating structure in Kenya, and the commercial rationale behind its expansion.  Henry Dannell worked closely with the client to understand its trading operations, existing capital structure, and growth strategy before approaching the lending market. Drawing on its international banking relationships across the UK and Channel Islands, the firm identified a bank with a significant presence in Kenya and engaged directly with its lending team in the relevant jurisdiction. As part of the process, Henry Dannell worked to articulate the commercial opportunity to the lender, reviewing the company’s financial projections, local licensing arrangements, and counterparty agreements to build a clear picture of both the business and its proposed expansion.  The resulting $20 million trade finance facility, alongside the existing $10 million in junior investor capital, provides the company with a more scalable funding structure to support increased trading activity and pursue larger opportunities within the Kenyan market.  Kem Kemal, CEO and Co-Founder of Henry Dannell, said: “Transactions like this demonstrate why securing finance for businesses operating internationally and in specialist sectors is about much more than finding a lender willing to provide capital. The real work is in understanding how the business operates, where its existing funding structure is holding it back, and which banking partner is best equipped to support its ambitions.”  “In this instance, that meant developing a detailed understanding of the client’s trading model and translating the commercial opportunity into a proposition that made sense from a lender’s perspective,” he added. “By understanding the business behind the borrowing, we were able to structure a solution that not only addresses an immediate capital requirement, but also gives the client greater flexibility to pursue its longer-term growth ambitions. That is the role we see Henry Dannell playing for businesses with increasingly international and complex financing needs: bridging the gap between commercial ambition and the global lending market.”  The transaction further demonstrates Henry Dannell’s approach to specialist debt advisory, bringing together commercial understanding, cross-border banking relationships and tailored financing structures to support businesses whose requirements may sit outside conventional lending parameters.   As companies increasingly look across borders for growth, capital and new markets, Henry Dannell continues to work with businesses and entrepreneurs requiring financing solutions capable of reflecting the complexity of their operations and ambitions.