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Artisans from Turkana turn creativity into opportunity in Nairobi

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13 artisans travelled to Nairobi to showcase their products at Bizarre Bazaar Global Village, one of Kenya’s largest open-air markets for art, fashion and design. The artisans, from both refugee and host communities in Turkana, made 102,000 Kenyan shillings in sales over just two days. ‘It was more than just a market – it was a space to learn, connect and dream bigger,’ said Rodgers Mugaragu, a refugee artisan attending the event for the first time. With more than 100 vendors from across the country and beyond, Biz Baz is a vibrant platform for small producers to display their work and explore new business opportunities. ‘With ITC’s support, I’ve attended Biz Baz twice. The first time, I learned about product quality and value addition,’ said Josephine Alogogita Lobur from the Lodwar host community. ‘Since then, I’ve improved my designs to meet market standards. This year, I connected with new clients, exchanged ideas with other artisans, and gained inspiration to keep growing my business.’ Beyond immediate sales, the experience has strengthened participants’ confidence to run their own enterprises, paving the way for greater financial independence and long-term self-reliance. The group also visited ITC’s Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) centre in Nairobi to learn how local artisans collaborate with EFI to produce high-quality, market-ready goods. Opportunities like these help artisans gain exposure to national buyers and new markets, strengthening small businesses and generating income. Increased opportunities also mean better cohesion between refugees and host communities.
13 artisans travelled to Nairobi to showcase their products at Bizarre Bazaar Global Village, one of Kenya’s largest open-air markets for art, fashion and design. The artisans, from both refugee and host communities in Turkana, made 102,000 Kenyan shillings in sales over just two days. ‘It was more than just a market – it...
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Polygon launches first programmatic Digital Out-Of-Home (DOOH) campaign in Kenya for Jaguar Land Rover

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Polygon (https://PDOOH.co.za/), Africa’s leading and largest programmatic aggregated digital out-of-home (DOOH) publisher network has launched its first programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) campaign in Kenya for luxury automotive brand Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). The campaign, executed in partnership with Polygon’s technology provider Place Exchange and media agency Omnicom Media Group (OMG), celebrates JLR’s 55-year anniversary and showcases the latest Defender model. However, it also represents another important milestone for the Kenyan advertising landscape, as the first locally-activated pDOOH campaign to run through Google-based trading tools. “This is a watershed moment for both the Kenyan and broader African DOOH markets, says Remi du Preez, Managing Director at Polygon. “It demonstrates how international brands can now transact programmatically across our network using the same digital platforms they rely on globally, bringing true omnichannel capability to Africa.” The JLR campaign currently focuses on Nairobi, targeting affluent suburbs, upmarket malls and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Initially launched across a limited number of sites, the rollout will soon expand to around 50 premium screens. While Kenya’s OOH market is smaller than South Africa’s, it remains one of Africa’s top five regions for outdoor media, with a fast-growing digital footprint and increasing advertiser appetite, says Du Preez. “The local market’s sentiment toward DOOH has shifted dramatically over the past few years. As advertisers see its value and measurability, media owners are incentivised to build and convert more digital inventory which, in turn, enables programmatic trading to thrive.” For JLR, the campaign forms part of a broader omnichannel strategy, where optimisation and attribution play key roles. Through Polygon’s programmatic model which enables day-part targeting, the client can reduce wastage by serving in specific pockets of time and maximising their budget. “The ability to dynamically serve ads, monitor engagement and adjust in real-time delivers to avoid wastage brings a level of agility that traditional loop-based buying can’t match,” says Du Preez. Polygon leverages Place Exchange (PX) as its core inventory exchange for all programmatic transactions across Africa. PX’s integration with Google’s ecosystem bridges the gap between global buyers and local media owners, allowing advertisers to simply activate, pause or manage campaigns across multiple African markets. “Through Place Exchange, we’ve created an infrastructure where brands like Jaguar Land Rover can extend their global programmatic strategy into Africa, with the same efficiency, measurability and transparency they expect elsewhere,” explains Du Preez. With nine African countries already connected to its network – and more being added –Polygon’s vision is to entrench its position as Africa’s largest DOOH network, offering advertisers a single entry point into a fragmented market while unlocking new revenue streams for local media owners. “This campaign is a testament to how far we’ve come. We’re proud to be driving innovation that not only connects global brands to African audiences, but also strengthens local ecosystems while speeding up digital transformation across the continent,” Du Preez says.
Polygon (https://PDOOH.co.za/), Africa’s leading and largest programmatic aggregated digital out-of-home (DOOH) publisher network has launched its first programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) campaign in Kenya for luxury automotive brand Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). The campaign, executed in partnership with Polygon’s technology provider Place Exchange and media agency Omnicom Media Group (OMG), celebrates JLR’s 55-year anniversary and...
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Ghost in the Payroll: How to Uncover Payroll Fraud

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The damage caused by payroll fraud and ghost employees is often catastrophic: large sums lost and additional spending in investigations and prosecutions. In many cases, the companies forgo legal actions and fire the fraudster, who often moves to a new business and restarts their crimes. "Most companies unfortunately only uncover payroll fraud by accident....
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Canon Announces the corrPRESS iB17, a New Digital Press for Industrial-Scale Corrugated Packaging Printing

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In line with its intention to become a leading force in digital labels and packaging production, Canon (www.Canon-CNA.com) is today using its participation in the FEFCO (European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers) Technical Seminar 2025 (Rome, 8th – 10th October) to announce the Canon corrPRESS iB17, a next-generation inkjet press engineered for industrial-scale corrugated packaging production. Capable of digitally printing up to 8,000 m2 per hour (15 million m2 per year), the corrPRESS iB17 delivers offset-like quality directly onto corrugated boards up to 1.7 m wide with water-based inks and primer for indirect food contact. The highly automated corrPRESS iB17 enables cost-efficient short- to medium-length runs with ultra-fast turnaround times and requires fewer operators and lower skill levels. Designed for seamless integration into existing production environments, the corrPRESS iB17 offers outstanding productivity and digital flexibility, and extends the economic benefits of digital printing far beyond traditional short-run applications. Building on Canon's proven expertise and experience in commercial digital printing and following the development roadmap presented as a concept at drupa 2024, the Canon corrPRESS iB17 will address the evolving needs of corrugated converters that face increasing pressure to deliver shorter runs with more variants, faster turnaround times and premium quality, and all without compromising cost efficiency. Offering industrial-scale throughput at up to 8,000 m2 per hour, the corrPRESS iB17 allows converters to achieve cost-efficient production for runs up to 20,000 m2, extending digital printing viability well beyond traditional short-runs. Supported by automated printhead cleaning and quality control systems, the press minimises operator intervention while maximising production efficiency. The system’s design also reduces waste through efficient print on demand and eliminates the use of printing plates and chemicals. Unlike conventional technologies, the corrPRESS iB17 does not produce contaminated water, which then has to be filtered or released into the wastewater system. Featuring Canon's proprietary, high-performance, 1200 dpi piezo printheads and specially formulated, water-based pigment inks and primer, which provide an extended colour gamut with CMYK and later OVG, the corrPRESS iB17 achieves pre-print offset-like quality in the post-print process. This improves production efficiency by eliminating the traditional lamination step while reproducing vibrant, accurate and consistent colours, sharp text and precise detail on both coated and uncoated topliners at rated speeds. The system also uses an advanced spot primer that ensures optimal ink adhesion and colour reproduction across the full range of corrugated materials. The ink is jetted onto the board immediately after the primer application without any drying in between, minimising the impact of drying on the board and contributing to a highly reliable production process. The sophisticated Canon drying technology in the corrPRESS iB17 has been optimised to minimise corrugated board stress and energy consumption and to increase production efficiency. Covering approximately 80% of retail packaging applications, the system supports coated and uncoated boards up to 1.7 m wide and 1.3 m long, and ranging from 1 mm to 8 mm thick, at a linear speed of 80 m per minute. Unusually for a digital corrugated press, Canon owns all the key components in the printing process – printheads, inks and drying – enabling Canon to optimise the system’s performance more easily. This high level of integration and synchronisation will result in exceptional levels of productivity and reliability. By combining proven proprietary inkjet technology with an industrial board transport system, Canon has developed an innovative press that delivers offset-quality prints with outstanding productivity and digital flexibility, all developed for indirect food contact applications Jennifer Kolloczek, Senior Director, Marketing & Innovation, Production Printing, Canon EMEA, commented: “Corrugated converters face rising demands for shorter runs, more variants and faster turnaround without compromising quality or cost. We’re thrilled to now announce the Canon corrPRESS iB17 — a digital corrugated press that empowers converters to respond to the changing demands with agility and unlock growth. For Canon, the corrPRESS iB17 marks a major milestone in our journey to becoming a key player in the packaging industry and we’re especially excited that EMEA customers will be the first to benefit from this innovation. Although we’re new to corrugated, we bring many years of collaborative innovation from industrial-scale commercial print and will combine our digital expertise with converters’ value-chain knowledge to drive progress in packaging together.”
In line with its intention to become a leading force in digital labels and packaging production, Canon (www.Canon-CNA.com) is today using its participation in the FEFCO (European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers) Technical Seminar 2025 (Rome, 8th – 10th October) to announce the Canon corrPRESS iB17, a next-generation inkjet press engineered for industrial-scale corrugated packaging production. Capable of digitally...
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Prof Njenga Munene Launches his Autobiography, ‘Rooted in Hope’

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Zetech University Vice Chancellor Prof Njenga Munene recently launched his Autobiography named 'Rooted in Hope' at the serene Mang'u Technology Park. In a glitzy event that featured Kenya's brightest minds, Prof Munene shares his journey of life, from a village boy in an unknown school in rural Kenya to a university don and a...
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State Department for Correctional Services fetes its officers

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State Department for Correctional Services fetes its officers By Vincent Munga
By Vincent Munga State Department for Correctional Services has ended its third edition of the Correctional Service Week by awarding institutions and individuals for their exemplary service. ‎‎The three-day engagement, themed “Efficient Service Delivery for the Common Good,” reflected on progress, innovations, and challenges in promoting justice, rehabilitation, and public safety...
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KQ flies first Africa flight using sustainable fuel

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KQ flies first Africa flight using sustainable fuel
Kenya Airways has operated a first flight to Cape Town, South Africa, using a 50 percent blend of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The flight, KQ784, departed from Nairobi on Sunday and makes it a first-of-its-kind in Africa. “From upcycled blanket bags and recyclable and reusable cutlery to...
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IRA to hike license, annual fees for insurers and reinsurers

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Insurance and reinsurance firms operating in Kenya could soon pay higher licensing and annual fees under new proposals by the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA). According to the draft Insurance Regulations 2025, the IRA plans to raise insurers’ licensing fees to Sh500,000 from the current Sh150,000, while reinsurers’ fees will rise...
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Canon celebrating a decade of success and future innovations

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Canon Central & North Africa (CCNA) (www.Canon-CNA.com), a leading provider of imaging solutions, successfully hosted its annual Dealer Conference at Conrad Hotel, Dubai. Themed “ICE: Innovation, Customer, and Experience,” this year’s edition carried special significance as CCNA celebrated its 10-year anniversary. The exclusive event brought together 100 partners from across Africa to explore Canon’s strategic direction, celebrate milestones, and experience immersive solution-driven zones designed to address evolving market needs. Aligned with Canon’s strategy of getting closer to customers and enhancing customer experience, the conference served as a platform to strengthen partnerships and share a forward-looking business vision. Attendees gained insights into market trends, CCNA’s strategic growth plans, and innovations designed to meet Africa’s diverse imaging requirements. To facilitate a comprehensive understanding of Canon’s diverse offerings, this year’s conference introduced strategically curated zones designed to deliver solution-oriented and vertical-focused experiences. Rather than showcasing products in isolation, each zone was thoughtfully crafted to demonstrate how Canon’s technologies integrate into real-world environments, addressing the evolving needs of customers and partners across industries. Business-To-Consumer Zones: Strategic, Solution-Led Experiences To facilitate a comprehensive understanding of Canon’s offerings, this year’s conference introduced strategically curated B2C zones, shifting the focus from product showcases to solution-oriented, vertical-focused experiences. The zones highlighted Canon’s legacy in cameras and printers, geographical growth, and strong positioning across key environments such as media agencies, workspaces, production studios, and educational spaces. Attendees experienced how Canon’s imaging and printing technologies seamlessly integrate into real-world scenarios- from dynamic content creation and professional production setups to hybrid office solutions, education programs, and after-sales support through authorized service centers. A preview of upcoming product campaigns added momentum to Canon’s continued innovation journey. Rashad Ghani, B2C Business Unit Director, said: “Celebrating 10 years of Canon Central & North Africa made this year’s conference truly special. It was a great opportunity to connect with our partners, share our vision, and showcase how Canon’s solutions seamlessly integrate into real-world environments. By shifting from product displays to solution-led experiences, we’re empowering partners to meet evolving customer needs and drive business growth. I also congratulate our award-winning partners for their outstanding contributions to Canon’s success.” Business-To-Business Zones: A Unified Journey – Past, Present & Future The B2B zones followed a unified storytelling journey, strategically illustrating Canon’s evolution from its legacy of workspace and professional solutions, to the launch of the new imageFORCE series that represents the next step in intelligent, platform-driven offerings, and a forward look at upcoming innovations such as new imageFORCE models, varioPRINT, LabelStream, and corrugated solutions. This approach underscored Canon’s commitment to delivering intelligent, scalable solutions that enhance productivity and enable business growth across Africa. Amine Djouahra, B2B Business Unit Director, said: “This conference was a strategic platform to highlight Canon’s unified B2B journey, where legacy meets innovation and future ambitions. Our focus goes beyond products; it’s about enabling businesses with intelligent, scalable solutions that drive efficiency, productivity, and growth. Through this strategy, we continue to strengthen partnerships and position Canon as the trusted technology ally for businesses across Africa. I would also like to commend all our partners who have been recognized for their outstanding achievements- their dedication has been integral to Canon’s success”. The event concluded with a gala dinner and awards ceremony, honoring top-performing partners for their exceptional contributions to Canon’s growth. The celebrations highlighted a decade of collaboration and success.
Canon Central & North Africa (CCNA) (www.Canon-CNA.com), a leading provider of imaging solutions, successfully hosted its annual Dealer Conference at Conrad Hotel, Dubai. Themed “ICE: Innovation, Customer, and Experience,” this year’s edition carried special significance as CCNA celebrated its 10-year anniversary. The exclusive event brought together 100 partners from across Africa to explore Canon’s strategic direction, celebrate...
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Sanlam Investments Renews Sponsorship of Africa’s Green Economy Summit 2026

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Sanlam Investments (www.SanlamInvestments.com) has confirmed its third sponsorship of Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES), taking place in February 2026, reaffirming its commitment to financing Africa’s sustainable future through innovation in renewable energy, water security, waste reduction, ocean and climate finance. Since its inception in 2023, AGES has become a key platform for connecting global capital with African green projects. To date, the summit has showcased more than 90 investment-ready initiatives valued at over US$8.7 billion, spanning entrepreneurial start-ups to national-scale infrastructure projects. The event bridges the gap between investors and project owners, accelerating Africa’s transition to a just and inclusive green economy. “Africa stands at the frontline of climate change, and on the frontier of opportunity,” said Carl Roothman, CEO of Sanlam Investments. “From renewable energy to the blue economy and circular industries, the continent is leading a new era of sustainable growth; one defined by innovation, inclusion, and long-term value creation. “We recognise that meaningful change requires collective action through strategic partnerships, which is why we are supporting Africa’s Green Economy Summit for the third year. Every investment, every solution we implement, creates lasting returns for ecosystems, communities and investors. Now is our moment to invest in the future we need.” Roothman added that Sanlam’s investment philosophy of ‘holistic return’ reflects the company’s goal to pair measurable financial returns with regenerative impact for people and the planet. “We have consistent evidence that investing for impact yields outperforming returns – financial, social and environmental. Doing good is good investing.” Emmanuelle Nicholls, Project Lead for the event said: “Thanks to the vision and leadership of partners like Sanlam Investments, Africa’s Green Economy Summit has become an unmatched platform for changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs shaping a sustainable future for Africa. She added that the 2026 Summit will once again explore the full scope of the green and blue economy – from energy, transport, water and agriculture to waste management, green buildings and clean technology. “This year’s programme will feature dedicated pitch stages, investor roundtables, deal rooms and curated matchmaking with DFIs, venture capital funds, banks and asset managers. Nature and biodiversity finance will also take centre stage, highlighting the emerging markets for biodiversity credits and nature-based finance.” Nicholls emphasised that each edition of the summit strengthens its impact: “Every year, we reinforce the urgency of addressing Africa’s climate finance gap and taking actionable steps toward sustainable development.” AGES takes please at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town from 24-27 February. Register via the AGES website (https://apo-opa.co/4nNVNOF). Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group. About Sanlam Investments: Sanlam Investments is one of South Africa’s largest black-owned asset management firms, managing assets of over R1.5 billion. The company’s purpose extends beyond wealth creation — it is dedicated to investing in the long-term sustainability of people, planet and profit to drive measurable impact.
Sanlam Investments (www.SanlamInvestments.com) has confirmed its third sponsorship of Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES), taking place in February 2026, reaffirming its commitment to financing Africa’s sustainable future through innovation in renewable energy, water security, waste reduction, ocean and climate finance.  Since its inception in 2023, AGES has become a key platform for connecting global...
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