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Radio Generation Kenya
Radio Generation Kenya

Business

New county licensing law to grant automatic approval after 28 days
Business

New county licensing law to grant automatic approval after 28 days

The County Licensing (Uniform Procedures) regulations of 2025 also seek to consolidate multiple county permits into a single licence, simplifying operations for traders and investors. The initiative, spearheaded by the Investment, Trade and Industry ministry, aims to improve the investment climate and reduce bureaucratic obstacles.

UK livestock genetics to boost Kenya’s agricultural growth
Business

UK livestock genetics to boost Kenya’s agricultural growth

Valued at about £700,000 (around Sh119 million) per year, the arrangement will help meet the rising demand for superior breeding stock in Kenya. With the country’s sheep and goat populations expected to grow in the coming years, access to advanced genetic material will enable local farmers to improve the quality, health, and productivity of their herds.

SBM Bank Kenya returns to profit with Sh283m gain
Business

SBM Bank Kenya returns to profit with Sh283m gain

The bank’s financial statement indicates that net interest income almost doubled to Sh2.76 billion from Sh1.41 billion during the same period last year. Non-interest revenue also grew by 29.8 percent to Sh1.54 billion from Sh1.19 billion, helping to boost overall earnings. Meanwhile, operating expenses fell slightly to Sh3.89 billion from Sh3.94 billion, reflecting careful cost control.

The World Bank. PHOTO/The Express Tribune
Business

Water shortages threaten jobs and livelihoods worldwide - World bank report

The report estimates that the world loses roughly 324 billion cubic meters of freshwater every year, enough to satisfy the yearly needs of around 280 million people. These figures reveal that water shortages are no longer just an environmental concern—they are now a pressing economic challenge that could undermine development progress across the globe.

KRA moves to verify tax filings and roll out flexible payment option
Business

KRA moves to verify tax filings and roll out flexible payment option

According to a notice issued on November 7, the verification will apply to 2025 tax returns that will be filed through the iTax system before June next year. KRA said it will compare the information provided by taxpayers with its own data sources, including the TIMS and eTIMS platforms, Withholding Income Tax details, and import records maintained under its customs systems.

Treasury moves to monitor and clean up parastatal loans amid defaults
Business

Treasury moves to monitor and clean up parastatal loans amid defaults

The Treasury’s latest annual monetary report shows that the value of on-lent loans now stands at more than Sh1 trillion, made up of Sh874.91 billion in donor-funded financing and Sh322 billion from the national government. Many of these loans, the report notes, have been poorly utilised, with some projects stalling or failing to start.

Pension fund sells housing and land to restore compliance
Business

Pension fund sells housing and land to restore compliance

The pension scheme’s members are mainly former staff of the defunct Kenya Posts & Telecommunications Corporation, Telkom Kenya, Postal Corporation of Kenya, and the Communications Commission of Kenya (now Communications Authority of Kenya). Most of the properties were transferred to the scheme over two decades ago during the restructuring of the postal and telecoms sector.

Apple sees strong revenue but mixed reception for iPhone 17
Technology

Apple sees strong revenue but mixed reception for iPhone 17

Counterpoint Research reports that in the first ten days, the iPhone 17 series sold 14% more than the previous generation in the US and China, with the base iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Max leading demand. The iPhone Air, described as the thinnest iPhone ever, has seen “muted customer interest,” according to UBS, which tracks retail wait times.

Sh629 billion borrowed through fuliza as users hit 9.1 million
Business

Sh629 billion borrowed through fuliza as users hit 9.1 million

Introduced in 2019, Fuliza allows M-Pesa customers to complete transactions even when their wallet balance is insufficient, as long as they stay within a credit limit set based on their transaction history. The service operates in partnership with NCBA and KCB Bank, who underwrite the loans, ensuring that users can cover shortfalls when sending money, withdrawing cash at M-Pesa agents, paying bills, or buying airtime.

Madagascar’s Axian telecom acquires Zuku parent firm Wananchi Group in Kenya
Business

Madagascar’s Axian telecom acquires Zuku parent firm Wananchi Group in Kenya

For Zuku, the new ownership is expected to bring in fresh capital that will enhance network stability, improve customer experience, and expand fibre coverage. The firm has in the past faced persistent complaints about slow speeds and service interruptions, challenges that Axian says it is ready to tackle as it integrates the brand into its wider operations.

Global fertiliser spike threatens to lift Kenya’s food bills
Business

Global fertiliser spike threatens to lift Kenya’s food bills

According to the World Bank’s October 2025 Commodity Markets Outlook, fertiliser prices have climbed by roughly 19 to 21 percent compared to the same period last year. Unlike energy, metals and food commodities that are showing signs of easing, fertiliser costs continue to move upward, creating a worrying gap for food-producing nations that rely heavily on imports.

Government unveils fresh Sh175bn bond to clear road debts and revive works
Business

Government unveils fresh Sh175bn bond to clear road debts and revive works

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said the bond issue will build on a bridge financing programme worth Sh104 billion that government completed recently to help ease liquidity pressures faced by road firms. Out of that amount, Sh93 billion has already been distributed to contractors, allowing many stalled projects to resume and speeding up work at sites that had nearly been abandoned.

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