Author: Kevin Odero

“Global technology leaders highlight Kenya’s digital leadership as AI EVERYTHING KENYA X GITEX KENYA marks a defining moment for the region.”  Kenya’s growing influence in the global technology landscape took centre stage as leaders at AI EVERYTHING KENYA x GITEX KENYA 2026 described the country as a critical player in the emerging intelligence economy and a key gateway for Africa’s digital future. Speaking during the opening of the inaugural event in Nairobi, Executive Vice President, Dubai World Trade Centre, CEO, KAOUN International Trixie LohMirmand lauded Kenya’s remarkable progress in digital transformation, noting that the country’s innovation journey has positioned it ahead of…

From running AI workloads on US$5 servers to 3D avatars for hard-of-hearing communities, regional game-changers look to upend the status quo at East Africa’s largest tech and AI show  Kenya’s emergence as Africa’s leading tech investment hub will come into sharp focus this week as the continent’s most ambitious startups take centre stage at East Africa’s largest tech and AI event in Nairobi, bringing technology that ranges from AI running on a US$5 server to real-time sign language translation. Kenya attracted US$1.04 billion in tech investment in 2025, a 72 percent year-on-year surge that places Nairobi at the centre of Africa’s venture…

At the AI Everything Kenya x Gitex Kenya, global tech, AI, cloud and fintech leaders will unite to accelerate investment, innovation and digital transformation.  The event opens with a high-level Summit on 19 May before moving to a full-scale Expo and Conference from 20–21 May.  East Africa’s AI race is no longer about whether the region can adopt the technology, it is about who will control the infrastructure, data, and talent shaping its digital future. While investment in AI is accelerating across sectors from banking to healthcare, the focus is now shifting towards how the region can move beyond consuming…

AI EVERYTHING KENYA x GITEX KENYA, which will run from 19-21 May is poised to unite global AI leaders to advance East Africa’s digital sovereignty and infrastructure ambitions. The INCLUSIVE AI EVERYTHING SUMMIT is East Africa’s biggest gathering of global AI stakeholders – staging defining debates around a new regional AI development blueprint. In partnership with the Office of the Special Envoy on Technology of the Republic of Kenya, East Africa’s largest AI and tech launch event takes place in Nairobi from 19-21 May 2026. East Africa stands at a defining moment in its digital transformation journey, united by a…

From a €300m South African rail decarbonisation loan to a €38.5m Tanzanian coastal partnership, Africa Forward Summit delivers big bets on the continent’s industrialisation push. On the second day of the Africa Forward Summit, which was co-hosted by France and Kenya, the AFD Group and a coalition of multilateral and private partners moved boldly, announcing investments tying sovereign loans, grants and corporate expertise to specific outcomes. Blue Economy: A Franco-Ismaili bet on Tanzania’s coastline One of the most structurally innovative announcement came from the Indian Ocean. AFD and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to…

Airtel Africa has more than doubled its full-year net profit, propelled by a dramatic recovery in the Nigerian naira and record customer additions across its 14-country market on the continent, underscoring the telco’s sensitivity to currency swings even as its underlying operating momentum strengthens. The London and Lagos-listed group on Monday posted net profit after tax of $813 million for the financial year ended 31 March 2026, up 147.4 per cent from $328 million a year earlier. Basic earnings per share surged to 18.6 cents from 6.0 cents. The headline figure was strikingly boosted by a sharp turn in currency…

AI economy in  Africa is fast evolving. Fresh data shows that while Nigerian and Kenyan firms are busy layering AI onto fintech or logistics platforms, Tunisia and Cameroon are showing greater concentration of AI businesses. From agriculture to health, Africa’s AI ecosystem is shifting from merely adopting foreign technology to building its own. Currently, there are nearly 300 AI businesses operating in different sectors of the economy in Africa. The narrative surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) in Africa has long been dominated by discussions of potential, of leapfrogging, and of the risk of the continent being left behind. However, a new…

Telco’s taps Get-Phone Ltd to deploy 100,000 smartphones by December. The plan will see subscribers make a small upfront deposit, followed by regular repayments through Hormuud’s EVC Plus mobile money platform. Eligibility is determined using Hormuud’s telecom-based credit scoring system, which assesses how long a customer has used their SIM card and their mobile money spending patterns. Based on this, customers are placed into risk tiers and offered an appropriate device and payment plan. Somalia’s telco and mobile money provider Hormuud Telecom has entered into a partnership with Mogadishu-based Get-Phone, to roll out a smartphone financing programme in Central and…

Kaleidofin, IDH Farmfit Fund and Apollo Agriculture announce landmark local currency transaction to strengthen smallholder farmer finance in Kenya. The transaction is expected to serve as a blueprint for similar structures across emerging markets, demonstrating how technology-enabled infrastructure and blended finance can expand access to capital for underserved borrowers while creating investable opportunities for institutional investors. Fintech platform, Kaleidofin, has closed Kenya’s first private-sector local currency securitisation in the smallholder agriculture sector, in partnership with agri-finance company Apollo Agriculture and with investment from the IDH Farmfit Fund, a blended finance impact fund, marking a significant step in developing institutional capital…

Green energy push, state-backed construction projects, and a recovery in logistics saw Kenya’s economy grow by 4.6% in 2025. Kenya solidified its position as a continental leader in renewables with green energy accounting for 88.9% of domestic generation. After slight dip in 2024, construction sector rebounded sharply in 2025, growing by 6.8% with cement use rising by 3%. While Kenya’s growth held steady at 4.6 per cent last year, the 2026 Economic Survey reveals that the East African country’s economy underwent a structural shift driven by clean-energy growth, government-backed housing push, and a recovery in regional logistics business. The Kenya…