Browsing: Kenya

Private capital remains an important driver of investment activity in much of Africa

Office yields remained largely stable in most African markets over the past two years, anchored by patient domestic capital as local investors assume a longer-term perspective, a new analysis by Knight Frank shows.

The analysis, published in a new Knight Frank report dubbed Africa Horizons, shows that of the 35 office markets covered, yield remained stable in 16 locations in the two years to 2018 and rose in six, while 13 markets recorded declines.

Africa Horizons provides a unique guide to real estate investment opportunities on the continent, examining developments in agriculture, hospitality, healthcare, occupier services (office), capital markets, residential and logistics property sectors.

“By taking a longer-term perspective, and in some cases a lower return profile, local investors have remained more active than headline figures suggest. This explains how yields in most major markets have remained …

Coverage of retirement schemes in Kenya remains below 50%

Majority of Kenyans securing their old age by saving under retirement schemes are still exposed to tough times during sunset years, a survey has revealed.

The study by pension fund administrator Zamara Group has revealed that though pension’s legislation in the country has improved the governance and operations of the retirement funds, it has done little to improve the coverage and adequacy of retirement benefits to individuals.

Coverage of retirement schemes in Kenya has remained relatively low with less than 50 per cent of the formal sector covered and coverage of the much larger informal sector virtually non-existent.

According to Zamara Group CEO Sundeep Raichura, even those who are saving under retirement schemes have insufficient coverage to provide an adequate income when they retire.

The study which covered 65,000 retirement scheme members, spread across more than 200 retirement funds in the …

Jiji – the largest classifieds marketplace in Nigeria – has reached an agreement to redirect OLX users in Nigeria to Jiji and to acquire OLX businesses in four other countries, building a leading pan-African classifieds business

OLX, online classfied portal has been a major player in the African market for almost a decade even from its original name Dealfish.  However, things have not been going well for the online platform as new entrants including Jumia has pushed it to the blink.

And now Nigerians have come to the rescue in the name of Jiji.

Jiji and OLX have announced that both companies have reached an agreement under which Jiji will acquire OLX businesses in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, pending certain regulatory approvals, and OLX users in Nigeria will be redirected to Jiji. The transaction is backed by one of Jiji’s cornerstone investors, Digital Spring Ventures.

Joining Jiji’s family will …

Loans from China hit a high of US$6.2 billion last year

The Chinese government has dismissed claims that it’s continued heavy lending to Kenya in the financing of mega infrastructure projects is a ‘ debt trap’, even as loans from Beijing hit a high of ShUS$6.2 billion(Sh625.9 billion) in December last year.

This is up from US$5.3 billion (Sh535 billion) a year earlier with a lion share going towards the construction of the multi-billion Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

“We are not putting Kenya into a debt trap. China-Africa corporation cannot put Africa into a trap but booming economic growth,” China’s Charge’ D’affaires (Nairobi) LI Xuhang said during a meeting in Nairobi on the update on the SGR and China-Kenya relations.

“Kenya can decide on who they want to partner with. Kenyan people are wise enough to choose their trade and corporation partners. They can decide who benefits them more,” Xuhang …

Mobile subscription in the country grew 6.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2018

A proliferation of mobile applications on popular online stores is exposing Kenyans to increased cyber attacks and fraud, a latest sector statistics report by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has revealed.

This comes in the wake of a fast growing mobile subscription in the country which grew 6.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2018(October-December).

According to CA’s sector statistics report for the financial year 2018-2019, mobile subscriptions in Q2 grew to 49.5 million up from 46.6 million in the first quarter(July-September).

Data subscription during the period increased to 45.7 million from 42.2 million in the previous quarter, meaning Kenyans are increasingly getting connected to the internet.

This has created a field day for fraudsters who are taking advantage of innocent members of the public with little knowledge on cyber attacks.

The report …