Author: Kaluka wanjala

A few weeks ago, while attending a friend’s wedding in Nairobi, I met Mr. Otieno, a soft-spoken father of two with a gentle sense of humour. As we got talking, he painted a picture of life at home that felt familiar. “By 7 p.m.,” he said, “our house is buzzing. One child is online with her tutor, the other is watching cartoons YouTube. At the same time, my wife is preparing a presentation for work. I am the relaxed one, usually catching up on football highlights. Without Safaricom Home Fibre, none of this would run smoothly.” His story stuck with…

PesaLink, NALA and Equity Bank have partnered to make it easier for Kenyans abroad to send money back home. This partnership will help deliver funds instantly to mobile wallets and bank accounts across the country.  Last year, Kenyans in the diaspora sent home $4.94 billion. This makes remittances one of the top sources of foreign exchange for the country. Even with that, sending money across borders is often expensive and slow, with fees and delays eating into the amount families actually receive. This partnership will combine PesaLink’s instant payment infrastructure that supports transfers of up to Ksh 999,999 across 80+…

Absa Bank has unveiled a three-month promotion dubbed “Play Your Cards Right,” which rewards everyday debit and credit card usage with some substantial prizes. Whether you’re swiping your card at the supermarket or checking out online, every transaction counts as an automatic entry. Absa’s Head of Cards Payments, Linda Kimani, framed the move as part of the bank’s broader digital payments strategy. “We built this campaign on the foundation that Absa Bank continues to innovate around our customers’ needs and lifestyles and that we remain a Bank that is customer-first, digitally led and attuned to the evolving needs of every…

Vertiv has announced the new Vertiv PowerIT rack power distribution units (PDU), an extension of the Vertiv PowerIT product line. These models are designed to address the rising power needs of data-intensive workloads, including AI and high-performance computing (HPC). They provide advanced power management, flexible configurations, and enhanced internal components for greater reliability, enabling data centres to seamlessly scale power in response to growing IT demands. Basic, monitored and switched models are available now in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).With racks increasingly supporting power densities above 25 kW, data centre operators require robust high-capacity power distribution solutions capable of balancing loads and managing…

Xiaomi has launched the Redmi 15C in Kenya today. The device is designed for users who want more power, a larger screen, and additional features without paying premium prices. The Redmi 15C comes in with a 6000mAh battery that promises up to 22 hours of video playback. Even with such a massive battery, the phone manages to stay slim at just 8.2mm thick. Charging is equally impressive thanks to 33W turbo charging, which takes the phone to 50% in just over 30 minutes. Xiaomi has packed a 6.9-inch HD+ display with a smooth 120Hz AdaptiveSync refresh rate. This makes scrolling…

NTT DATA has announced the appointment of Jafar Kuruniyan as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. He succeeds Barry Curtin, who is stepping down after 16 years with the NTT Group, including 12 years as MEA CFO. Kuruniyan has been with NTT DATA since 2009 and brings over a decade of financial leadership experience within the company. He previously served as Vice President of Finance for the Middle East for five years. He has an MBA from Mahatma Gandhi University and a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) credential from the Institute of Management…

 Westcon-Comstor has signed a distribution agreement with 1Password that creates margin-rich revenue opportunities for channel partners and enhances the distributor’s identity security portfolio.  The collaboration will see Westcon-Comstor deploy its value-added services spanning training, technical enablement and data to empower partners to scale end-user enterprise adoption of 1Password Extended Access Management, as the vendor doubles down on its channel strategy and emphasises partner-led growth.  Partners across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) can capitalise on the short sales cycles and quick route to revenue offered by 1Password Extended Access Management, while meeting surging enterprise demand for secure, scalable and simplified access management in…

Cairo-based Munify has closed a $3 million seed round led by Y Combinator. This round also saw the participation of BYLD, Digital Currency Group and other strategic investors. Munify was founded in 2024 by Khalid Ashmawy and is building a cross-border digital bank specifically designed for Egyptians living abroad. What Munify Offers Munify’s platform enables instant, low-cost remittances into Egypt while providing users access to U.S. bank accounts, debit cards, and tools to manage currency risk. Its services are currently available in the U.S., U.K., Europe, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The startup targets freelancers, small and medium enterprises…

Back in August, MultiChoice once again hiked the subscription fees for DStv subscribers in Kenya and across Africa. The company said these changes were as a result of foreign exchange pressures and rising operational costs. This follows similar hikes in previous years. But this latest move has once again reignited a familiar debate. Are some African countries paying more than others for the same service? We compared DStv subscription rates in across key African markets including South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Zambia to see where subscribers are paying the most and try to understand why. DStv Subscription Prices…

Bolt Market has reported a 300% increase in orders since launching in Kenya in December 2024. In case you haven’t heard about it, Bolt Market is the grocery delivery arm of Bolt. Customers are using the platform to order fresh produce, pantry essentials and household goods using the Bolt app. This service competes with Glovo and a few other lesser-known grocery delivery services. Some of the factors that have led to Bolt Market’s rapid adoption in Kenya include the growing preference for doorstep delivery. This became popular during the pandemic and has continued since then. Bolt also offers over 3,500…