Author: Kaluka wanjala

South Africa’s Nedbank Group has announced plans to acquire a controlling 66% stake in NCBA Group. If completed, the deal will see NCBA become a subsidiary of Nedbank, while the remaining 34 per cent of shares will stay listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). The proposed transaction values NCBA at 1.4 times its book value. Under the proposed structure, shareholders who participate in the offer will receive 20% of the consideration in cash. The remaining 80% paid in Nedbank shares listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). NCBA currently operates across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ivory Coast and Ghana.…

Sun King has officially launched the HomePlus Max. This is its most advanced solar home system yet and it’s designed to do far more than just light up a room. The new HomePlus Max introduces a level of power and flexibility that pushes solar home systems closer to what grid electricity offers. It can illuminate up to four rooms at near grid-level brightness, charge smartphones and laptops and power DC appliances like a 43-inch HD TV, pedestal fan and radio. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. What really sets the HomePlus…

Safaricom is preparing to launch a new tokenised Wi-Fi service that will allow customers to buy internet access in hourly, daily, and weekly packages. This will be a major shift in how fixed broadband is sold in Kenya and Ethiopia according to the Business Daily. The Telco has recently appointed Sylvia Anampiu as the new Director of Fixed Business, and she will help lead this initiative. The move brings the familiar pay-as-you-go model that has long been used in mobile data into the fixed internet space. Users will be able to pay only for the time they need instead of committing…

Telecom operators are under pressure to turn next-gen connectivity into real business value as 5G Standalone (SA) networks roll out across the world. One of the biggest opportunities lies in network slicing. This is the ability to create multiple virtual networks on a single 5G infrastructure, each optimised for specific use cases like gaming, live events, or mission-critical services. To sell premium, SLA-backed services, operators need to see everything and that’s where NETSCOUT comes in. The cybersecurity and observability company has announced how its advanced 5G observability solutions are helping Communications Service Providers (CSPs deliver reliable, high-performance network slicing services…

Paystack has today announced the launch of The Stack Group (TSG). This will be the new parent holding company that will house a family of tech-focused brands including Paystack, Paystack Microfinance Bank (MFB), Zap and TSG Labs. The announcement comes as Paystack celebrates its 10-year anniversary in January 2026 and reports strong financial momentum following its acquisition by global payments giant Stripe in 2020. Since then, Paystack says its payment volume has grown more than 12x and the group is now profitable at the holding company level. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact…

Konza Technopolis partnered with the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) to host the Magical Kenya Trail Series 2026 Youth Hackathon in Nandi County. This 24-hour innovation sprint explored how technology can be used to unlock new value in tourism, culture and local economies. the theme was “Innovating Culture, Tourism and Youth Skills for Sustainable Community Growth,” participants tackled real-world challenges across three key areas: The goal was to use technology to turn local insight into scalable, market-ready solutions that can grow jobs and opportunity at the grassroots level. Over 50 innovators from institutions including Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT), Eldohub,…

For many Kenyan households, after-sales support is still a frustrating maze of unreliable technicians, substandard parts, long wait times and wasted weekends hauling bulky appliances across town. LG is betting that this experience doesn’t have to be the norm. With the launch of its Best Care Trailer, LG is using mobile service units to rethink how after-sales support works in Kenya. This shifts it from reactive, inconvenient and risky to proactive, accessible, and trustworthy. After-sales is broken Kenyans spend a lot of time researching specs, prices, and brands before buying appliances. But what happens after the purchase? That’s where things…

Safaricom has appointed Sylvia Anampiu as the new Director of Fixed Business. The telco plans to roll out flexible, prepaid fibre and tokenized Wi-Fi access, bringing daily, weekly and monthly broadband options to homes and businesses across the country. Anampiu took over the role on January 5, 2026, and will lead strategy, growth, and profitability for Safaricom’s fixed broadband operations. Her appointment comes as the company prepares to shift from rigid monthly plans to flexible, time-based bundles, mirroring the approach that transformed mobile data in Kenya. Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom CEO, said fixed broadband sits at the center of the group’s…

Microsoft has partnered with Kenyan health-tech startup Zendawa to roll out an AI-powered platform to help independent pharmacies across the country to improve efficiency, reduce medicine wastage and grow revenues. The solution is built on Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Power BI. It enables small and medium-sized pharmacies to digitise inventory management, access real-time business insights and make data-driven decisions. These decisions were previously difficult to achieve with manual systems. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Zendawa’s AI-driven platform replaces manual inventory tracking with predictive analytics, automated reporting, and demand…

Global fintech trading platform Capital.com has received regulatory approval from the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) of Kenya, allowing it to operate as a licensed Dealing Online Foreign Exchange Broker in the country. The licence, issued under number 244, authorises Capital.com to offer regulated online forex and trading services to Kenyan clients. Capital.com emphasised that compliance, risk management, and transparency remain central to its operations. To lead its local operations, Capital.com has appointed Samwel Kiraka as Chief Executive Officer, Kenya. Kiraka brings experience in managing financial services within regulated markets and will oversee governance, compliance, and day-to-day client operations as the…