Author: Kaluka wanjala

Standard Chartered Kenya has reported a profit before tax of KSh9.6 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2026. The bank’s operating income declined 9% year-on-year, with net interest income falling 20% to KSh12.3 billion amid rate and margin pressures. This was partly offset by a 16% increase in non-interest income, supported by strong performance in Wealth Solutions and higher foreign exchange transaction volumes. Birju Sanghrajka, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, said: “The Bank delivered a profit before tax of KShs 9.6 billion. Our capital remains strong and the directors are pleased to announce an interim dividend of…

Nutanix and accelerated compute platform ChronoScale Holdings Corporation have announced a strategic partnership aimed at helping enterprises deploy and scale artificial intelligence workloads more easily. The partnership will combine Nutanix’s hybrid cloud and enterprise AI capabilities with ChronoScale’s accelerated computing infrastructure and AI Foundry platform. Under the agreement, ChronoScale plans to integrate Nutanix software into its AI infrastructure platform to support services including customer onboarding, tenant management, infrastructure virtualisation, managed Kubernetes and AI service delivery. The companies also plan to provide customers with access to additional GPU capacity through ChronoScale’s GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS), alongside its Token Factory offering for AI inference…

NETSCOUT has announced an expansion of its Adaptive DDoS Protection (ADP) solution. This introduces new capabilities that enable service providers to automatically detect and mitigate outbound DDoS attack traffic. The move comes as consumer broadband routers, cameras and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices are increasingly being exploited by botnets capable of launching large-scale cyberattacks. Traditionally, DDoS protection has focused on defending the intended target of an attack. NETSCOUT’s latest update shifts that approach by helping operators identify and stop malicious traffic before it leaves their own networks. According to the company, compromised subscriber devices are contributing to a new…

Absa Bank Kenya has reported a profit after tax of KSh 10.5 billion for the six months ended 30 June 2026. This represents a return on equity of 21.7%. The lender said its performance was driven by continued execution of its customer-focused growth strategy, alongside investments aimed at strengthening the long-term resilience of the business. Customer assets grew by 8% to KSh 329.9 billion as the bank expanded lending to key sectors of the economy, while customer deposits increased to KSh 380.7 billion, reflecting growing confidence among customers and wider access to financial services. Total assets also rose to KSh…

Terra Industries, a defense technology company developing autonomous security systems for critical infrastructure across the Global South, has raised an additional $18 million, bringing its total seed funding to $52 million. The latest round included participation from existing investors, including 8VC, Silent Ventures, Nova Global, Belief Capital and SV Angel, alongside new investor Norleo Space Investments and angel investor Grant Gordon. The company develops and manufactures autonomous defense systems designed to help governments and infrastructure operators protect critical assets across land, air and maritime environments. Terra says its technology is already being used to secure power plants, mines and other…

Sanlam Allianz has reported a net profit of KSh124.6 million for the first half of 2026. The company’s half year financial results showed that insurance revenue had risen to KSh2.2 billion. The company’s Gross Written Premiums (GWP) increased by 32% compared to the first half of 2025. Speaking while confirming the results, Group Chief Executive Officer Dr. Nyamemba Patrick Tumbo said the company had maintained its focus on business development while implementing measures to improve operational efficiency. “The business has seen a significant growth of 32% in Gross Written Premiums compared to the same period last year. Additionally, the business…

Airtel Africa and Starlink have officially launched Africa’s first commercial satellite-to-mobile service in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). With the new service, Airtel subscribers with compatible smartphones can access connectivity on Starlink’s satellite network without any additional equipment or specialised devices. Initially, the service will support SMS and light-data applications such as WhatsApp messaging. Customers will need a compatible LTE Android smartphone, an active Airtel DRC data bundle or data roaming enabled to access the service. Support for Apple devices is expected to be introduced later. “The first-ever commercial launch of Starlink Mobile in Africa is a significant…

In July 2026 there was an average of 3,237 cyber attacks per week on African organizations. This is significantly higher than the global average of 2,336, according to the latest threat intelligence report from Check Point Research. The report found that cyber attacks increased by 3% compared to June and 16% year over year. Within Africa, Angola recorded the highest number of weekly attacks per organisation at 5,714, followed by Nigeria (4,975), Kenya (2,915) and South Africa (2,195). Financial Services, Government and Energy and Utilities were the three most targeted sectors across the continent. The report also identified email and…

Konza Technopolis Development Authority CEO John Paul Okwiri recently hosted an AWS delegation led by Robin Njiru, Regional Lead for Public Sector, as the two organisations begin a new chapter of strategic collaboration. Konza says the proposed partnership will focus on strengthening Kenya’s cloud, innovation and technology ecosystem through a number of initiatives. These include the potential establishment of an AWS Outpost and a Startup and Technical Centre of Excellence at Konza Technopolis. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. The proposed AWS Outpost would support the adoption of hybrid cloud solutions…

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has announced a US$25 million equity investment in Jumia. According to the IFC, the investment will support Jumia’s next phase of growth across its core African markets by strengthening its integrated marketplace and logistics network while helping businesses improve productivity, increase sales and enhance price transparency. “The support of the World Bank Group is a milestone for Jumia and for African e-commerce more broadly,” said Francis Dufay, CEO of Jumia. “It validates both the discipline we have brought to our business in recent years and the tangible impact our platform has on small businesses, jobs,…