Author: Kaluka wanjala

Safaricom has introduced Daraja 3.0 which is a key upgrade of the M-Pesa API platform. M-Pesa has always relied on the developer community to expand its reach and capability. Daraja 3.0 is a clear sign that Safaricom wants the next decade of innovation to be powered by builders. Built for Fintech 2.0 The move to Daraja 3.0 reflects a shift to what Safaricom calls Fintech 2.0. For developers, this means an environment that supports more advanced use cases, integrates more cleanly with modern development practices and reduces the operational pain points that have been common with earlier versions. The goal…

Safaricom has kicked off the first KSh15 billion tranche of its KSh40 billion Domestic Medium-Term Note Programme. This marks Kenya’s largest-ever green bond issuance and introducing the first mobile-based subscription option for such an investment. The tranche, with an option to raise an additional KSh5 billion in case of oversubscription, will run from 25th November to 5th December 2025, offering investors a tax-free interest rate of 10.4%. Proceeds from the bond will finance and refinance Safaricom’s portfolio of eligible green projects, reinforcing the operator’s commitment to sustainable growth and reduced environmental impact. Because the bond qualifies as a green instrument…

Cairo-based HR tech startup bluworks has raised $1 million in seed funding to scale its workforce management platform across Egypt and also enter new markets in the MENA region. This seed round saw the participation of A15, Enza Capital, Beltone Venture Capital, Acasia Ventures and several strategic angel investors. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. bluworks was founded in 2022 by Hussein Wahdan and Farah Osman. Its main aim is to improve HR and operations for businesses with large blue-collar workforces in industries where traditional HR tools remain fragmented, manual or…

M-KOPA Kenya has released its first Kenya-specific Impact Report. The report provides a detailed examination of how the fintech company has influenced digital access, financial inclusion and local economic growth over the past decade. It shows the scale of M-KOPA’s influence in Kenya and the country’s position as the core of the company’s impact. According to the report, M-KOPA has unlocked more than KES 207 billion in credit since 2010 and has supported 4.8 million customers. Most of these customers have traditionally been excluded from formal financial systems. The ecosystem built around flexible credit and responsible lending continues to shape…

NCBA Investment Bank has introduced a new suite of Offshore Investment Solutions that aim to give Kenyan clients wider access to global financial markets and diversified wealth-building opportunities.  According to the Africa Wealth Report 2025, Kenya now ranks fifth among the wealthiest countries on the continent. The country has about 6,800 high net worth individuals. This group continues to seek more sophisticated investment products. NCBA says the new offshore products have been developed to help clients navigate a global environment where macroeconomic uncertainty and fluctuations in local currencies can erode the value of savings held in shillings. The bank believes…

Zoho has released a significant update to Zoho One. The new version introduces a redesigned interface, improved collaboration tools and expanded AI capabilities intended to simplify work for businesses using the suite. Speaking during the announcement in Nairobi, Veerakumar Natarajan, Country Head for Zoho Kenya, said the platform is evolving into a more connected environment. “Zoho One customers are choosing a solution that allows Zoho to handle the technology while they focus on productivity,” he said. More than 75,000 organisations use Zoho One globally. On average, each customer relies on 22 apps within the suite. The biggest change is the…

The itel Super 26 Ultra is the latest smartphone from the company to launch in Kenya. The phone is available in the country starting from Ksh 20,500. According to itel, this phone blends premium design, powerful performance and intelligent AI features at a price few competitors can match. I have been using the itel Super 26 Ultra for a few days and wanted to do a quick unboxing and first impressions to help you decide if this phone is worth considering. itel Super 26 Ultra Specifications Please review the specifications of this phone before proceeding. Unboxing If you buy the…

When Sitoyo Lopokoiyit talks about M-PESA, his voice carries the weight of history. Few people alive have seen the service evolve as closely as he has. And even fewer have shaped it from as early as 2005, long before the world knew that a Kenyan experiment would redefine financial services globally. “What happened in March 2007 changed financial services completely in the world,” he says. “M-PESA is like breathing when it’s working, you don’t notice it. But when it stops even for five minutes, the whole country feels it. The president must know.” Where It Began Nearly two years before…

Huawei has officially unveiled the GT6 Series, GT6 Pro and the new MatePad TXZ range in kenya. The company says the launch delivers a step forward in smarter health tracking, productivity and seamless device integration for local consumers. With the new GT6 Series and GT6 Pro, Huawei aims to meet rising demand for wellness focused wearables that combine emotional wellbeing features, advanced sports tracking and long battery life. The devices are built using materials such as sapphire glass and titanium alloy. Kenya is one of the markets where Huawei has seen growing interest in devices that support fitness, mobility, emotional…

Vertiv has been selected to provide next-generation infrastructure for ROM1, Digital Realty’s first data centre in Italy. The company will supply advanced cooling and power systems designed for high-performance computing environments. ROM1 is planned to have a capacity above 3 MW. This new agreement strengthens the existing collaboration between Vertiv and Digital Realty across several European markets. The two companies already work together in Paris, Madrid and Amsterdam, where Vertiv supports Digital Realty with critical infrastructure technologies. The ROM1 facility will introduce cooling systems that take advantage of Rome’s climate to improve efficiency through free cooling. The centre will also…