Author: Kaluka wanjala

I&M Bank has been recognized as the number one bank in the Kenya Banking Consumer Sentiment on Social Media Index 2024 powered by Data EQ. This comprehensive analysis of consumer sentiment towards Kenya’s major banks tracked over 502,000 public online consumer posts. I&M Bank scored over 72% in the Data EQ Index, which was 56% higher than the industry average. This achievement for the Bank follows another notable recognition at this year’s Think Business Banking Awards where the Bank won the Most Customer-Centric Bank. These accolades highlight our dedication to listening to our customers. Gul Khan, CEO I&M Bank Kenya, expressed…

The East African Development Bank (EADB) has unveiled an ambitious program to bolster the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Kenya. In partnership with Sidian Bank, HF Bank, Development Bank of Kenya (DBK), and Kenya Women’s Finance Trust Microfinance Bank (KWFT), EADB will fund this KES 892 million initiative, targeting over 1,300 SMEs nationwide. These financial institutions will extend direct loans to SMEs in sectors including agriculture, transport, commerce, and manufacturing. During the signing ceremony, EADB Director General Ms. Vivienne Yeda highlighted the essential role of SMEs in East African economies. “SMEs are the backbone of the East…

Founders Factory Africa has rebranded to 54 Collective. 54 Collective builds on its exceptional track record of investing in and scaling early-stage ventures in Africa. The new name, 54 Collective, reflects the firm’s ambitious pan-African vision, aspiring to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses to serve all 54 African countries.  The firm is a commercial-first investor and embeds impact in everything it does. 54 Collective invests in ventures from idea to Pre-Series A stage by offering catalytic capital, and value-add support through its Venture Success Platform. “Our catalytic capital and value-add support to founders, through our Venture Success Platform, signifies our evolution…

Liquid Intelligent Technologies (Liquid) has announced the official launch of the first Microsoft Azure Stack in Uganda. This achievement is a significant milestone for Liquid Uganda as it can now enable local businesses to access cloud solutions that meet the local data regulatory requirements. By investing in the first Azure Stack hub in Uganda, Liquid is not only demonstrating its commitment to the country’s digital transformation but also actively supporting the Uganda Digital Transformation Roadmap. This roadmap aims to connect 90% of Ugandan households to the internet by 2040, a goal that Liquid is dedicated to helping achieve. According to…

Internet Service Provider (ISP), Mawingu, has today announced the expansion of its services to Bondo in Siaya county. This is the 29th county that the ISP has connected to its network to. Commenting on this, Mawingu’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Farouk RAMJI said, “Our expansion into Bondo marks another milestone towards our long-term vision of making meaningful connectivity accessible to more Kenyans. The digital economy in the country is rapidly expanding and we want to support more Kenyans to tap into the knowledge and connections that it provides.” With more than 19,000 active customers, Mawingu remains committed to connecting towns…

Safaricom has awarded five more winners with KES 1 million each in the ongoing countrywide Shine Kenya Shinda Mamilii Kama Bingwa campaign. This is the fifth week of the promotion bringing the total number of weekly millionaires to 25. Additionally, each winner received KES 250,000 to support a community project of their choice. The award ceremony took place in Mtwapa, Kilifi County, where the latest five winners were announced namely, Samuel Kuria from Nairobi, Emmanuel Mbogo from Murang’a, Kevin Bitienyi from Kakamega, Geoffrey Langat from Mulot, and Tabu Ndonya from Mariakani in Mombasa County. Speaking during the award ceremony, a…

Today, TBD, a part of Block, announced the launch of the TBD Hackathon, held in collaboration with the Africa Bitcoin Conference. The hackathon is an exciting competition designed to drive innovation, creativity, and technological advancement of payments in Africa using the tbDEX open source protocol. The submission period for this hackathon will open on 31 July 2024, and close on 15 September 2024. The hackathon culminates 9-11 December 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya, at the Africa Bitcoin Conference. The TBD Hackathon initiative is aimed at unleashing the potential of African developers and innovators. The competition will bring together the best builders…

Binance has reached one million subscribers on its official YouTube channel becoming the first crypto brand to reach this milestone.  The success of its educational content, including explainer videos and product tutorials, and notably its content around its leading partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo aimed at bringing new users and fan engagement in the blockchain ecosystem through Web3, are attributed to the fast growth of Binance’s YouTube channel. “Finance” has ranked among the top three YouTube searches globally over the past five years, according to Google. Binance Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Rachel Conlan explains this trend and how Binance’s YouTube content supports its…

Nova Pioneer has partnered with Strathmore University to champion the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education across Africa. The partnership aims to develop a comprehensive AI curriculum for students in grades K-12, with a particular focus on grades 7-12 within Nova Pioneer’s existing Innovation and Leadership Programme. The pilot programme will be rolled out in 2025 for all Grade 8 students at Nova Pioneer. Speaking during the signing of the agreement, Mr. Chinezi Chijioke, Nova Pioneer’s Co-founder and CEO, acknowledged that the move seeks to equip African youth with the skills and knowledge essential for thriving in an AI-driven…

Meta has today announced it will be rolling out two new monetization options for eligible creators in Kenya. In-Stream Ads on Facebook and Facebook Ads on Reels will allow creators to earn money for crafting original videos.. Commenting on the rollout, Moon Baz, Global Partnerships Lead, Africa, Middle East and Turkey (AMET) at Meta said: “Everyday, we’re inspired by the incredible African creators who use Facebook to tell their stories, connect with others and bring people together. This expansion will empower eligible creators in the vibrant creative industry in Kenya to earn money, whilst setting the bar high for creativity…