Category: Business Daily

On December 31st, as the clock inches toward midnight, many of us will be holding our breath, ready to welcome the new year with family and friends. Many will do the final countdown-10…9…8…7…1-and then usher in 2026, a year they hope brings joy, prosperity, and good tidings. It’s become tradition: as those of us in cities crane our necks skyward, waiting for the fireworks that will burst across the skylines, followed by the roar of thousands of revellers.

For those with the means, the night unfolds at hotels and restaurants where they eat, drink, and dance into the early hours. Others watch from their balconies or drive up to the Nairobi Expressway, hunting for the perfect vantage point to catch multiple displays lighting up the city at once.

But have you ever wondered what goes into pulling off these dazzling shows? What safety measures are in place and why you shouldn’t attempt this at home? Also, what separates a good display from a truly memorable one? And what can you expect this year?

We spoke to establishments known for their New Year’s Eve experiences-Ole Sereni, Holiday Inn at Two Rivers, and Tamarind Group of Hotels-as well as Jays Pyrotechnics Limited, the team behind many of these displays, to understand the choreography, planning, and artistry that make midnight magic happen.

The science of fireworks

When you see a 10-minute fireworks display burst across the sky, what you don’t see are the months of preparation that came before it. Jayshree (Jay) Suchak, master pyrotechnician and founder of Jays Pyrotechnic and the only master pyrotechnician in Africa designs every show from scratch. Each firework is customised from the chemical composition to the blast pattern you see in the sky.

‘The concept depends on the venue, the crowd size, and where people will be positioned. It involves science, strategy, and experience,’ he explains. Jay has turned fireworks into an art form. The company manufactures its own fireworks at a factory near Konza, meaning no two shows are alike. The designs, colours, and bursts are never repeated.

But it’s not just about making things look pretty. Safety comes first. Ole Sereni’s chief engineer George Salee describes the preparation like an engineering project rather than an entertainment add-on. ‘Preparation typically starts several months in advance and involves site surveys, risk assessments, regulatory approvals, and detailed technical planning,’ he says. By the time the display happens, there should be no unknowns.

Safety comes first

Here’s something most people don’t think about: For example, Nairobi’s fireworks displays happen near major infrastructure-airports, residential areas, wildlife zones. Ole Sereni sits close to Wilson Airport and the Nairobi National Park. Carnivore is surrounded by residential neighbourhoods and an airport. Two Rivers is a bustling commercial hub.

So how do they pull it off safely? Every site gets its own risk assessment. Jays Pyrotechnics notifies relevant agencies about firing layouts, exclusion zones, and safety distances.

For Ole Sereni, this means coordinating with aviation authorities and adhering strictly to height limits. ‘Fireworks are designed to remain well below regulated airspace thresholds, and the display duration is communicated in advance with a licence issued,’ Salee explains.

At Carnivore, Jacqueline Nyambura, the Tamarind Group’s marketing manager, says they constantly coordinate with the control tower and check weather reports. ‘We also use eco-friendly materials such as combustible casings that don’t use heavy metals to minimise pollutants.’

All of Jays Pyrotechnics’ fireworks are eco-friendly-no barium or sulfuric nitrate, which means no smoke. They’re ISO certified and TUV certified, meaning nothing falls down when they burst. The company has also developed technology to disable misfires mid-air. ‘If a firework goes astray, we can trajectorise it and disable it in the air.’

And here’s a word of caution for those tempted to try this at home: DON’T. ‘All our consumer-grade fireworks are made for DIY use and, when used correctly, pose minimal risk. However, there are brokers and unlicensed dealers who buy and sell unknowingly, creating dangers to people and property,” warns Jay.

The D-day

On the actual day, everything follows a structured process. At Ole Sereni as in most licensed venues, the morning starts with a final site inspection. Firing zones and safety perimeters are rechecked. Weather forecasts are reviewed in detail. Fire extinguishers, water points, and emergency equipment are positioned.

By midday, fireworks are delivered under strict controls and stored in approved temporary magazines. The pyrotechnics team sets up firing racks, lays electrical firing cables, and programs the firing sequence.

Just before midnight, final wind checks are done. If conditions are outside safe limits, the display is adjusted or delayed. Once cleared, the display is executed exactly as rehearsed.

‘Weather is one of the most critical variables and is monitored continuously right up to firing time,’ says Chief Engineer, Salee. Wind affects drift and fallout, so shell sizes, heights, and even the sequence order can be changed at the last minute. Humidity can impact ignition reliability. Temperature affects burn rates and the accuracy of timing.

The meteorological department has predicted rain for December 31st this year, but the establishments aren’t worried. ‘The fireworks are waterproof, so rain does not affect them. We will go on as scheduled,’ quips Jacqueline.

After the display, the site is inspected for misfires or debris, which are safely neutralised and removed before areas are reopened.

Unique experience

Tamarind does things a little differently. While most venues launch their fireworks right at midnight, Carnivore waits until 12:07. ‘When you have so many fireworks going off at the same time across the city, you don’t get to engage in your own display because you’re hearing the noises and seeing the others,’ explains Jacqueline. ‘With ours, by then, all the others have ended. So we get to experience just ours. There are no distractions.’

At Carnivore it’s a tradition that’s been going on for over 50 years. More than 50 percent of their guests are repeat customers. Guests enjoy the Beast of the Feast-an all-you-can-eat Brazilian experience with meat on Masai swords, including crocodile and ostrich balls-before heading into the garden for the 10-minute display.

The experience costs Sh9,000 per person, and they’re expecting 3,000 to 4,000 guests across their three venues on their Nairobi grounds.

At Ole Sereni, the focus is on variety. They have four different outlets across four floors, each offering a distinct experience. The ground floor has a la carte specials ranging from Sh2,500 to Sh6,500 with live DJs.

Big Five Restaurant offers an all-you-can-eat African cuisine buffet for Sh6,500 with a live band. The Dish Restaurant serves continental Brazilian cuisine for Sh7,500, also with a live band. All outlets open at 6 p.m. and run through midnight and beyond.

Dennis Kamwerengo, Ole Sereni’s F and B Manager, says they’re expecting around 1,500 guests, a slightly higher number than previous years. ‘People haven’t travelled as much this season, so there’s been more traffic in Nairobi over this festive period.’ They started planning three months ago, doing food tastings, checking recipes, and inviting mystery guests to review their offerings. ‘Every year, we change our recipes and dishes.’

Holiday Inn at Two Rivers takes a more intimate approach. Pooja Patel, the general manager, says they like to keep it between 60 to 80 guests. ‘I don’t like tables to be squeezed. That’s the perfect size for people to enjoy a customised experience.’

At Sh6,000 per person, guests get a grand buffet with a live grill station and bottomless cocktails and mocktails. ‘And when I say bottomless, I mean bottomless, you drink to your satisfaction.’ The hotel has a display of fireworks from Two Rivers Mall, which everyone enjoys.

The hotel leverages data to personalise the experience. ‘Many of these guests have been with us throughout the year, so we know which table they prefer, which drink they love, how they like it prepared,’ says Pooja. They’re almost fully booked already.

More than fireworks- behind the scenes

Pulling off a perfect New Year’s Eve isn’t just about fireworks; it’s about managing everything that happens around them. At Ole Sereni, the ratio is one waiter to every 25 guests.

The hotel started planning three months ago and can meet about 90 per cent of its staffing needs with its existing team across its two hotels and multiple restaurants.

Dennis explains that their booking system is now online. ‘Guests can go to the Ole Sereni platform or our website to book their table, make payment, and choose their cuisine, and everything is reserved digitally.’ Technology has made the process much smoother compared to previous years, when people had to call or visit in person.

The investment isn’t small. Ole Sereni spends around half a million shillings to put up the entire event for planning, entertainment, staff uniforms, and everything else. But they’re able to recoup that. Carnivore’s fireworks alone start at Sh250,000, but Jacqueline says it’s ‘a small investment to give the guests a great experience.’

Holiday Inn’s Pooja notes that staycations have increased tenfold since she joined in May 2024. ‘People are learning to treat themselves more. They want to spoil themselves. They want to go out to a nice hotel or a nice place where they can enjoy good food, good service, and really be spoiled. You don’t want to stay at home and worry about who’s going to host and who’s going to clean up the next day.’

What’s trending this year

Musical fireworks are the big thing now. These are sequences timed to a song, so you might hear ‘Happy New Year’ with bursts punctuating each phrase. Jacqueline says people are also moving toward pastel colours and peacock designs.

At Holiday Inn, Pooja is keeping this year’s surprise under wraps, but she promises something different from previous years. ‘There’s always something new every year, that’s why people keep coming back.’ Ole Sereni is taking the same approach, with a “wow factor” they’re not revealing yet.

Pooja says she has worked in different locations across Nairobi over the past seven years, and every venue has had an impact. ‘You see the traffic at midnight, and it’s really intense. People lining up on the Expressway to see the fireworks at JW’s, people lining up in Upper Hill to see the fireworks at Old Mutual, and Two Rivers gets packed. It’s become a tradition’

As we bring the curtain down on 2025, we do so with a deep sense of pride and renewed confidence in the direction of our nation’s capital markets. This has been a year that reaffirmed Kenya’s positive trajectory, one defined by resilience, sound stewardship, and a growing belief in the promise of our economy.

Anchored by strong macro-economic fundamentals, both at home and across the global economy, 2025 marked another chapter of sustained progress.

Declining interest rates, a stable currency, improving GDP growth, and enhanced fiscal and monetary coordination created an environment in which confidence could flourish. These conditions, coupled with deliberate policy actions and strengthened market oversight, translated into robust performance across our capital markets.

Growth in market capitalisation, rising by over 47.97 percent from Sh1.968 trillion to Sh2.912 trillion year-to-date stands as a powerful indicator of this progress. This expansion reflects more than rising numbers; it signals a renewed confidence in the valuation and long-term prospects of Kenya’s leading enterprises.

Improved corporate governance, stronger balance sheets, better earnings performance, and enhanced management practices across listed companies have played a central role in this recovery.

Equally important has been the growing participation of both local and international investors, encouraged by greater transparency, improved regulation, and a clear commitment to market integrity.

This positive momentum was also mirrored in the performance of our indices. The NSE 20 Share Index, which tracks our most established blue-chip companies, rose by an impressive 50.73 percent – climbing from 2058.67 points to 3103.09 points year-to-date.

This strength was broad-based, with all major indices recording double-digit growth, underscoring the depth and resilience of the market. The year also stood out as one of renewed activity and innovation.

Listings and new issuances took centre stage, with over five new offerings coming to market. Notably, the successful issuance and listing of two major corporate bonds, the Safaricom Bond and the East African Breweries Bond, I extend my sincere appreciation to the government, regulators, issuers, intermediaries, and all market participants whose collective efforts sustained and strengthened the market throughout the year. Your commitment has laid a strong foundation for the future.

Looking ahead to 2026, our optimism is firmly grounded in expectation and preparation. Continued macro-economic improvements, supported by the government’s strategic interventions, are set to further strengthen the economy.

Of particular significance is the proposed privatisation of the Kenya Pipeline Company, an initiative that has the potential to transform our capital markets by broadening investor participation and introducing one of the most consequential IPOs in our history.

We anticipate increased activity across the board, more initial public offerings, listings by introduction, and deeper engagement in the corporate bond market. Together, these developments will expand choice, enhance liquidity, and reinforce the role of the capital markets as a cornerstone of national development.

Central to these market developments is a bold and forward-looking strategy anchored on three defining pillars: revitalising our markets, harnessing the power of technology, and strengthening organisational effectiveness.

Together, these pillars form the basis upon which we are rebuilding a deeper, more resilient, and more inclusive capital market. Through targeted reforms, digital innovation, and sharper execution, this strategy is designed to unlock new listings, expand market depth, and significantly elevate investor participation.

At the heart of this vision is our renewed and ambitious commitment to onboard nine million active retail investors. We firmly believe that retail investors are the lifeblood of any vibrant and sustainable financial market.

To this end, we are forging strong partnerships, embracing innovation, and reimagining access to investing, ensuring that every Kenyan, regardless of background or geography, can confidently participate in wealth creation through our capital markets.

I call upon all Kenyans to take part in this journey. Open an investment account, participate in our capital markets, and invest in the companies listed on the NSE.

Over the past two years, the NSE has outperformed many major asset classes, proving that disciplined investing can build wealth and secure financial futures. Let us, together, harness the power of our capital markets to drive prosperity for ourselves and for generations to come.

Finally, I extend my sincere appreciation to the government, regulators, issuers, intermediaries, and all market participants whose collective efforts sustained and strengthened the market throughout the year. Your commitment has laid a strong foundation for the future.

High-end hotels in Nairobi saw an overwhelming number of Kenyans visit for Christmas lunch and dinner, forcing them to readjust their menus to cater to diverse customers’ tastes.

By yesterday, some hotels were also almost fully booked for New Year’s Eve fireworks and dinner, which is uncommon compared to previous years.

Hotel officials interviewed by the BDLife said that, much as they were prepared to delight diners’ palates over the festive season, they hardly expected to see overflowing venues. Some had to bar entry of diners at some point.

‘This is the first time that we’ve seen that,’ said Safari Park Hotel’s assistant sales and marketing manager Samson Mwangangi when he recalled that their restaurant, which accommodates about 400 diners by the swimming pool, was full by Christmas Eve.

They were serving Christmas lunch and dinner at three venues, hosting about 2,000 diners, each paying Sh6,200 per person.

‘We had sold it out, so we had to close there,’ he said.

At Kwetu Nairobi Curio Collection by Hilton, Mourine Oloo, the director of brand and marketing, said their Upepo and Meko spaces ‘were fully booked a week before Christmas,’ with each diner paying Sh8,500.

‘On Christmas Day alone, the hotel served a little over 500 covers, with dining activity flowing organically from lunch into the evening,’ said Ms Oloo.

This was replicated at the

Mövenpick Hotel and Residences, where, according to its marketing director Randy Ngala, the Christmas brunch was fully booked before D-day.

With more Kenyans opting to stay in the city, and some saving up for the Christmas brunch, family dining has become a key component of festivities, forcing hotels previously used to cater to international palates to readjust their menus to serve locals.

Inclination to stay Kenyan

More local diners means more inclination to stay as ‘Kenyan’ as possible in the food offerings. Various outlets tackled this challenge by swapping international cuisines with better-known dishes.

‘Last Christmas, for instance, we tried to introduce the Caribbean cuisine: basically, the Jerk chicken [a spicy, aromatic Jamaican chicken dish marinated with Scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, and thyme, slow-cooked for a smoky, tender finish] and a whole lot of Caribbean dishes. But then again, we felt that diners were a bit pensive when it came to the uptake because it’s an experience that they don’t understand. These are meals that perhaps they’ve only heard of, but they’ve never tried. And you see, with Christmas, it’s a whole family experience. So, you can say some people will be left out because they’re not really, really happy with the dining experience, which is foreign,’ he said.

‘So, this year, just to play it safe for the whole family range, what we did was that as much as we had to introduce exciting items onto the menu, we also had the kawaida (usual) locally accepted and appreciated Christmas dining menu items,’ added Mr Ngala.

‘We had the mbuzi choma (roast goat), chicken, but we also introduced something like crocodile meat just to spice things up, because it’s Christmas. With these, someone is sure that if they walk into the hotel, they’ll get whatever they’re used to, and even more, then it becomes easier for the uptake.’

The same approach was taken at Kwetu Nairobi, Curio Collection by Hilton.

‘We embraced Kenyan festive traditions wholeheartedly. Nyama choma and locally inspired dishes formed the backbone of the menu. Familiar and nostalgic meals. These were complemented by global dishes but never overshadowed,’ said Ms Oloo.

‘Nyama choma, prepared at live stations, was a clear favourite, drawing guests back repeatedly. Turkey, done as a festive classic, was equally popular, particularly among family groups,’ she added.

It was a busy season for chefs. Most of the high-end restaurants adopted a family-style service approach, with chefs continuously cooking throughout service.

‘Dishes were prepared in real time, served in manageable portions, and replenished constantly, keeping meals fresh, hot, and consistent,’ she said. Live cooking stations further allowed dishes to be prepared in real time,’ Ms Oloo said.

At Safari Park, a whole bull roasting on a spit over fire, a centerpiece of the traditional African barbecue, with meat turning to golden perfection, was introduced at one of the three sites where Christmas dining was held.

‘And it got finished,’ said Mr Mwangangi. ‘As the chef was working on the menu, he had to factor [that] in because I know Africans: our [parties] without nyama choma, without barbecue and kachumbari, it’s not a party. So, Africans were really taken care of.’

At Safari Park, their three venues were Café Kigwa (by the pool) with a capacity of up to 400; Theme Park that can hold up to 900 people and nyama choma spaces that takes up to 500 people.

Café Kigwa had sold out by December 24. And in the case of Theme Park, no more guests were being allowed in by midday.

‘We stopped selling there because it was coming up to capacity due to the walk-ins and people who prefer [coming] last-minute. And when they come in, they have a preference: ‘we want to go to the grounds’ and such. So, at some point, we also stopped selling the grounds. We were left with the third venue: Nyama choma space. This is where we normally have the dancers [the famous Safari Cat dancers], the grill and everything, we directed all the walk-in clients there,’ he said, adding that they are anticipating the same successes for New Year dinners.

‘For the 31st, we normally do nyama choma only. So, hopefully, the story by tomorrow might also be the same because now [Tuesday] we are at like 75 percent bookings. The last time I checked, we were close to 400 diners who had booked and paid.’

Staycations demand

Staycations remained in high demand, with bookings expected to continue for New Year’s celebrations around the fireworks.

At Kwetu Nairobi, room occupancy ‘remained strong at 70 percent and above’ during the Christmas week, according to Ms Oloo, who added that most people booked between three and seven nights.

‘These were largely Kenyan families, including many ‘summer bunnies’ returning home for the holidays,’ she said, adding, for New Year’s Eve dinner, by Tuesday, the hotel was ‘already at 90 percent capacity.’

Safaricom Ethiopia has raised the cost of data in its push to break even and grow earnings of the Kenyan unit listed at the Nairobi bourse.

Mobile data packages have soared by an average of 44 percent, according to BirrMetrics reporting, an Addis Ababa-based media outlet, with daily bundles recording the steepest increase.

A gigabyte of data purchased daily is now priced at 35 ETB (Sh29) while a monthly purchase of 10 gigabytes now costs 500 ETB (Sh414).

The operator signalled the data pricing adjustment against the backdrop of currency depreciation, which requires it to raise its prices to remain commercially viable.

‘To continue delivering reliable and high-quality mobile data services, Safaricom Ethiopia has rationalised prices for its data bundle packages in response to rising operational and investment costs,’ Safaricom Ethiopia said in a statement last week.

Safaricom Ethiopia has not adjusted its voice and SMS tariffs.

Safaricom Plc, which has a 53.37 percent controlling stake in Safaricom Ethiopia, earlier indicated that a tariff increase would be crucial to help it turn profits.

The loss in Ethiopia that is attributed to Safaricom dropped to Sh15.2 billion from Sh19.4 billion in the same period a year earlier, translating to a gain of Sh4.2 billion.

Safaricom launched in Ethiopia in 2022 as the Addis government opened up the tightly-controlled economy to foreigners and is hoping its presence in Africa’s second most populous country will power future growth.

The push for higher service charges has been in the wake of a damning World Bank report that deemed telecom investments in the country were unsustainable as low tariff rates depress revenues.

Depreciation of Ethiopian Birr has worsened already low tariff rates, which leave Safaricom in an increasingly deeper hole as it prices its investments and expected revenues in US dollars.

‘We remain concerned about the market repair as one cannot sustain a business made from a dollar investment in the country,’ Safaricom Plc chief finance officer Dilip Pal told this publication in an October interview.

‘The return that you are expecting with the depreciation of the birr from 57 units to the dollar in July 2024 to 146 means you need price correction. The price levels are too low and telecoms like us are selling their services, be it data or voice, below cost, and that must change.’

A World Bank report commissioned by the Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) established that the country’s low telecoms tariffs have been a disincentive to investments in the industry as potential investors seek to avoid losses.

The global lender said Ethiopia stands to lose out on advancing its telecoms sector if firms fail to generate enough revenues to justify investments.

‘Ethiopia’s average revenue per user (APRU) remains one of the lowest in Africa at around $1 (Sh128.99) per month, reducing scope for fresh network investment,’ the World Bank report said.

‘Compared to other African countries, Ethiopia still lags in 4G coverage, broadband speed and fixed internet penetration, particularly in rural and remote areas, though the gap has narrowed considerably since 2018. These gaps will not be bridged without fresh investments and currently, neither operator is in a position to commit to this.’

The ECA has made reforms to increase broadband access and reduce prices, including the 2024 reduction of mobile termination rates (MTRs) but challenges have persisted, including biased rules favouring the state-owned EthioTel.

Safaricom Ethiopia registered revenues of Sh6.18 billion from voice, messaging and data in six months to September 2025 with data generating the bulk of receipts at Sh4.1 billion.

The operator noted that it was easier to drive the usage of data over voice, given that more cell towers would be required to connect voice customers.

Safaricom’s Ethiopia expansion has shown promise from increased network usage with the number of 90-day active customers rising by 83.7 percent from last year to 11.15 million as of September 2025.

Active voice customers stand at 9.57 million, data customers are at 8.87 million while M-Pesa customers sit at a lower 3.35 million.

A fast-changing technological space coupled with the need for fast internet speeds across work, entertainment and education has dealt a blow to the legacy third-generation network (3G).

Mobile phone users on 3G declined 26.8 percent to 5.68 million as of September 2025 compared to 7.77 million a year earlier. The numbers had been on a decline over the years before the latest sharp fall, having stood at 11.78 million in September 2023.

Those using faster 4G and 5G have grown over this period, underscoring demand for high-speed and wide bandwidth internet for online learning and increased number of people working from home.

Kenya, like many other countries, has recorded a jump in remote working and online jobs, in the last few years. The two took root in the wake of the Coronavirus scourge in 2020.

3G -which was an upgrade from 2G- is slower and has a smaller capacity to carry data and information compared to 4G and 5G networks, explaining why a majority of subscribers have been moving en masse to 4G and 5G. Besides high speed and bandwidth, the two have lower latency rates (faster speeds).

‘Data consumption across 4G and 5G technologies continued to grow while 3G maintained a downward trend,’ CA says in its sector report for the three months to September 2025.

The industry data shows that subscribers on 4G surged to 39.98 million as of September 2025 from 31.17 million a year earlier.

Online learning, e-medicine and remote working have become the norm, with their adoption significantly growing since 2020 when Coronavirus-induced restrictions forced Kenya, like other economies, to scale up use of the internet.

Safaricom launched 3G in Kenya in May 2007, as mobile users sought networks with higher speed mobile data compared to the 2G technology. Orange and Airtel would later follow suit.

Safaricom and Airtel launched the latest 5G network three years ago and the telcos are keen to ramp up the investment to meet the fast-growing demand for high-speed internet with bigger bandwidth.

Use of 3G has been falling year-on- year since September 2022 when some 1.54 million subscribers ditched the service in a year to 10.24 million in September of the following year and further to 7.77 million the following year.

3G network was introduced in the early 2000s and enabled mobile devices to access the internet at faster speeds than 2G. However, they are now being phased out by the 4G and 5G networks that offer far superior data speeds, better reliability and lower latency.

Safaricom, the biggest telco in Kenya in terms of market share has upped the number of 4G and 5G sites in response to the demand for high-speed internet in the country.

Company disclosures show that Safaricom had 1,700 active sites for 5G in the year ended March 2025, more than double the 803 a year ago. The telco has more than 6,900 sites for the 4G network. ‘We also continued to invest in our network coverage, working to transition customers from 2G to 4G devices, while accelerating 5G, fixed wireless and fibre rollout,’ Safaricom says in its latest annual report.

The company added that the number of mobile phones on its 5G network jumped 57 percent to 1.05 million in the year ended March 2025 while those on the 4G network are over 22 million.

Airtel Kenya, on the other hand, had 690 active sites for 5G as at July last year and planned to launch an additional 1,000 as it races to catch up with Safaricom.

The fast-growing demand for entertainment which can be accessed on both television and mobile phones such as Netflix, YouTube, Showmax has made 4G and 5G a near must-have for those keen to switch on these platforms.

E-learning applications, cloud-based platforms, and real-time collaboration are heavily reliant on high-speed internet with high bandwidth, placing 4G and 5G networks at the heart of online learning.

Safaricom launched 5G commercially in 2022 as it sought to deepen its dominance and build up on the 4G which it had rolled out eight years earlier.

Airtel Kenya -the second biggest telco in Kenya- launched its 5G network in 2023. The firm had rolled out its 4G network in 2018.

Telkom Kenya is yet to roll out a 5G network, having launched the 4G version in 2017. The telco signed a deal with two technology firms from Japan and the US to boost the quality of their internet services amid heightened push to roll out 5G.

But costly gadgets and pricey data continue to derail the uptake of both 4G and 5G network in African economies including Kenya, a scenario that looks to persist amid harsh economic times that are increasingly forcing many to cut spending to the bare-minimum.

A report by Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) shows that costly gadgets and data continue to be a major hindrance in the uptake of the internet.

GSMA -a global body representing mobile network operators- flagged Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania as economies where data costs are a major hurdle.

‘While handset cost is a major obstacle to initial adoption, data affordability emerges as a more pressing concern for those already using mobile internet in most countries surveyed,’ GSMA says in a report that was published in October this year.

‘In Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania, data costs were a particularly significant issue, ranking as the top reported barrier to further use among both urban and rural respondents.’

Unlike other countries across the world, Kenya has not declared a deadline to shut 3G network and the migration to 4G and 5G is firmly hinged on the telcos and economic ability of subscribers.

Giant telcos in major economies such as the US, Australia, China and Europe had targeted to phase out 3G networks between 2023 and end of 2025.

GSMA now says that telcos face an uphill task in driving the uptake of 4G and 5G networks, mainly due to the costly gadgets that run on the two networks.

‘As operators look to retire legacy networks, this reliance on older technology devices could hinder their ability to migrate consumers and businesses to 4G or 5G devices, since many of those may be at risk of losing access when faced with the need to purchase a more expensive 4G or 5G device to continue using mobile internet,’ GSMA says.

Sales of nyama choma grilling stoves are climbing this festive season amid a surge in Kenya’s holiday barbecue culture, be it on city balconies or village homes.

Sellers say demand for barbecue grills has gone up, also opening up new income streams for small-scale metal fabricators who are now making them.

Among the businesses riding this wave is Cookswell Jikos, a family-owned enterprise led by Teddy Kinyanjui and sellers along Nairobi’s Landhies Road and Ngong Road.

‘The festive season is very rewarding. Everyone is grilling nyama, having barbecues, and everyone is happy. During peak season, stock runs low, and delivery can be difficult because roads get packed. We advise customers to wait until January for delivery,’ Teddy said, adding, ‘many of the customers buy the grills as gifts, and for people living upcountry without reliable electricity, the charcoal ovens make sense.’

Cookswell Jikosis owned by Teddy, his two sisters, and their mother. ‘It was started by my late father back in the early 1980s when he developed the Kenya ceramic jiko, a small household stove with a clay lining.’

Now their flagship Cookswell charcoal oven which serves as multi-functional grill, smoker, and oven is among their best-sellers.

‘People love them because they can barbecue, smoke meat, and even run a small bakery. Half our sales are to homes, and half to restaurants, hotels, safari lodges, and off-grid users,’ Teddy says.

There is a high demand for their animal-shaped grills. ‘We partner with artisans who make them. For instance, the camel jiko has a chimney in its neck, and smoke comes out of its nostrils. They are more expensive, but people love them because they impress and add artistic flair to the kitchen,’ he says, adding that prices for these grills range from Sh18,000 to Sh20,000 for smaller home ovens, up to commercial models at around Sh90,000.

He adds that the Covid-19 pandemic season, where people were locked indoors, helped fuel demand that has sustained since then.

‘After Covid, many people learned to cook at home and started smoking foods such as bacon or making artisanal dishes,’ he says, adding that they have also sold organic wood chips from pear, apple, and indigenous trees such as African olive and African pepperbark.

‘Chefs are increasingly interested in authentic flavours that connect to tradition,’ Teddy says.

Social media, just like many businesses, has helped in expansion. ‘Around 2008, I started uploading photos of our jikos online. Over the years, social media has allowed us to connect with customers globally, from Uganda to Switzerland, the US, Australia, Peru, and Pakistan. It’s amazing to see photos of people cooking with our ovens thousands of miles away.’

Simon Kioko, the owner of Sparks Kitchen, a juakali metal workshop in Nairobi, says the festive season has become the most lucrative period for small-scale barbecue grill makers as demand from households spikes.

Simon, who has been in the grill business for about two years, says small grills dominate his sales during the holidays, even as rising metal prices squeeze margins.

‘The BBQ grills, especially the small ones, are the most popular with customers. Most of the buyers are individuals, not restaurants,’ he says.

‘We have been in the juakali grill business for about two years now, and so far, I would say the business is not bad. It has its slow months, but when demand comes, especially during the festive season, it really picks up,’ he says.

With the high demand, he increases prices.

‘A grill like this one, with a lid and a chimney, is currently selling at around Sh10,000. But before the festive season, around March or October, the same grill was going for about Sh6,000. Some of the smaller grills that can sell for as low as Sh3,000 during the off-season cannot go for less than Sh5,500 during the holidays,’ he adds.

Despite the price hike, he says ‘customers would come and we didn’t have enough grills ready. Going forward, we are planning to increase our stock so that we don’t miss sales during peak seasons.

On a good month, he says he can sell between 20 and 35 grills.

‘Every week, sales from grills alone can bring in about Sh80,000 (upwards) depending on the types of grills customers buy,’ he adds.

Despite the higher demand, Simon decries the rising input costs, which eat into his margins. ‘The biggest expense in this business is metal. Metal prices keep going up, especially when suppliers see that demand is high. Paint and other materials matter, but metal is the main cost,’ he explains.

Social media has become central to keeping the business afloat. ‘Most of our customers come through social media. TikTok works best for us, even better than Facebook. When people see the grills on TikTok, they come asking for the same designs,’ Simon says.

For aspiring entrepreneurs, he emphasises visibility over production alone. ‘Making the grills is not enough. You really have to advertise. You can make very good products, but if people don’t see them, they won’t buy. Marketing, especially online, is very important in this business,’ he says.

Governors are at a crossroads, trying to juggle county finances to achieve much-needed development growth for residents while facing revenue woes, as the Treasury struggles to fund the devolved units in time.

Faced with burdens of a ballooning wage bill, weaknesses in the payroll system, and competing cash drain points, counties are finding it difficult to survive on just their own revenues.

Oversight bodies have revealed how a majority of the counties continue to pay salaries outside the approved payroll system, exposing them to risk of siphoning of public funds.

During the year ending June 2025, counties processed Sh12.88 billion in salaries manually, the Controller of Budget (CoB) reported, which was six percent of all the salaries paid by counties during the year.

The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) warns that the worrying trend puts billions of shillings of public funds at risk, even as counties struggle with the monster of exorcising ghost workers who have raided their payrolls and worsened their wage bill burden.

‘Indeed, except for Baringo and Nyamira, all the other 45 counties had a component of their personnel emolument (PE) costs processed through the manual payroll,’ the PBO observes.

Turkana led the pack, processing Sh1.4 billion in salaries manually, followed by Nyeri (Sh725.5 million), Kiambu (Sh713 million), and Wajir (Sh682 million).

Most counties claim to process salaries manually to pay casuals, Community Health Promoters (CHP), salaries for staff not on-boarded into the official payroll system, and top-up allowance for security personnel–a position which is prone to abuse.

‘The use of manual payroll by counties poses various challenges, including potential abuse which may result in the loss of public funds through inflated wage bills,’ the PBO notes. The office, which advises MPs on budget and economic issues, reckons that counties also need to undertake audits of their existing human resource data ‘to help identify and eliminate ghost workers.’

The National Treasury has indicated that it is currently integrating all public entities into a central payroll system that will eliminate ghost workers and address other payroll challenges, with counties expected to be fully onboard by June 2026.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) John Mbadi says sealing the loopholes within the public payroll system will help the government at least maintain its current wage bill level, ruling out any possibility of firing workers to achieve a lean, effective public service workforce as earlier promised.

‘We can make our public sector more efficient and manage our payroll so that it can efficiently let us eliminate ghost workers in our payroll, and that is why we are integrating the payroll now. By the end of this year (2025), the entire national government executive will have been integrated, and all counties by June next year,’ he said.

Efforts to address weaknesses within the counties’ wage bill are being made at a time when it has risen from Sh195 billion to Sh220 billion in just two years to June 2025, eating into nearly half (48 percent) of the counties’ revenues.

CoB Margaret Nyakang’o observes that counties are not following through on their commitments to lower their wage bills to the legally set 35 percent of revenues, most of them spending even more than half of what they get to pay salaries and allowances.

During the national wage bill conference in April 2024, counties were asked to refine strategies and action plans to achieve a wage bill-to-revenue ratio of 35 percent by the end of June 2024. During the first quarter of the current fiscal year, counties spent Sh43.7 billion on salaries and allowances.

University of Nairobi (UoN) Economics Professor, Samuel Nyandemo, observes that counties must put their house in order by addressing internal challenges draining their coffers, if they have to fund projects that benefit residents.

‘All these problems from the huge wage bill and other expenses, ghost workers, and other leakages can be addressed if county administrations focus on addressing them. This will be the lasting solution rather than getting more cash that ends up in the drain,’ Prof Nyandemo says.

The one area where counties have posted improvements in their financial management has, perhaps, been in generating their own revenues.

A trend of the counties’ Own Source Revenue (OSR) shows that the local revenues have jumped by about 2.5 times since the onset of devolution.

From a collection of Sh27.2 billion in the year to June 2015 to Sh67.3 billion in the past fiscal year, this shows that continued automation of revenue collection systems and expansion of the revenue streams are paying off.

The CoB, however, warns that some counties are still using manual revenue collection methods, which undermines their ability to hit their potential and exposes them to weak controls that are prone to leakages, underreporting, and fraud.

Other counties also still have unexploited potential, with the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) estimating that counties could generate up to Sh250 billion annually, while some have not employed effective collection methods.

Between June and September this year, revenue arrears for counties grew from Sh124.9 billion to Sh156.2 billion, official documents show.

‘The situation significantly impedes liquidity, making it challenging for the Counties to implement the financial year 2025/26 budget effectively,’ Dr Nyakang’o observesCounties have also been fingered for possible wastage of resources through bursary kitties, where their funding of students in primary, secondary, and tertiary levels has been put into question.

In June 2025, the High Court barred county governments from allocating cash for bursaries pending a resolution on the matter, though the PBO reveals that some disregarded the court order and allocated Sh1 billion in the current fiscal year.

‘Despite the ongoing challenges, county governments continue to allocate significant amounts to bursaries – a potential PFM (Public Finance Management) breach,’ the office says.

Among counties that have allocated cash for bursaries during the year to June 2026 are Kwale Sh400 million, Kakamega (Sh240 million), Homa Bay (Sh215 million), Laikipia (Sh75 million), and Lamu (Sh70 million), though the CoB has stayed her ground, refusing to approve bursary requests by counties.

For 27 licensed banks, New Year’s Eve will come and go as any other night.

But for about 10 banks, December 31, 2025 marks a crucial day as they are required to finalise capital boosting initiatives where each shall have a core capital of Sh3 billion or risk losing its Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) licence.

For decades, Africa’s trade and logistics networks were oriented toward Europe and North America. Ports, railways, and road networks were designed to facilitate the export of raw materials to Western markets, often leaving intra-African trade underdeveloped.

Today, a quiet but significant shift is underway. With strategic investments, infrastructure, and partnerships, China is reshaping trade corridors across the continent, signalling that Africa’s economic future may increasingly run eastward, toward Asia, rather than west.

The foundation of this shift lies in connectivity. Chinese-backed ports, rail lines, and highways are linking production hubs to regional and global markets more efficiently than ever before.

From the Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway in Kenya to the Bagamoyo port project in Tanzania, investments are not only creating physical infrastructure but also redefining the economic geography of East Africa.

These corridors reduce the cost of moving goods, shorten transit times, and make African exports more competitive on a global scale.

Trade patterns are changing as a result. Historically, African countries exported primarily raw commodities to Europe and North America, capturing only a fraction of the value chain.

Today, access to Asian markets through Chinese-financed corridors allows African nations to diversify exports, increase industrial capacity, and integrate into global supply chains.

Goods such as processed agricultural products, textiles, and manufactured items are now moving eastward, reflecting a shift from dependency towards industrialised trade engagement.

China’s role is not limited to physical infrastructure. Financing, technology transfer, and technical expertise accompany these projects. Ports and logistics hubs are designed with advanced management systems, customs facilitation, and operational efficiency in mind.

Industrial parks adjacent to these corridors enable local processing and value addition, ensuring that Africa’s exports are not limited to raw materials but include higher-value products. This combination of infrastructure and industrialisation is redefining Africa’s economic potential.

Moreover, eastward trade corridors enhance regional integration. Efficient transportation links not only connect African countries to Asia but also strengthen intra-African trade.

Landlocked nations gain access to ports, regional economies become more interconnected, and supply chains for essential goods become more reliable. These improvements reduce trade bottlenecks and encourage investment, contributing to a more resilient and diversified African economy.

Critics often argue that reliance on Chinese investment risks overdependence. While caution is warranted, it is important to distinguish between dependency and strategic partnership. African governments actively negotiate projects, select priority sectors, and manage operational terms.

The corridors are not unilateral impositions; they are tools African states can leverage to achieve economic objectives, enhance competitiveness, and expand market access.

The eastward orientation also has geopolitical implications. By diversifying trade relationships, African nations gain leverage in global negotiations, reducing reliance on Western markets and creating alternative growth pathways.

The result is a more balanced, multipolar approach to global commerce that enhances Africa’s bargaining position while providing concrete economic benefits.

Equally significant is the impact on local communities. Improved transport links facilitate access to jobs, education, and healthcare, while industrial zones along corridors create employment opportunities and stimulate regional economies.

In this sense, infrastructure projects are not abstract engineering feats; they are transformative social and economic interventions.

Africa’s trade future is being reshaped by eastward corridors that connect the continent to Asia and integrate domestic production into global value chains.

China’s role in financing, building, and enabling these corridors is substantial, providing the technical know-how and investment needed to realise this potential. Far from being a simple directional change, this shift represents a strategic reorientation-toward diversified trade, regional integration, and sustainable industrialisation.

If Africa is to fulfil its economic potential, it must embrace these corridors, manage them wisely, and ensure that trade flows benefit both governments and citizens.

Mother tongue teachers have found a new revenue stream; children and adults seeking to learn vernacular languages. From holiday language boot camps to paid storytelling sessions and weekend online classes, these tutors are hired mostly by millennials who want their children to learn Kikuyu, Luo, Kalenjin, Luhya, Kisii, among other languages, or by adults who want to master these languages.

Growing up, the older generations could speak, read, and talk in their mother tongue, as the school curriculum included these classes early on. But today, very few Gen Zs can speak their mother tongue fluently, and even fewer Gen Alphas can say simple greetings.