Change of Guard at Stanbic

Hello 👋🏽 It's Brian from The Kenyan Wall Street.

In today's newsletter,

• Stanbic’s Oigara will assume higher role in the bank's regional interests next month

• Jumia has narrowed losses in 2025 after closing shop in various African markets

• What plans do African finance executives have around digital adoption?

Change of Guard at Stanbic 

By Harry Njuguna  

When Stanbic Holdings Plc announced that Joshua Oigara would take over as chief executive in March, it signaled more than a routine leadership change. Oigara, long a central figure in East African banking, steps in as Patrick Mweheire retires, closing a chapter defined by steady consolidation and pandemic management.

The appointment tightens alignment with the Johannesburg-based parent, Standard Bank Group, at a time when its regional strategy is under scrutiny. Investors are likely to see it as a bet on scale, stronger regional integration, and disciplined execution. In the competitive banking sector, the shift signals clear strategic positioning of Oigara in the larger group's future leadership.

Read the full story here >>>>>

Jumia : From Expansion to Discipline

By Harry Njuguna

After years of expansion at any cost, Jumia’s latest results suggest a company learning the discipline of retreat.

Financial Snapshot:

🔴 Loss before tax narrowed 38% to US$60.1 million (KSh 7.75 billion), as full-year revenue rose 13% to US$188.9 million.

🟢 Fourth-quarter momentum strengthened, with GMV up 36% and revenue up 34%.

🟢 Net cash used in operating activities dropped sharply to US$1.7 million in Q4, down from US$26.5 million a year earlier, signaling a dramatic slowdown in cash burn.

🟢 After exiting South Africa, Tunisia, and now Algeria, the company is guiding for up to 32% GMV growth in 2026.

Read the full financial analysis here >>>>>

Complying with the CBK Rate Cut

By Harry Njuguna

KCB Bank, Equity Bank and NCBA have reduced their base lending rates to 8.75%, extending the pass-through of the Central Bank of Kenya’s latest 25 basis point cut and cementing a policy-rate anchored response among the country’s largest lenders. All three banks confirmed that new Kenya shilling variable-rate loans will be priced off the revised Central Bank Rate plus a customer-specific premium under the Risk-Based Credit Pricing Model, reinforcing reliance on the policy benchmark rather than a full shift to the Kenya Shilling Overnight Interbank Average.

Continue reading here »»»»»

INSIGHT : ‘Go Digital or Die’, The New Rule for African Finance

By Brian Nzomo

Digital transformation is no longer optional for African financial institutions; it is now a condition for survival, according to the African Financial Industry Barometer 2025. More than 80% of executives rank it among their top three priorities, with cybersecurity overtaking inflation and political risk as the sector’s biggest concern. While nearly half of banks consider themselves digitally mature, most are shifting spending toward core systems, fraud prevention, and AI-driven risk controls rather than flashy innovation. Fintechs, increasingly treated as infrastructure partners instead of disruptors, face talent shortages and regulatory pressure even as AI and interoperability reshape the next phase of growth.

Read the article here >>>>>

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Upcoming Events : InvestKenya Announces the Upcoming Kenya International Investment Conference (KIICO) 2026

Taking place at the Radisson Blu Upper Hill on March 25, 2026, the 4th Kenya International Investment Conference (KIICO) 2026 is set to be the largest and most impactful investment promotion conference in Kenya’s history. Register here »»»»»

During KIICO 2026, Kenya will also host the 2nd COMESA Investment Forum on March 26 and the Africa Green Industrialization Initiative (AGII) on March 27th.

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