- The Daily Brief, by The Kenyan Wall Street
- Posts
- Kenya’s Economy Looks Great, on Paper
Kenya’s Economy Looks Great, on Paper
Kenya's #1 newsletter among business leaders & policy makers
A 5.5% growth rate, a stable shilling at 129, and three buffed up rating upgrades walk into a bar. The bartender asks: “So why can’t a third of your young people find a job?”
Good evening 👋🏽. It's Brian from The Kenyan Wall Street. These are our stories for the day…
Kenya’s Economy Looks Great, on Paper
By Prince Muraguri, an Economist
Kenya’s economy reads like a success story: steady growth, a stable shilling, and three consecutive rating upgrades. Yet behind the headlines, the story is less orderly…food prices rise faster than wages, young people search endlessly for jobs, and credit never reaches the businesses that need it most. Monetary policy has been bold, but its impact leaks away in a system more attentive to profit than to purpose. Debt consumes the state’s revenues, leaving little for roads, schools, or hospitals. The result is a recovery that exists vividly on paper, but barely touches the lives of ordinary Kenyans.
Read the opinion piece here >>>>>
The City That Won’t Drain
Floods in Nairobi
By Brian Nzomo
In Nairobi, the floods keep returning, and with them the same uneasy question: who is in charge of the city’s ground rules? Officials point to drainage systems built for a smaller, slower capital of the old colony, while lawmakers circle around a more uncomfortable theme…how construction, waste, and weak enforcement have been allowed to accumulate in the paths where water inevitably flows. Each storm doesn’t just overwhelm the city; it reveals how much of the crisis was already in place, waiting.
Read the story here >>>>>
Rubis Kenya Revenue Hits KSh 131.7Bn
Rubis Kenya fueling station
By Harry Njuguna
After a challenging year of currency volatility and rising costs, Rubis Kenya stabilized operations in 2025, with the unit showing stronger underlying earnings despite a slight dip in revenue.
Financial Snapshot:
🔴 Kenya generated KSh 131.7 Bn in revenue, down 9.8% from 2024.
🟢 Net income attributable to shareholders reached KSh 46.8 Bn, supported by improved retail margins and lower financing costs in Kenya.
🟢 The group’s cost of net financial debt in Kenya fell 25% to KSh 11.8 Bn, easing pressure on profits.
🟢 Fuel volumes in Kenya remained strong as the company expanded its service station network, contributing to a regional EBITDA of KSh 28.5 Bn.
Read the financial analysis here »»»»»
INSIGHT : Africa’s Global Trade Integration is Improving Despite Geopolitical Tensions
By Chelsy Maina
Africa is reshaping its place in the global economy, even as headlines fixate on trade wars and geopolitical brinkmanship. Sub-Saharan nations like Namibia, Mozambique, and Kenya are threading themselves deeper into supply chains, investment flows, and tourism networks, nudging the continent from aid dependency toward market relevance. The numbers are modest: Kenya still sits 119th globally, but the direction is unmistakable: a slow but steady integration into the world’s economic bloodstream.
Read the article here >>>>>
Heads Up
On Your Watchlist
Upcoming Webinar
Market Snapshot
For timely and insightful market updates, follow our Whatsapp channel here
Founded in 2012, the Africa CEO Forum has grown from a purely annual gathering into a permanent platform connecting African decision-makers year-round with peers, international investors, and institutions active across the continent.
More about the event here »»»»»
Keep up with what’s happening on our X and LinkedIn pages. Stay updated with the latest financial news on our website The Kenyan Wall Street.