Summary of The Business Daily Newspaper -July 24,2025
Page 1 : Reports that the World Bank has withheld a $750 million loan to Kenya due to delays in governance reforms, including fiscal transparency measures, exacerbating financial strain as the country also faces IMF funding gaps. The loan was meant to support automation of government tenders and public finance consolidation.
Page 2 : Notes that Kenyan state firm Rerec defaulted on a Sh2.8 billion Chinese Exim Bank loan for a solar plant, despite having escrow funds, risking penalties while the plant generates Sh675 million annually for Kenya Power.
Page 3 : Highlights a decline in bank account ownership among Kenyan youth (5.1%) as they prefer mobile money, though banks like Equity and Co-op expand branches, slightly boosting overall usage.
Page 4 : Details a High Court judge reducing an 18-year trespass sentence to 10 months, raising concerns over inconsistent rulings. It also notes Kenya’s STEM teacher shortage (21% trained), jeopardizing the new curriculum’s rollout.
Page 5 : Announces President Ruto’s plan to list Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) on the NSE by September 2025, marking the first major privatization since Safaricom, with KPC valued at $412 billion in assets.
Page 6 : Warns that ADC risks losing land collateral over a Sh340 million KCB loan default, having repaid only Sh256,749, with accrued interest potentially forcing an auction.
Page 7 : Proposes a 400-fold hike in online gambling firms’ security deposits (Sh100 million) via the Gambling Control Bill 2023 to protect bettors and eliminate undercapitalized operators.
Page 9 : Emphasizes rebuilding trust post-failure through resilience, operational discipline, and mindset shifts, focusing on future foundations rather than past mistakes.
Page 10 : Discusses crypto’s potential for African financial inclusion, hindered by complexity, fraud, and weak regulations, urging better security, UX, and balanced frameworks.
Page 12 : Identifies custody services as key for East Africa’s investor confidence, with Kenya’s pension assets projected at $1.8 trillion by 2040, demanding innovation in ESG and digital assets.
Page 13 : Stresses aviation insurance’s critical role after recent crashes, with African regulators like KCAA pushing tailored solutions amid growing air travel and tourism.
Page 14 : Reveals Platoorp Holdings secured a $10 million Swedfund loan (50% EU-backed) to expand MSME lending in Kenya, targeting climate projects and gender empowerment.
Page 15 : Describes James Shikwati’s Growthpad, which exports processed African veggies to diasporas, leveraging a $3.1 million solar-powered facility and KIRDI partnerships.
Page 16 : Notes a surge in young franchise owners (50% under 40), driven by tech-savvy models and social media, with Gen Z outperforming older peers in multi-unit growth.
Page 24 : Positions ESG materiality as a strategic priority, aligning with GRI/SASB to transform sustainability into a core value driver, mitigating risks and building stakeholder trust.