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Kenya
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for the 09 Feb - 15 Feb
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Kenya has launched green number plates for electric vehicles as part of its National Electric Mobility Policy aimed at cutting transport emissions and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said EV owners will progressively adopt the plates as the country targets a 32% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Kenya recorded 24,754 electric vehicles in 2025, supported by tax incentives and plans to boost local manufacturing, jobs, and charging infrastructure.
Kenya Power reported a record pre-tax profit of KSh14.83 billion for the six months to December 2025, up 5.5% year on year, driven by higher electricity demand and lower finance costs. Electricity sales rose 6.9% as units sold jumped 10.5%. However, rising operating costs, higher customer arrears, and system losses above global benchmarks weighed on cash flow, limiting profit growth and dividend payouts despite improved efficiency and reduced debt levels.
Bilateral trade between Kenya and the United Kingdom reached a record KSh360 billion in the third quarter of 2025, marking the second consecutive quarter at historic highs. Kenyan exports, led by tea, coffee, and horticulture, rose 12%, while UK exports grew 4.5%. The milestone followed the inaugural UK–Kenya Business Forum, which advanced agri-tech partnerships, climate finance initiatives, and digital trade talks, though export diversification remains a key challenge.
Kenya plans to open new oil and gas exploration blocks in the second half of 2026 as global interest in upstream investment rebounds, according to Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority. EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo said a national petroleum data centre will support competitive bidding. The country has reconstituted 50 high-potential blocks across Lamu, Anza, Turkana, and Mandera basins to attract risk capital and reposition Kenya in a shifting global energy landscape.
Kenyan business leaders have urged the government to urgently clear mounting pending bills, warning that delayed payments are choking cash flows and hurting enterprise sustainability. Speaking at the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry AGM in Nairobi, KNCCI President Erick Rutto said arrears pose a major threat to MSMEs. While welcoming the release of KSh255 billion to settle claims, he called for faster verification, predictable payment timelines, and reforms to prevent new arrears.
Kenya’s largest business process outsourcing firms have formed a new lobby to boost job creation and attract global investment as the digital economy expands. CCI Kenya, CloudFactory, Teleperformance, and Sama launched the Outsourcing Alliance of Kenya to push policy reforms, skills alignment, and competitiveness. The move comes as the information and communication sector grew over 6% in 2024, employing more than 60,000 people directly and reinforcing outsourcing as a key driver of youth employment.