This past Wednesday, the Sarit Expo Centre hosted a panel discussion for the launch of Farayi Ziswa’s book, “Selling to Informal Markets.” Moderated by a previous podcast host, the panel featured industry experts discussing the significant role of Africa’s informal retail economy, which is estimated to comprise 21 million outlets. Key insights included the importance of cash flow, direct relationships with retailers, and the comparative speed of payments in informal trade. The panel underscored that the real opportunity lies in recognizing and engaging with the informal market, advocating for a shift in corporate strategies to adapt to these dynamics.

On the afternoon of Friday the 18th of September 2026, the Strathmore Marketing and Communication Excellence Hub, known as SMaCE, put a question to a room at Strathmore Business School full of the people who actually commission, conduct and act on consumer research in Kenya: Can synthetic consumers replace real

It should not be easier for money to travel from Nairobi to New York than from Nairobi to Lagos. Yet, in too many cases, that is still how Africa’s cross-border payment system behaves. A Kenyan business buying goods from Nigeria may invoice in one African currency and pay from another,