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.

Banking, or the act of banking has been one of the banes of human existence for the better part of a century. In Kenya, no less, for us of the ‘GenX’ collective and older, who remember the world before the Internet, can recall with painful nostalgia how arduous banking used

This morning, I had the pleasure of attending the launch of Standard Chartered’s new mobile lending app, SC Juza, at the JW Marriott in Nairobi. SC Juza is a short-term lending mobile app designed to meet the growing demand for short-term unsecured loans that are easily disbursed through mobile wallets.