In SummaryKenya Airways is introducing a refreshed duty-free shopping experience ahead of the festive travel season.Travellers will enjoy discounts of up to 15 per cent compared with airport duty-free shops.Passengers can shop online, pre-order gifts and have purchases delivered directly to their seats.As families prepare to reunite, friends plan holiday getaways and travellers make their festive journeys home, shopping for gifts is becoming part of the excitement of travelling.
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$750 ICE Snitching Rumor Sparks Fear Among Kenyans in USA
The $750 ICE Snitching Rumor: Fear, Betrayal, and Growing Distrust Among Kenyans in America.For decades, Kenyan immigrants in the United States have relied on one another for friendship, employment opportunities, housing assistance, spiritual encouragement, and a sense of belonging far from home.
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Airtel Africa revenue surges 28% to $3.82 Billion as Half-Year profit rises to $452 Million
Airtel Africa has reported a 28.2% increase in revenue to $3.82 billion for the six months ended September 30, 2026, while profit after tax climbed 20.5% to $452 million, driven by strong growth in data and mobile money services across its 14 African markets.
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Joshua Baraka offers discounted concert tickets following Tiwa Savage collaboration
Ugandan singer Joshua Baraka is giving fans another reason to look forward to his upcoming concert, Into the B’raka Land, announcing discounted ticket prices to coincide with the release of his latest single, Commando, featuring Nigerian Afrobeats star Tiwa Savage.The ticket promotion, which runs through Sunday at 11:59pm, offers discounted rates on both General Admission and VIP tickets, giving fans an opportunity to secure their places at the November 28 concert at reduced prices.
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Full KJSEA 2026 Knec Exam Papers with Marking Schemes
KJSEA 2026 KNEC EXAM PAPERS COMPLETE WITH ANSWERSKindly note that these papers are meant for revision purpose only and are provided in this platform after the final paper is done by candidates in various assessment centres countrywide.KJSEA stands for Kenya Junior School Education Assessment.KJSEA is a final assessment in Junior Schools for Grade 9 learners before transitioning to Senior Schools at Grade 10.
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Why African fintech companies are moving deeper into the services businesses need to operate
African fintech companies are expanding beyond payment acceptance as they seek to provide the financial and operational services businesses need to manage their daily activities. The move towards African fintech business services was a central discussion at Moonshot 2026, where executives from Mastercard, Remita and OPay argued that merchants need more than systems that process transactions.
The executives said businesses also require cash-flow management, customer insights, fraud reduction, reliable support and staff training. Paystack chief executive Shola Akinlade similarly placed wider business infrastructure at the centre of the company’s next growth phase, describing an ambition to address financial needs that extend beyond payment acceptance.
The discussions reflect a broader commercial opportunity for providers that already have relationships with merchants. A company processing payments can build on those transactions to offer financing, business tools and other services, giving merchants more reasons to remain within its platform.
Kenya provides a useful example of how that model is taking shape. NCBA’s LOOP DFS launched LOOP BIZ+, a merchant platform that brings together payment acceptance, working-capital loans, supplier credit and AI-powered inventory management. Its point-of-sale offering accepts card, contactless and mobile money payments, while merchant transaction histories can help determine eligibility for credit.
The product places several business functions within one platform. A merchant can receive payments, access financing and manage inventory through services connected to the same commercial relationship. That model also gives the provider a closer view of the merchant’s business activity, which can support decisions around lending and other financial products.
Absa has pursued a related approach through Absa Next, which the bank introduced in October as a digital interface bringing together banking, payments, credit, savings, investments and business finance. The platform also allows people who are not existing Absa customers to access its services.
These developments illustrate how banks and fintech companies are competing to become more central to the financial lives of businesses and individuals. Payment processing remains an important entry point, but providers can pursue additional revenue and customer relationships through lending, savings and other services.
The opportunity is particularly relevant in a market where merchants already process substantial volumes of digital payments. Safaricom reported that its M-PESA merchant network had reached 3.13 million businesses, with transaction value of KSh41.68 trillion during its 2026 financial year. That network provides a large distribution base for services built around merchant payments and transaction histories.
SACCOs are also part of the expanding digital financial services market. TechTrendsKE reported that regulated SACCO assets reached KSh1.21 trillion in 2025, as these institutions expanded their use of digital credit, payments and member transaction data. Their position in the financial lives of members gives them a route into services that overlap with those offered by banks and fintech companies.
The expansion also brings payment providers into a more demanding regulatory environment. TechTrendsKE’s coverage of the proposed National Payment System Bill described provisions that would expand the Central Bank of Kenya’s supervisory powers, including inspection, intervention and consumer-protection responsibilities.
As fintech companies take on lending and other financial activities, their role in the financial system becomes broader. A platform that once handled payments may also influence access to credit, business cash flow and the management of customer information. That makes the quality of its financial services and the way it handles merchant data more consequential.
The next stage of competition will therefore involve how effectively providers combine payments with services that solve practical business problems. At Moonshot, executives pointed to cash-flow management, fraud prevention, customer insights and merchant support as areas where businesses need more assistance. Kenya’s newer merchant platforms show how those needs are being translated into products.
For African fintech companies, the commercial proposition is becoming broader: build a relationship through payments, then use that relationship to serve more of the business.
Go to TECHTRENDSKE.co.ke for more tech and business news from the African continent and across the world.
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Uganda, Kenya sign four MoUs to boost cross-border tourism, trade
Uganda and Kenya have signed four memoranda of understanding (MoUs) to strengthen cross-border tourism, trade and private sector partnerships, as both countries look to ease travel barriers and expand business opportunities across East Africa.
The MoUs were signed on the opening day of the fifth Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism and Innovation Summit and Exhibition, held at the Sarova White Sands Beach Resort & Spa in Mombasa on 26 and 27 October 2026.
The agreements pair the Kenya Association of Travel Agents with the Uganda Association of Travel Agents, and the Kenya Association of Tour Operators with the Association of Uganda Tour Operators. They also link the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda, and KNCCI with the Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre.
The summit was convened by the Consulate General of Uganda in Mombasa together with tourism stakeholders from both countries. It focused on tackling policy barriers, improving regional mobility and using technology to expand tourism opportunities.
Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, Uganda’s first deputy prime minister, minister of East African Community (EAC) affairs and chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, said tourism is where the benefits of regional integration are felt first.
“The East African Community promised its people the freedom to move, work and do business across our borders. Article 104 of the Treaty is that promise, and tourism is where its benefits are felt first,” Kadaga said. “Uganda and Kenya must lead by example, and this summit must turn our good intentions into actions the rest of the community can follow.”
Article 104 of the EAC Treaty covers the free movement of people, goods, services and labour across the bloc.
Digital tourism in focus
Beyond policy, delegates explored digital tourism platforms, smart destination management, investment opportunities and partnerships between tour operators, hotels, technology developers and investors. Young innovators from both countries presented technology-based solutions to improve tourism services and visitor experiences.
Mohamed Osman, Mombasa County executive committee member for tourism, culture and trade, said the partnership creates commercial opportunities for businesses and communities along the Kenyan coast.
“Tourism is the lifeblood of the coast, and the business our operators, hoteliers and young people do with Uganda puts food on tables here,” Osman said. “The county government will continue to back this partnership, from the trade agreements signed today to the young innovators building the tools that will shape how the world experiences the coast.”
First held in 2022, the annual meeting was elevated from a conference to a summit this year to put more emphasis on decisions and measurable commitments. Organisers expect it to produce a communiqué setting out institutional responsibilities and delivery timelines, with progress to be reviewed at the 2027 edition.
The summit closed on 27 October with the presentation of its outcome document. This year’s edition also marks a decade since the Uganda Consulate opened in Mombasa.
Herbert Kiguli, Uganda’s consul general in Mombasa, said the next phase of cooperation should make it easier for citizens and businesses to operate across borders.
“Kenyan arrivals to Uganda and Ugandan arrivals to Kenya are both growing, and our two countries are complementary destinations, not competitors,” Kiguli said. “What we are expecting from Mombasa is a communiqué with practical steps that will make it easier for a young Ugandan or Kenyan to travel, to build a tourism business and to sell across borders.”
Go to TECHTRENDSKE.co.ke for more tech and business news from the African continent and across the world.
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SA’s 80eight processes US$18m monthly as stablecoin demand grows
South African fintech 80eight now processes about US$18 million (R300 million) in transactions each month. The company attributes this to growing demand from businesses for faster and cheaper ways to move money across borders.
Founded in 2018, 80eight started out in trading and brokerage. It has since grown into a broader financial platform offering cross-border payments, foreign exchange, treasury services, and digital asset solutions, mainly for businesses.
The company operates in South Africa, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Europe. It combines established financial services with blockchain-enabled payment infrastructure, including stablecoins, to tackle long-standing problems with cross-border transactions.
For businesses trading across African and international markets, moving money through traditional banking channels is often slow, expensive and complex. Stablecoins are digital tokens pegged to fiat currencies such as the US dollar, and they are increasingly used as an alternative for settlement and treasury management.
80eight says its growth has been driven by demand for faster, more affordable and more flexible financial services, particularly among businesses operating across African and international markets.
Faadil Moti, co-founder and CEO of 80eight, has led the company’s shift from trading and brokerage to a wider financial platform. He has more than a decade of experience across investment management, treasury services, digital assets and financial regulation.
He co-founded the company with his brother, Zaydan Moti, who serves as creative director and oversees technology, brand development and financial innovation.
As part of its growth strategy, 80eight is developing an integrated financial ecosystem that brings together digital wallets, payment services, treasury management and stablecoin-based solutions. The company says its product roadmap aims to give businesses and consumers a more connected financial experience.
The wider 80eight group also includes 80eight Ventures, a venture studio that builds and invests in businesses across different industries.
Go to TECHTRENDSKE.co.ke for more tech and business news from the African continent and across the world.
Follow us on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter, and Facebook, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any future updates. Send tips to info@techtrendsmedia.co.ke
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‘If you don’t stop, they’ll kill all of us’: Somali pirates are back with a vengeance
Second engineer Syed Hussain Yousuf at his home in Karachi after being released. Javed Iqbal/CNNA knock at second engineer Syed Hussain Yousuf’s cabin door.“Pirate attack.”Gun shots.Three minutes later, a dozen pirates were aboard the Honour 25. They showed their guns to the diesel tanker’s crew.
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Who is Naim Bilal? Inside the career profile of Standard Group’s new CEO
The Standard Group PLC has appointed Naim Bilal Yaseen as its substantive Group Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Chaacha Mwita, who resigned from the position.In a notice dated Thursday, October 29, 2026, the media company announced that Yaseen’s appointment takes effect on November 1, following a competitive recruitment process.