Herald Aloo

African governments are gambling with their fiscal stability by slashing fuel levies to blunt a global petroleum price surge at the pumps.

Equity Group is consolidating its mobile money, fintech and data operations into a standalone entity led by a high-calibre team of veterans from Google, Visa and Safaricom to unlock the growth potential of its digital ecosystem.

From South Africa’s $1m tax sacrifice to Ethiopia’s total price coverage (at $127m per month), African leaders are deploying risky fiscal cushions to prevent fuel-induced inflation from sparking social unrest.

Kenya is betting on a $3bn private-led expansion of its primary hub to defend its regional status, despite fierce competition from Ethiopia’s mega-airport ambitions and investor jitters over a lack of state guarantees.

Forced to abandon its local-currency pivot due to tight banking liquidity, Safaricom is navigating a volatile path toward a 2027 break-even target.

CEO James Mwangi tells The Africa Report that the group’s mass-market, financial-inclusion model ‘has been tested and repeated’ and can replicate its East African success.

Kenya’s controversial government-to-government fuel agreement faces mounting pressure as Middle East supply disruptions and domestic opposition challenge its long-term viability.

Shifting away from the IMF, Kenya plans to fund nearly 90% of its record KSh1.146trn budget deficit through massive domestic borrowing, risking private-sector crowding and hiding debt through complex securitisation deals.

Instead of building physical bridges, former engineer Manuel Moses now designs the financial architecture to unlock billions for Africa’s infrastructure as head of its largest multilateral risk insurer.

Faced with revenue shortfalls and resistance to new taxes ahead of the 2027 election, the Kenyan government is shifting its fiscal strategy from broad-based tax hikes towards tougher enforcement, increased user fees and private-sector partnerships.