Kenya Minute.
Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Kenya’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Tuesday, 18 August 2026
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Kenyan press · Organization

Mastercard

Payment processing and financial services company cited in studies on Kenya's SME confidence and mobile money adoption.

2026-04-242026-08-18

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. August 2026
  2. The Standard

    Audio By VocalizeRandall Tucker, executive vice president and chief community and belonging officer at Mastercard.

    Why inclusion is becoming a business imperative, not just a workplace value
  3. Citizen Digital

    The assessment, based on survey data from 36 member countries and intelligence from private sector partners including Fortinet, Mastercard, the Shadowserver Foundation, S2W and TrendAI, found that 72 percent of surveyed countries reported the presence of organized scam centres, w

    INTERPOL: Over half of Africa’s cybercrimes are AI-enabled
  4. Citizen Digital

    According to the Mastercard SME Confidence Index, 95 per cent now accept mobile payments, reflecting growing demand for financial solutions that go beyond simply receiving money.

    Airtel Money deepens support for small businesses with Bizna Wallet
  5. July 2026
  6. Citizen Digital

    It also expanded digital banking services, including enhanced Mastercard functionality, improvements to the Busara Kids Banking App, growth of its loyalty programme and free PesaLink transfers of up to KSh1 million through its Mfukoni digital banking platforms.

    SBM Bank Kenya posts Ksh.548M half-year profit as earnings surge 171%
  7. June 2026
  8. The Standard

    Audio By VocalizeThe EU believes a digital euro is the answer to cutting its addiction to US payment systems like Visa and Mastercard as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay as the bloc seeks to favour European firms over others.

    EU bets on digital euro to cut US tech addiction
  9. The Standard

    A Mastercard study shows that Kenyan SMEs are drawing on their position as early adopters of mobile money to stay agile and keep growing through a period of economic change.

    Mastercard index: Kenyan SMEs look ahead with confidence as 70pc expect revenue growth
  10. Citizen Digital

    sponsored content Mastercard SME Confidence Index: Kenyan SMEs look ahead with confidence as 70% expect revenue growth #AD By Sponsored June 18, 2026 05:30 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Audio By Vocalize

    Mastercard SME Confidence Index: Kenyan SMEs look ahead with confidence as 70% expect revenue growth #AD
  11. May 2026
  12. The Standard

    Mbadi further justified plans to impose withholding tax on card and digital payment services involving foreign firms such as Visa and Mastercard.

    Mbadi: Finance Bill 2026 measures aim to simplify taxes
  13. Capital News

    Other executives from Apple, Tesla, Boeing, Meta, BlackRock, Blackstone, Cargill, Citigroup, Coherent, GE Aerospace, Goldman Sachs, Illumina, Mastercard, Micron Technology, Qualcomm and Visa are also accompanying Trump.

    Why Trump’s Air Force One stopped in Alaska before flying to Beijing
  14. April 2026
  15. Citizen Digital

    Both banks have taken their tap-to-pay solutions beyond Kenya, enabling customers to use their wearables in global markets supported by Mastercard and Visa.

    Kenyan banks tap into rings, watches and wristbands for payments
Opinion

Inclusion must translate to business value, not just culture

The News

Mastercard's chief community and belonging officer argues that companies must measure inclusion as a profit and loss statement, not merely a workplace value, and demonstrate it through tangible products—citing the Mastercard Touch Card, designed with blind and low-sighted people, as an example of inclusion that has scaled across ATMs and point-of-sale terminals.

17 August 2026 · The Standard

Yesterday

  1. Inclusion must translate to business value, not just culture

    Mastercard's chief community and belonging officer argues that companies must measure inclusion as a profit and loss statement, not merely a workplace value, and demonstrate it through tangible products—citing the Mastercard Touch Card, designed with blind and low-sighted people, as an example of inclusion that has scaled across ATMs and point-of-sale terminals.

    17 August 2026 · The Standard

Tuesday 4 August

  1. INTERPOL: 55% of Africa's cybercrimes now AI-enabled

    INTERPOL's 2026 African Cyberthreat Assessment Report reveals that 55 percent of cybercrimes reported across Africa involve artificial intelligence, reflecting an automated underground economy where criminal networks use advanced technologies to launch attacks faster and at greater scale across multiple countries simultaneously. The report identifies East Africa as a hub for mobile money fraud and infrastructure-targeted ransomware, while business email compromise and romance scams target victims in Central and West Africa.

    4 August 2026 · Citizen Digital

Monday 3 August

  1. Airtel Money launches Bizna Wallet for small business finance management

    Airtel Money Kenya has unveiled Bizna Wallet, a dedicated business wallet designed to help small businesses manage their finances through a digital solution. According to the Mastercard SME Confidence Index, 95 per cent of Kenya's SMEs now accept mobile payments, reflecting growing demand for financial solutions.

    3 August 2026 · Citizen Digital

Wednesday 22 July

  1. SBM Bank Kenya posts 548M half-year profit, earnings up 171%

    SBM Bank Kenya recorded a 171.3 per cent increase in profit before tax to KSh548 million for the first half of 2026, driven by growth in lending, deposits, and non-interest income. Operating profit rose 279 per cent to KSh852 million, customer deposits increased 24 per cent to KSh94 billion, and net loans and advances grew 18 per cent to KSh54.1 billion.

    22 July 2026 · Citizen Digital

Tuesday 23 June

  1. EU advances digital euro to reduce dependence on US payment systems

    The European Union is moving forward with a digital euro as an alternative to US payment platforms like Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. If EU negotiations approve the rules by end of year, the digital euro could be available to citizens in 2029, with a pilot programme planned for mid-2027.

    23 June 2026 · The Standard

Friday 19 June

  1. Kenyan SMEs confident on growth as 70% expect revenue rise

    A Mastercard study shows that 70% of Kenya's small and medium enterprises expect revenue growth over the next 12 months, with 66% optimistic about their business outlook. The confidence is attributed to their early adoption of mobile money, with 95% of SMEs now accepting mobile payments that make up 41% of transaction volume.

    19 June 2026 · The Standard

Thursday 18 June

  1. Kenyan SMEs optimistic on growth, mobile money adoption spreads

    A Mastercard study finds 66% of Kenyan SMEs optimistic about business outlook and 70% expecting revenue growth over the next 12 months, with 95% accepting mobile payments that account for 41% of transaction volume.

    18 June 2026 · Citizen Digital

Monday 25 May

  1. Mbadi defends Finance Bill 2026 tax simplification measures

    National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has defended the Finance Bill 2026, saying the government has deliberately avoided introducing punitive taxes and instead focused on simplifying tax administration, widening the tax base, and protecting struggling Kenyans. Mbadi acknowledged that measures to raise more taxes are limited due to public concerns over high taxation and increasing debt servicing obligations.

    25 May 2026 · The Standard

Wednesday 13 May

  1. Air Force One refueled in Alaska en route to Trump's Beijing trip

    US President Donald Trump's Air Force One stopped in Anchorage to refuel during his departure for Beijing. The stop reflects operational limits of the Boeing VC-25A aircraft, which faces range constraints on the roughly 6,500 to 7,000 nautical mile journey from Washington D.C. to Beijing when accounting for communications equipment, security systems, personnel, cargo, and emergency fuel reserves.

    13 May 2026 · Capital News

Friday 24 April

  1. Kenyan banks embed contactless payments into smartwatches, rings, wristbands

    ABSA Bank, DTB Bank and Premier Bank are offering contactless payment solutions integrated into wearable devices like smartwatches, rings and wristbands, which customers can tap on POS terminals. The banks have implemented security measures including transaction limits, PIN requirements, and real-time fraud detection to address risks from potential loss or theft.

    24 April 2026 · Citizen Digital

Mastercard — Kenyan press coverage · Kenya Minute