Safaricom has announced a 25% discount on new business fibre connections for MSMEs located in fibre-ready buildings, effective for the next two months. This initiative, unveiled at the Grow with Safaricom Business forum, aims to lower the cost of getting businesses online and supports the broader SME agenda.

• Safaricom offers a 25% discount on new business fibre connections for two months.
• The discount targets MSMEs in fibre-ready buildings, contrasting with a recent consumer offer.
• The initiative aligns with Safaricom's strategy to combine connectivity with credit options like Fuliza Biashara and Taasi suite for SMEs.
• KNBS data indicates that over 70% of small businesses fail within three years, which this discount seeks to address.

KCB Bank has launched a higher education financing initiative, covering 29 public and private universities in Kenya, to provide comprehensive financial and non-financial support for operations, staff, students, suppliers, and surrounding communities.

• The initiative aims to strengthen sustainability, growth, and socio-economic impact across the higher education sector, addressing funding shortfalls.
• KCB Bank Kenya Managing Director, Annastacia Kimtai, stated the bank seeks to co-create value with institutions for long-term sustainability.
• Students will benefit from fee payment plans, money-management tools, and a three-month internship program for over 10,000 students.
• SMEs and suppliers linked to universities will receive affordable credit and capacity building, while communities benefit through the KCB Foundation.
• Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, Principal Secretary, State Department of Higher Education and Research, welcomed the collaboration, aligning it with government efforts for a more sustainable and inclusive higher education.

Kenya's businesses are increasingly adopting cloud technology, with significant expansion plans like Oracle's new public cloud region in Nairobi, highlighting a growing trend towards cloud-first strategies in the region.

• 45% of workloads are already running on public clouds in Africa.
• The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), part of the Linux Foundation, is training African tech professionals in cloud-native app development for Kubernetes.
• Companies like Red Hat and Oracle are partnering to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into enterprise applications.