Aavishkaar Capital, an impact investment fund manager, has secured $40 million from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for its Global Supply Chain Support Fund (GSCSF) to boost growth for Kenyan and African SMEs.

• This financing aims to unlock growth for SMEs in Africa and Asia, specifically targeting a Sh1.3 trillion annual financing gap for Kenyan SMEs.
• The investment was announced by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during the Economic Partnership in Indian Ocean–Africa Forum, held alongside TICAD9 in Yokohama, Japan.
• The GSCSF, managed by Mumbai, India-headquartered Aavishkaar Capital, focuses on private companies in agriculture, food processing, and manufacturing supply chains, providing non-dilutive credit.

The High Court has provided a partial win for over 130 former National Bank of Kenya employees in their long-standing legal battle for pension benefits, coinciding with Access Bank's finalization of its acquisition of NBK.

• The High Court quashed a 2017 decision by the Retirement Benefits Appeals Tribunal, citing violations of fair hearing principles.
• The dispute, stemming from 2010, involves claims of underpaid pensions by hundreds of millions of shillings.
• Access Bank Plc, Africa's largest lender by customer base, completed its acquisition of NBK from KCB Group Plc on May 30, 2025.