African governments are urged to enhance financial oversight and transparency to combat a staggering Sh11.7 trillion ($90 billion) annually in illicit financial flows (IFFs) draining the continent.

• Illicit flows have surged to $90 billion annually, up from approximately Sh6.5 trillion a decade ago.
• Key calls come from the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA), serving as the African Union High-Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows.
• Losses primarily stem from commercial activities like trade mispricing and tax avoidance, impacting development and undermining state institutions.

Nigeria's recent reform efforts aimed at global investor confidence are influencing how African markets, including Kenya's, are perceived internationally.

• Nigeria has moved from crisis management to macroeconomic stability, evidenced by a positive outlook from S&P Global Ratings and an exit from the FATF grey list.
• Key reforms include a unified foreign exchange system, removal of fuel subsidies, and building foreign reserves above $50 billion.
• These developments, particularly from Africa's largest economy, can positively impact how Kenya's debt and investment opportunities are priced due to markets often assessing the continent as a bloc.

Traders are rushing to complete transactions on the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) cargo clearance system ahead of a scheduled weekend shutdown for maintenance. This follows a similar outage last month that caused significant disruptions at the Mombasa port.

• The Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) will be offline from Saturday, April 4, 2026, 6 pm to Monday, April 6, 2026, 6 am.
• The shutdown affects importers, exporters, clearing agents, and shipping lines.
• KRA Commissioner for Customs and Border Control, Lilian Nyawanda, urges users to submit urgent declarations and clear cargo before the downtime.