Small business & global shipping advice from DHL Express

As Kenya steps into 2026, the business climate is buzzing with renewed optimism. The challenges of recent years, from supply chain disruptions to rising interest rates and shifting global trade currents, are easing. Stability is returning, and with it, a surge of activity across the economy.

Kenyan importers have faced tough times over the past couple of years. Longer shipping routes, soaring freight costs, and unpredictable delivery timelines have become the new normal. With cargo that used to sail through the Red Sea and Suez Canal being rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, transit times stretched by weeks, putting pressure on supply chains and budgets alike.

As February 28, 2026, approaches, Kenya’s Mobile Termination Rate (MTR) framework, governing the wholesale fees telecom operators charge each other for connecting voice calls, is set to expire.

Kenya is set to witness its largest infrastructure IPO in nearly two decades. In January 2026, the government unveiled the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Initial Public Offering (IPO), offering 65% of shares at KSh 9 each, targeting a raise of approximately KSh 106 billion.