Kenya's Kadogo (Micro) Economy A Serious Ecommerce Force

Kenya's Kadogo (Micro) Economy A Serious Ecommerce Force

Author: Fostina Mani January 5, 2024 Duration: 7:20

Kenya’s informal economy constitutes of US$136 billion. Today we are seeing large companies including leading supermarkets beginning to sell open sacks which will allow Africa’s Informal markets to cut their cloth according to the size of their pockets.  Today, package unit size no longer work, Africa wants what they can afford.


Kenya’s Safaricom and Airtel have realized Africa’s micro mass market is the way to go.  And they have literally disrupted if not taken business away from many leading companies that provide pay television and high-speed internet services such as Zuku. Kenya’s Safaricom and Airtel hit the “Kadogo Economy” by selling their products and services at their lowest divisible level and allowing consumers to make small daily purchases.


Vitual tills either for shops, banks, or other services providers in the form of Mpesa Tills, Poshi La Biashara and Paybills are very important services and products offering from Safaricom and Airtel in on boarding Africa’s micro and small entrepreneurs into mobile money.  Kenya is virtually using mobile money to pay for everything.  This has also seen the rise of several mobile applications that are taking part in the mobile money space. 


Did you know Kenya leads in the world Tiktok usage? According to Reuters Institute Digital News report 2023, Kenya has 54% of global TikTok usage, followed by Thailand and South Africa. Tiktok has created one massive platform that allows every African to showcase their talent and compete with many internationalbrands.  Many micro entrepreneurs are turning smart phones into virtual shops, wallets, as well as electronic transaction receipts especially when dealing with taxes, which drastically cuts down on operating expenses.


The entertainment industry in rural Africa is booming business.  Young African MC’s who would never compete with celebrities are making serious money, by simply showcasing their services online.  Today, we can truly say the world is flat, it is an even playing ground for all entrepreneurs across the globe regardless.


Hosted by Fostina Mani, African Urban Professionals & Rural Farming-(Agricultural Markets that Favour Africa) explores the complex reality of a growing demographic: Africans who build careers in metropolitan hubs while maintaining deep, active ties to rural farmland. This connection, driven by family duty or a profound belief in the continent's agricultural potential, raises pressing practical questions. Each episode digs into the tangible returns on these investments, not just in financial terms but in social impact and food sovereignty. The conversation consistently ties these personal and business choices to the broader vision of Agenda 2063, "The Africa We Want," examining how modern market structures must evolve to truly serve African producers and economies. In this podcast, you'll hear from urban professionals navigating this dual life, analysts dissecting value chains, and innovators redesigning trade. Fostina champions a necessary revolution in how agricultural markets operate, arguing for systems that prioritize fairness, sustainability, and continental prosperity. The dialogue moves beyond theory, focusing on actionable insights for listeners managing farms remotely, investing in agribusiness, or simply passionate about a future where Africa's agricultural wealth benefits its people first. It’s a crucial look at the intersection of urban finance, rural livelihood, and economic policy.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 20

African Urban Professionals & Rural Farming - (Agricultural Markets that Favour Africa)
Podcast Episodes
Cocoon Moments Imagine, Innovate, & Implement [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:50
Alone moments to think is a skill that one must cultivate. It is very difficult to shut the door on all the noise that is around us. From social media, not forgetting all the pressure from the perception that you have be…
Mentoring African Youth to The Africa We Want Agenda2063 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:59
An old and very valuable African tradition we unintentionally lost, which we are currently heavily paying the price for is youth mentorship. See! In the African traditional custom, the family which normally went beyond t…
Snail Trade - Easy Startup for African Youth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:59
Did you know the total value of Snail Import in 2022 was US$61,801,000 (Ksh9,412,292,300) against exports of US$59,520,000 (Ksh9,064,896,000). With a shortage of US$2,281,000 (Ksh347,396,300), and I have been busy killin…
Suicidal Financial Distress Amongst Women Entrepreneurs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:03
Suicidal thoughts amongst women entrepreneurs seem to be on the rise. In the last couple of months, I have found myself amid conversations with women entrepreneurs who have lost a lot of money and are completely at a los…
Tomatoes From Nowhere Nairobi Gal Gone Urban Farmer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:25
Recycling my Kitchen water waste has become my new obsession, especially after seeing how it has slowing converted me into a horticulture farmer. Many farmers and medium traders have reached out to me asking if I could d…
The Nairobi Maize Report Quarter 1 (January - March) 2023 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:53
Is there Maize Demand in Kenya? Yes! about 3.9 million MTs is what is required for Kenya’s consumption. How come we cannot find any maize in Nairobi? Maize queries from both buyers and sellers have been our most frequent…
The Nairobi Maize Report Quarter 1 (January - March) 2023 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:53
Is there Maize Demand in Kenya? Yes! about 3.9 million MTs is what is required for Kenya’s consumption. How come we cannot find any maize in Nairobi? Maize queries from both buyers and sellers have been our most frequent…
Africa's Agenda2063 - "How to Innovatively Position Yourself" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:45
I have been looking but there are no jobs offers. I have just lost my job. What do I do? What business should I start? Am stuck in the village with no job prospects. What do I do? What agribusiness venture can I start? A…
Potatoes in Sacks "Seed to Sow, Bread to Eat" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:17
Did you know Africa is doing extremely well in the fresh and frozen potatoes trade. Some African country exported USD264, 319,000 worth of fresh and frozen potatoes, while African countries imported USD127,884,000 worth…
Zambia - My First Export Market [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:18
Zambia was my first export market. Why Zambia, well Lady S, my last-born sister had met a Zambian man at University of Nairobi, whom she married and later moved to Zambia. My first visit to Zambia was my clue to the mark…