Set to officially launch today,10th February 2026, with President Ruto expected as the chief guest, the announcement that Kenyans can now buy and sell shares directly through M-Pesa has ignited widespread conversation, curiosity, and debate. Known as Ziidi Trader, the feature allows users to trade listed shares via the M-Pesa app, with Safaricom partnering with Kestrel Capital and the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). As reported by Business Daily journalist Kepha Muiruri, the move is designed to unlock retail participation by removing long-standing barriers such as opening individual CDS accounts and navigating complex onboarding processes.
Speaking this morning, Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning, John Mbadi, admits that there is low onboarding but attributes it to not being inclusive enough to a lot of investors.
President William Ruto quoted that Wealth creation should not be a preserve for the elites but be available to all.
He quotes that with the limit set at Ksh 50,000 before, the need to know a stockbroker, CDS account, limited a lot of opportunities for a large part of the public to interact with the stock market. The Ziidi Trader feature allows for a seamless process that solves such barriers.
But here’s the catch: while everyone is talking about it, very few people actually understand what it means or how it works. And that gap between hype and knowledge reveals both the massive opportunity and the critical challenge ahead.
The Knowledge Gap: “Nimewahi Skia” But What Does It Mean?
When Safaricom conducted street surveys in Nairobi CBD in February 2026, asking Kenyans about what they know about N.S.E (Nairobi Stock Exchange), a pattern emerged. Most people responded with “nimewahi skia” – meaning “I’ve heard of it.” That phrase captures everything: awareness without understanding, interest without education, desire without direction.
The appetite is real. The thirst is genuine. But the knowledge? That’s where things get complicated.
For years, Kenya has been a compelling case study in financial inclusion, yet one aspect of financial services has remained stubbornly out of reach for ordinary Kenyans: the stock market. While M-PESA revolutionized how Kenyans send money, save, and even borrow, the stock market remained an exclusive club for the well-connected and well-informed.
The Influencer Effect: Hype Without Education
Here’s a personal confession: my first real interaction with stock market investing came from TikTok influencers. Yes, and just to think of it, most people now rely not on school. Not from a bank. From creators with catchy phrases and urgent calls to action:
“Usiachwe Nyuma!” (Don’t be left behind!)
“Kama hujanunua shares za Safaricom…” (If you haven’t bought Safaricom shares…)
These messages work. They create FOMO (fear of missing out). They drive clicks and views. They get people talking. But here’s the problem: they rarely educate.
Our digital landscape thrives on influence. You need huge, catchy phrases and ambitious expectations to draw viewership. Content creators understand this. But behind the flashy titles and urgent messaging, there’s often a vacuum where education should be.
According to Business Daily’s Kepha Muiruri, this is exactly what Ziidi Trader aims to solve. But can a platform alone bridge a knowledge gap that runs this deep?
What Is Ziidi Trader, Really?
Let me break it down simply, because that’s what’s missing in most conversations.
As President Ruto mentions, the ease and a seamless transaction, the need to not be involved in tedious processes such as the creation of CDS accounts that require various requirements. Ziidi trader, he mentions, solves a lot of problems and gaps that have long been witnessed within the Stock Market.
Ziidi Trader is now live on the M-PESA App, but with certain features still under development. The feature will allow millions of Kenyans to buy and sell shares on the Nairobi Securities Exchange with zero paperwork and no need for a third-party broker account.
Here’s how it works:
Open your M-PESA app – You don’t need a separate account or broker
Navigate to Financial Services – Find Ziidi Trader
Opt in – Simple agreement to terms and conditions
Browse companies – See all NSE-listed companies with logos and descriptions
Buy shares – Use your M-PESA balance to purchase
Sell shares – Money goes directly back to your M-PESA wallet
The transactions are capped at M-PESA’s daily limit of KES 500,000. Behind the scenes, Kestrel Capital (ranked 11th among Kenya’s 22 stockbrokers) manages a single omnibus account holding shares for all retail investors.
For a detailed technical breakdown, check out this comprehensive guide on the Kenya MMF Calculator.
The Numbers Tell a Powerful Story
According to Business Daily, the NSE has just over one million Central Depository System (CDS) accounts. But M-PESA users? More than 35 million. That’s the target market.
Only about an estimated tens of thousands of the more than 1.4 million accounts on the NSE are actively trading. Industry estimates suggest that only a small fraction of CDS accounts are actively trading at any given time. By simplifying access and removing broker steps, Safaricom aims to raise participation.
Think about that gap. Over 1 million registered investors, but only thousands are actually trading? That’s not a market problem. That’s an access problem. An education problem. A complexity problem.
The Controversy: Are Brokers Being Cut Out?
Business Daily reports that the push to allow investors to trade shares directly through mobile money has not been without resistance. Sections of Kenya’s stockbroking community have raised concerns that the Nairobi Securities Exchange is encroaching on functions traditionally performed by brokers. The disagreement escalated to the point where some broker groups openly questioned the NSE’s leadership, prompting calls in June for conversations around the future of CEO Frank Mwiti amid fears that the new model could weaken the brokerage ecosystem.
Under the current setup, Ziidi Trader relies on Kestrel Capital as its initial trading partner. All transactions on the platform are routed through an omnibus account operated by the firm, effectively centralising execution during the early phase. Kestrel Capital chief executive Francis Mwangi has indicated that this arrangement is not permanent, noting that additional stockbrokers are expected to be integrated into the platform over time, although no clear schedule has been outlined.
This phased approach aims to:
Test the system with one broker
Iron out technical issues
Learn from early adoption
Eventually, open the platform to competition
But the tension reveals a deeper question: In the digital age, do we still need traditional stockbrokers, or are they becoming intermediaries whose main function is now automated?
What Public Comments Reveal About Expectations
While scrolling through the comments on Safaricom-related posts and videos discussing Ziidi Trader, a clear pattern emerges. Many are intrigued by the idea of trading shares from their phones, yet are unsure how it actually works. Questions dominate the discussion: How much do I need to start? Which shares can I buy? What are the risks?
In his speech this morning, President Ruto shed light on acknowledging that Ziidi Trader was a step-in innovation towards the eradication of Stock Theft. He quotes that he believes in CMA to unlock the potential of Kenya’s economy. Looking at social media reactions (particularly on Safaricom’s Facebook announcement), several themes emerge:
Excitement Mixed with Caution: People are intrigued but hesitant. Many remember stories of people losing money in the stock market during bearish years, a common problem within any financial topic in our country.
Demand for Education: The most common question isn’t “How do I sign up?” but “How does this actually work?” People want to understand before they invest.
Skepticism About Returns: Some commenters question whether small investors can actually make meaningful money or if this is just another way for big players to profit.
Fear of Being Left Behind: The FOMO is real. People see others talking about shares and don’t want to miss out, even if they don’t fully understand what they’re buying.
The Education Challenge: Our Collective Responsibility
Here’s where content creators, influencers, and financial or investment platforms need to step up. Hype gets people to the door. But education keeps them from losing money once they’re inside.
Analysts point to two main reasons why most Kenyans have stayed away from stocks: lack of knowledge about how the market works and lingering trauma from years of bearish performance.
People aren’t avoiding the stock market because they don’t want to invest. They’re avoiding it because:
They don’t understand how it works
They fear losing money, quoting it as another scam in town.
They don’t know which companies to invest in.
The Road Ahead: Can This Actually Work?
The NSE’s five-year strategy aims to grow its active retail investor base to 9 million by 2029, a significant rise compared with the current number of regular traders on the bourse. With Safaricom’s M-PESA boasting about 38 million one-month active users, the infrastructure to reach that audience already exists, even though only a small fraction of the over 1.4 million registered NSE accounts are actively trading today.
But infrastructure alone will not guarantee success. Then what does it depend on:
- Investor Education: Platforms, regulators, and influencers must prioritize teaching over selling.
- Market Performance: If early Ziidi Trader users lose money, which is arguably common either with system faults or unexplained transactions, because they invest without understanding, the backlash could be severe.
- System Reliability: Can the NSE infrastructure handle a sudden influx of thousands of retail trades per second? M-PESA handles millions of transactions effortlessly; the exchange’s matching engine will need to prove it can keep up.
- Regulatory Protection: With millions of small investors entering the market, investor protection becomes even more critical. Judging from previous speculation and issues surrounding the Blue-chip company, what is different in this invention?
A Personal Reflection
The launch of Ziidi Trader represents something bigger than just a new app feature. I could quote that for years; this part has been exclusive to those with the knowledge to understand the risks and opportunities to actually execute effectively and on time.
On the brighter side, a matatu driver can buy shares during lunch break. A mama mboga can invest her day’s profits. A university student can start building a portfolio with money saved from part-time work.
That democratization is powerful. But it also comes with responsibility.
Please also educate. To Safaricom and the NSE: invest heavily in investor education programs. To regulators: protect small investors from both fraud and their own inexperience. To potential investors: learn before you leap.
The appetite exists. The thirst is real. Now we need knowledge to match the desire.
Start small: Don’t invest money you can’t afford to lose
Understand what you’re buying: Research companies before purchasing shares
Think long-term: The stock market rewards patience, not speculation
Diversify: Don’t put all your money in one company. As many financial advisors would quote, have a diversified portfolio that spreads your risk. Don’t put all your eggs into one basket.
Keep learning: Financial education is ongoing, not a one-time event.
This article draws on the following sources:
Business Daily Africa Article by Kepha Muiruri
Kenya MMF Calculator – Ziidi Trader Guide
Together with personal research.
