Welcome to The Pulse by Kasi - a weekly newsletter on what Africans think, want and do, in real time.
From Walmart’s bold retail play in South Africa to shifting financial trends in Kenya, evolving shopping habits across Africa, and new global trade pressures, consumers and businesses are navigating disruption with resilience.
🛒 Walmart’s Big Bet: Launching branded stores in South Africa, Walmart brings its Every Day Low Prices model and supply chain muscle to challenge Shoprite, Pick n Pay, and Woolworths, setting the stage for a wider African expansion.
🏦 Kenya’s Financial Rebound: Loans, insurance, and mobile money are climbing again, led by millennials and high-income earners. Trust in banks is improving, but stress and digital strain persist.
🚚 Holiday Shopping Reset: Free delivery and in-store pick-up now dominate African shopping habits, while in Uganda, Gen Z and men drive wellness and lifestyle spending even as essentials tighten.
📊 Decision Intelligence: Kasi Insight calls for a shift from reactive analytics to predictive and prescriptive foresight, empowering leaders to anticipate change and act proactively.
💡 One takeaway: Disruption is the new normal, whether in retail, finance, or global trade, foresight and agility will separate leaders from laggards.
Walmart Enters South Africa to Redefine Retail
Walmart’s launch of its first branded stores in South Africa marks a decisive shift in its African strategy. Until now, the company relied on Massmart’s regional footprint across eight sub-Saharan markets, limiting its direct influence. By stepping in under its own name, Walmart can fully apply its Every Day Low Prices model and global supply chain strength, positioning itself to challenge incumbents like Shoprite, Pick n Pay, and Woolworths in one of Africa’s most competitive retail arenas.
The move builds on momentum from the inaugural Africa Growth Summit, held in Johannesburg in April 2025, where suppliers from twelve countries were recruited, including many small and medium-sized enterprises. If successful, Walmart’s entry will not only reshape South African retail but could also catalyze a new wave of international investment into Africa’s consumer economy.
Retail & FMCG
🚚📊 Holiday Shopping Insights 2017–2024: Delivery habits have permanently shifted. Free delivery (37%) and in-store pick-up (38%) now dominate, while fast delivery has only partly recovered (26%). 🌍 For Africa, the lesson is clear, consumer behavior changes fast and sticks. 💡 With Kasi Insight’s real-time, high-frequency data, leaders can adapt with confidence and stay ahead in rapidly evolving markets.
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Ugandans are spending less on basics but still investing in wellness, entertainment, and self-care 💆♀️🎮. Gen Z and men are driving demand shifts in 2025, are brands ready to adapt?
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Finance & Banking
📊 Kenya’s financial appetite is back on the rise! Between March and July, Kasi Insight’s RDI shows strong growth in loans, insurance, investments, and mobile money 💳📈 Millennials and high-income earners are driving the rebound, while mobile money continues to anchor inclusion 🌍💡
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Retail banking in Kenya is shifting as consumers seek more than access, they want confidence, stability, and support 💡 trust in traditional banks is rising 🏦 but financial stress remains high and digital platforms are under pressure 📉
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Maps & Infographics
📊 Kasi Insight’s latest analysis on Africa–G7 relations shows that while familiarity with the G7 remains only moderate (2.79/5), perceptions are largely positive (3.24/5), sustained by visible investments and historical goodwill. 🌍 The US, UK, and Germany lead in positive perception, though views vary widely, South Africa (4.40) and Egypt (3.75) express strong trust, while Nigeria, Morocco, and Algeria are more cautious. ⚖️ As G7 aid budgets shrink, the future of these partnerships will depend on transparency, equitable agreements, and genuine collaboration, ensuring Africa’s ambitions in 🏭 industrialization, 🌱 climate resilience, and ⚡ critical mineral value chains are fully supported.
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