David Kiprop is one of East Africa's most respected business journalists, known for his incisive analysis of the region's dynamic economies and the forces shaping its financial future. Based in Nairobi, he has spent over a decade tracking the rise of East Africa as a hub for tech innovation, infrastructure investment, and intra-African trade. David's reporting combines rigorous financial analysis with compelling human storytelling, illuminating how macroeconomic trends play out in the lives of entrepreneurs, farmers, and factory workers. Before joining MenshlyGlobal, he was the business editor at a leading East African daily, where he transformed the publication's markets coverage and launched a popular weekly business podcast. He holds an MBA from Strathmore University and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Nairobi.

Areas of Expertise

  • East African financial markets, banking, and capital raising
  • Infrastructure development and China-Africa investment dynamics
  • Agricultural economics and food security across the region
  • East African tech hubs and mobile money innovation
  • AfCFTA trade integration and cross-border commerce

Career Highlights

  • Winner of the 2023 Diageo Africa Business Reporting Award for his exposé on predatory lending practices in Kenya's mobile loan sector
  • Recognized by the Financial Journalism Association of Kenya as Business Journalist of the Year in 2022
  • First journalist to secure an on-record interview with the CEO of M-Pesa following the platform's expansion into Ethiopia
  • Contributing analyst for BBC World Service's "Business Daily" program on African trade policy matters

Recent Coverage

David has been closely tracking Kenya's ambitious infrastructure pipeline, including the Standard Gauge Railway extension and the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor. His recent series on the mobile money revolution's next chapter examines how fintech is expanding credit access to underserved rural communities across Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. He is also following the growing competition between Chinese and Western firms for East African infrastructure contracts, providing context-sensitive analysis that goes beyond simplistic narratives. Currently, David is working on a long-form investigation into the environmental and economic impact of lithium mining in the Great Lakes region.