Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE Kenya): Listed Companies, Indices and How to Invest

The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) is East Africa's premier capital market and one of Africa's most technologically advanced stock exchanges. Founded in 1954 as a voluntary association of stockbrokers and formally incorporated in 1991, the NSE today lists 56 companies with a combined market capitalisation of approximately KES 1.8 trillion.

From Safaricom — the mobile money giant that processes more transactions per day than most African banks — to Equity Group's pan-continental banking network, the companies listed on the NSE tell the story of East Africa's economic transformation.

Overview of the Nairobi Securities Exchange

The NSE is regulated by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) of Kenya and operates under the Securities Act and Capital Markets Act. It transitioned from a floor-based trading system to the Automated Trading System (ATS) in 2006, a move that significantly improved transparency, price discovery and market efficiency.

The exchange is located on Westlands Road in Nairobi and opens for trading Monday through Friday from 09:30 to 15:00 East Africa Time (EAT, UTC+3).

Settlement is T+3, handled by the Central Depository and Settlement Corporation (CDSC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the NSE.

→ View NSE live data on Mansa Markets

NSE Indices

The NSE publishes several benchmark indices:

NSE All-Share Index (NASI) — The broadest measure of NSE performance, tracking all listed equities. As of early 2026, NASI stands at 209.42 — up approximately 12.24% over the past month.

NSE 20 Share Index — Tracks the performance of the 20 best-performing companies based on a 12-month weighted average of market capitalisation, shares traded, deals, and turnover. This is the exchange's oldest index.

NSE 25 Share Index — A broader blue-chip index tracking 25 companies selected for market cap and liquidity.

NSE 10 Share Index — Tracks the 10 most liquid and large-cap equities, providing the tightest snapshot of the exchange's market leaders.

Sector Indices — The NSE also publishes sector-specific indices for banking, insurance, investment, manufacturing, telecoms, agricultural, commercial services, and energy.

NSE Listed Companies: The Major Players

Safaricom (SCOM) — The NSE's undisputed heavyweight. Safaricom is Kenya's dominant telecoms and financial services company, and the operator of M-Pesa — the world's most successful mobile money system with over 30 million active users. Safaricom accounts for a significant portion of the NSE's total market cap and daily trading volume.

Equity Group Holdings — One of Africa's fastest-growing banking groups, with operations across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC, South Sudan and Ethiopia. Equity Group's technology-first banking model has made it a template for financial inclusion across the continent.

KCB Group — Kenya's largest bank by assets and one of the most profitable financial institutions in East Africa. KCB operates in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

East African Breweries (EABL) — A subsidiary of Diageo and the dominant beer and spirits producer in East Africa. EABL's brands include Tusker, Senator, and Guinness Kenya.

British American Tobacco Kenya (BATK) — A subsidiary of the global tobacco giant, listed on the NSE and one of the exchange's consistently high dividend-yielding stocks.

Absa Bank Kenya (ABSA) — The Kenyan subsidiary of South Africa's Absa Group, formerly operating as Barclays Bank of Kenya.

Co-operative Bank (COOP) — One of Kenya's largest cooperative-owned financial institutions, with a uniquely strong presence in the agricultural sector.

The NSE Derivatives Market

The NSE is one of only a handful of African exchanges offering derivatives trading. The derivatives market launched in 2019 and currently offers:

• Index futures (N25I and N25MN contracts)
• Single stock futures on Safaricom, Equity, KCB, EABL and Absa Kenya

This derivatives capability makes the NSE significantly more sophisticated than most African peers and allows institutional investors to hedge their equity exposure — a critical tool for managing position risk.

How to Invest in NSE Stocks

Open a CDS Account — All NSE investors must have a Central Depository System (CDS) account, opened through any licensed stockbroker or approved agent.

Choose a Stockbroker — Licensed NSE stockbrokers include Dyer & Blair, SBG Securities, Faida Investment Bank, and AIB-AXYS Africa.

Fund Your Account — Kenyan residents fund in KES. Foreign investors can invest in all NSE stocks — there are no general foreign ownership restrictions, though a 25% foreign ownership limit applies to certain regulated companies in banking and insurance.

Place and Monitor Orders — Most NSE brokers offer online trading platforms and mobile apps. The NSE has actively promoted retail investor participation through technology investment.

Kenya Stock Market Outlook

Kenya's capital market has several structural tailwinds:

• M-Pesa integration — From January 2026, investors can trade NSE shares directly through M-Pesa via the Ziidi Trader feature, potentially opening the market to millions of previously excluded retail investors
• Regional integration — The East African Community's capital market integration agenda is progressing, which could lead to cross-listing and cross-border trading between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania
• Tech sector growth — Nairobi's emergence as a pan-African technology hub ("Silicon Savannah") is creating new potential listings as Kenyan tech companies mature

For live NSE data, visit the Kenya Market Desk on Mansa Markets.