UK government to invest $15 million in Kenya’s Quickmart

The United Kingdom government, through its MOBILIST programme, is set to acquire a stake in the Kenyan supermarket chain Quickmart. The investment involves approximately $15 million (Ksh 1.94 billion) to purchase 260 million shares as part of the retailer’s upcoming public share sale.

Quickmart is offering two billion ordinary shares, representing half of its issued share capital, at KES 7.50 per share via the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has also committed approximately $15 million to the offering, aiming for a similar 6.5 per cent stake.

The share sale is expected to raise roughly Ksh 15 billion, valuing Quickmart at approximately Ksh 30 billion. The initiative is part of the UK’s international development framework to mobilise private capital for developing economies. The offer is scheduled to close on October 30, 2026, with trading expected to begin on November 12, 2026.