Nairobi Securities Exchange unlocks regional access

The Nairobi Securities Exchange Plc (NSE) is pleased to announce the successful execution of trades on 31st July 2025 under the Sponsored Access arrangement between Absa Securities Limited (Kenya) and Absa Bank South Africa. This landmark transaction marks a major stride in enhancing regional market connectivity, investor access, and the use of smart trading infrastructure.

This development follows the provisions of Guideline 4.8 of the NSE Direct Market Access Guidelines, 2019. The arrangement enables Absa Bank South Africa, as a sponsored participant, to access the NSE trading infrastructure directly through Absa Securities Limited, a licensed trading participant. The successful go-live aligns with the NSE’s strategic objective of revitalizing markets and harnessing technology to drive growth, deepen liquidity, and improve the efficiency of the capital markets ecosystem.

Commenting on the milestone, the NSE Chief Executive Officer stated:

"This is not only a win for the NSE, but for the broader region. The successful deployment of Sponsored Access by Absa is a powerful signal of investor confidence and technological readiness. It speaks directly to our strategic agenda to revitalize the market and leverage technology to attract a broader range of participants, including regional and global investors."

Absa is committed to the development and growth of capital markets across the African continent and continues to work closely with colleagues, regulators, and exchanges towards growing the respective financial markets Absa operates in. Providing electronic access to a key market such as Kenya is a significant milestone for us at Absa,’’ said Quintus Kilbourn, Head of Equities, Absa CIB.

Sponsored Access allows qualifying participants to route their orders to the NSE’s trading system through a sponsoring broker, under a tightly controlled and compliant framework. This model enhances speed, transparency, and operational efficiency while maintaining regulatory oversight.

The NSE remains committed to advancing innovation, expanding cross-border participation, and creating a dynamic, technology-enabled marketplace that supports sustainable investment and economic growth.