The wave of corporate failures in Kenya is shocking.

Within the past two years alone, several prominent brands have either shut down entirely, gone into administration or receivership, or exited the local market, resulting in thousands of job losses.

Here are the big Kenyan brands affected between 2024 and 2025.

Key Closures and Insolvencies

Sendy Kenya (2023)

Sendy, founded in 2014, was a logistics and delivery startup. It entered administration in September 2023, after failing to raise new capital or secure a buyer.

The company effectively shut down in 2024, leaving over 300 employees jobless despite having raised $20 million, accumulating a huge valuation of US$80 million.

Bayer (January 2024)

The German pharmaceuticals giant, Bayer, is another popular brand that has exited direct drug distribution in Kenya effective January 2024.

It outsourced distribution to a third party, cutting costs but leading to major local job losses.

Foschini (April 2024)

Foschini is a South African luxury fashion retailer. It closed its Kenyan operations in April 2024, becoming one of the many corporate failures in Kenya.

Voluntary liquidation was overseen by George Weru and Muniu Thoithi, citing high costs and shrinking demand for luxury goods.

Hashi Energy (June 2024)

A leading oil marketing and distribution company, Hashi Energy, entered liquidation in June 2024 with debts of KSh 5 billion.

Asset sales began as the firm collapsed after decades as a key energy player.

Betsafe (May 2024)

Betsafe, launched in 2020, exited the Kenyan betting market on May 14, 2024.

Over 100 employees lost their jobs after the company cited high betting taxes as the reason for shutting down.

Ukwala Supermarket (December 2024)

Ukwala, once a dominant supermarket chain, completed liquidation on December 20, 2024.

Its debts of nearly KSh 1 billion outweighed assets worth just KSh 19 million. Liquidator Peter Kahi closed the process under the Insolvency Act.

Mobius Motors (August 2024)

Mobius Motors, founded in 2011 to assemble affordable cars, declared insolvency on August 5, 2024. KVSK Sastry was appointed liquidator.

Days later, a private investor acquired the company, but the shutdown risked many jobs before the buyout.

Copia Kenya (June 2024)

Copia, an e-commerce and financial services platform founded in 2013, entered administration in June 2024.

It shut operations in six towns and placed more than 1,000 staff on indefinite leave.

Sky Foods / Tree Top (September 2024)

Sky Foods, owner of the Tree Top juice brand, was placed under administration on September 26, 2024.

The collapse was tied to debts and mismanagement. The official receiver took over, with layoffs following.

Savannah Cement (July 2024)

Savannah Cement, founded in 2012, entered receivership in July 2024 due to mismanagement and financial woes.

Its assets were put up for sale, with job losses expected.

Look Up TV (June 2024)

Look Up TV, launched in 2018, closed its newsroom on June 7, 2024. Its sister station, Muthing TV, also shut down.

Hundreds of staff were laid off, leaving only digital platforms briefly active.

Kansai Coatings (May 2024)

Kansai Coatings, founded in 1918, announced voluntary liquidation in May 2024. The move was part of restructuring efforts, though local job impacts were undisclosed.

Blue Shield Insurance (June 2024)

Blue Shield, founded in 1995, was liquidated by court order in June 2024 after years of solvency struggles. Justice Alfred Mabeya issued the ruling, ending the insurer’s operations.

Standard Media Group (August 2024)

Standard Media, one of Kenya’s oldest media houses, restructured in August 2024. It shut down KTN News and KTN Farmers TV, merging them into KTN Home.

More than 300 employees were rendered jobless.

Invesco Assurance (August 2024)

Invesco, a Kenyan insurer, was placed under statutory management in August 2024 by the Insurance Regulatory Authority.

Liquidity problems triggered the intervention, leaving its future uncertain.

Base Titanium (December 2024)

Base Titanium, an Australian mining company that began operations in 2013, exited Kenya in December 2024 after exhausting its titanium deposits.

Between 1,200 and 1,600 employees lost their jobs in Kwale County.

Lipa Later & Sky.Garden (March 2025)

Lipa Later, a buy-now-pay-later fintech founded in 2018, acquired Sky.Garden in 2022 after the e-commerce site’s near-collapse.

Both shut down in March 2025 when Lipa Later ran out of funding. The closure also took Sky.Garden down, though job losses were not disclosed.

Twiga Foods (June 2025)

Twiga, founded in 2014 to streamline fresh produce supply chains, suspended Nairobi operations in June 2025.

The company had gone through multiple layoffs, cutting hundreds of jobs. Struggling with debt and competition, Twiga remains partially closed.

East African Cables (June 2025)

Founded in 1966, East African Cables manufactured electrical cables and conductors.

In 2025, the company fell deeper into receivership, with trading suspended on the NSE in June.

Debts of over KSh 4.74 billion to Equity Bank remain unresolved. Job losses are unclear.

TransCentury Group (June 2025)

TransCentury, an infrastructure investment group founded in 1997, was placed under receivership in June 2025 by Equity Bank.

With debts mirroring its subsidiary East African Cables, the group failed to restructure or offload assets. Job impacts remain undisclosed.

Tata Chemicals Magadi (August 2025)

Magadi Soda Company, founded in 1911 and acquired by Tata in 2005, is Kenya’s largest soda ash producer.

In August 2025, it announced a major shutdown for fiscal Q1 2026. Production volumes had already dropped, and the shutdown is expected to cause significant local job losses.

Zepz (2025)

Zepz, formerly WorldRemit, was founded in 2010 as a digital remittances platform.

In 2025, it restructured operations, closing Kenyan business units and cutting about 200 jobs.

The exit was part of a wider cost-cutting effort that also affected its Polish operations.

DT Dobie (August 2025)

DT Dobie, a car dealer founded in 1949, entered administration in August 2025.

The 76-year-old brand is being phased out and merged into CFAO Motors Kenya. Between 200 and 500 employees face job losses as creditors process claims.

Bank Al-Habib (May 2025)

Pakistani lender Bank Al-Habib entered Kenya in 2018.

On May 15, 2025, the Central Bank of Kenya revoked its license after the lender opted to close its Nairobi office. This ended its seven-year presence in the country.

Caltex House Service Station (June 2025)

Caltex, part of Chevron, entered Kenya in 1957 with fuel and service stations.

A government notice on June 5, 2025, announced its dissolution. This marked the end of one of Nairobi’s longest-standing fuel service companies.

Broader Context and Impact

These closures reflect a wider trend, with 2,030 companies shutting down between July 2022 and June 2023, and 313 more by August 2024.

The Kenyan government dissolved over 200 firms in December 2024 and warned 115 others, including entities in real estate, agriculture, and construction.

Job losses have been staggering—millions affected indirectly—worsening unemployment and contributing to social issues like broken families and economic instability.