JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, October 12, 2026/APO Group/ –Verdant Capital (www.Verdant-Cap.com) believes that the true measure of investment goes beyond capital deployed and financial returns. It is also reflected in the businesses that grow, the jobs they create and the lives they help transform.

In 2025, the Fund took an important step towards strengthening its impact measurement approach by commissioning 60 Decibels (https://apo-opa.co/4dAqYdi) to build an industry-standard impact management framework and conduct independent impact measurement across its investment portfolio. Job creation is Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund’s primary impact objective, and the studies were designed to strengthen the Fund’s understanding of how its investments contribute to employment and broader economic opportunities.

 




 
 

As part of this process, VCHF developed an impact thesis for each investee, and commissioned baseline studies to understand who its investees reach, how their services influence the lives of their customers and, most importantly, their contribution to job creation.

The findings provide an important baseline for tracking impact over time, combining investee-level data with insights from end customers on how access to finance is influencing their businesses and households.

“Our conviction has always been that the right capital, combined with hands-on technical support, can help African financial service providers reach underserved businesses, create jobs and improve livelihoods.” said Edmund Higgenbottam, Chief Executive Officer of Verdant Capital. “Our first impact studies provide encouraging evidence of this, but this is only the beginning. We are committed to using the data and insights from these studies to strengthen our approach and deepen our impact measurement”.

Key Impact Highlights as of 31 December 2025

•  USD 39.5 million deployed across six investments.
• 179,000+ MSMEs reached.
• 316,000+ jobs created across the portfolio, with an additional 1,066,000+ jobs supported.
• 24 Technical Assistance projects delivered for investees, supported by KfW on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
• Six investees operating across 12 African countries, mainly low income and lower-middle income countries.

VCHF has made six investments in inclusive financial institutions to date: WATU, Mogo, LOLC Africa, Zeepay, UsPlus and Bfree. Through these investments, the Fund helps expand access to financial solutions that enable individuals and small businesses to grow their enterprises, strengthen their incomes and contribute to employment generation. The highlights above are drawn from independent 60 Decibels studies with over 850 customers across four investees.

Looking ahead, VCHF has USD 51 million in AUM and plans to grow its portfolio through additional investments and expansion into new markets over the coming years. The Fund is also seeking to mobilise additional capital from investors who share its commitment to delivering commercial returns alongside measurable impact.

Beyond the numbers are the stories of individuals accessing financial services, entrepreneurs expanding their businesses, households strengthening their livelihoods and businesses contributing to more resilient value chains.

This report marks an important milestone in VCHF’s impact journey. It strengthens the Fund’s understanding of the outcomes associated with its investments and reinforces its commitment to measuring not only the scale of its reach, but also the changes experienced by the people and businesses behind the numbers.

Verdant Capital extends its sincere appreciation to its partner, KfW Development Bank, for its continued support, and to its investees for their commitment and collaboration throughout this process.

Verdant Capital also extends its appreciation to 60 Decibels for its valuable partnership as the impact measurement advisor, as well as to the entire Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund team for its dedication and contribution to this important milestone.

Together with its partners, VCHF continues to demonstrate that commercial returns and meaningful impact can go hand in hand.

Read the full report here: Click Here (https://apo-opa.co/4B26qV8)

NAIROBI, Kenya, October 12, 2026/APO Group/ —Key points

• Kentucky Town 254 launches on 20 October 2026, marking the first East African rollout of KFC’s limited-time festival.
• An exclusive Kenyan-inspired menu at selected KFC restaurants features The Colonel’s Mandazi Burger, The Colonel’s Mandazi Pops, The Kentucky Choma Burger, Samosa Crunch, Catch These Masala Fries, Birthday Cake Krusher and One in a Melon Krusher.
• Four Friday to Sunday pop-ups will open at The Junction Mall, The Hub Karen, Galleria Shopping Mall and Garden City Mall, featuring games, live experiences, music and an exclusive apparel collection co-created by KFC and home_254, the Nairobi-based fashion house known for wearable expressions of Kenyan identity.
• Anyone who buys a Kentucky Town meal at a participating KFC restaurant can use their receipt to unlock access to any of the pop-up experiences.

KFC is bringing its Kentucky Town experience to Kenya for the first time, marking the platform’s East African debut with a menu, merchandise collection and series of pop-up events shaped by Kenyan culture.

 




 
 

Kentucky Town 254  launches on October 20, 2026, and will run until 15 November 2026. It includes a Kenyan-inspired menu available at selected KFC restaurants, an exclusive apparel collection co-created by KFC and home_254, a Nairobi-based, made-in-Kenya fashion house, and four rotating weekend pop-ups across Nairobi malls.

“We didn’t want to bring Kentucky Town to Kenya and simply put a Kenyan name on it. We wanted Kenya to have a say in what Kentucky Town becomes,” says Dorothy Muthoni, Chief Marketing Officer at Kuku Foods East Africa, KFC’s franchisee in Kenya.

“That means food that tastes familiar, fashion that feels like us, and an experience that gives people a reason to come together.”

From Oct. 20, the limited-time Kentucky Town menu will be available at selected KFC restaurants and will feature:

• The Colonel’s Mandazi Burger
• The Colonel’s Mandazi Pops
• The Kentucky Choma Burger
• Samosa Crunch
• Catch These Masala Fries
• Birthday Cake Krusher
• One in a Melon Krusher

The menu draws on flavors already familiar to Kenyan consumers, reimagined through KFC’s format. Kentucky Town 254 extends beyond restaurants to four weekend pop-ups across Nairobi, each combining food, fashion, music, games and interactive experiences:

• October 23–25: The Junction Mall, ground-floor courtyard
• October 30–November 1: Galleria Shopping Mall, parking area next to KFC
• November 6–8: The Hub Karen, The Piazza
• November 13–15: Garden City Mall, main entrance

Customers who buy a Kentucky Town meal at a participating restaurant can use their receipt to unlock access to any of the pop-ups, featuring music, games, merchandise and interactive experiences. The first 100 visitors at the pop-up on October 23 will also receive a complimentary Samosa Crunch.

Visitors can also take part in activities such as the Wrap the Beat dance challenge, virtual reality gaming, a basketball hoop challenge and a photo booth, with the opportunity to have their caricatures drawn and take them home.  “A highlight of the pop-up is the merch shop stocked with an exclusive limited-edition collection by the Kenyan fashion and design brand home_254,” says Muthoni.

The collection includes crop tops, T-shirts, varsity jackets, sweatshirts, cosy sweatpants,  jorts, shrugs and puffer jackets, with a styling corner and photo spot where visitors can try on and photograph pieces from the range.

“Everything is designed and made in Kenya and hand-printed locally, so a Kentucky Town piece carries a little bit of home long after the campaign ends,” says Job Brian Jura, founder of home_254. “That is what the brand stands for, wearable art that lets people carry Kenyan creativity and pride with them.”

A mix of Kenyan creators and influencers, including Kendi Q, Comedian Mwirigi and Wangari Kairu, will support Kentucky Town across social media and at the pop-up events, sharing content around the food, fashion and cultural elements of the experience.

Kenya is KFC’s second-largest African market after South Africa, with 48 franchise-owned restaurants. Kentucky Town originated in South Africa and has previously run in Namibia and Mauritius; Kenya marks its first East African rollout.

“Kentucky Town is all about introducing KFC to new audiences with entertainment, fun, exclusive experiences and merch, and a menu that takes the Original Recipe to new and exciting places,” says Hloni Mohope, Chief Marketing Officer at KFC Africa.

“We know Kenyans love KFC, and this is a wonderful opportunity to thank them for their support. Twende funky!”

ABUJA, Nigeria, October 12, 2026/APO Group/ –Nigeria’s mining sector is preparing for a defining investment moment. On Tuesday, 13 October, Nigeria Mining Week 2026 (https://NigeriaMiningWeek.com) is expected to host the announcement and signing of a major mining transaction before government leaders, mining executives, investors, financiers, chambers of mines, international institutions and technical partners.

 




  

Described by event organisers as the biggest mining deal announcement in Nigeria since Segilola came online, the moment is expected to signal a new phase in the country’s journey from mineral potential to bankable projects, operating mines, domestic processing and industrial value creation.

For years, the industry has spoken about Nigeria’s potential. On Tuesday, the conversation shifts from potential to execution.

A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR NIGERIAN MINING

Nigeria is endowed with more than 44 commercially viable minerals across over 500 locations. Yet solid minerals still represent a comparatively small share of national economic output and exports, underlining the scale of the opportunity available through exploration, project development, beneficiation, responsible mining and stronger connections to capital.

Nigeria Mining Week 2026 is designed around that conversion challenge. Under the theme ‘Unlocking Investment and Growth through Partnerships’, the 11th edition connects policy, projects, finance, technology and markets, with investment readiness and bankable mining opportunities at the centre of the programme.

THE INDUSTRY’S MOST IMPORTANT ROOM THIS WEEK

Current event indicators point to a highly international and senior audience: 3,900 registrants, representation from 40 countries, 41% of registrants at director level or above, and 45% international exhibitor passes. These are registration and programme indicators rather than verified final attendance totals.

Across the conference, exhibition, CEO Roundtable, Critical Minerals Forum, Deal Room, Gold Forum, Steel Forum and Women in Extractive Industries Forum, participants will engage on geological data, project finance, licensing confidence, governance, ESG, power, logistics, beneficiation, local value addition and the infrastructure required to move projects into production.

WHO WILL BE IN THE ROOM?

The audience brings together institutions and companies spanning the full mining value chain. Confirmed programme, sponsor, exhibitor and registration records referenced by the organisers include:

Investors, financiers and development institutions

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC); Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM); Development Bank of Namibia; Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC); Mercuria Energy Trading NG; Critical Minerals Financing Corporation; Zigma Ltd.

Mining operators, developers and mineral-sector companies

Segilola Resources Operating Limited; DFR Gold; Promethean Resources; RapidLink Resources Ltd.; Titan Minerals; National Iron Ore Mining Company; Syils Group Nigeria Limited; Africa Gold Council; Jemaa Resource Project; mining and exploration businesses active across gold, lithium, iron ore, gemstones and industrial minerals.

Global industrial, equipment and technology companies

Mitsubishi Corporation; Marubeni; Sojitz; African Industries Group; LiuGong; XCMG; Sany; Sinotruk; SAIC Hongyan; Lonking; Shandong Xinhai; Mikano Motors; Solar Nigachem; Bristol Scientific; Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.

Chambers of mines, associations and international bodies

Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN); Mining Industry Association of Southern Africa (MIASA); Ghana Chamber of Mines; Botswana Chamber of Mines; Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers; Gemstones Miners and Marketers Association of Nigeria (GMMAN); Women in Mining Nigeria; International Lithium Association (ILiA); African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC); United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE); Zambia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (ZEITI); Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE); Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce; China Mining Association of Nigeria (CMAN); ECOWAS-linked institutions and regional mining stakeholders.

VOICES SHAPING THE CONVERSATION

The programme features senior policymakers, operators, investors and technical experts, including Amb. Anna Westerholm of the Embassy of Sweden; Astrid Karamira of the International Lithium Association; Austin Menegbo of Segilola Resources; Dr Cameron Perks of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence; Dr Israel Ovirih of Critical Minerals Financing Corporation; Engr. Abdullahi Also of African Industries Group; Engr. Janet Adeyemi of Women in Mining Nigeria; Geert Klok of MIASA; Harikrishnan Tulsidas of UNECE; Jude Uzonwanne of the Africa Gold Council; and representatives of NEXIM, PwC Nigeria and Nigeria’s mining institutions.

WHY THIS MOMENT MATTERS

Tuesday’s expected announcement is intended to reinforce confidence that the next generation of Nigerian mining projects can attract serious capital, credible operating partners and long-term market interest.

A major transaction does more than fund one project. It can strengthen investor confidence, accelerate exploration, open supply chains, create demand for services and equipment, support jobs and show international capital that Nigeria’s mining opportunities are moving towards execution.

For investors, operators and suppliers, the commercial advantage is access: access to the principals behind the deal, to project owners seeking capital, to financiers and off-takers, to government decision-makers, and to the regional mining networks represented by MIASA and leading chambers of mines.

DON’T HEAR ABOUT IT ON WEDNESDAY

The handshake happens on Tuesday. The market hears about it afterwards.

Those inside Nigeria Mining Week will witness the moment, hear directly from the people shaping the transaction and take part in the conversations that follow. Those outside the room will be reading the headlines after the opportunity has already moved.

WILL YOU BE IN THE ROOM WHEN NIGERIA’S NEXT MINING MILESTONE IS SIGNED?

Secure your delegate pass today at https://NigeriaMiningWeek.com

EVENT DETAILS

• Pre-conference: 12 October 2026
• Main conference and exhibition: 13-14 October 2026
• Venue: Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja
• Theme: Unlocking Investment and Growth through Partnerships