List of Oldest Companies in Kenya

There are many emergent companies currently set up in Kenya. The following are some of the oldest companies in Kenya.

1. KCB Group (1876)

KCB Group started its operations in Zanzibar on 1876 as a branch of National Bank of India.

KCB is a financial holding company with branches in; Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi.

The company’s Headquarters is located in Nairobi Kenya.

Major stock owners of KCB Group are The Kenyan Government (17.31%), National Social Security Fund – Kenya (7.52%), and Standard Chattered Kenya.

2. East African Breweries (1922)

East African Breweries(EABL) is a consumer company and East Africa’s leading branded alcohol beverage business with an outstanding collection of brands that range from beer, spirits and adult non alcoholic drinks (ANADs).

Diageo and Associate companies are the major EABL’s stakeholders with 50% ownership of the company.

3. Jubilee Insurance Company Limited (1937)

Jubilee insurance company was founded in 1937 in Mombasa Kenya. The company has branches in Dar-es-Salaam, Kampala, Bombay, Karachi, Mauritius and Zanzibar. Jubilee insurance company limited is a fully owned subsidiary of Jubilee Holdings Limited, and currently has an issued share capital of Ksh. 225 million and the highest shareholders’ funds in the Kenyan insurance industry. It has over 6,300 shareholders. The company’s headquarters is located in Nairobi Kenya.

4. Diamond Trust Bank Group(1945)

Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) founded in 1945 is a major banking group in East Africa with branches in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi. The company’s head quaters is located in Nairobi along Mombasa Road. The company has seven subsidiary companies with various stake holders.

5. Bamburi Cement (1957)

Bamburi Cement is a cement production company located in Mombasa Kenya. The company was founded in 1957. Bamburi is the second largest cement producing Company in Sub-Sahara Africa after Dangote Cement, owned by Africa’s richest man, Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote.

Bamburi Cement Limited stalk holders are; Fincem Holding Limited (29.30%), Kencem Holding Limited (29.30%) and other investors (41.40%).

In December 2015, the company’s total assets were valued at US$420 million, with shareholders’ equity of about US$297 million.

6. KenolKobil (1959)

Kenolkobil, started in 1959 is a leading multinational petroleum company in Kenya with various subsidiary companies in Eastern and Central Africa. The company’s stake holders are Wells Petroleum Holdings Limited(24.91%),Petro Holdings Limited(17.28) other investors(58%)

7. Nation Media Group (1959)

Nation Media Group, the largest media house in East and Central Africa was founded in 1959 by Aga Khan IV. In December 2014, total shareholders in the company were 10,436. Of these, 4,135, owned 1 to 500 shares each, with a cumulative total of 782,157 shares, controlling 0.41 percent of the company. The seven largest shareholders controlled 62.57 percent of the total shareholding. In March 2016, Nation media group commissioned a printing press on Mombasa road worth Ksh 2 Billion that is able to print 85,000 newspapers per hour.

8. Sameer Group (1969)

Sameer Group is large company in East Africa comprised 2 or more corporations. the company has a number of subsidiary companies all over East Africa. Sameer Group is involved with various industries in various sectors e.g Agriculture, manufacturing, distribution,finance, Construction, tech industries etc.