The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) more than doubled its net profit to Sh272.3million last year, up from Sh116.3 million in 2024, buoyed by higher transaction levies from the increased trading activity on its platform.
The bourse saw its total income go up from Sh828.4 million to Sh1.09 billion in the period, as transaction levies from equities trades rose to Sh348.1 million from Sh253.65 million the previous year.
Bonds trading levies jumped to Sh298.1 million, from Sh169.88 million, while income from data sales grew to Sh118.32 million, from Sh101.3 million in 2024.
The value of shares traded at the bourse increased by 37 percent to Sh145.4 billion last year, while bond trades were up 75.5 percent to a record high of Sh2.71 trillion. The equities bull run saw the market capitalisation or investor wealth at the NSE go up by Sh1 trillion to Sh2.94 trillion in 2025.
The NSE earns a share of the levies and commissions charged on investors in equity and bond trades. In the equities trades, the fee is set at 0.12 percent of the value of a transaction. Higher share prices and traded volumes therefore raise the base from which the transaction levies are calculated, benefitting the bourse’s top line.
“We are particularly encouraged by the strong growth in both trading and non-trading revenues, which underscores the resilience and diversification of our business model,” said NSE chief executive officer Frank Mwiti.
“As we continue to modernise our infrastructure and deepen our product offering, we remain focused on enhancing market efficiency, attracting new listings, and positioning the NSE as a leading capital markets hub for Africa and beyond.”
Following the profit increase, the exchange has now proposed to pay its shareholders a dividend of Sh1 per share, up from Sh0.32 per share in 2024. The 2025 dividend, which comprises a first and final distribution of Sh0.73 per share and a special dividend of Sh0.27 per share, will be paid out on July 31 to shareholders on the company’s books on May 21.
The threefold increase in the dividend per share raises the total distribution to Sh259.5 million, from Sh83 million in 2024.
On the cost side, the bourse saw its total expenses rise by 10 percent to Sh741.5 million, partly driven by an increase in employee costs from Sh 206.3 million to Sh263.8 million, and a Sh47.7 million impairment charge on its trading system which is scheduled to be replaced this year as part of a technology modernisation programme.
