Explosive Ziidi Trader Surge Powers Record-Breaking NSE Rally

Ziidi Trader has triggered a powerful structural shift at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), delivering historic trade volumes and restoring consecutive billion-shilling turnover days in a rally that signals renewed retail investor confidence. Equity trades settled at a record 25,700 deals on 11 February, the highest single-day tally in the exchange’s history. The surge followed the pilot launch of Ziidi Trader by Safaricom on 5 February, marking one of the fastest accelerations in trading activity seen at the bourse in recent years.

Activity ramped up sharply within days of the rollout. Deal counts jumped to 8,713 on day one, climbed to 12,893 on 6 February, reached 14,300 on 9 February, and crossed 15,700 mid-session on 11 February before closing significantly higher at the record level. The jump represents a clear break from the previous daily norm of roughly 4,000 to 7,800 trades recorded between October and January. Market analysts note that the consistency and speed of the rise suggest a structural lift in participation rather than a short-lived spike driven by speculation.

Ziidi Trader Liquidity Boom Reshapes Market Momentum

Liquidity has moved in tandem with volumes. The NSE posted KSh 2.439 billion in equity turnover on 10 February and KSh 1.830 billion on 11 February — only the second instance this year of back-to-back sessions exceeding the KSh 1 billion mark. By midday on 11 February, turnover had already reached KSh 1.6 billion, marking the strongest two-hour trading window since 19 December. Deal activity was led by Kenya Power with 3,039 trades worth KSh 27.53 million, while Safaricom dominated value with 2,921 deals worth KSh 612.02 million. Other heavily traded counters included KenGen, Absa Bank Kenya, Co-operative Bank of Kenya, Equity Bank Kenya, KCB Group, CIC Insurance Group, Kenya Airways, and Britam Holdings.

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Foreign investors also turned net buyers, purchasing KSh 600 million against KSh 210 million in sales — reversing a trend of offshore net outflows seen in previous sessions. The shift underscores renewed confidence amid rising liquidity and broader market participation. Prices reflected the momentum, with several blue-chip stocks printing record or multi-year highs. The breadth of the rally indicates that gains are not confined to a single sector but spread across banking, energy, insurance, and telecommunications counters.

Ziidi Trader’s design appears central to the transformation. By embedding share trading within M-Pesa, the platform removes traditional friction points such as paperwork and standalone CDS accounts while maintaining dividend and voting rights via a Safaricom–Kestrel omnibus structure. Lower indicated fees of about 1.5 per cent — below the prevailing 1.8 to 2.5 per cent range — further enhance accessibility, a stance publicly supported by William Ruto. The ongoing Kenya Pipeline Company IPO, which remains open on the platform ahead of its 19 February close and 9 March listing, adds another catalyst supporting heightened retail engagement.