article
How to Buy Equity Shares in Kenya: A Complete 2026 Guide
Learn how to buy equity shares in Kenya in 2026. Open a CDS account, choose a broker or buy via M-PESA, place your order on the NSE, and what it costs.
Owning a piece of Safaricom, Equity, KCB or Kenya Power is more accessible than most Kenyans think. You don't need a large sum or deep market knowledge to start, all you need is the right account and a licensed broker. This guide walks through exactly how it works in 2026, what it costs, and the newer, simpler routes that have opened up.
How to Buy Equity Shares in Kenya: The 5 Steps
1. Choose a CMA-licensed stockbroker. You cannot buy shares directly from the NSE. A licensed stockbroker or investment bank is your gateway, they execute your trades and hold your shares. Licensed names include Faida Investment Bank, Genghis Capital, SBG Securities, Dyer & Blair, and AIB-AXYS Africa. Always confirm the broker is licensed by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA).
2. Open a CDS account. The Central Depository System (CDS) account is where your shares are held electronically, in your own name, by the Central Depository and Settlement Corporation (CDSC). It works like a bank account, but holds shares instead of cash. You can't open one directly with the CDSC, your broker does it for you. You'll provide your national ID or passport, KRA PIN, and a passport photo. Approval typically takes 3 to 5 business days.
3. Fund your account. Deposit money into your brokerage trading account by M-PESA or bank transfer. Brokers often ask for a first deposit of around KSh 3,000, though this varies.
4. Choose your shares. Research the companies listed on the NSE, look at their profitability, dividend history, and growth prospects. Blue-chip names like Safaricom (SCOM), Equity Group (EQTY) and KCB are popular starting points.
5. Place your buy order. Tell your broker how many shares to buy, at the market price or a price you set (a limit order). When your order matches a seller, the trade executes and the shares settle into your CDS account three business days later.
Want African equity exposure without a CDS account? Through Ndovu you can invest in the VanEck Africa ETF (AFK), which holds leading African companies including Kenyan banks like Equity Group in a single fund. → Start investing with Ndovu
How to Invest in NSE Kenya: The Newer, Simpler Routes
The traditional broker route still works, but 2026 has made buying shares far easier.
Broker apps. Most licensed brokers now offer apps and online portals, so you can open a CDS account, fund it, and trade from your phone without visiting an office.
Ziidi Trader on M-PESA. Since early 2026, you can buy and sell NSE shares directly inside the M-PESA app through Ziidi Trader, which works with a licensed broker behind the scenes. You can start from as little as KSh 100, pay with M-PESA, and orders execute during NSE hours (9:30am–3:00pm). One detail to know: Ziidi Trader currently holds your shares in a pooled account on your behalf, rather than a CDS account in your own name, a trade-off of convenience for direct registration.
The one-share change. This is the single biggest shift for beginners: on 8 August 2025, the NSE removed its 100-share minimum. You can now buy any number of shares, meaning a single Safaricom or Kenya Power share is a legitimate way to start.
What It Costs to Buy Shares in Kenya
Shares aren't free to trade. Budget for these:
Cost | What it is |
|---|---|
Brokerage commission | Your broker's fee per buy/sell order; varies by broker |
NSE transaction levy | A small fee the exchange charges on each trade |
CMA & CDSC fees | Regulatory and custody charges, usually bundled into the trade |
Custody fee | Some brokers charge an annual fee to hold your shares |
Ziidi Trader commission | 1.5% per transaction if you use the M-PESA route |
Always ask your broker for the full fee schedule before you trade because small percentage differences add up over time.
How to Buy Shares in Kenya Power (KPLC)
Kenya Power is one of the NSE's most actively traded utility stocks, and a common first buy. As of 16 October 2026, one KPLC share cost about KSh 21.85 up sharply from KSh 13.60 at the start of 2026. The company paid a dividend of KSh 1.00 per share for FY 2025.
The process is identical to any other share: open a CDS account through a licensed broker (or use Ziidi Trader), fund it, and place a buy order for KPLC. Thanks to the one-share rule, you could buy a single KPLC share for about KSh 22 plus fees. For the full walkthrough, see our guide on how to buy Kenya Power shares.
Want to start with Kenya's largest company instead? Our guide on how to buy Safaricom shares covers that step by step.
Before You Buy: Three Things to Get Right
Shares are higher-risk, prices can fall as well as rise. Before you start:
Clear expensive debt first.
Paying off a mobile loan charging 20%+ beats almost any share return.
Build an emergency fund.
Keep three to six months of expenses somewhere safe and liquid, like a money market fund, so you're never forced to sell shares at a bad time.
Diversify.
Don't put everything into one company. Spreading across several shares, or holding a fund, cushions the blow if one stock has a bad year.
A Lower-Barrier Alternative: Funds and Global Shares
Buying individual NSE shares means picking companies and timing entries, not everyone wants that. A simpler route to the same growth is a fund that holds many companies at once.
Ndovu, a CMA-regulated platform, lets you invest in ETFs, fractional US shares, and a money market fund from as little as USD 50, all fully digital, with no CDS paperwork and real-time tracking in the app.
For African exposure specifically, Ndovu offers the VanEck Africa ETF (AFK). Instead of buying one Kenyan bank share at a time, AFK gives you a diversified basket of major African companies such such as Equity Group among other giants across several markets and sectors in a single investment. It's a way to back the continent's growth story while spreading the risk that any one company, or any one country, has a bad year.
Own Africa's biggest companies in one fund. → Explore the Africa ETF on Ndovu
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I buy equity shares in Kenya? Open a CDS account through a CMA-licensed stockbroker (or use a broker app or Ziidi Trader on M-PESA), fund it, and place a buy order on the NSE. You cannot buy directly from the exchange.
How much money do I need to buy shares in Kenya? You can start small. Since August 2025 you can buy a single share, and Ziidi Trader lets you invest from KSh 100. Traditional brokers often ask for a first deposit of around KSh 3,000.
How long does it take to buy shares? Opening a CDS account takes 3 to 5 business days. Once funded, trades execute during NSE hours and settle to your account on a T+3 basis (three business days later).
Can I buy shares in Kenya with M-PESA? Yes. Ziidi Trader inside the M-PESA app lets you buy and sell NSE shares from KSh 100, using a licensed broker behind the scenes.
Can beginners buy shares on the NSE? Yes. Many beginners start by opening a CDS account and buying small amounts, even a single share then build from there.
Getting Started
Buying equity shares in Kenya is more accessible than ever: a CDS account, a licensed broker or the M-PESA app, and as little as one share. If you'd rather own a diversified slice of African equities the VanEck Africa ETF (AFK) on Ndovu is the simplest route in. → Sign up on Ndovu and invest in Africa today
Disclosure:
Ndovu is a regulated Robo-advisory platform operated by Ndovu Wealth Limited (‘NWL’). NWL is a Fund Manager licensed by the Capital Markets Authority (Kenya).
The information provided on this platform and the products and services offered are intended solely for persons in regions and jurisdictions where such distribution and utilization are in accordance with local laws and regulations. Ndovu does not promote its services in regions where it lacks the necessary licenses; It is exclusively available to persons residing in countries where it holds a valid license or has regulated partners. Ndovu does not extend its services to citizens of the United States, Canada, Japan, and other restricted territories.
Disclaimer:
All ETF products are subject to risk, including country/regional, liquidity, and currency risks. Market prices of securities within the ETF may rise and fall, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably.
While ETFs provide diversification through exposure to a basket of securities, they do not eliminate the risk of loss. Diversification does not ensure a profit or protect against a loss. These are non-CIS products and are registered by the SEC.