{"id":73,"date":"2025-08-13T20:03:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T20:03:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tdi_175_f15"},"modified":"2025-08-16T01:21:49","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T01:21:49","slug":"a-look-at-how-social-media-mobile-gaming-can-increase-sales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fynder.co.ke\/?p=73","title":{"rendered":"Kenya and Zambia: Leading the Pack in COMESA Merger Activity"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"110\" data-end=\"186\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">New disclosures from the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC) reveal that Kenya and Zambia were the top two countries impacted by corporate mergers in 2024, each involved in a total of <strong data-start=\"184\" data-end=\"211\">48 merger-related cases<\/strong>. They were closely followed by Uganda (45), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (39), and Mauritius (36)<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theeastafrican.co.ke\/tea\/author-profiles\/james-anyanzwa-1367836\">(Anyanzwa, 2025)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"188\" data-end=\"217\">Rise in Merger Activity<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"218\" data-end=\"371\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">The CCC reported a surge in merger cases in 2024, approving 43 mergers outright and issuing five \u201ccomfort letters\u201d for those that did not require full merger notifications<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theeastafrican.co.ke\/tea\/author-profiles\/james-anyanzwa-1367836\">(Anyanzwa, 2025)<\/a>. <span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">Overall, the CCC handled 56 transactions that year, compared to 36 in 2023\u2014a remarkable <strong data-start=\"88\" data-end=\"106\" data-is-last-node=\"\">47.4% increase<\/strong><\/span> (<span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><span class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\" data-testid=\"webpage-citation-pill\"><a class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]! transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africanlawbusiness.com\/news\/comesa-competition-enforcement-grew-during-2024\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between\"><span class=\"-me-1 flex h-full items-center rounded-full px-1 text-[#8F8F8F]\">Mizner, 2024)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Sector Snapshot: Areas of Consolidation<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p data-start=\"419\" data-end=\"495\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">In 2024, the <strong data-start=\"13\" data-end=\"47\">banking and financial services<\/strong> sector saw the most merger approvals, with <strong data-start=\"91\" data-end=\"106\">seven cases<\/strong>\u2014marking it as the most active sector. This was followed by energy and petroleum, as well as ICT and agriculture <\/span><span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><span class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\" data-testid=\"webpage-citation-pill\"><a class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]! transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.ug\/comesa-merger-activity-hits-record-amid-economic-strain\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between absolute\"><span class=\"-me-1 flex h-full items-center rounded-full px-1 text-[#8F8F8F]\">(Businge, 2025)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"497\" data-end=\"575\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">Not only were these sectors involved in numerous mergers, they reflect strategic consolidation in areas crucial to regional growth\u2014fueled by macroeconomic pressures like high interest rates and inflation<\/span> <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><span class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\" data-testid=\"webpage-citation-pill\"><a class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]! transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.ug\/comesa-merger-activity-hits-record-amid-economic-strain\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between absolute\"><span class=\"-me-1 flex h-full items-center rounded-full px-1 text-[#8F8F8F]\">(Businge, 2025)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"577\" data-end=\"608\">Why Kenya and Zambia Lead<\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"609\" data-end=\"816\">\n<li data-start=\"609\" data-end=\"650\">\n<p data-start=\"611\" data-end=\"650\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"26\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Regional economic hubs<\/strong>: Both countries host large, diversified economies and serve as operational bases for multinational firms with cross-border activities.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"651\" data-end=\"733\">\n<p data-start=\"653\" data-end=\"733\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"22\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Threshold triggers<\/strong>: COMESA\u2019s merger rules stipulate that any deal involving parties active in two or more member states must be notified\u2014regardless of size\u2014so long as it meets financial thresholds<\/span> .<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"734\" data-end=\"816\">\n<p data-start=\"736\" data-end=\"816\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"60\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Well-established national competition authorities (NCAs)<\/strong>: Kenya and Zambia maintain robust NCAs that remain integral to the regional regime\u2014even as COMESA encourages a \u201cone-stop-shop\u201d model<\/span>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"818\" data-end=\"898\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">In fact, from <strong data-start=\"14\" data-end=\"35\">2013 through 2020<\/strong>, Kenya was the most affected member state by mergers, followed by Zambia and Mauritius<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"900\" data-end=\"941\">Regulatory Overlap and Coordination<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"942\" data-end=\"1022\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">Despite COMESA\u2019s aim to harmonize competition oversight, overlapping jurisdiction can cause complexities. For instance, while COMESA aims to be a regional \u201cone\u2011stop\u2011shop\u201d for merger notifications, <strong data-start=\"197\" data-end=\"227\">Kenya continues to require<\/strong> separate national filings in addition to the regional process<\/span> <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><span class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\" data-testid=\"webpage-citation-pill\"><a class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]! transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nortonrosefulbright.com\/en-bi\/knowledge\/publications\/4e499cfc\/the-future-of-african-antitrust-enforcement?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between absolute\"><span class=\"max-w-full grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\">The EastAfrican<\/span><span class=\"-me-1 flex h-full items-center rounded-full px-1 text-[#8F8F8F]\">+9<\/span><\/span><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between\"><span class=\"max-w-full grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\">Norton Rose Fulbright<\/span><span class=\"-me-1 flex h-full items-center rounded-full px-1 text-[#8F8F8F]\">+9<\/span><\/span><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between absolute\"><span class=\"max-w-full grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\">Global Africa Network<\/span><span class=\"-me-1 flex h-full items-center rounded-full px-1 text-[#8F8F8F]\">+9<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1024\" data-end=\"1104\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">Both <strong data-start=\"5\" data-end=\"59\">Kenya and Zambia operate suspensory merger regimes<\/strong>, meaning parties must obtain approval before implementing a merger\u2014adding another layer of regulatory scrutiny<\/span> <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><span class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\" data-testid=\"webpage-citation-pill\"><a class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]! transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out\" href=\"https:\/\/globalcompetitionreview.com\/review\/the-european-middle-east-and-african-antitrust-review\/the-european-middle-eastern-and-african-antitrust-review-2018\/article\/comesa-competition-commission\/download?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between\"><span class=\"max-w-full grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\">Global Competition Review<\/span><span class=\"-me-1 flex h-full items-center rounded-full px-1 text-[#8F8F8F]\">+2<\/span><\/span><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between absolute\"><span class=\"max-w-full grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\">Global Africa Network<\/span><span class=\"-me-1 flex h-full items-center rounded-full px-1 text-[#8F8F8F]\">+2<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"1106\" data-end=\"1172\">Looking Ahead: Expanding Scope and Strengthening Enforcement<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1173\" data-end=\"1253\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">The CCC is not limiting itself to mergers. In 2024, it stepped up its enforcement against <strong data-start=\"90\" data-end=\"155\">restrictive business practices and consumer protection issues<\/strong>, with <strong data-start=\"162\" data-end=\"183\">13 investigations<\/strong>\u2014particularly in wholesale and retail, along with beverages\u2014and <strong data-start=\"247\" data-end=\"268\">18 consumer cases<\/strong>, up from 8 in 2023. The manufacturing sector featured prominently, especially in Zambia<\/span> <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><span class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\" data-testid=\"webpage-citation-pill\"><a class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]! transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africanlawbusiness.com\/news\/comesa-competition-enforcement-grew-during-2024\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between\"><span class=\"max-w-full grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\">African Law &amp; Business<\/span><span class=\"-me-1 flex h-full items-center rounded-full px-1 text-[#8F8F8F]\">+1<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1255\" data-end=\"1399\">This broader enforcement approach signals COMESA\u2019s deeper role in supporting fair competition and protecting consumer welfare across the region.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"1916\" data-end=\"1937\">Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1938\" data-end=\"2260\">Kenya and Zambia&#8217;s prominence in COMESA merger statistics underscores their central roles in regional economic dynamics. While the increased merger activity points to deeper market consolidation and integration, it also highlights the pressing need for better alignment between regional and national regulatory frameworks.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2262\" data-end=\"2422\">Striking the right balance\u2014between efficient oversight and avoiding duplication\u2014will be critical to fostering robust, fair competition across the COMESA region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New disclosures from the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC) reveal that Kenya and Zambia were the top two countries impacted by corporate mergers in 2024, each involved in a total of&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":330,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fynder.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fynder.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fynder.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fynder.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fynder.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=73"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/fynder.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":331,"href":"https:\/\/fynder.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73\/revisions\/331"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fynder.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fynder.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=73"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fynder.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=73"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fynder.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=73"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}