Expertise Global

Development partners have long committed to working through government systems. Many programmes still run outside them, with separate procurement, reporting and financial processes. What looks efficient in the short term can weaken the systems meant to deliver services over time. This piece highlights the real impact, from skilled staff moving into donor-funded projects to gaps in coordination and visibility, especially in health. It also sets out practical steps to shift course, with a focus on stronger public systems, better alignment and clearer accountability. Read the full article by Strategic Partnerships & Development Leader, @CareyKluttz, here: shorturl.at/yXB6y #PublicFinance #PFM #AidEffectiveness #DevelopmentFinance #Accountability #CountrySystems #GlobalDevelopment

Rising debt and reduced external support are narrowing the choices available to governments. At the Spring Meetings in Washington DC, @wangarikebuchi met with IMF’s Regis O. N’Sonde and Jepthe Kibidikila Nsumbu to discuss these shifts. The conversation focused on managing debt risks, adjusting to lower Official Development Assistance, and strengthening policy responses in a more constrained environment. #DebtSustainability #DevelopmentFinance #IMFMeetings #FiscalPolicy #GlobalEconomy

Now that we’ve all had a few days to process the hype surrounding the proposed 650,000 bbl/d refinery in East Africa 🇰🇪 🇺🇬 🇹🇿, let’s take a long, hard look in the mirror. [1] Funding Gap: Where will Kenya 🇰🇪, Uganda 🇺🇬, and Tanzania 🇹🇿 raise the ~ $20 billion needed to build this facility when they already spend more on debt servicing than on healthcare or education? Just as critical - can they raise that capital, cheaply? [2] Diplomacy Deficit: Relations between these three countries are prickly on most days. Can nations that block agricultural imports, incinerate day-old chicks and limit the reach of each other’s airlines really cooperate on a project of this magnitude? [3] Successor Risk: With potential changes in government in Kenya 🇰🇪 (2027) and Uganda 🇺🇬 (2031), will the successors of William Ruto and Yoweri Museveni prioritize regional interests over national ones? “When @AlikoDangote built his refinery in Nigeria, he was essentially dealing with one country,” says @wangarikebuchi, Founder & MD at @ExpertiseGL . Given the clashing interests involved here, she warns that “discussions are going to be much more intense than what was faced in Nigeria.” What trade-offs are East African policymakers willing to accept? Do they have the policy discipline to execute this without wasting billions in taxpayer dollars, as they have in other, smaller infrastructure projects?

Public money should be easy to track and it should deliver results. When funding for essentials like health, nutrition, and immunisation falls behind, even as external support declines, it reveals a gap between what is promised and what is prioritised. When people cannot clearly see how money is used, confidence weakens. This is not just about releasing more data, but making it clear, simple, and useful so citizens can see what is being spent and what it achieves. Jotham Wadongo unpacks this in a recent conversation hosted by @KTNNewsKE's Leah Ngari, alongside Christopher Kirathe and Ruth Kinyanjui. Watch for a clear take on what needs to change. #PublicFinance #KenyaBudget #Accountability #Transparency #FiscalPolicy #Governance #Africa #Economy #PFM

Energy affordability and security are central to the region’s growth. As demand rises and funding becomes more constrained, attention is turning to how projects are financed, who takes on the risk and whether investments lead to energy that people can afford and rely on. This morning, @wangarikebuchi joins @EPRA_KE 's 𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗳or a panel on 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺𝘀, under the theme 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. The discussion brings together policymakers, regulators and investors to explore practical ways to unlock investment while keeping projects sustainable and accountable. We will be sharing key takeaways from the session. #EPRA #EnergyFinance #EnergyAccess #SustainableDevelopment #PublicFinance #PFM #Africa #InfrastructureFinance #EnergySecurity #Governance

Across Kenya’s banking sector, women enter at nearly equal rates to men, but far fewer reach senior leadership. The drop-off is most evident at mid-management, where work-life pressures, limited mentorship, and workplace structures continue to hinder progression. The result is a weaker leadership pipeline and lost talent across the sector. At the Spring Meetings in Washington D.C., our team engaged with the Central Bank of Kenya research team, led by Prof. Robert Mudida, to discuss the @coimpactcollab Women in Banking initiative. The focus is on what drives meaningful change, including stronger support systems and tackling barriers to retention and advancement. Inclusive leadership is associated with improved performance, stronger governance, and more effective institutions. To connect or learn more about this work, email publicrelations@expertiseglobal.org. @wangarikebuchi

Rising fuel prices. Tight budgets. Growing pressure on public finances. Kenya is heading into a critical budget moment, with the latest outlook from the International Monetary Fund adding weight to debates on taxes, spending priorities, and fiscal choices. Tonight on @KTNNewsKE Prime, Jotham Wadongo joins Leah Ngari to unpack what this means for the upcoming budget and the pressure points shaping decisions on revenue and spending. How do you balance rising costs with a tight budget? 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟬:𝟬𝟬 𝗽𝗺. 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲: youtube.com/watch?v=0joYzS… #KenyaEconomy #Budget2026 #IMF #PublicFinance #CostOfLiving

Global development finance is under pressure, and the shift from aid to trade is becoming a reality. In Africa, intra-regional trade still accounts for only about 15-18 percent of total trade, a reminder of both the gap and the opportunity to build stronger, self-sustaining economies. At the Spring Meetings in Washington DC, we engaged with Emmanuel Nouga Ngog, Disaster Response Coordination Officer, US Department of State, on what trade over aid really means and what it will take to make trade work as a genuine driver of growth. Progress will depend on the choices countries make around policy, financing and how they position themselves within regional and global markets. #SpringMeetings #Trade #Aid #DevelopmentFinance #EconomicGrowth #Africa #Trade #PublicFinance #PFM #GlobalDevelopment @wangarikebuchi

Crunching numbers for work with @UNICEFKenya, combining field data and desk analysis from a UNICEF-supported project examining the impact of debt pressures and reductions in Official Development Assistance on children. Recent fieldwork in Kilifi added critical context, drawing on engagement with communities and frontline service providers. Early findings show that tighter budgets and reduced external funding are affecting the delivery of essential services for children, with differences across sectors and locations. #PublicFinance #DevelopmentFinance #UNICEF #Kenya #FiscalPolicy #Children #Data #ODA #Debt #Africa

Insights from @HomabayHealth show how county budgets affect whether children can access essential health services once national funds are disbursed. The discussion looked at how limited resources are managed to keep priority services running in health facilities despite growing pressure. The engagement, under the UNICEF-supported project: 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲: 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗗𝗔 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻, shows what is often at stake in public finance decisions. What counties can protect or adjust in their budgets directly affects how children experience care on the ground. #PublicFinance #ChildHealth #HealthFinancing #Counties #FiscalSpace #DevelopmentFinance #UNICEF

Across Africa, governments are under pressure to do more with less. Debt repayments are taking up an increasing share of budgets, even as demand for services and infrastructure continues to rise. Engagement with institutions like the @IMFNews and @WorldBankGroup is sharpening the focus on how countries raise, manage, and account for public funds. For Kenya and others, the priority now is getting the structure right and ensuring financing delivers clear, tangible results. At the Spring Meetings in Washington D.C., @wangarikebuchi, MD at Expertise Global, is part of these discussions. Our work focuses on strengthening how public funds are planned, spent, and tracked so that resources are used effectively and transparently. We will be sharing key insights and reflections from the meetings in the coming days. To connect with Wangari or learn more about our work, email publicrelations@expertiseglobal.org to schedule a conversation. #IMF #WorldBank #SpringMeetings #PublicFinance #PFM #Africa #FiscalPolicy #EconomicPolicy #DebtManagement #Governance

Kenya’s National Infrastructure Fund Act has opened up a wider conversation on how public assets are financed, governed and held to account. Beyond the legislation itself, attention is now shifting to what it will mean in practice, especially around risk, delivery and how public value is protected over time. At McMillan Memorial Library, that conversation played out at a townhall hosted by @AfUncensored’s Big Picture Podcast, @KenyaCommsHub, @BungeLaMayut and The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA). The panel brought together @DavidNdii, Chairperson, Presidential Council of Economic Advisors, @IEAKwame, CEO, Institute of Economic Affairs Kenya and @dianagichengo, Executive Director at TISA, with moderation by @tom_mukhwana. Our MD, @wangarikebuchi, also joined the discussion, adding a grounded perspective on fiscal policy and governance. For those who missed it, the full discussion is available here and is well worth a watch: youtube.com/watch?v=eLx5S8…...

@wangarikebuchi explains the why and how privatization should serve Kenyans without only focusing on making the companies profitable during #TheInfrastructureFundTownhall. #TheBigPictureTownhall #NationalInfrastructureFund

Kenya is under pressure to do more with limited fiscal space. Debt servicing continues to take up a large share of public resources, while the need to protect essential programmes like school feeding is only growing. John Mburu's piece explores how debt swaps can be used more strategically to create room in the budget and link debt relief directly to food security and education outcomes. It looks at what is already changing, what it will take to scale and where the real opportunities lie. If you are interested in how financing decisions translate into real outcomes for children and households, the full article is worth a read: shorturl.at/OtX24. #PublicFinance #FiscalPolicy #DebtManagement #DevelopmentFinance #SchoolFeeding #FoodSecurity #Kenya #PublicPolicy #EconomicPolicy #ImpactFinance

Kenya has signed the National Infrastructure Fund into law, establishing a dedicated vehicle to mobilise capital and attract private investment for major projects. What matters now is how it is set up, who carries the risk and whether it delivers results Kenyans can actually feel. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 evening, our MD @wangarikebuchi joins @AfUncensored ’s The Big Picture to unpack what this means in practice and what to watch as it rolls out. 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟲:𝟬𝟬–𝟴:𝟯𝟬 𝗣𝗠. youtube.com/live/eLx5S8v7B… #PublicFinance #PFM #Kenya #Infrastructure #FiscalPolicy #EconomicPolicy #Accountability #Governance #AfricaUncensored @johnallannamu