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According to Japanese-American businessman and New York bestselling author Robert Kiyosaki, ‘It’s not about how much money you make but how much you keep, how hard it works for you, and for how many generations you keep it for.’ What Mr. Kiyosaki is talking about is investment. If you are 35 and under, it’s time you think about investment opportunities for youth in Kenya.
Some of the best investment opportunities for youth in Kenya include money market funds, forex trading, NSE stock exchange, government bonds, REITs, Airbnb arbitrage, blogging, branding business, retirement plans, and high-yield savings accounts.
With these investment opportunities, you can put in some money and allow it to work for you for as long as you can, and that’ll align with the words of Robert Kiyosaki. Overall, there’s no easy investment opportunity. Not only do you have to put in some money, but you also have to invest time and effort.
In the long run, however, there’s little involvement on your part as you’ll have established channels and links that can run without your direct involvement. This guide will help you identify the investment opportunities you can pounce on as a youth and what you need to get started and reduce the chances of failure.
Let’s dive in!
In a rush? Below is an overview of the best investment opportunities for Kenyan youths:
Best Investment Opportunities for Youth in Kenya
| – | Investment Opportunity | What to Do: |
| 1. | Money Market Funds | Open a high-yield money market fund account. |
| 2. | Forex Trading | Sign up with a CMA-licenses forex broker. |
| 3. | NSE Stock Exchange | Invest in the best dividend-paying stocks. |
| 4. | Government Bonds | Buy government bonds |
| 5. | REITs | Consider Fahari I-REITs, Acorn I-REIT, or Acorn d-REIT. |
| 6. | Airbnb Arbitrage | Rent out spaces, furnish them, and list them for Airbnb guests. |
| 7. | Blogging | Start a blog |
| 8. | Agribusiness | Invest in animal rearing or crop farming for profit. |
| 9. | Branding Business | Start a t-shirt, flyer, and banner branding business. |
| 11. | Retirement Plan | Open up a retirement savings plan. |
| 12. | High-Yield Savings Account | Open a high-yield savings account locally. |
How to Find the Best Investment Opportunities for Youth in Kenya
As I mentioned, there’s no easy investment opportunity. You’ve to put in some work, and below are some quick tips to get you started:
a) Market Research
You must do thorough market research on every investment opportunity you come across. Don’t rush into putting your money in and expecting returns the next day.
Opt for investment opportunities with proven results, those with potential but are realistic, and, more importantly, ensure they are legal. You wouldn’t want to fall into the hands of fraudsters.
b) Value Investing
It’s not about finding a legal and safe investment but also one with a higher ROI (return on investment). Remember, the whole essence of investing in the first place is to make money. Thus, consider investment opportunities with a higher ROI score to get the most out of your investment.
c) Buy and Hold
You have to master this art that the most successful investors use. Most of them hold on to their shares and stocks until the right time comes for them to cash in. You don’t have to be in a hurry to sell your stake unless it’s the right time.
d) Momentum Investing
You don’t have to gamble with stocks or companies that are pretty new without a proven track record. If you want to invest in stocks, go for options that are already stable and showing an upward trajectory. That means studying the stock market and understanding the curve better.
e) Learn About It
The biggest risk you can ever take is investing in an investment you know little about. Try learning a few things about the investment first. That may mean taking a course, reading a book, watching video tutorials, or listening to podcasts.
Online Investment Opportunities for Youth in Kenya
Now that you know how to find the right youth investment opportunity, let’s talk about how you can invest your money online. That includes the following:
1. Money Market Funds
Money market funds are unit trusts allowing members to pool money and invest in short-term, high-yielding securities like treasury bills, bonds, commercial papers, call deposits, and fixed deposits.
Generally, money market funds pay better than traditional bank savings accounts and have a lower risk. They are also affordable as you can start investing with as little as Ksh 100- Ksh 500.
Overall, money market funds in Kenya pay an effective annual yield rate of 10-14%, which is quite impressive. Some of Kenya’s highest-yielding money market funds include Etica, Lofty-Corban, Apollo, Cytonn, Enwealth, Jubilee, Britam, and Zimele.
2. Forex Trading
Forex trading is the buying and selling or exchanging of currencies for profit. For example, you can buy dollars using Kenya shillings and wait until the price is right to sell your dollars and receive more in Kenya shillings than what you paid for.
While this may look straightforward, you must understand how the forex exchange market works. More importantly, consider a CMA-licensed forex broker such as FxPro, FXTM, Scope Markets, or IF Markets to avoid fraudsters.
3. NSE Stock Exchange
How about you consider buying company stocks or shares through the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE)? You can then decide to hold your stock as long as you want as you continue receiving dividends and then sell it off when the price is right.
However, you must do thorough research to identify the best-paying dividend stocks in Kenya to have a better ROI. That means frequenting the NSE platform to study how the companies are performing.
4. Government Bonds
Bonds are a way for the government (and sometimes big companies) to borrow money from the public to run their projects. Anyone can invest in government bonds, and if you opt for treasury bonds, they offer repayments of 1-30 years.
Overall, bonds pay better than traditional savings and require a much smaller investment amount. For example, the M-Akiba bond allows you to invest anything from Ksh 3,000 and pays an average annual interest rate of 10%, which is pretty good.
5. REITs
Frankly, owning a property in Kenya, especially one that generates rental income, isn’t cheap for youths. That’s why REITs or real estate investment trusts are a viable option.
REITs are real estate companies that pool money from members and invest it in real estate in exchange for stakes. In that case, you own a part of real estate without being actively involved in its operation and receive interest income.
An option like Fahari REIT allows you to invest anything from Ksh 700, which most Kenyan youths can afford. Other options include Acorn I-REIT and Acord D-REIT.
6. Airbnb Arbitrage
The Airbnb business has been booming in Kenya for a while, and it’s providing many Kenyans an opportunity to earn rental income. However, you don’t have to own the property to run an Airbnb business. You can rent out one, furnish it a little to make it homely, and rent it out to guests on Airbnb.
Of course, you have to let the property owner know what you plan to do with the space not to be on the wrong side of the law. You should also run your Airbnb business professionally, observing all Airbnb laid-out regulations and conditions.
7. Blogging
Just think for a second;
Why do I run this blog (centwarrior.com)? One reason is to empower you like I’m doing, and the other is to generate income. You, too, can also start one for yourself.
However, you must invest. You’ve to invest not only in a domain name and hosting service but also in good web design and quality content. That may mean writing the content yourself or paying someone to do it.
You can earn through affiliate marketing, ad displays, and merchandise sales.
Other Youth Investment Opportunities in Kenya
In addition to the above online youth investment opportunities, here are other ways to invest money as a youth in Kenya:
8. Agribusiness
70% of Kenya’s exports are agricultural products, and the sector employs up to 85% of the rural workforce. That clearly shows that agriculture is the backbone of the country’s economy.
So, how about you consider agriculture as a business? You could invest in animal farming, especially poultry, rabbits, or pigs. You could also do crop farming, focusing on vegetables, fruits, flowers, mushrooms, or others.
Overall, you don’t have to own property to do agriculture in Kenya, as you can rent or lease it for as long as you want.
9. Branding Business
Are you creative with designs, prints, and photographs? If so, you can run a branding business where you print t-shirts, flyers, banners, and other ads for companies and people.
Take advantage of the campaign, election periods, and events like weddings to find clients needing branding services. The power is in social media advertising and word of mouth.
10. Retirement Plan
Though it escapes most Kenyan youths, a retirement plan is an investment option. It’s the best investment decision you can ever make at a young age. With it, you can receive a lump sum plus the accumulated interest when your time for retirement comes.
Some of the best retirement plans in the country include Britam, Madison, CIC Jipange, ICEA Lion, APA Life, CFC Boresha, Liberty Maisha Bora, and Jubilee individual pension plans. An option like the Britam Pension Plan allows you to invest a minimum of Ksh 500 per month and earn up to 5% interest annually.
11. High-Yield Savings Account
Lastly, you can invest in a high-yield savings account instead of stashing your money in any savings account. An option like the Umber Fixed Deposit Account pays up to 12% interest per annum, which is higher than traditional savings accounts pay. Just talk to your local bank to identify the highest-yielding savings account to go for.
Concluding Thought on Investment Opportunities for Youth in Kenya:
Kenya is undeniably endowed with the best investment opportunities for youth. As a youth, you can try money market funds, forex trading, NSE stock exchange, government bonds, REITs, Airbnb arbitrage, blogging, branding business, retirement plans, and high-yield savings accounts.
Whatever you go for, you literally invest in your future, enabling you to start becoming financially free at a young age. For more information on attaining financial freedom, check out our online shop for insightful financial guides and books.
