How employee theft is hurting small businesses in Africa
A Kenyan entrepreneur was forced to close her waxing studio after discovering that employees were stealing revenue by redirecting customer payments. The incident highlights the challenges small business owners face regarding internal theft and trust.
Why it matters
Employee theft is a significant barrier to growth for small businesses in emerging markets, often leading to business closures and economic instability.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Ondiro Oganga Nairobi That Girl Boina Kenyan food creator That Girl Boina shut her waxing studio due to employee theft When popular Kenyan food creator That Girl Boina took a two-week holiday to Europe, she expected to relax. A week into the trip, an Instagram direct message exposed a problem that would ultimately lead to the closure of her business.
"I was at your studio, I liked everything. The only problem was that I was asked to send money to a different number. It wasn't the number on the wall," a customer wrote to her.
Boina had opened Waxaholic Studio, a waxing and hydrafacial parlour in Nairobi's central business district, on 1 September 2024. A year later, she had hired a receptionist and two specialists and felt confident enough to take a two-week holiday, her first international trip of the year.
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