'I cannot teach you integrity': How employee theft is hurting small businesses in Africa
A Kenyan business owner closed her beauty studio after discovering that employees were stealing revenue by directing customers to personal payment channels. The article highlights the broader struggle small business owners in Africa face regarding employee integrity and operational oversight.
Why it matters
It illustrates the significant impact of internal theft on the sustainability of small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging markets.
Nabila Muftawu, a sports Journalist in Ghana, used proceeds from his YouTube channel to open an electrical shop that was nearly collapsed by employee theft/Nabila Muftawu 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.
Also covering this story
One other newsroom covered this event. We read that version too.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in