Kenyan fashion trailblazer Vivo Fashion Group has taken a significant leap in its expansion journey after being admitted into the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) Ibuka Program, a platform designed to prepare high-potential companies for future listing and investment opportunities. The move marks a strategic effort by Vivo to strengthen its financial footing as it scales across East Africa, including its growing footprint in Uganda. By joining Ibuka, the brand positions itself to access long-term capital, refine its corporate structure, and gear up for eventual participation in Kenya’s capital markets — an important milestone for a company that began as a small Nairobi venture in 2011.
Founded by Wandia Gichuru and Anne-Marie Burugu, Vivo has grown into one of the region’s most recognizable homegrown fashion labels, operating more than 20 retail outlets across Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. The company is widely celebrated for its vibrant, comfortable apparel designed for African women, and it also runs Shop Zetu, a multi-brand online marketplace hosting hundreds of local and international fashion and beauty labels. With a workforce of over 360 employees — more than 70% of whom are women — Vivo has positioned itself not just as a fashion business but also as a major contributor to women’s economic empowerment. NSE leaders have praised the brand’s entry into Ibuka, noting that the program will help Vivo sharpen its governance, streamline its growth strategy, and prepare for capital-raising activities that match its expanding regional ambitions.
Vivo’s leadership believes the Ibuka admission comes at a pivotal moment, with the company eyeing further regional expansion and deeper investment in e-commerce and local manufacturing. The move has been met with optimism from industry observers who see it as a signal of maturity within Kenya’s fashion sector, where more homegrown brands are beginning to attract institutional interest. Looking ahead, Vivo is expected to use Ibuka’s support to explore new financing pathways that could open doors to larger markets across Africa. If successful, the brand may become one of the first major East African fashion houses to transition from a retail startup into a continental fashion powerhouse anchored by Kenya’s capital markets.