Covid-19
Insurance supervisors’ responses to COVID-19
The Covid-19 pandemic constitutes one of the largest shocks to the African continent in recent times; in 2020, GDP contracted by 2.1% across Africa, costing the region at least $115 billion and pushing 30 million Africans into extreme poverty (AFDB, 2021; World Bank, 2020).
Overview
Covid lockdowns – just another crisis
The resilience of Nairobi’s micro-entrepreneurs
In March 2020 when the first wave of Covid-19 hit, countries around the world introduced stringent public health measures. Kenya was no exception. Schools were shut, government and office workers were encouraged to work at home, markets were closed, curfews were introduced and movement in and out of Nairobi was banned.
Although these measures reduced the spread of the virus, their economic impact was swift and damaging. Millions of people’s livelihoods disappeared overnight.
