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The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) is where you buy shares in Kenyan companies like Safaricom, Equity Bank, and KCB — but like most exchanges, you access it through a broker, not directly.
The NSE 20 Share Index tracks 20 selected blue-chip companies, while the NASI (NSE All Share Index) covers all listed companies and is generally considered the more representative gauge of the overall market — worth knowing the difference since they can diverge.
Dividends, when declared, are paid directly into the bank account linked to your CDS account. Not every company pays a dividend every year — it depends on profitability and board decisions — and some counters trade thinly, which can make it harder to buy or sell quickly at your desired price.
You need a Central Depository System (CDS) account before trading, which a licensed stockbroker or investment bank (Genghis Capital, Standard Investment Bank, AIB-AXYS, and others) sets up for you, typically requiring just a copy of your ID and a passport photo.
Orders are placed through your broker — in person, by phone, or increasingly through the broker's own trading app — and trades settle on a T+3 basis, meaning three business days after the trade for shares and cash to formally clear.
Next step: open a CDS account with a licensed broker if you don't have one — it's required before any NSE trade.
by barnabylewis64859
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