NAIROBI – At just 24 years old, Daud Yussuf has taken on the weighty responsibility of providing for his family through a growing online trade business.
The firstborn in a family of five from Habaswein, Wajir South, Daud is now based in Eastleigh, Nairobi.
His entrepreneurial spirit has driven his transformation from an aspiring journalist to a determined trader, linking communities and markets across the country.
After completing his Journalism degree at Mount Kenya University, Daud faced a harsh reality: despite his qualifications, job opportunities in the media industry were scarce.
Earning a university education is a rare milestone in Northern Kenya, where few qualify for higher education.
Undeterred, he turned to blogging, hoping to build a digital platform and voice of influence. However, the blog failed to generate income.
“I was passionate about storytelling and giving a voice to my community,” Daud says.
“But passion alone couldn’t put food on the table.”
In search of sustainability, Daud made a bold shift. He began an online trade business focusing on goods delivery and regional commerce, targeting primarily Muslim communities, a niche he understood well.
He learnt the ropes of e-commerce, logistics, and customer engagement working from Eastleigh, a bustling commercial hub in Nairobi known for its diverse business ecosystem.
His business model is simple but effective: sourcing goods locally and distributing them efficiently to clients in Garissa, Mombasa, Nyeri, Lodwar, Isiolo and other towns across Kenya.
Leveraging digital platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, he has built a loyal customer base drawn to his reliability and cultural understanding.
“Eastleigh is full of opportunity if you know how to tap into it,” Daud remarks.
“People trust you more when you speak their language. That is Somali and Swahili, as well as understanding their needs, and delivering consistently.”
He is optimistic despite his challenging journey from a pressman to an online businessman.
He is now planning to expand his services and eventually create job opportunities for other young people facing similar challenges in Kenya.
Youth unemployment in Kenya remains a pressing national concern, with estimates indicating that up to 35% of young people are jobless.
Approximately 800,000 youth enter the labor market annually, yet only a fraction secure employment.
This challenge is exacerbated by factors such as a mismatch between educational curricula and market needs, limited job creation in labor-intensive sectors, and a lack of vocational skills among graduates.
Despite efforts by the government to deal with the matter, the scale of youth unemployment remains a big disaster in Kenya.
There is a need for more comprehensive strategies, including aligning education with industry demands, expanding support for small and medium enterprises, and leveraging technology to create sustainable employment opportunities for the youth.
“Sometimes, the dream changes,” said Daud Yussuf, “but the goal stays the same to succeed and take care of those who depend on you.”
His journey is a testament to the resilience and adaptability shared by many young Kenyans navigating economic uncertainty and limited opportunities.
The future of online business in Kenya is poised for growth, driven by increasing internet and smartphone penetration, widespread adoption of mobile money platforms like M-Pesa, and supportive government policies.
Mobile commerce is particularly dominant, accounting for over 70% of online transactions, reflecting the country’s high mobile device usage and digital literacy.
The Global System for Mobile (GSMA) projects that Kenya’s digital economy will contribute KSH 662 billion to GDP by 2028.
“This growth, driven by strategic policy reforms, will accelerate digitalisation in critical sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, transport, and trade,” said GSMA.
A GSMA report, titled Driving Digital Transformation of the Economy in Kenya, forecasts the creation of 300,000 new jobs and an increase in tax revenues by KSH 150 billion.
Government initiatives, including the National E-commerce Strategy and tax incentives, aim to streamline regulations and enhance digital infrastructure, fostering a conducive environment for online businesses.
The advancements in logistics and delivery services are improving the efficiency of order fulfillment, further bolstering consumer confidence in online shopping.
The GSMA’s report on Kenya’s digital economy highlights the transformative potential of digitalisation in key sectors that account for 58% of Kenya’s GDP.
The adoption of digital technologies across agriculture, manufacturing, transport, and trade is expected to significantly contribute to GDP, create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and generate substantial tax revenues by 2028.
