Starting a business or working in an office in Kenya sometimes feels like learning a whole new language. One minute someone is asking for your PIN, the next you’re being told to upload documents on iTax, and before you catch your breath, a client is requesting an LPO.
Welcome to the world of business abbreviations, where everything is shortened, but not unimportant.
Whether you’re a small business owner, office receptionist, account manager, or a freelancer, or just trying to sound like you know what you’re doing in meetings here are 30 business abbreviations every Kenyan entrepreneur should know.
Kenyan Business Abbreviations You’ll Hear All The Time
- KRA – Kenya Revenue Authority
Handles all tax matters. Yes, all of them. - PIN – Personal Identification Number
Your business life basically starts here. - VAT – Value Added Tax
That extra 16% that humbles both businesses and customers. - PAYE – Pay As You Earn
Tax deducted from employee salaries. - NHIF – National Hospital Insurance Fund, Mandatory health insurance contribution. This was replaced by SHA, which means Social Health Authority
- NSSF – National Social Security Fund
Your retirement fund… ideally. - CR12 – Company Registry Document
Proof of who owns and runs your company. - AGPO – Access to Government Procurement Opportunities
Special government tenders for youth, women, and persons with disabilities. - LPO – Local Purchase Order
This is when business gets real—someone is actually buying. - LSO – Local Service Order
Same as LPO, but for services. - MPESA – M-Pesa
Let’s be honest—this is your real business bank. - EFD – Electronic Fiscal Device
Used for tax compliance and receipts. - iTax – iTax
Where your taxes live… and stress begins. - CBK – Central Bank of Kenya
Regulates banks and financial systems. - SACCO – Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization
A popular way to save and access loans in Kenya. - SME – Small and Medium Enterprise
Basically, most businesses in Kenya. - MSME – Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Covers even the hustlers just getting started.
Global Business Terms You’ll Still Use in Kenya
- CEO – Chief Executive Officer
The boss boss. - COO – Chief Operating Officer
Makes sure things actually run. - CFO – Chief Financial Officer
The money brain. - HR – Human Resources
Handles hiring, people issues, and office drama (quietly). - B2B – Business to Business
Selling to other businesses. - B2C – Business to Consumer
Selling directly to customers. - ROI – Return on Investment
“Was this even worth it?” - KPI – Key Performance Indicator
How performance is measured. - P&L – Profit and Loss
The truth about your business finances. - CRM – Customer Relationship Management
Systems for managing customers. - SLA – Service Level Agreement
Defines what “good service” actually means. - T&C – Terms and Conditions
The thing nobody reads… until there’s a problem. - MOA – Memorandum of Association
Legal document defining your company structure.
Business and working in an office in Kenya aren’t just about making money and networking; they’re also about understanding the systems. And once you learn the business world lingo, things start making a lot more sense, or at least… they get less confusing.