Naftal Nyabuto: Serial techpreneur's lessons on turning failure into fortunes

 M-Zawadi Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Naftal Nyabuto speaking during an  interview in Nairobi on August 3, 2026.

Photo credit: Dennis Oonsongo | Nation Media Group

Naftal Nyabuto’s first step into entrepreneurship was not in technology but in fashion. In 2008, the trained computer scientist opened a retail clothing boutique, sourcing stock from wholesalers while keeping his formal job. The venture barely made it to its second year before collapsing.

“The people I had running the business for me as I focused on my employment were not trustworthy,” he tells BDLife.

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