'I cannot teach you integrity': How employee theft is hurting small businesses in Africa

What the report says

BBC Africa reports that Kenyan entrepreneur and food creator That Girl Boina closed her Nairobi waxing and hydrafacial studio after discovering signs that employees may have been diverting customer payments. The issue came to light while she was on holiday in Europe, when a client messaged her to say she had been asked to pay a different number than the one displayed in the shop. Boina later realised business revenue had been slipping and decided to shut Waxaholic Studio in October 2025 rather than confront staff.

Boina’s case resonated widely after she posted about it on TikTok and the video spread on X, drawing responses from other African business owners with similar stories. The BBC says the reaction highlighted a broader problem for small firms across the continent, where limited oversight can make it easier for staff to manipulate payments, stock or supplier invoices. The article notes that a PwC survey from 2022 found high levels of reported economic crime in East Africa, and it also points to well-known retail collapses in Kenya that were partly linked to stock losses and fraud.

Other entrepreneurs interviewed by the BBC described different forms of theft. In Kenya, fashion brand founder Cris Njoki said an employee allegedly worked with a supplier to inflate material prices and split the extra money. In Ghana, electronics shop owner Muftawu Nabila said repeated theft by employees nearly forced him to close his business. The reporting suggests that employee fraud can be financially damaging and emotionally draining, especially for small operators who depend on a few trusted staff members.