Halal Hub App Soft Launch: A One-Stop Lifestyle Platform for Muslim Communities

The Halal Hub Africa platform was officially soft-launched, unveiling a digital ecosystem designed to simplify, centralize, and demystify the concept of Halal beyond the narrow perception of food and beverages.

The App: Where Everything Begins

The app has been developed with a smooth user experience in mind. From the opening screen, users are welcomed with quick access to key features and a simple navigation bar at the bottom, allowing effortless movement between sections. Each category is clearly defined with intuitive icons, while a fast search function makes information instantly accessible.

The Profile section enables users to update details and manage preferences easily. Built around clarity and simplicity, the app ensures less time is spent searching and more time engaging with services that matter.

While the app is yet to be published on iOS and Play Store, the website (halalhub.africa) is already live and fully functional, offering access to all features, including onboarding for merchants and traders.

Beyond Consumables: A Lifestyle Platform

In his remarks, the presenter emphasized that Halal is not limited to consumables but represents a complete lifestyle.

From hosting Halal-compliant events and finding suitable venues, to identifying schools, neighborhoods, and housing options aligned with Muslim values, Halal Hub seeks to be the go-to resource. Whether relocating from Nairobi to Eldoret or moving from Kenya to Rwanda for business, the platform helps Muslims find mosques, madrassas, schools, and services that make settling into a new environment easier.

Merchant Onboarding: Empowering Businesses

Traders, merchants, and service providers can register accounts and list their businesses, making them visible to potential customers across East Africa. The demonstration showed how simple it is to:

1. Register as a merchant or user.

2. Access a personalized dashboard.

3. Add listings under diverse categories such as events, fashion, financial investments, food and beverages, personal services, and more.

For instance, a photography business named “Pixels” was onboarded live, showcasing how information—business name, category, description, location, and contact details—appears instantly on the platform.

Personal Services: Meeting Sensitive Needs

A unique feature highlighted during the launch was Personal Services. This category addresses culturally sensitive needs, such as:

• Halal spas and massage centers.

• Nannies and domestic workers trained to understand Muslim values and sensitivities.

The inspiration was drawn from training centers for domestic workers bound for Gulf countries, which prepare them for cultural and social expectations. With approximately 5 million Muslim households in Kenya potentially requiring domestic services, Halal Hub seeks to provide a culturally aligned solution locally.

Honoring the Pioneers of Islamic Finance

The launch also acknowledged pioneers who took the “unpopular route” of establishing Islamic finance in Kenya when the idea was still nascent. Among them was Prof. Abdullatif Esajee, one of the founding figures behind the country’s first Islamic banks, such as First Community Bank—today succeeded by Premier Bank.

Their contributions have paved the way for three fully-fledged Islamic banks and numerous Islamic windows in conventional banks.

Prof. Abdullatif Esajee underlined the need for collaboration with regional and international institutions to build both credibility and scale:

The Hub has already drawn early attention from partners in Somalia, Thailand, Namibia, and Indonesia, signaling its potential as a continental gateway to halal markets. In line with this momentum, Jamia Mosque Nairobi, together with the Embassy of Somalia and the Royal Kingdom of Thailand, is preparing to host a follow-up halal engagement on August 26.

Prof. Esajee also reminded participants that halal business goes beyond certification and labels, emphasizing the ethical dimension:

He further drew a clear line between profit in trade, which Islam permits as long as risk is shared, and riba (usury), which he described as creating a “parasitic economy” by allowing gain without responsibility.

With representatives from Namibia and a trade delegation from Indonesia present, the soft launch also highlighted the international weight already behind the initiative.

Looking ahead, the Halal Hub is expected to play a pivotal role in providing market access, certification support, and trade linkages, positioning Nairobi as a halal trade hub for Africa and a gateway to Middle Eastern and Asian markets.

Kenya Halal Awards Announced

In recognition of such trailblazers, the organizers revealed plans to host the First Kenya Halal Awards on 1st November. The awards will celebrate excellence across industries, with consumers nominating and voting based on personal experiences. Categories will cover restaurants, hotels, event planners, fashion, and more.

The process will begin with nominations via a shared online link, followed by a vetting phase, and culminating in final voting ahead of the awards ceremony.

The Halal Hub App is now live in its soft launch phase via halalhub.africa, with mobile apps expected to roll out soon.