Peter Njonjo is a prominent Kenyan entrepreneur and business leader, known for co-founding Kenyan agritech company Twiga Foods. As former CEO of the company, he led the company in revolutionizing food distribution in Africa.
Early Life
Born and raised in Kenya, Njonjo exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit from an early age. In high school, he started his first business by restructuring the sale of bread to fellow students. He would purchase all the bread from the school canteen and resell it directly to students in their dormitories for a small service fee, showcasing his talent for identifying and solving market inefficiencies.
Education
The businessman pursued higher education at the United States International University(USIU) in Kenya, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business Administration.
He advanced his education with a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management and completed an Executive Leadership Program at the prestigious Harvard Business School.
He is also a Certified Public Accountant, underscoring his strong foundation in finance and management.
Career
Njonjo joined The Coca-Cola Company in 1998 as an accountant and swiftly rose to lead its East Africa business, overseeing six countries, including Kenya. He managed over $1 billion (Kshs 129.2 billion) in investments and restructured the region’s distribution network.
Njonjo also led bottling mergers and acquisitions across the region and was part of the global team that established Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, the continent’s largest Coca-Cola bottler.
Njonjo’s tenure at Coca-Cola peaked with his appointment as President of the West and Central Africa Business Unit, where he oversaw operations in 33 countries.
In this role, he spearheaded major initiatives, including the $550 million (Kshs 71 billion) acquisition of Chi Beverages Nigeria.
Twiga Foods
In 2014, recognizing the challenges in Africa’s agricultural supply chains, Njonjo co-founded Twiga Foods with his business partner Grant Brooke.
Twiga Foods was a groundbreaking venture, founded to streamline produce distribution by leveraging a technology-driven B2B platform. It connects farmers directly with vendors, minimizing post-harvest losses and ensuring fair pricing.
Under his leadership, Twiga Foods expanded its network to include over 4,000 farmers and more than 35,000 vendors across Kenya.
In 2019, Njonjo left Coca-Cola to become Twiga Foods’ CEO, dedicating himself to expanding the startup. His leadership attracted major investments and partnerships, cementing Twiga’s role in Africa’s agribusiness sector.
In 2022, Twiga Foods became the first company to secure funding from the Hustler Fund, receiving Kshs 300 million to scale farmer mobilization, enhance capacity building, and develop local infrastructure.
However, in 2024, Njonjo stepped down as CEO, choosing to transition from chief executive to shareholder. He stated that this move would enable Twiga Foods to pursue its next growth phase following a successful fundraising, in which he was also a top investor.
Controversial Divorce
In February 2025, reports emerged that the prominent businessman and his wife, Tina, a lawyer and former head of legal at Safaricom, were headed for divorce.
The proceedings have become contentious, with Tina’s friend and city lawyer Donald Kipkorir, accusing former Director of Public Prosecutions Philip Murgor, who represents Njonjo, of unethical conduct.
Kipkorir alleges that Murgor compelled Njonjo to swear a false affidavit claiming that Kipkorir attempted to influence the trial magistrate overseeing the divorce case.
Kipkorir has taken legal action against Murgor and Njonjo over their handling of Njonjo’s divorce case. Kipkorir wants Murgor struck off the Roll of Advocates for alleged unethical conduct and Njonjo barred from holding any directorship or employment in any company.
In a public statement, Kipkorir accused Murgor of a “dangerous obsession” and demanded an injunction to stop him from what he calls stalking.
The couple has four children aged between 6 and 17.
Despite the high-profile legal battle and personal drama surrounding his divorce, Njonjo remains one of Kenya’s most revered businessmen. He is recognized as a visionary leader in transforming Africa’s food systems and driving the continent’s economic development.
