… Just Sh116 billion will come from foreign lenders.Official data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) shows gross domestic debt stood at Sh7.24 trillion as of May 15, up from Sh6.33 trillion in June 2025. …
… Speaking at a post-monetary policy briefing on Wednesday, Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Kamau Thugge confirmed that the World Bank has yet to disburse a Sh96.9 billion loan under its Development Policy Operation and that negotiations are still ongoing. …
… Capital Markets Authority, Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority, and Central Bank of Kenya have tightened the requirements with regard to financial reporting, anti-money laundering (AML) and consumer protection. …
… The Central Bank of Kenya’s (CBK) 2022 rules forbid threats, abuse, and raiding a borrower’s contacts; the Data Protection Commissioner has fined lenders for leaking borrowers’ information, and the Competition Authority continues to flag them. …
… banks are preparing a sweeping crackdown on defaulters as non-performing loans (NPLs), loans that borrowers have failed to repay for 90 days or more, climbed to 15.6 per cent of gross loans in the first quarter, up from 15.4 per cent three months earlier, a Central Bank of Kenya …
… Insurance penetration dropped to 2.2 per cent of GDP in the first half of 2025, according to the Insurance Regulatory Authority and Central Bank of Kenya. …
… A Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) agriculture sector survey conducted in January 2026 found that 48 per cent of sampled farmers reported having borrowed to finance farming, up from 37 per cent in November 2025. …
… According to the Central Bank of Kenya, the ratio of gross non-performing loans to gross loans in the industry stood at 15.6 per cent in March 2026 compared to 15.4 per cent in December 2025. …
… In financial services, African banks and fintechs face the same data sovereignty pressures as health systems, compounded by regulatory requirements from the Central Bank of Kenya and equivalent institutions in Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania. …
An opinion piece argues that Kenya's creative economy is becoming a core engine of economic growth, with the arts sector strengthened by global shifts toward valuing human creativity and digital skills in the AI age. The author cites the 98th National Kenya Music Festival and notes that Kenya is demonstrating educational synergy between arts and technology, while developed nations still adjust their policies.
An opinion piece argues that Kenya's creative economy is becoming a core engine of economic growth, with the arts sector strengthened by global shifts toward valuing human creativity and digital skills in the AI age. The author cites the 98th National Kenya Music Festival and notes that Kenya is demonstrating educational synergy between arts and technology, while developed nations still adjust their policies.
Kenya's usable foreign exchange reserves provide about 6.2 months of import cover, well above the four-month minimum recommended level, according to CBK Governor Kamau Thugge. The assurance comes as El Niño-related disruptions to domestic production and the Middle East conflict threaten to increase import demands.
The Central Bank of Kenya has retained the benchmark lending rate at 8.75 per cent for the third consecutive time since February, citing a positive outlook on the country's economic growth.
Kenya Commercial Bank has been barred from interfering with Sh145 billion at the centre of a dispute with Fox-Capital Investment Ltd, which sued the lender for withholding funds wired by a Swiss company for six months without explanation. Commercial Court in Nairobi issued the restraining order pending the hearing of the application.
Kenya's universities are competing at the 98th Kenya National Music Festival in Bungoma County, held from August 7 to 14, showcasing musical excellence, cultural heritage and artistic creativity under the theme "Enhancing the Creative Economy through Knowledge, Skills and Artistic Production for Sustainable Development." Institutions including Kabarak University and Mount Kenya University are performing various musical pieces and competing for the national crown.
The National Music Festival in Bungoma County has showcased talent from both established and little-known schools. Standout performers include Utwiini Primary School from Makueni County, which finished second in its category, along with winners in various competitions including Nzoia Sugar School in Choral Music for Junior Schools and Highlands Junior School in the Swahili Choral Verse category for Junior Schools.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed a long-running dispute involving the Central Bank of Kenya and a company linked to Goldenberg suspected mastermind Kamlesh Pattni, saving taxpayers from a potential payout of more than Sh3.5 billion. The case arose from the sale of the Grand Regency Hotel, which was auctioned to help recover money lost in the 1990s scandal.
Kingdom Bank and the African Women's Entrepreneurship Programme Kenya have launched a partnership to connect women-led SMEs with tailored financial products, business development support and market access through the bank's Faidi Dada women's banking solution. The move addresses data showing women-owned businesses receive only Sh354 for every Sh1,000 extended to male-owned firms.
eSIM providers are exploring Kenya's diaspora market, particularly targeting workers abroad who struggle with expensive roaming charges and connectivity issues. The article notes that slow adoption is hindered by the need for high-end smartphones to support eSIM technology, which many diaspora workers do not possess.
Kenya's government announced plans to commercialise student talents to tap into the global creative economy, aligning educational programmes with national economic priorities. The Basic Education Principal Secretary stated the state aims to turn co-curricular activities into viable economic pathways as part of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Kenyan-founded Web3 startups raised $14 million in disclosed funding in 2025, marking the sector's second-highest annual investment total on record, according to a report by venture capital firm Hashed Emergent. Finance-focused ventures accounted for $10 million of the capital raised this year, driven by demand for stablecoin-powered payments, crypto on- and off-ramps, and digital banking solutions.
Safaricom has reduced charges on transferring funds from M-Pesa business tills to mobile wallets and Paybill numbers by as much as 50 per cent, effective 7 August 2026, aligning with Central Bank of Kenya pricing principles and providing relief for small traders and consumers.
Entrepreneurs and small businesses in Kenya are increasingly turning to SACCOs, fintech lenders, venture capital firms and development finance institutions instead of commercial banks, which have high collateral requirements and rising borrowing costs. Together, these alternatives help address Kenya's estimated Sh2.5 trillion MSME financing gap by prioritizing savings history, cash flow and community guarantees over traditional collateral.
Former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung'u has accused President William Ruto of overrunning government institutions and forcing civil servants to conform out of fear, thereby weakening institutional independence. Speaking at a forum in Sweden, Ndung'u argued that strong institutions rather than individuals are key to fighting corruption and addressing poverty, describing both corruption and poverty as fundamentally institutional problems.
Njuguna Ndung'u, former National Treasury Cabinet Secretary, has accused President William Ruto of overrunning state institutions, saying fear of lifelong repercussions forces officials to conform. Ndung'u said he refused to engage in deals during his tenure despite pressure, warning that consequences of compromising public office can last a lifetime.
Kenya's public debt has reached Sh12.82 trillion, with loan repayments consuming 71 per cent of government revenue and leaving just 29 per cent for salaries, public services and development projects, according to Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang'o. She warned Parliament that the mounting debt burden has severely constrained fiscal space and the country must continue borrowing to stay afloat.
President William Ruto has signed the Central Bank of Kenya (Amendment) Act into law, raising questions about the rationale given Kenya's minimal domestic gold production and comparisons to the historic Goldenberg scandal.
East African central bank governors have committed to accelerating plans for a single regional currency by 2031 while increasing domestic gold purchases to diversify foreign reserves amid geopolitical tensions and rising energy costs.
Kenyan commercial banks are in talks with US technology firm IronOne Technologies to deploy an AI platform called "Smart Delinquency Predictor" that predicts borrower defaults up to six months in advance, enabling banks to intervene before loans deteriorate rather than managing debt reactively.
South African companies are increasing their stake in Kenya's financial sector through investments in NCBA, Safaricom, and Absa Bank Kenya, after previous retail ventures like ShopRite and Massmart failed in the market.
East African central bank governors have vowed to accelerate plans for a single regional currency by 2031 while pursuing aggressive diversification of foreign reserves through domestic gold purchases, amid geopolitical conflicts and soaring energy costs threatening macroeconomic stability across the bloc.
Nyanza Golf Club vice captain Maurice Oduor won the Central Bank of Kenya Golf Tournament in Kisumu after two days of competition, returning 43 points and beating a field of more than 150 golfers from clubs across the country. Oduor credited his victory to keeping his game simple, staying patient, and avoiding unnecessary risks.
Postbank Women's Volleyball Club unveiled their official playing kit for the 2026/27 Kenya Volleyball Federation Women's National League season through a sponsorship partnership with microfinance firm FinCredit. The team, which was promoted to the top-flight league in 2022 and finished fifth last season, received the kits during a ceremony at Two Rivers Mall in Nairobi.
Kenya's High Court has allowed the Sh5 trillion National Infrastructure Fund to proceed but placed it under judicial oversight, requiring the National Treasury to file certified accounts and transaction reports to the court every three months pending determination of a constitutional petition challenging the fund.
SBM Bank Kenya recorded a 171.3 per cent increase in profit before tax to KSh548 million for the first half of 2026, driven by growth in lending, deposits, and non-interest income. Operating profit rose 279 per cent to KSh852 million, customer deposits increased 24 per cent to KSh94 billion, and net loans and advances grew 18 per cent to KSh54.1 billion.
At the 23rd East African Banking School Conference in Diani, banking regulators and executives discussed how artificial intelligence and alternative data can expand credit access for young people and small businesses, while the Central Bank of Kenya Governor cautioned that AI models must remain transparent, explainable, and subject to human oversight.
Kenya has achieved high financial inclusion, with 84.8 per cent of adults accessing formal financial services by 2024, but financial literacy has not kept pace; only 44.1 per cent of adults use more than one formal financial product, and young Kenyans are gaining access to financial tools faster than the knowledge needed to use them well.
President William Ruto has signed the Central Bank of Kenya (Amendment) Act into law, prompting questions about the rationale behind the move given Kenya's minimal domestic gold production.