Also known as: IFC
International Finance Corporation — development finance institution providing research on AI adoption and digital technology scaling across Africa, as cited in May 2026 coverage.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Citizen Digital
… The International Finance Corporation estimates that the finance gap for Kenyan MSMEs is equivalent to nearly 21% of GDP, underscoring the scale of the opportunity to connect viable small businesses with appropriate financing. …
The Kenyan SME growth playbook: Building businesses with stronger digital capability #ADThe Standard
… Kenyan lenders have been tapping global lenders such as the EBRD and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) among others, for longer-term financing in recent years, but this is the first known dollar-denominated deal with the EBRD for a tier-one lender. …
European lender unveils Sh12.9bn facility to boost Kenya trade financeThe Standard
… The International Finance Corporation (IFC) research on employer-supported childcare has found that investment in quality, accessible childcare reliably pays back through higher productivity, lower absenteeism and stronger workforce retention.In Nigeria, an IFC study projected th …
Let Nairobi's next infrastructure milestone move from pilot to policyThe Standard
… The International Finance Corporation, the World Bank's private sector arm, estimates that only seven per cent of women-owned micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Kenya have formal access to finance. …
Kingdom Bank partners with AWEP Kenya to boost women-led businessesCapital News
… The International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates Kenya’s MSME financing gap at roughly Sh2.2 trillion, supporting commercial banks through guarantees and blended finance structures designed to expand lending to underserved businesses. …
Beyond Banks: How alternative finance is reshaping business growth in KenyaThe Standard
… SMEs account for nearly 90 per cent of all businesses in Kenya and across Africa but remain largely locked out of formal credit, with the continent's SME credit gap estimated at Sh42.9 trillion, according to the International Finance Corporation.In 2025, Co-op Bank disbursed Sh10 …
Co-op Bank named Kenya's best retail, digital bank at 2026 Euromoney AwardsThe Standard
… Women-owned businesses play a vital role in Kenya’s economy, accounting for an estimated 48 per cent of the country’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), according to a joint report by the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank.Despite women-led enter …
New programme backs women-led businesses with Sh645m pledgeCapital News
… The government also intends to attract private investors through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), while multilateral lenders such as the African Development Bank, International Finance Corporation and other development finance institutions are expected to provide debt financin …
Ruto Says Sh350bn Raised for Infrastructure Push in Three MonthsCitizen Digital
… Other participants included representatives from the State Department for Agriculture and development partners such as the World Bank Group, International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JI …
PS Kimotho says gov't to scale irrigation, boost food security in 10-year investment planCitizen Digital
… Other participants included representatives from the State Department for Agriculture and development partners such as the World Bank Group, International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JI …
PS Kimotho says gov't to scale irrigation, boost food security in 10-year investment planAccording to Mastercard's 2026 SME Confidence Index, 66% of Kenyan small and medium-sized enterprises are confident about their business outlook, with 70% expecting revenue growth over the next 12 months. Already, 95% of Kenyan SMEs accept mobile payments, which account for 41% of transaction volume, and 39% accept online payments.
28 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
According to Mastercard's 2026 SME Confidence Index, 66% of Kenyan small and medium-sized enterprises are confident about their business outlook, with 70% expecting revenue growth over the next 12 months. Already, 95% of Kenyan SMEs accept mobile payments, which account for 41% of transaction volume, and 39% accept online payments.
28 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has unveiled a $100 million funding programme to provide Kenyan traders and manufacturers with longer-term dollar loans at more predictable costs, executed through Co-operative Bank of Kenya, which has drawn the first $50 million tranche. The transaction is the first dollar-denominated deal arranged by the EBRD for a Kenyan tier-one lender and the first in the country to use Kenya's new benchmark reference rate, KESONIA.
17 September 2026 · The Standard →
A baseline study found 84 per cent of women traders in Nairobi's markets rely on self-care arrangements for their children because formal childcare is too expensive or unavailable near their workplaces. The opinion piece argues Nairobi County should move from pilot programmes to permanent policy to address this "gap in market design."
1 September 2026 · The Standard →
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.
6 August 2026 · The Standard →
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.
31 July 2026 · Capital News →
Co-operative Bank of Kenya has been named Kenya's Best Retail Bank and Best Digital Bank at the 2026 Euromoney Awards for Excellence, recognized for its customer-centric strategy and integration of traditional banking with digital innovation. The tier-one lender serves over 9.8 million account holders with more than 90 per cent of transactions processed through digital and alternative channels.
21 July 2026 · The Standard →
NCBA Bank and African Guarantee Fund have committed $5 million to empower women entrepreneurs in Africa through the AFAWA Women Small and Medium Enterprises Acceleration Programme, which equips women-owned businesses with skills, networks, and access to finance. The commitment was announced at a pitch event where 32 women entrepreneurs presented their business plans to an investment panel.
21 July 2026 · The Standard →
The government has raised Sh350 billion for the proposed National Infrastructure Fund within three months, marking the first milestone in President Ruto's strategy to finance Kenya's infrastructure without relying solely on public debt. The fund aims to grow to Sh5 trillion and finance projects including clean energy production, dam construction, road development, and expansion of the Standard Gauge Railway and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
11 July 2026 · Capital News →
The government has committed to expanding irrigation across the country through the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP) 2025–2035, which aims to expand irrigation by one million acres, optimise productivity in existing public schemes, strengthen farmer-led irrigation, and unlock greater private sector investment.
6 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The government has committed to expanding irrigation across the country through a 10-year National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (2025–2035) that aims to expand irrigation by one million acres, optimise productivity in existing public schemes, strengthen farmer-led irrigation, and unlock private sector investment as part of efforts to strengthen food security and build climate resilience.
6 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The role of Kenya's Chief Financial Officers is shifting beyond traditional budgeting and reporting to include environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns alongside regulatory compliance, as investors and multinational partners increasingly demand accountability on carbon emissions, social impact, diversity, and governance practices.
10 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya is testing local-currency securitization of smallholder farm loans to attract institutional investors into agriculture. The move reflects a broader African shift to build financial infrastructure, including warehouse receipt systems and digital commodity registries, to standardize agricultural risk and make farm lending more investable at scale.
20 May 2026 · Capital News →
Spotify Sub-Saharan Africa Managing Director Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy spoke at the platform's Johannesburg event about royalties and the continent's music sector. The company revealed that South African artists generated more than Ksh.3.9 billion in royalties on Spotify in 2025.
18 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya's Public Private Partnership (PPP) portfolio has reached Sh1.7 trillion across 51 projects in infrastructure sectors including transport, energy, water, and digital connectivity. Ten projects are already under implementation while forty-one remain at various stages of the PPP project cycle, as the government seeks private sector participation to bridge infrastructure financing gaps.
15 May 2026 · Capital News →
President William Ruto has stepped up Kenya's diplomatic push for Justice Njoki Ndung'u to be elected as an ICC judge, introducing her to leaders from numerous African and international countries during the Africa Forward Summit. Kenya is seeking support from the 125 member states of the Rome Statute, emphasising Justice Ndung'u's legal experience and contributions to constitutional jurisprudence.
13 May 2026 · Capital News →
Kenya is using local-currency securitization and data-driven risk models to transform smallholder farm lending into a capital-markets asset class, aiming to attract institutional investors to agriculture. The move reflects a broader shift across Africa to build financial infrastructure—including warehouse receipt systems and digital commodity registries—to standardize and price agricultural risk for large-scale commercial capital.
12 May 2026 · Capital News →
Across Africa, AI adoption remains uneven and largely confined to pilots despite growing government and private sector momentum, with policy frameworks identified as the primary accelerator needed to achieve continental scale. Research by the World Bank and International Finance Corporation indicates that digital technologies, including AI, scale only where enabling regulatory frameworks, institutional capacity, and investment environments align.
12 May 2026 · Capital News →
Makhtar Diop, Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation, will visit Nairobi on May 11–12 to lead the World Bank Group's delegation to the Africa Forward summit, which aims to deepen Africa–France partnerships and mobilize private-sector investment for sustainable development.
9 May 2026 · Capital News →
Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote is considering using Kenya as a base to raise fresh capital from African investors for his industrial empire, including his new refinery. He outlined plans to create an investment vehicle in Kenya that would allow African savers to pool funds and invest in Dangote Group companies.
7 May 2026 · The Standard →