Also known as: IFC
International development finance institution conducting research on AI adoption and digital technology scaling across Africa.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The 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 planCitizen Digital
… International Finance Corporation notes that the integration of ESG is becoming a major factor in determining the venture of investment into emerging economies, Kenya’s inclusive. …
Wananchi Opinion: Why Kenyan CFOs have to juggle both regulatory and ESG requirementsCapital News
… The International Finance Corporation has previously described crop-receipt finance and warehouse receipt systems as mechanisms capable of helping farmers access pre-harvest financing while improving liquidity across agricultural supply chains. …
Kenya securitises smallholder farm loans in bid to unlock institutional financeCapital News
… Also in attendance were representatives from the International Finance Corporation, infrastructure investment firms, commercial banks, insurance sector players, pension funds, legal and transaction advisory firms, development finance institutions, and private sector project spons …
Government rolls out 51 PPP projects worth Sh1.7tn – Kefa SedaKingdom 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 →
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 →