Banks double lending target to small businesses to hit Sh326b

Equity Bank branch on Koinange Street in Nairobi.[File, Standard] Kenyan banks doubled new lending to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in 2025, according to new data from the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA). The banks advanced Sh326.5 billion in lending against an annual target of Sh150 billion. Equity Bank led the pack with Sh90.7 billion, about 28 per cent of the total, cementing its grip on small-business finance as demand for working capital and trade lines picked up. KCB followed with Sh56.2 billion, Co-operative Bank with Sh37.7 billion, Stanbic at Sh32.7 billion and Family Bank at Sh32 billion. The top five lenders supplied roughly three-quarters of the new MSME credit, highlighting a concentration of lending capacity among the largest players even as overall appetite improved. Mid-tier lenders also made assertive plays, with I&M advancing Sh26.3 billion, Kingdom Bank lending Sh9.8 billion, Absa Sh6.4 billion, National Bank Sh5.8 billion and Sidian Sh5.5 billion. The figures, according to KBA, point to intensifying competition for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) customers, with banks leaning into supply-chain finance, invoice discounting and sector-focused programmes. Analysts attribute the surge to a stabilising shilling, gradual easing of the lending rates, and expanded uptake of the public credit guarantee. The shilling has maintained its stability, trading at Sh129 against the dollar since April 2024, following a sharp recovery from highs above Sh160 in January and February of the same year. Early last year, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) ordered commercial banks to reduce lending rates to reduce the cost of borrowing. The move followed a reduction in the Central Bank Rate (CBR) to 10.75 per cent, and several banks have complied with the directive. The Kenya Credit Guarantee Scheme (KCGS) is a government initiative that aims to boost lending to MSMEs, targeting those facing high collateral requirements. Established in 2020, it uses a risk-sharing model with commercial banks, providing a partial guarantee (often 25 to 50 per cent of the loan) to enable access to capital for registered businesses. Responding to the report, Equity Bank said its 28 per cent market share in MSME lending in 2025 reflects years of deliberate investment in products, infrastructure, financial inclusion, and long-standing relationships built specifically for small businesses. "Several factors have converged to drive this strong uptake. First, our decision to align variable-rate lending directly to the CBR has given borrowers confidence that rate reductions are passed on immediately. This transparency builds trust and encourages borrowing," said the bank in a statement. "Second, our strategic partnerships, including the Young Africa Works programme with the Mastercard Foundation, Proparco through the French Embassy, and risk-sharing facilities with IFC and the Africa Guarantee Fund, have brought MSMEs into a structured financing ecosystem. These initiatives combine access to finance with mentorship, credit history development, and progressively longer loan tenors, making businesses bankable at scale. The result is a strong and growing pipeline of creditworthy enterprises." The bank said they have made significant investments in digital transformation, with 88.4 per cent of transactions now conducted through digital channels.

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