Big banks predict fall in borrowing costs under new CBK pricing model

Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) holds and manages foreign exchange reserves, is charged with the responsiblity for formulating monetary policy to achieve and maintain price stability Feb 6, 2020.[FILE,Standard] The chief executives of Kenya's two largest banks reckon that borrowing costs for customers will decline as a new Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) mandated loan pricing system takes full effect from March this year improving transparency and the transmission of monetary policy. The heads of Kenya's two largest banks say borrowing costs for customers are expected to fall as a new Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) loan pricing system takes full effect from March, improving transparency and transmission of monetary policy. In separate interviews with The Standard, KCB Group CEO Paul Russo and Equity Group CEO James Mwangi welcomed the phased rollout of the CBK revised Risk-Based Credit Pricing Model (RBCPM), stating it aligns bank lending rates more directly with the regulator's policy stance. "The phased implementation of the Revised Risk-Based Credit Pricing Model should enhance transparency and efficiency in credit pricing, enabling banks to better balance growth and risk," Russo said. Echoing this sentiment, Mwangi highlighted the automatic adjustment mechanism at the core of the new framework. "The new pricing mechanism has made it automatic that every time the Central Bank rate goes down, the bank rate goes down because it's a factor," Mwangi said. "We're very excited that we have now aligned with the central bank." The new model, which became mandatory for new variable-rate loans from December 1, requires banks to price loans using a transparent formula: A public Reference Rate-initially based on the Kenya Shilling Overnight Interbank Average (KESONIA)-plus a customer-specific Premium. All existing variable-rate loans must be migrated by February 28, 2026. The reform addresses long-standing criticism from the CBK, including Governor Kamau Thugge, that banks were slow to lower lending rates for customers during monetary policy easing cycles, despite quickly raising them during tightening periods. The Thugge chaired Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) said in December the revised Risk-Based Credit Pricing Model for banks, set to be fully operational by March 2026, will improve monetary policy transmission and enhance loan pricing transparency, as fresh data showed private sector credit growth accelerated to 6.3 per cent year-on-year in November. Lending to key sectors including manufacturing and trade remained strong, a trend the central bank attributed to improved demand amid declining interest rates, with the average commercial bank lending rate falling to 14.9 per cent in November from 17.2 per cent a year earlier. Both leaders from KCB and Equity Group (the largest bank by customer base) linked the new system to a positive outlook for 2026. Russo projected that "stable inflation" and "a rejuvenated private sector" would support economic growth in the "mid-five per cent range," with the banking sector expected to "remain resilient." He noted early signs of improvement in non-performing loans, which he attributed partly to the previous higher interest rate cycle. Mwangi emphasised the improved signaling effect of monetary policy. "The signaling is then effective because people can expect it," he said, referring to the anticipated pass-through of CBK rate cuts to borrower costs. KCB's Russo outlined that the bank is going to leverage on the new model to "refine pricing strategies that balance competitiveness with disciplined risk-taking." He added that an improving credit environment and a recent $150 million (Sh19 billion) facility from the African Development Bank would support lending to priority sectors like climate-smart agriculture and renewable energy. The executives' comments come ahead of the CBK's Monetary Policy Committee meeting in February where the MPC will assess economic conditions amidst this structural shift in credit pricing.

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Big banks predict fall in borrowing costs under new CBK pricing model

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