Best Islamic bank: Gulf African Bank
In a relatively nascent but evolving Islamic banking market in Kenya, Gulf African Bank distinguished itself in 2025 through a combination of product innovation, financial inclusion and a deeply embedded Shariah-compliant operating model.
The bank’s strategy extended well beyond its traditional core Muslim customer base. Through partnerships across multiple sectors, targeted outreach to the Kenyan diaspora and competitive pricing strategies, Gulf African Bank continued to position Islamic banking as an accessible alternative for Muslim and non-Muslim customers. Its independent Shariah board remained central to governance, overseeing products and transactions across retail, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and corporate banking activities.
Retail banking remained a key pillar of growth. Gulf African Bank operated a network of 14 branches across Kenya, including two women-only branches under its Annisaa Banking proposition. The bank continued to expand its digital capabilities through platforms such as GABNet internet banking and GABExpress mobile banking, enabling customers to initiate payments and transfers remotely. It also strengthened transaction banking infrastructure through innovations such as Biz2Bank and GABCollect, designed to streamline M-Pesa (a mobile phone-based money transfer service) reconciliation and real-time collections for businesses.
The bank also maintained one of the most differentiated retail propositions in the market through products such as the GAB Awwal card – described as East Africa’s first Shariah-compliant credit card – alongside its expanding suite of musharakah-based home, vehicle and asset finance offerings.
SME banking was another area of notable progress. Gulf African Bank expanded its financing solutions across multiple SME segments, ranging from micro-enterprises to larger commercial businesses. In one of the year’s most significant developments, the bank became the first institution in sub-Saharan Africa to sign a Shariah-compliant credit risk guarantee partnership with the African Guarantee Fund, helping SMEs access trade finance despite collateral constraints.
Customer experience also remained a major focus. The bank reported a customer satisfaction score of 87.1%, supported by quarterly customer surveys, omnichannel engagement tools, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven customer feedback and health scoring systems. Frontline staff training, customer persona development and the bank’s ‘customer first’ culture all contributed to strong service delivery during the review period.
