Best bank 2025: KCB Group
KCB Group distinguishes itself as a powerhouse in Kenya’s banking sector, demonstrating its excellence in various operational and strategic areas worthy of Kenya’s best bank award.
The bank exhibited an extraordinary financial performance, with its profit after tax soaring by 66% to reach KSh60 billion ($464 million) in FY2024. KCB set a regional benchmark by becoming the first bank in East and Central Africa to amass assets worth over KSh2 trillion. Additionally, the bank witnessed revenue growth of KSh205 billion (a 24% increase year-on-year) across both funded and non-funded income lines, alongside an impressive increase in return on equity from 17.5% in 2023 to 24.6% in 2024.
On the digital front, KCB has advanced the sector’s transition towards digital banking by partnering with Airtel Money Kenya. This collaboration elevates customer experience allowing seamless payments directly to KCB merchants’ tills through the innovative Lipa Na KCB service. This service significantly enhances the ease of transactions, catering to the evolving needs of modern consumers.
KCB’s commitment to enhancing SME support is evident through its strategic partnerships aimed at enriching financing for small and medium enterprises. The bank’s alliance with the European Investment Bank, EIB Global, yielded a substantial €230 million funding package designated for SMEs, focusing on youth-led and women-owned businesses.
Another notable collaboration with Invest International (Netherlands) led to the establishment of a hub in Kenya designed to intertwine Dutch and Kenyan SMEs with pivotal financing and market opportunities.
KCB Group’s multidimensional strategy of combining robust financial growth, digital innovation and strong support for SMEs shows why it deserves the title of Kenya’s best bank.
Best investment bank 2025: Stanbic Bank Kenya
Stanbic Bank Kenya has demonstrated exceptional proficiency in investment banking, crucially in debt financing, where it has facilitated pivotal credit facilities for crucial sectors in the Kenyan market.
Its notable transactions include managing a KSh5.5 billion ($42.5 million) revolving credit facility for Old Mutual Holdings and further providing a significant $1 billion syndicated loan facility for the Eastern and Southern Africa Trade and Development Bank. Additionally, stark reflection of its expertise is seen in the facilitation of a KSh15 billion sustainability-linked term loan for Safaricom, aligning financial instruments with sustainable development goals.
In the realm of real estate finance, Stanbic Bank Kenya has successfully orchestrated substantial deals such as the $25.9 million development and medium-term facility for Gateway CCI SEZ Ltd and a $32.5 million medium-term facility for Africa Logistics Properties. These deals underline Stanbic’s proficiency in sourcing substantial capital for significant real estate projects, bolstering infrastructure development.
In the project finance sector, its prowess was further exemplified by arranging a KSh4.3 billion term loan for the National Cement Company Limited, which supports large-scale industrial projects crucial for economic growth.
Stanbic Bank Kenya’s ability to execute complex, large-scale financial transactions across diverse sectors such as telecommunications, real estate and manufacturing vividly demonstrates its leadership and innovation within the Kenyan investment banking landscape, marking it as a deserving recipient of the title of Kenya’s best investment bank.
Best bank for ESG 2025: KCB Group
KCB Group demonstrates exemplary leadership in integrating environment, social and governance (ESG) principles into its core operations.
The bank’s impact on sustainable finance is notable. It supported a $118.25 million initiative funded by the Green Climate Fund that is set to benefit 2.7 million people as it rolls out in 2025. It has disbursed substantial amounts in green financing across various sectors including corporate infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, and micro, small and medium sized enterprises. KCB Group is also proactive in reducing its environmental impact, achieving at least a 10% annual reduction in its carbon footprint, specifically targeting Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
KCB Group extends its ESG commitment internally through extensive employee training programmes. In 2024, an impressive 86% of its workforce completed green lending training. Additionally, 3,589 employees across East Africa have been trained on ESG principles and climate risk management. This comprehensive training ensures that ESG values are deeply embedded within the organisation and upheld by its employees.
The bank aligns its policies with international standards including the IFC Performance Standards, UN Sustainable Development Goals, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, Net-Zero Banking Alliance, and the UN Principles for Responsible Banking. KCB Group’s commitment to ESG is also showcased by its memberships of the Global Financial Alliance for Net Zero, UN Global Compact and the African Business Leaders’ Coalition.
KCB Group’s diligent incorporation of ESG into its operations and its significant contributions to sustainable finance make it a deserving winner of Kenya’s best bank for ESG.
