List of Licensed Banks and Financial Institutions in Kenya

Kenya’s dynamic financial sector is robustly regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya, ensuring institutional stability, innovation, and customer protection. The landscape encompasses large-scale commercial banks, microfinance institutions, niche mortgage lenders, and investment banks—all licensed and overseen by the CBK. This guide to banks in Kenya provides detailed profiles across the spectrum, from retail services and corporate lending to investment advisory and grassroots microfinance.

Table of Contents

Whether you’re exploring retail accounts, SME loans, mortgage options, or micro-lending, this comprehensive overview will help you navigate Kenya’s banking ecosystem with clarity.

1. Commercial Banks (38 Institutions)

Absa Bank Kenya PLC – Formerly Barclays; part of Absa Group. Offers personal, SME, corporate, and asset management services.
Access Bank (Kenya) PLC – Nigerian-owned; retail, business, and trade finance with growing digital services.
African Banking Corporation Ltd (ABC Bank) – SME-focused corporate and trade finance.
Bank of Africa Kenya Ltd – Pan-African group; full-service retail and corporate banking.
Bank of Baroda (Kenya) Ltd – Indian trade finance specialist.
Bank of India – Kenyan branch of Indian bank; corporate and bilateral trade services.
Citibank N.A. Kenya – Global corporate finance and treasury services.
Commercial International Bank Kenya Ltd (CIB) – Egyptian-owned; corporate, investment, and digital banking.
Consolidated Bank of Kenya Ltd – State-created; stabilises failed banks with corporate and retail focus.
Co-operative Bank of Kenya Ltd – Co-op-owned; rural outreach, retail, SME.
Credit Bank PLC – Focus on MSMEs, women, and relationship banking.
Development Bank of Kenya Ltd – State-owned project and infrastructure financing.
Diamond Trust Bank Kenya Ltd (DTB) – Aga Khan Group; regional personal and corporate services.
DIB Bank Kenya Ltd – Kenya’s fully-Shariah-compliant bank.
Ecobank Kenya Ltd – Pan-African; strong digital/mobile services.
Equity Bank Kenya Ltd – Market leader in customer numbers; mobile and SME focus.
Family Bank Ltd – Youth-, women-, and SME-centric digital products.
Guaranty Trust Bank (Kenya) Ltd – Nigerian GTCO; digital retail banking.
Guardian Bank Ltd – Ties to Kenyan-Indian community; trade and deposits.
Gulf African Bank Ltd – Pioneer Islamic banking in Kenya.
Habib Bank (Kenya) – Swiss-owned; HNI and midcorporate services.
I&M Bank Ltd – East African regional; private banking, forex.
KCB Bank Kenya Ltd – Largest by assets; universal bank, regional branch network.
Kingdom Bank Ltd – Co-op-owned; first capital markets restructuring bank.
Middle East Bank (Kenya) Ltd – Niche for HNW and expatriate services.
M Oriental Bank Ltd – Custom corporate and niche SME services.
National Bank of Kenya Ltd – Former state-owned; now KCB subsidiary.
NCBA Bank Kenya PLC – Digital-first: M-Shwari, asset finance, tech-savvy banking.
Paramount Bank Ltd – Personalized SME-oriented services.
Premier Bank Kenya Ltd – Somali-owner; diaspora and remittances.
Prime Bank Ltd – High-net-worth, private, and corporate banking.
SBM Bank Kenya Ltd – State Bank of Mauritius; full-service post-acquisition of Chase Bank assets.
Sidian Bank Ltd – SME and flexible business lending under Centum.
Spire Bank Ltd – Dormant; operations merged under Equity Bank.
Stanbic Bank Kenya Ltd – Standard Bank Group; universal, investment, agribusiness.
Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Ltd – HNW and corporate global service provider.
United Bank for Africa Kenya Ltd – Nigerian pan-African retail and diaspora services.
Victoria Commercial Bank PLC – Boutique corporate and private banking solutions.

2. Investment Banks & Stockbrokers (19 Institutions)

ABC Capital – Equity research, corporate finance.
African Alliance Kenya Investment Bank – Wealth and asset management.
Afrika Investment Bank – M&A and private client services.
ApexAfrica Capital – Fundraising, advisory.
CBA Capital – Corporate finance arm of CBA Group.
Dyer & Blair Investment Bank – IPO advisor, trading, markets.
Equity Investment Bank – Equity research, brokerage, advisory.
Faida Investment Bank – Focus on agricultural SME funding.
Francis Drummond & Company – Institutional stockbroker.
Genghis Capital – East Africa-wide corporate advisory.
Kestrel Capital – Trading, brokerage.
Kingdom Securities – Investment and brokerage services.
NIC Securities – Stockbroker, research arm of NIC Group.
Old Mutual Securities – Wealth, portfolio services.
Renaissance Capital (Kenya) – Global capital markets access.
SBG Securities – Standard Bank’s equities trading arm.
Standard Investment Bank – Group’s structured finance dealer.
Sterling Capital Limited – Institutional stock brokerage.
Suntra Investment Bank – Wealth advisory, personal investment services.

3. Mortgage Finance Institution

Housing Finance Company of Kenya Ltd (HFC) – Licensed mortgage provider offering home loans, development finance in partnership with CBK frameworks.

4. Licensed Microfinance Banks (14 Institutions)

Caritas Microfinance Bank Ltd – Catholic-backed; community microloans and savings.
Branch Microfinance Bank Ltd – Mobile-first micro-loans and deposits.
Choice Microfinance Bank Ltd – Village-based empowerment HTLC loans.
Daraja Microfinance Bank Ltd – SME credit, groups and individual finance.
Faulu Microfinance Bank Ltd – One of the largest; micro and retail banking.
Kenya Women Microfinance Bank PLC – Focused on women entrepreneurs, rural credit.
Rafiki Microfinance Bank Ltd – Youth and SME micro-lending.
Lolc Kenya Microfinance Bank PLC – Group and individual credit products.
SMEP Microfinance Bank Ltd – SME-focused microfinance.
Sumac Microfinance Bank Ltd – Urban/rural micro-credit and savings services.
U & I Microfinance Bank Ltd – Youth, women and small business microfinance.
Salaam Microfinance Bank Ltd – Islamic microfinance products, community focus.
On It Microfinance Bank Ltd – Digital micro-savings and nano loans.
Muungano Microfinance Bank PLC – Slum-focused financial inclusion initiative.