Metropol Credit Reference Bureau is a Central Bank of Kenya-regulated company that collects and processes credit information and provides credit reports, credit scores, CRB status checks and clearance certificates.
Individuals can use Metropol’s services to review their borrowing history, understand how lenders may assess their credit profile and challenge inaccurate information.
Businesses and financial institutions can also access credit-risk, business-information and corporate-rating services, subject to the applicable consent, regulatory and contractual requirements.
About Metropol CRB Kenya
Metropol Corporation was established in 1996 as a business-information and credit-management company.
Its credit-reference bureau was licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya in 2011 and remains included in CBK’s directory of licensed credit reference bureaus.
Metropol’s main Nairobi office is on the 15th floor of KCB Towers on Kenya Road in Upper Hill.
The bureau serves consumers, businesses, lenders and approved credit-information providers through online platforms, its Crystobol service, USSD access and its customer-support office.
Metropol CRB Company Profile
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Business Name | Metropol Credit Reference Bureau |
| Parent Company | Metropol Corporation Limited |
| Industry | Credit reference and business information |
| Established | 1996 |
| CRB Licence | Licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya |
| Main Office | 15th Floor, KCB Towers, Kenya Road, Upper Hill |
| Postal Address | P.O. Box 35331-00200, Nairobi |
| Main Telephone | +254 709 834 000 |
| [email protected] | |
| USSD | *433# |
| Online Platform | Crystobol |
| Website | metropol.co.ke |
| Regulator | Central Bank of Kenya |
Metropol’s current official contact page publishes +254 709 834 000 as its principal customer-support number.
What Is a Credit Reference Bureau?
A credit reference bureau collects permitted credit information from lenders and approved information providers.
It uses that information to prepare reports describing how an individual or business has managed credit obligations.
A credit report may contain both positive and negative information, including:
- Current credit accounts
- Previous loans
- Repayment history
- Outstanding balances
- Late payments
- Defaults
- Accounts that have been settled
- Institutions that supplied the information
- Credit inquiries made by approved users
- A credit score or risk assessment
Under Kenya’s Credit Reference Bureau Regulations, credit information includes information bearing on a person’s creditworthiness, credit standing, capacity and financial obligations.
A CRB does not normally decide whether a person will receive a loan. The lender makes that decision using its lending policies, the applicant’s income, existing obligations, credit report and other risk information.
Services Offered by Metropol CRB
Metropol’s consumer and business services include:
- Credit reports
- Credit scores
- CRB status checks
- Clearance certificates
- Credit-information dispute resolution
- Business credit reports
- Business credit scores
- SME and corporate ratings
- Customer-data reporting
- Credit-risk solutions for lenders
- Certificate verification
- Information showing which institutions supplied customer data
Metropol’s current website lists credit reports, credit scores, CRB status, certificates, dispute resolution and business-rating services among its principal products.
Metropol Credit Report
A credit report provides a detailed record of a person’s or business’s credit history.
It may show:
- Names of current and previous lenders
- Open credit accounts
- Closed credit accounts
- Repayment performance
- Current balances
- Arrears
- Defaults
- Account classifications
- Recent report inquiries
- Information providers that submitted data
Metropol describes its report as showing borrowing across credit providers, repayment trends, current balances and overall credit performance.
Customers should regularly review their reports to identify:
- Loans they do not recognise
- Incorrect balances
- Accounts still shown as unpaid after settlement
- Incorrect personal details
- Duplicate accounts
- Outdated information
- Possible identity misuse
Free Annual Credit Report
A customer has the right to obtain one free copy of their credit report from a bureau during each calendar year.
Metropol states that the report may be accessed through its offices or agents, the Crystobol platform or USSD service.
Metropol also states that a customer may obtain another free report after being denied credit because of information contained in a CRB report, subject to the applicable regulatory process.
Additional reports or related services may attract a charge.
Customers should check the price displayed on the official platform before making payment.
Metropol Credit Score
A credit score is a numerical assessment derived from information in a customer’s credit report.
It may be influenced by factors such as:
- Whether payments are made on time
- Existing outstanding debt
- Number of credit accounts
- Recent borrowing activity
- Length of credit history
- Defaults or arrears
- Settled accounts
- Overall repayment behaviour
Metropol describes its score as an indicator of whether a borrower presents a low, medium or high credit risk.
A high score does not guarantee loan approval. A lender may also consider income, employment, affordability, collateral, age of the business and its own credit policy.
Checking Your CRB Status
A CRB status check provides a simplified indication of the customer’s current credit standing.
Metropol’s platform may classify a profile using descriptions such as:
- Excellent
- Good
- Poor
The status is less detailed than a full credit report. Customers who find an unexpected status should obtain the full report to identify the lender and account involved.
How to Check Metropol CRB Status
Customers can access Metropol services through several channels.
Using USSD
Dial:
*433#
Follow the prompts and provide the requested identification details.
Metropol’s current FAQ says the USSD service can be accessed from a Safaricom line. The original claim that it works on every mobile network should therefore be removed unless Metropol confirms expanded network support.
Using Crystobol
Customers can register through Metropol’s Crystobol web platform.
Available services include:
- Credit reports
- CRB certificates
- Status checks
- Credit scores
- Online document downloads
Metropol states that reports and certificates are delivered in PDF format through its online portal.
By Email or Office Visit
Customers can also contact:
The main office is located on the 15th floor of KCB Towers, Kenya Road, Upper Hill, Nairobi.
CRB Clearance Certificate
A CRB clearance certificate is an official document issued by a licensed credit reference bureau confirming the customer’s credit status at the time of issue.
Metropol explicitly states that the certificate is valid only as of its issue date because bureaus receive updated information regularly.
The certificate may be requested for:
- Employment applications
- Public-sector appointments
- Tender applications
- Loan applications
- Business transactions
- Compliance requirements
- Personal record keeping
A clearance certificate should not be described as permanent proof that an individual has no debts.
A person’s position may change after the certificate is issued.
What a Clearance Certificate Means
A clearance certificate may indicate whether the customer currently has a reported credit default.
It does not necessarily mean that:
- The person has never borrowed
- The person has no active loans
- Every account balance is zero
- A lender must approve a loan
- The customer will remain clear indefinitely
- The certificate replaces a complete credit report
For a detailed account of borrowing and repayments, the customer should obtain a full credit report.
How to Apply for a Metropol CRB Certificate
Customers can apply through Metropol’s official online platforms.
The general process may require:
- Registering or signing into the Metropol platform.
- Providing a national ID, passport or other accepted document.
- Confirming the registered telephone number and email address.
- Selecting the clearance-certificate service.
- Paying the fee displayed on the official platform.
- Downloading the certificate in PDF format.
- Verifying that the personal details are correct.
Metropol also operates an online tool for checking whether a certificate is genuine.
Metropol CRB Charges
The original draft lists the following fixed charges:
- KSh100 registration
- KSh50–KSh200 for a credit report
- KSh2,200 for a clearance certificate
These figures should not be presented as currently verified prices.
Metropol’s public pages explain the services but do not consistently display all current fees. Prices can also differ depending on the channel and service selected.
A safer charges section is:
| Service | Current Guidance |
| Annual credit report | One free report per calendar year |
| Additional credit report | Check the amount shown on the official platform |
| Credit score | Check the current platform price |
| CRB status | Check the USSD or online prompt |
| Clearance certificate | Check the current amount before payment |
| Disputing inaccurate information | No dispute fee should be charged |
Metropol confirms that customers have the right to dispute information without being charged.
M-Pesa Payment Safety
Older guides commonly identify Paybill 20388 for Metropol services.
Customers should not rely solely on an old directory listing before paying.
Before making an M-Pesa payment:
- Start the request through Metropol’s official website, USSD or Crystobol platform.
- Confirm the paybill displayed during the transaction.
- Confirm the account-reference format.
- Check the business name displayed by M-Pesa.
- Review the amount before entering the PIN.
- Keep the confirmation message.
- Avoid paying a personal telephone number.
- Do not share an M-Pesa PIN or one-time password.
The business listing should link customers to the official payment process rather than instructing them to pay a fixed amount immediately.
Credit Listing and Negative Information
The phrase “blacklisted by CRB” is widely used but can be misleading.
Credit bureaus maintain both positive and negative credit information. A customer may have a CRB record even when they have consistently repaid loans.
Negative information may include:
- Missed repayments
- Late repayments
- Non-performing loans
- Defaults
- Certain dishonoured payment obligations
- Other adverse credit data permitted by law
The 2020 regulations define credit information as including both positive and negative information.
Notice Before Negative Information Is Submitted
Credit-information providers generally have duties to notify customers before submitting negative information.
The regulations state that a provider furnishing negative information should notify the customer at least 30 days before submission, unless a shorter period is provided in the contract.
For loans with a repayment period shorter than one month, the regulations provide for a notice at least two weeks before the loan becomes non-performing.
Customers should keep lender messages, emails, loan statements and payment receipts in case they need to challenge a report.
How to Clear an Outstanding CRB Record
A customer cannot normally remove accurate credit information simply by paying a fee to Metropol.
The appropriate process is:
- Obtain a current credit report.
- Identify the lender and account involved.
- Contact the lender.
- Confirm the outstanding balance.
- Pay or agree on a lawful settlement.
- Obtain written proof of payment or settlement.
- Ask the lender to update the information supplied to all licensed bureaus.
- Obtain a new report after the update.
- File a dispute if the information remains incorrect.
The lender or information provider is responsible for updating the underlying account information it submitted.
Is Repayment the Same as Deletion?
No.
After repayment, an account may be updated to show that it has been settled or closed. The historical repayment record may still remain in accordance with applicable laws and retention rules.
A paid account is not necessarily erased as though it never existed.
The important issue is that the balance, status and repayment outcome should be reported accurately.
Correcting Inaccurate Information
Customers have the right to dispute inaccurate, incomplete, erroneous or outdated credit information.
A dispute may relate to:
- A loan the customer never took
- An incorrect outstanding balance
- A loan already repaid
- Duplicate accounts
- Incorrect identification details
- Information linked to the wrong person
- A fraudulent account
- An update that the lender failed to submit
Metropol states that customers can challenge inaccurate information through its dispute-resolution service.
CRB Dispute Process
A customer should:
- Obtain the full credit report.
- Identify the disputed entry.
- Contact Metropol in writing.
- Explain why the information is incorrect.
- Attach payment receipts, statements, identification or other evidence.
- Keep copies of all correspondence.
- Follow up with both Metropol and the lender.
The bureau must mark the information as disputed while it investigates.
Under the regulatory process, the bureau and the institution that supplied the information must investigate and determine whether the information should be corrected, deleted or left unchanged.
Timeframes for Correcting Errors
The regulations impose responsibilities on lenders and other information providers.
When a provider becomes aware that submitted information was inaccurate, it must send an amendment notice instructing the bureau to replace it with the correct information.
The regulations also require bureaus to update their database after receiving a correction notice.
Customers should not assume that every settled loan will take exactly 30 days to update. The timeframe depends on when the lender submits the correct information and when the bureau processes it.
Escalating an Unresolved Dispute
A customer who believes a dispute has not been resolved properly may escalate the matter.
Metropol’s customer-rights information states that a customer may refer an unresolved dispute to:
- An alternative dispute-resolution mechanism
- A court of law
- The Central Bank of Kenya
The customer may also ask for a statement explaining the disputed position to be attached to the credit report, subject to the applicable regulations.
Who Supplies Information to CRBs?
Credit information may be supplied by institutions and other providers allowed under the regulatory framework.
These can include:
- Commercial banks
- Microfinance banks
- Deposit-taking SACCOs
- Other approved credit providers
- Approved third-party credit-information providers
- Public sources permitted by law
Third-party providers require CBK approval and must comply with consent, data-quality and reporting requirements.
The original listing should not state broadly that every utility, mobile company or seller automatically shares information with Metropol.
Only institutions participating lawfully in the credit-information-sharing framework may submit customer data.
Business Credit Services
Metropol provides services for companies, lenders and other organisations.
These may include:
- Business credit reports
- Business credit scores
- SME ratings
- Corporate ratings
- Portfolio monitoring
- Customer-data reporting
- Credit-risk assessment
- Identity and information verification
- Credit-lifecycle support
A business credit report can help lenders, suppliers and investors assess a company’s repayment history and financial credibility.
Credit Ratings
Metropol has historically been involved in corporate and SME rating services.
Ratings differ from ordinary consumer CRB status checks.
A corporate rating may assess:
- Financial performance
- Debt levels
- Cash flow
- Governance
- Industry risks
- Repayment capacity
- Business stability
Companies seeking ratings should contact Metropol directly for current methodologies, charges and eligibility requirements.
Metropol CRB Office Hours
Metropol currently publishes the following general office hours:
| Day | Hours |
| Monday | 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Thursday | 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Friday | 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | Confirm before visiting |
| Sunday | Confirm before visiting |
| Public holidays | Confirm before visiting |
The official contact page states office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. but does not clearly publish a complete day-by-day schedule.
Online services may remain accessible outside office hours, although maintenance, identity verification or payment processing can affect availability.
Metropol CRB Contact Information
Main Office
Metropol Credit Reference Bureau
15th Floor, KCB Towers
Kenya Road, Upper Hill
Nairobi, Kenya
Postal Address
P.O. Box 35331-00200
Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone
+254 709 834 000
USSD
*433#
Website
metropol.co.ke
Online Consumer Platform
Crystobol
These are the main details published on Metropol’s current contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Metropol licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya?
Yes. Metropol appears in the Central Bank of Kenya’s directory of licensed credit reference bureaus.
How do I check my Metropol CRB status?
Dial *433# from a supported line or use Metropol’s Crystobol platform. Metropol’s FAQ specifically refers to Safaricom for USSD access.
Can I get a free credit report?
Yes. A customer is entitled to one free credit report from a bureau each calendar year.
How much is a Metropol clearance certificate?
Check the current charge displayed on Metropol’s official platform before paying. The fixed KSh2,200 figure in older guides should not be treated as verified current pricing.
What does a clearance certificate prove?
It confirms the customer’s credit status as of the date the certificate was issued. It is not a permanent guarantee of future credit status.
Does a CRB certificate mean I have no loans?
Not necessarily. A customer may have active loans that are being repaid properly. A full credit report provides more detailed account information.
Can Metropol remove my listing after I pay?
The lender must update the account information it submitted. Metropol then updates the credit record based on the lender’s submission or the outcome of a dispute.
How long does delisting take?
There is no single timeframe that applies to every case. It depends on the lender submitting an accurate update and the bureau processing it.
Can I dispute a Metropol report for free?
Yes. Metropol states that customers have the right to dispute information without being charged.
Where is the Metropol CRB office?
It is on the 15th floor of KCB Towers, Kenya Road, Upper Hill, Nairobi.
What is the Metropol telephone number?
The currently published number is +254 709 834 000.
What is the Metropol email address?
The official customer email is [email protected].
Can Metropol decide whether I receive a loan?
No. Metropol supplies credit information and risk tools. The lender makes the final approval decision under its own policies.
Can I verify a Metropol clearance certificate?
Yes. Metropol provides an online certificate-verification service intended to identify genuine certificates.
Protecting Your Personal Information
Credit reports contain sensitive personal and financial information.
Customers should:
- Use only official Metropol platforms.
- Avoid sharing reports publicly.
- Never disclose passwords or one-time codes.
- Confirm the website domain before uploading identification.
- Avoid agents demanding payment through personal numbers.
- Log out after downloading a report.
- Store certificates and reports securely.
- Report suspected identity theft promptly.
Obtaining another person’s credit information through false pretences is an offence under the CRB regulations.
Why Consumers Use Metropol CRB
Metropol provides tools that can help consumers and businesses understand and manage their credit records.
Its principal services include:
- Free annual credit-report access
- Credit scores
- CRB status checks
- Clearance certificates
- Online certificate verification
- Dispute resolution
- Business credit reports
- Corporate and SME ratings
- Credit-risk services for lenders
Customers should begin with a full credit report before paying for a certificate or trying to resolve a reported default.
For assistance, call +254 709 834 000 or email [email protected].
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