NCBA Group is stepping up its engagement with small businesses in Kenya’s capital, convening more than 100 traders for a financial literacy forum aimed at boosting resilience and expanding access to tailored banking solutions.
The session in Nairobi brought together merchants from major commercial clusters including Kirinyaga Auto Spares, Gikomba, Sheikh Karume, Nyamakima and Kamukunji — trading hubs that are largely cash-driven and central to the city’s informal economy.
At the event, bank executives and advisors offered guidance on financing options, insurance, leasing, trade finance and digital banking tools, part of a broader push by Kenyan lenders to deepen penetration among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), a segment widely viewed as underbanked despite its contribution to economic activity.
Robert Kiboti, NCBA’s director for consumer, SME and MSME banking, said the initiative reflects a shift beyond lending toward advisory-led relationships. SMEs continue to grapple with limited access to capital and financial planning constraints, he said, adding that the bank aims to provide knowledge and ecosystem partnerships to support sustainable scaling.
The outreach aligns with NCBA’s strategy to position itself as a primary financial partner for retail and SME customers through targeted, sector-based engagement. By convening traders within their business communities, the lender is seeking to build loyalty while tapping into fast-moving, transaction-heavy sectors that underpin urban commerce.
Participants received briefings on working capital loans, commercial mortgages, construction financing and asset-backed products such as vehicle and equipment finance. The bank also promoted transactional and digital offerings, including mobile banking, merchant payment integrations and cash management platforms tailored for SMEs.
In addition to financing, NCBA highlighted training initiatives designed to strengthen managerial capacity. These include an enterprise development course run with Strathmore Business School and a women-focused acceleration program delivered in partnership with the African Guaranty Fund.
Kenyan banks are increasingly targeting SME ecosystems as competition intensifies for retail growth and as digital platforms lower barriers to onboarding smaller clients. For NCBA, the engagement signals a continued pivot toward advisory-driven banking as lenders seek to capture long-term value from the country’s vast but fragmented small business sector.
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