- Healthcare loans recorded the fastest growth among SACCO lending categories, rising 31.03% year-on-year to KSh2.79 billion in March 2026.
- Overall SACCO lending expanded by 16.23% to KSh115.73 billion, with land and housing remaining the largest recipients, followed by education.
Healthcare-related borrowing has emerged as the fastest-growing loan category among Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) in Kenya, according to the latest report by the SACCO Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA).
The SASRA Quarterly Statistical and Soundness Report for Q1 2026 shows that credit advanced to the human health sector grew by 31.03 percent in the year to March 2026, the highest growth rate across all sectors. Lending to healthcare rose to KSh2.79 billion in March 2026, up from KSh2.13 billion a year earlier.
The report further revealed that health-related loans maintained steady growth throughout 2025, reaching KSh2.66 billion in June, KSh3.24 billion in September, and peaking at KSh3.73 billion in December.
In the first quarter of 2026, healthcare loans outpaced growth in education loans, which expanded by 27.12 percent, and land and housing loans, which grew by 18.01 percent.
Although healthcare borrowing remains smaller in absolute terms compared to housing and education, it currently holds the fastest growth momentum. The report noted that 100 percent of the KSh2.79 billion disbursed was directed specifically to human health and related services.
Overall, SACCO lending increased by 16.23 percent to KSh115.73 billion in March 2026, up from KSh99.57 billion in March 2025. Land and housing remained the largest recipients of SACCO credit at KSh33.74 billion, followed by education at KSh24.81 billion.
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Deposit-Taking SACCOs (DT-SACCOs) continued to dominate the industry, controlling assets worth KSh1.07 trillion compared to KSh139.92 billion held by Non-Withdrawable Deposit-Taking SACCOs (NWDT-SACCOs). DT-SACCOs accounted for 88.4 percent of all regulated SACCO assets, with deposits of KSh763.52 billion and reserves of KSh226.01 billion. NWDT-SACCOs, on the other hand, recorded deposits of KSh106.49 billion and reserves of KSh21.52 billion.
In terms of income, DT-SACCOs reported KSh42.14 billion during the quarter, more than ten times the KSh4.11 billion earned by NWDT-SACCOs.
The SACCO industry’s total assets stood at KSh1.21 trillion as of March 2026, with gross loans rising to KSh950.93 billion and deposits reaching KSh870.02 billion.
This surge in healthcare-related borrowing highlights the growing demand for medical financing in Kenya, positioning the sector as a key driver of SACCO credit growth.
By Masaki Enock
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