- Saccos disbursed Ksh33.7 billion for land and housing, an 18% increase from Q1 2025.
- Total Sacco lending rose to Ksh115.7 billion, with education and agriculture among the top sectors financed.
- Sacco assets grew to Ksh1.21 trillion, while member deposits reached Ksh870 billion in Q1 2026
A large portion of credit disbursed by Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOs) to their members is being channelled toward land purchases, housing construction and home acquisitions, reinforcing Saccos as critical drivers of personal and economic development in Kenya.
According to the latest data from the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA), loans disbursed for land and housing transactions reached Ksh 33.74 billion by the end of March 2026, up from Ksh 28.59 billion in Q1 2025, representing an 18.01 per cent year on year increase.
Findings from the Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Kenya report align with these figures, showing that plot acquisition remains the primary driver for property related borrowing, presenting a clear opportunity for members to transition into housing development as a secondary step.
SASRA’s Quarterly Statistical and Soundness Report (Q1 2026) highlights education as the second largest beneficiary of Sacco credit, taking up Ksh 24.81 billion, up from Ksh 19.51 billion in March 2025.
READ ALSO:
KEPSA set to host third annual SME conference to boost business resilience
Agriculture accounted for Ksh 18.70 billion, followed by trade at Ksh 15.74 billion, consumption and social services at Ksh 8.82 billion, and finance, investments and insurance at Ksh 6.63 billion. Manufacturing and servicing industries took up Ksh 4.50 billion, while healthcare absorbed Ksh 2.79 billion.
In total, Saccos issued Ksh 115.73 billion in loans during the first quarter of 2026, up from Ksh 99.57 billion recorded in Q1 2025.
The industry’s total asset base expanded to Ksh 1.21 trillion in March 2026 from Ksh 1.08 trillion in Q1 2025, while member deposits grew from Ksh 782.30 billion to Ksh 870.02 billion over the same period.
Furthermore, Sacco reserves rose to Ksh 247.53 billion in Q1 2026, up from Ksh 215.29 billion in Q1 2025. Total industry income expanded by 18.38 per cent, climbing from Ksh 39.07 billion to Ksh 46.25 billion.
By Jackson Okoth
Get more stories from our website: Sacco Review.
For comments and clarifications, write to: Saccoreview@
Kindly follow us via our social media pages on Facebook: Sacco Review Newspaper for timely updates
Stay ahead of the pack! Grab the latest Sacco Review newspaper!
