CBK - Sacco Review | The Leading Newspaper for Co-operative Movement in Kenya

CBK marks 60 years with AI conference, AACB meetings

Sacco ReviewSeptember 15, 202603 mins

CBK is bringing African financial leaders together for its 60th anniversary Experts will examine how AI is changing central banking and finance Governors are set to explore Africa’s push for greater monetary independence The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has marked 60 years since its establishment, opening a week of high-level engagements that bring African…

Digital loans reshape how Kenyan farmers finance their farms

Sacco ReviewAugust 24, 2026010 mins

Digital lenders are becoming a bigger part of how Kenyan farmers meet urgent farm costs. Farmers continue to borrow heavily for inputs and labour as production expenses remain high. The shifting credit patterns highlight the growing need for affordable and sustainable agricultural financing. Digital lenders are increasingly becoming an important source of financing for Kenyan…

High Court suspends Treasury approval on loan rate hikes

Sacco ReviewAugust 16, 2026012 mins

High Court suspends Treasury approval requirement for banks seeking to raise loan interest rates. Order follows a legal challenge by the Kenya Bankers Association over Section 44 of the Banking Act. Borrowers are not automatically facing higher rates, but customers with variable rate loans should monitor lender communications. Thousands of Kenyan borrowers face fresh uncertainty…

CBK holds benchmark rate at 8.75% for third straight meeting

Sacco ReviewAugust 12, 202603 mins

CBK has retained the benchmark rate at 8.75% for the third consecutive meeting. Inflation stood at 6.5% in July, while the economy grew 5.3% in Q1 2026. The unchanged rate is expected to keep borrowing costs stable for businesses and households. The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has retained the Central Bank Rate (CBR) at…

Court ruling boosts Saccos’ edge over unlicensed lenders

Sacco ReviewJuly 28, 202606 mins

A Nairobi court ruled that unlicensed digital lenders cannot sue to recover unpaid loans. The decision strengthens the legal position of licensed Saccos over unregulated lenders. The ruling also reminds Sacco digital lenders to maintain valid CBK licences. A Nairobi court has barred unlicensed digital lenders from suing to recover unpaid debts, handing Saccos a…

Commercial banks overtake Saccos as farmers’ top credit source, CBK data shows

Sacco ReviewJuly 20, 202605 mins

Commercial banks became farmers’ top lender, overtaking Saccos. Saccos and Hustler Fund borrowing declined as farmers sought larger, flexible loans. Most loans funded farm inputs, while borrowing for machinery increased Commercial banks have overtaken Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (SACCOs) as the leading source of credit for Kenyan farmers, according to new data from the…

Stanbic Bank Kenya appoints Michael Mutiga as new CEO

Sacco ReviewJuly 17, 202605 mins

Stanbic Bank appoints Michael Mutiga as CEO, effective August 1, subject to CBK approval. Mutiga joins from Safaricom after senior banking roles at Citibank and Barclays. He succeeds acting CEO Abraham Ongenge following Joshua Oigara’s regional promotion Stanbic Bank Kenya has appointed Michael Mutiga as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective August 1, 2026,…

CBK partners with Clearstream to attract foreign investment in gov’t securities

Sacco ReviewJune 29, 202603 mins

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has introduced a new trading link that will allow international investors to participate in the country’s government securities market, a move expected to boost liquidity and expand foreign investment. In a statement issued on June 25, CBK confirmed that Luxembourg-based Clearstream has connected to Kenya’s Government Central Securities Depository…

Sacco lending to farmers surges to 23 per cent as CBK reveals shifting credit trends

Sacco ReviewJune 22, 202604 mins

Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOs) are playing an increasingly significant role in financing agricultural activities, with their contribution to credit to farmers growing from 15 per cent in March 2026 to 23 per cent in May 2026. A survey by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) further shows that nearly one-third (32 per cent)…

KNBS urges Saccos, financial institutions to launch affordable investment products

Sacco ReviewJune 17, 202604 mins

A report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has urged Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) to develop simple, reliable, and affordable investment products that can attract and channel remittances into productive investments. The report, titled 2025 Remittances Household Report, also urged financial institutions and county governments to develop simple, reliable and affordable…