NCBA Group recorded a 9% rise in profit after tax to KES 6 billion for the first quarter ended March 2026, up from KES 5 billion in the same period last year, as the bank delivered growth across its core business lines despite a challenging macroeconomic environment.
Operating income grew 15% year-on-year to KES 20 billion, while profit before tax rose to KES 7.4 billion. Total assets expanded 13% to KES 741 billion, with customer deposits closing the quarter at KES 544 billion.
NCBA’s digital banking strategy continued to gain momentum, with digital loan disbursements rising 27% year-on-year to KES 391 billion. The lender said 97% of customer transactions are now conducted online.
The bank attributed improved service reliability, with system uptime reaching 99.74%, to investments in cybersecurity, AI-powered onboarding, automated credit pathways, and customer relationship management systems.
Impairment charges rose to KES 2.5 billion, which NCBA attributed to a responsible approach to credit risk assessment amid market volatility.
NCBA’s upgraded transactional banking platform ConnectPlus supported KES 181 billion in lending and KES 211 billion in deposits for corporate clients during the quarter.
In the MSME segment, the bank reported KES 8.3 billion in lending and launched NCBA BOOSTA, a new digital lending solution targeting small and medium enterprises.
The lender also reported a 32% market share in asset finance. Its digital vehicle marketplace Carvuka has now onboarded close to 7 million users.
NCBA Kenya remained the Group’s primary profit driver, posting a 20% increase in profit before tax to KES 6.5 billion. Regional operations across Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda delivered a combined KES 707 million in pre-tax profit, while non-banking subsidiaries, spanning investment banking, insurance, leasing, and bancassurance, contributed KES 641 million.
Assets under management at NCBA Investment Bank rose to KES 101.5 billion, with wealth management customers surpassing 60,000. Combined gross written premiums from NCBA Insurance and BancAssurance reached KES 5 billion.
On sustainability, NCBA acted as lead arranger for a Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company (KMRC) green bond that raised KES 3 billion, and participated in the KES 4.8 billion Two Rivers International Finance and Innovation Centre Green Income REIT transaction. The bank also disbursed KES 190 million in green financing during the period.
The Group said it reached over 200,000 livelihoods through community programmes including scholarships, tree-planting campaigns, sports sponsorships, and youth creative economy initiatives.
Group Managing Director and CEO John Gachora said the results reflected the bank’s new strategy built on four pillars: fortifying the core, scaling high-growth segments, unlocking new growth frontiers, and building a future-ready Ubuntu culture.
“The Group delivered strong topline momentum, with operating income increasing by 15 per cent year-on-year, reflecting sustained business growth, improved revenue diversification, and continued resilience across core operating segments,” Gachora said.
He noted that the proposed transaction with Nedbank Group Limited is progressing as planned, adding that the Group will monitor geopolitical developments in the Middle East and assess potential implications for markets and the broader macroeconomic environment.
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