KCB Bank Kenya has secured a $100 million (KShs12.9 billion) financing facility from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to expand access to credit for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The facility, signed on July 28, reinforces the bank’s push to support entrepreneurship, job creation and sustainable economic growth in the country.
Under the framework, 35 per cent of the funding will be directed towards women and youth-led enterprises, while 30 per cent will finance eligible green investments, enabling businesses to adopt climate-smart technologies and sustainable practices.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, EBRD’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, Dr Heike Harmgart, said the deal marks the Bank’s first investment in Kenya’s financial sector.
“By partnering with KCB Bank, we are helping to channel much-needed financing to MSMEs, the engines of job creation and economic growth,” Harmgart said. “We are particularly pleased that this facility will contribute to the transition to a greener economy and will expand opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs, whose success is critical to Kenya’s long-term prosperity.”
Alongside the financing, EBRD will provide technical assistance to KCB Bank, including specialised training and advisory services, to strengthen the lender’s green lending capabilities.
KCB Bank Kenya Managing Director Annastacia Kimtai said the facility will widen the bank’s reach to SMEs that have traditionally struggled to access credit.
“We remain committed to sustainable finance by increasing investments in renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture and other green projects that contribute to Kenya’s climate ambitions while creating long-term economic value,” Kimtai said.
The facility builds on KCB Bank’s existing MSME lending record. The bank has disbursed more than KShs156 billion to women entrepreneurs through its Female-Led & Made Enterprises (FLME) proposition, and over KShs48.8 billion in green financing loans supporting renewable energy and climate-smart projects.
By the end of March 2026, the bank had extended KShs13 billion in new credit to micro, small and medium enterprises.
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