SBM Bank Kenya has launched its 34th branch in Nanyuki Town, at the Peak Place Building, marking its formal entry into the Mt. Kenya region.
The Laikipia region serves as a hub for Mt. Kenya’s conservancy economy, anchored by Ol Pejeta, Lewa, Borana and Loisaba, alongside high-end tourism lodges, large-scale flower and horticulture exporters, the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK), and a growing base of SMEs, real estate developers and agribusinesses in Nanyuki and Timau.
Speaking at the branch launch, Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu said the county’s economy offered strong conditions for private sector investment.
“Laikipia’s economy has thriving sectors that create a perfect investment environment, especially for the private sector. I take this opportunity to invite the private sector to take a serious look at what our region has to offer. From agribusiness and tourism to real estate and manufacturing, the potential here is enormous, and we are ready to work with partners who share our ambition for this region,” Irungu said.
Until now, businesses and residents across Laikipia have had to travel outside the county for full-service, relationship-led banking.
This gap has constrained access to credit for entrepreneurs and limited day-to-day transactional and tailored financial services, despite the region’s outsized contribution to Kenya’s tourism and agricultural exports.
The new branch is designed to close that gap, giving conservancies, flower and horticulture exporters, SMEs, farmers and institutional customers a dedicated local banking partner backed by in-person advisory and a tailored digital banking suite.
“Nanyuki is exactly the kind of market our strategy is built for. The region is a high growth economy where relationship banking and digital convenience should work together. We are determined to bring banking closer to our customers at a time when our own numbers show the model is working. This branch is not a one-off activity, it is proof that we can back our growth ambitions with a strong balance sheet,” said SBM Bank Kenya CEO Bhartesh Shah.
The Nanyuki opening comes on the heels of SBM Bank’s financial results for the six months to 30 June 2026, which showed the bank’s sharpest earnings growth in recent years.
Profit before tax rose 171.3 percent to KSh 548 million, net profit after tax climbed 88.2 percent to KSh 380.2 million, and operating profit nearly quadrupled, up 279 percent to KSh 852 million.
Customer deposits grew 24 percent to KSh 94 billion, while net loans and advances rose 18 percent to KSh 54.1 billion, lifting total assets to KSh 109.9 billion, up from KSh 105.7 billion at the end of December 2025.
Asset quality also improved sharply, with the gross non-performing loan ratio nearly halving to 17.3 percent from 32.4 percent a year earlier, while shareholders’ equity strengthened to KSh 11.1 billion.
The Nanyuki branch is SBM Bank’s newest outlet since it opened a branch in Kilifi in July 2025, and brings the bank’s nationwide network to 34 branches.
The expansion is part of a deliberate strategy to deepen market penetration and improve accessibility in emerging commercial hubs beyond Kenya’s major urban centres.
Real ESG impact doesn’t happen in panels alone, it happens in the rooms where financiers, operators, and policymakers actually align. Our GreenShift Forum 2026 cuts the noise, bringing together the people rewiring Africa’s sustainability and energy frameworks for one focused day in Nairobi. Secure your seat.
Go to TECHTRENDSKE.co.ke for more tech and business news from the African continent and across the world.
Follow us on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter, and Facebook, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any future updates. Send tips to editorial@techtrendsmedia.co.ke
