NCBA Group has urged Kenyan corporates to position themselves to attract global investment as the lender unveiled a new five-year strategy aimed at strengthening its role in financing key sectors of the economy.
The bank made the call during the 2026 NCBA Corporate Golf Day at Karen Country Club in Nairobi, where business leaders gathered to discuss Kenya’s growing appeal to international investors.
Recent developments including Nedbank Group’s proposed acquisition of a 66% stake in NCBA, the Kenyan government’s sale of a 15% stake in Safaricom to Vodacom, and Diageo’s plan to sell its 65% stake in East African Breweries Limited to Japan’s Asahi Group Holdings highlight increasing foreign capital flows into the country’s strategic sectors.
“Kenya’s role as a regional financial hub, supported by strong institutions, sophisticated markets and a dynamic technology sector, makes it a natural anchor for investment,” said James Gossip, managing director for NCBA Kenya.
He said the bank was strengthening its digital banking offerings, including its Connect Plus platform, to help businesses integrate across value chains and operate more efficiently in a digital-first economy.
Agriculture remains central to Kenya’s economy, contributing more than 20% of gross domestic product directly and over 30% when value chain linkages are included, while financial services and ICT each account for about 8–9% of GDP.
NCBA said its corporate banking footprint spans several key sectors, including banking seven of the country’s top 10 SACCOs, financing 60% of the sugar industry, and supporting more than half of the tea sector and about 30% of the floriculture industry.
The lender also launched its UBUNTU Strategy 2026–2030, which it said aims to strengthen collaboration with businesses and institutions while focusing on long-term growth.
As part of its sustainability agenda, the bank distributed 5,000 tree seedlings to participants at the event, contributing to its target of growing 10 million trees by 2030.