Stanbic Bank has expanded its support for small and medium-sized businesses, directing Sh105.73 million in catalytic funding to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in 2025 as part of a wider push to strengthen enterprise growth, job creation and long-term economic stability across its markets.
The lender says the financing is aimed at helping small businesses that often struggle to access traditional credit, while also improving resilience and supporting them to grow and create employment opportunities. Since 2021, the bank’s total catalytic funding and grants have now reached Sh288.1 million.
The updates are contained in Stanbic Bank’s 2025 Sustainability Report released on Wednesday, which shows how sustainability has been integrated into the bank’s core operations alongside financial performance.
Speaking during the report’s launch, Stanbic Holdings Chief Executive Dr. Joshua Oigara said sustainability has become a key driver of the bank’s direction and value creation.
"Leading our regional team through another year of significant global and local challenges has reinforced a fundamental belief that our commitment to sustainability is the clearest expression of our purpose, 'Kenya/South Sudan is our home, we drive her growth,'"
He noted that the bank is not only providing financing but also helping businesses build capacity through skills development and access to wider markets.
In the year under review, Stanbic facilitated Sh133 billion in trade financing, beating its Sh90 billion target and rising from Sh76 billion recorded in 2024. The funding supported about 5,750 businesses operating along the Africa-China trade corridor, offering working capital for import and export activities.
The bank also channelled Sh2.5 billion into climate-smart agriculture loans, pushing agriculture to account for nearly 10 per cent of its total loan portfolio.
Head of Sustainability at Stanbic Bank, Priscilla Were, said the bank’s sustainability agenda continues to evolve in line with the needs of customers, communities and markets.
"Our approach is anchored in two things: maximising positive impact while concurrently managing risk, and ensuring that the way we do business is as important as the outcomes we deliver,"
She said the bank’s work is structured around four key pillars: financial health and inclusion, business growth and job creation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and infrastructure development.
Under financial inclusion, Stanbic supported more than 6,700 women-owned enterprises with Sh100 million in targeted funding. It also provided Sh1.8 billion in affordable housing financing and extended Sh49.5 billion in loans to women through its D.A.D.A proposition.
The bank further trained more than 126,000 women in entrepreneurship and financial literacy, while also backing youth-focused digital skills programmes aimed at improving employability and business readiness.
Stanbic said it disbursed more than Sh105 million in catalytic funding to MSMEs in 2025, aimed at helping small businesses access capital, scale operations and create jobs.
Beyond financing, the lender continued aligning its operations with global frameworks, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Global Compact.
The report also highlights that while expanding its sustainability agenda, the bank maintained steady financial performance, with profit after tax holding at Sh13.7 billion in 2025. Trade facilitation rose sharply to Sh133 billion from Sh76 billion the previous year.
Affordable housing financing stood at Sh1.8 billion during the year, pushing cumulative funding in the segment to Sh4.5 billion, while green financing increased to 4 per cent of the total loan book.
"As we launch this report today, we reaffirm a simple belief: strong financial performance and meaningful social, economic and environmental impact are interdependent priorities,"
Stanbic Bank said it will continue focusing on balancing profitability with social and environmental impact, while deepening support for enterprises, households and climate-related investments.