Hard truths. Bold Insights. Real talk.
Data contained in the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Bank Supervision Annual Report 2025 shows that 788,853 deposit accounts had balances of Sh500,000 or more by December last year.
Speaking at the Islamic Finance Forum and Dialogue Conference 2026 organised by Radio Generation on Thursday, Asmali said Kenya’s history of financial innovation gave it an opportunity to become a leading Islamic finance hub in Africa.
Njoroge, who served as the ninth governor of CBK, was speaking in an interview on Monday, August 10, 2026, as he reflected on the challenges he faced during his tenure. He returned to Kenya after spending about 20 years at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), having previously worked at the Ministry of Finance. His appointment brought him back to a country he said had changed considerably during his long absence.
Kenya’s 25 most valuable brands have grown 3% to Sh349 billion, with banks dominating. Equity tops the list, KCB rises to second and Safaricom slips to third amid sector headwinds.
Kenya’s competition regulator has approved Zenith Bank’s acquisition of Paramount Bank, allowing the Nigerian lender to enter the market while requiring all 78 employees be retained for at least 12 months.
Kenya’s commercial banks have pushed core capital past Sh1 trillion, but 11 lenders remain below CBK’s Sh3 billion minimum, raising solvency and compliance concerns ahead of the December 2025 deadline.