Featured Summary:
- Africa trade corridors are attracting more banking and infrastructure capita
- Nairobi banks are expanding into East and Central African markets
- Copper and cobalt investment is bringing more business into the DRC, Zambia and Angola
- Kenya’s banking profits, payment links and tougher capital rules are drawing more institutions into Nairobi
Nedbank is paying about $842 million for 66% of NCBA. Access Bank has acquired National Bank of Kenya. Egypt’s CIB has expanded in the country, and Absa is increasing its exposure. Kenya’s banking sector generated about $2 billion in pretax profit in 2024.
Equity Group already holds about 24% of the DRC banking market and is seeking growth in Zambia, Angola and Mozambique.
The DRC and Zambia are major copper and cobalt producers, while the Lobito Corridor is receiving U.S. and European financing.
Kenya also connected PesaLink to PAPSS in February, opening another route for cross-border payments into its banking system.
Nairobi Is Cutting the Cost of Banking Across Borders
Cross-border payments in Africa still depend heavily on correspondent banks and hard currencies.
Kenya connected PesaLink to PAPSS in February 2026, allowing payments from participating African markets to reach Kenyan banks and mobile-money operators in local currencies.
NCBA already operates in Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. Nedbank’s investment puts it inside that regional network.
Kenya has also reopened commercial-bank licensing after a long moratorium, giving more institutions a route into the market.
Africa Trade Corridors Are Giving Nairobi Banks More Business
Equity Group is looking at Angola, Zambia and Mozambique after expanding in the DRC. Its management has tied that push to customers and trade routes, including markets around the Lobito Corridor.
The rail project has about $530 million in U.S. financing, with European institutions also backing the wider route.
Nedbank is also using NCBA to grow corporate banking and infrastructure finance. Both lenders are positioning around markets where copper, cobalt and infrastructure spending are drawing more commercial activity.
Kenya Is Making Banks Carry More Capital
Kenya is raising the minimum capital required of commercial banks from KSh1 billion in 2024 to KSh10 billion by 2032.
The banking sector had a capital adequacy ratio of 20% and average liquidity of 59.3% in December 2025, both above regulatory minimums.
KCB reported KSh90.9 billion in pretax profit for 2025, with 31% coming from operations outside Kenya. NCBA reported KSh12.4 billion in profit after tax for the first half of 2026.
Those results show Kenyan lenders are already earning beyond their home market as they expand along Africa trade corridors.
Nairobi’s Next Banking Profits Will Come From Regional Trade
More capital is moving into routes serving mineral exports and regional commerce across East and Central Africa.
Kenyan lenders already operate in several of those markets and are financing more of the companies using them.
Public debt and non-performing loans remain risks for Kenya’s banking sector. Kenyan banks are expanding along Africa trade corridors where corporate activity and infrastructure spending are rising.
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