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NCBA Urges Families to Plan Early as Wealth Transfers Accelerate
The bank is encouraging families and business owners to integrate succession, governance and investment planning into long-term wealth management.
Nairobi, Kenya – August 27, 2026 – As growing amounts of private wealth move towards a new generation of owners, NCBA Group is encouraging families and business owners to start succession and legacy planning early to protect wealth built over decades and ensure its continuity across generations.
The call came during NCBA’s Intergenerational Wealth Forum, which brought together families, entrepreneurs, wealth specialists and other stakeholders to examine the financial, legal and governance considerations shaping the transition of wealth.
Preparing the Next Generation
Globally, more than US$83 trillion is expected to be transferred over the next two decades, with approximately US$74 trillion projected to move directly between generations. The scale of the transition highlights the need for families to prepare not only for the transfer of wealth, but also for its preservation and growth.
Africa is also experiencing significant growth in private wealth. According to the Africa Wealth Report 2025, the continent is home to approximately 122,500 dollar millionaires, with this population projected to grow by 65 per cent over the next decade.
Kenya has approximately 6,800 dollar millionaires, with about 4,200 based in Nairobi. Meanwhile, more than 13,000 succession cases are currently pending before Kenyan courts, highlighting the challenges that can arise when families do not plan adequately for the transfer of assets and businesses.
Speaking during the forum, NCBA Group Managing Director John Gachora said succession planning has become an increasingly important part of long-term wealth management.
“Every successful enterprise eventually reaches a point where the conversation must evolve from how wealth is created to how it is preserved, protected and passed on. This transition is happening now, and families need to prepare for it,” said Gachora.
He noted that successful wealth transfer goes beyond determining who inherits assets. Families also need to consider governance, prepare the next generation and understand the legal, tax and investment implications of succession.
NCBA Urges Families to Plan Early as Wealth Transfers Accelerate
From Wealth Creation to Wealth Preservation
“Without deliberate planning, wealth can become a source of complexity rather than opportunity. The greatest legacy is not merely the wealth we leave behind, but the values, continuity and opportunities we pass on,” Gachora said.
Discussions at the forum focused on family business succession, estate planning, governance, investment structures, tax considerations and preparing younger generations to become responsible stewards of family wealth.
Experts from Bowmans and Strategic Consultants Ltd also shared insights on estate planning, governance, legal structures and the complexities surrounding intergenerational wealth transfer.
NCBA is supporting families through a wealth proposition that spans Wealth Management, Life Insurance and Investment Advisory, alongside specialist partners in legal, tax and estate planning.
The bank’s Relationship Managers work with clients to understand their long-term aspirations and connect them with the expertise needed to navigate increasingly complex wealth decisions.
Building Legacies That Last
The bank’s approach reflects a broader shift in how affluent families are thinking about wealth.
Rather than viewing succession as an event that happens after a business owner dies, families are increasingly encouraged to treat it as a long-term process involving governance, financial planning and the preparation of future generations.
For NCBA, this aligns with its broader commitment to Banking on Belief and Empowering Ambition by helping customers build, preserve and structure wealth for future generations.
“The greatest legacy is not merely the wealth we leave behind, but the values, continuity and opportunities we pass on,” said Gachora.
As wealth changes hands across generations, early planning could determine whether family assets become a lasting foundation for future opportunity or a source of disputes and fragmentation.
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