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NCBA Group H1 Profit Rises 12.2% to KES 12.4 Billion
Operating income, digital lending and customer deposits record double-digit growth
NCBA Group PLC has reported a 12.2 per cent increase in profit after tax to KES 12.4 billion for the first half of 2026, up from KES 11.0 billion recorded during the same period in 2025.
The Group’s strong performance was supported by higher operating income, continued growth in digital lending, customer deposits and total assets, reflecting sustained business activity across its markets.
Operating income rose by 15.1 per cent year-on-year to KES 40.7 billion, while profit before tax increased by 14.3 per cent to KES 15.5 billion. Customer deposits grew by 11 per cent to KES 551 billion, with total assets also rising 11.5 per cent to KES 739 billion.
Digital lending remained a key growth driver, with the Group disbursing KES 819 billion in digital loans during the period, representing a 26.9 per cent increase compared to the first half of 2025.
The Board also declared an interim dividend of KES 3.75 per share, up from KES 2.50 paid during the same period last year.
Strong Business Momentum
NCBA Group Managing Director John Gachora said the Group delivered resilient growth despite a challenging operating environment.
“The first half of 2026 was marked by a dynamic operating environment with pressure on inflation and a cautious policy approach by the regional Central Banks. Our focused execution of the UBUNTU strategy has ensured that we delivered a resilient total income growth of 15.1 per cent, reflecting healthy business volumes, improved margins and continued customer activity,” he said.
He added that the Group maintained disciplined lending while strengthening its balance sheet through customer deposit growth.
“We have increased provisions to KES 5.2 billion, reflecting the realities of the current operating environment, which positions us well to absorb potential risks.”
Kenya Business Drives Performance
The Kenya banking subsidiary remained the Group’s largest profit contributor, posting a 24.3 per cent increase in profitability to KES 13.7 billion.
Regional subsidiaries in Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda recorded a combined profit of KES 1.6 billion, supported by a 25 per cent growth in lending and an 11 per cent increase in income.
Meanwhile, NCBA’s non-banking businesses, including NCBA Investment Bank, Leasing, Bancassurance and NCBA Insurance, posted a combined profit of KES 1.1 billion, representing a 40 per cent year-on-year increase.
CBA Group H1 Profit Rises 12.2% to KES 12.4 Billion
Digital Transformation and SME Growth
During the period, NCBA invested KES 2.4 billion in technology infrastructure to accelerate artificial intelligence adoption, strengthen cybersecurity and improve operational resilience.
The investment contributed to system uptime of 99.68 per cent, while the recently launched NCBA ConnectPlus business banking platform was rolled out across the region.
The Group also expanded its wealth management business, growing assets under management to KES 101 billion while surpassing 60,000 active wealth clients.
Mobile banking continued to dominate customer transactions, accounting for 94 per cent of transaction volumes.
NCBA also deepened its support for small and medium-sized enterprises, with the SME loan book growing by 12 per cent to KES 44.7 billion.
Expanding New Growth Opportunities
The Group continued to strengthen strategic partnerships in asset finance, supporting electric vehicle financing and solar leasing while maintaining a 30 per cent market share in Kenya’s asset finance sector.
Its digital marketplace, CarDuka, facilitated vehicle sales worth KES 1.94 billion, while the KOMIUT digital transport platform processed more than KES 117 million in collections.
Retail banking also maintained strong momentum, with the Group acquiring more than 10,000 new core banking customers every month through digital onboarding, branch expansion and customer-focused campaigns.
Outlook
Looking ahead, Gachora said NCBA remains optimistic despite global economic uncertainties.
“While the global macroeconomic environment signals uncertainty leading to a softer growth projection of 3.1 per cent for 2026, the investor landscape remains vibrant with major regional expansion transaction deals expected to close in the second half of the year.”
He added that the Group remains confident that its UBUNTU strategy will continue to unlock new growth opportunities and deliver long-term value for customers, shareholders and the communities it serves.
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