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NCBA Supports 42 Women Entrepreneurs with KSh 450M To Grow Agri-Food Businesses
NCBA Group has launched the second cohort of 42 women entrepreneurs under the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) acceleration programme, reinforcing efforts to improve access to finance, skills, and markets for women-led agribusinesses in Kenya.
The initiative, implemented in partnership with the African Guarantee Fund (AGF) and Unga Group Plc, aims to strengthen women-owned SMEs operating across the agri-food value chain.
The programme comes at a time when women entrepreneurs across Africa continue to face significant barriers to financing, including limited collateral and smaller loan allocations.
Millions Already Disbursed to Women-Led SMEs
According to NCBA Group, 38 women entrepreneurs from the first cohort have already benefited from the programme, collectively receiving USD 1.5 million in financing alongside technical training and business support.
The second cohort, onboarded in February 2026, builds on that momentum, with NCBA expected to provide up to USD 5 million in lending across both cohorts by July 2026.
The selected women entrepreneurs operate in critical sectors including:
- Human food production
- Animal feed processing
- Agribusiness value chains
The programme is expected to strengthen food security while supporting enterprise growth and job creation across the country.
Integrated Support Beyond Financing
Speaking during the launch, Dennis Njau said the initiative reflects the bank’s commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs through practical and inclusive financing solutions.
“This programme aims to support women business owners across the agricultural value chain who often face additional structural constraints through an integrated approach comprising access to skills, markets and finance,” he said.
He added that the programme aligns with NCBA’s Ubuntu philosophy of building solutions around customer needs while enabling productivity and long-term growth.
The programme combines:
- Affordable financing
- Business mentorship
- Technical skills development
- Industry exposure
- Market access opportunities
The integrated support model is expected to create approximately 300 jobs while strengthening the resilience and scalability of 80 women-led SMEs.
NCBA Supports 42 Women Entrepreneurs with KSh 450M To Grow Agri-Food Businesses
Bridging Africa’s Financing Gap
Across Africa, women-owned businesses continue to face an estimated USD 42 billion financing gap due to structural barriers that limit access to credit.
Additionally, to address this challenge, the programme uses a tailored financing structure supported through a partial guarantee agreement between NCBA Group and the African Guarantee Fund.
Patrick Lumumba said the partnership is helping reduce the financing barriers that have historically affected women entrepreneurs.
“By de-risking lending, we are enabling financial institutions to extend more capital to women entrepreneurs, ultimately driving inclusive growth and job creation,” he said.
Partnerships Driving Growth
As part of the collaboration, Unga Group Plc is serving as the programme’s learning partner by providing industry expertise and practical exposure within the agri-food sector.
James Nyutu said empowering women entrepreneurs strengthens not only individual businesses but also Kenya’s broader food production ecosystem.
Meanwhile, Linda Onyango noted that the programme is focused on creating sustainable business growth through integrated support systems that combine financing, mentorship, and technical training.
Ultimately, the partnership reflects growing efforts by financial institutions and industry players to build more inclusive financing ecosystems that empower women entrepreneurs to scale competitively and sustainably within Kenya’s agricultural economy.
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