NCBA Group this week convened leading
decision-makers from across Kenya’s strategic sectors at the 2026 NCBA Corporate
Golf Day held at Karen Country Club to examine why the world is betting and
banking big on Kenya.
Recent developments, including Nedbank Group’s proposed 66% stake in NCBA, the
Government of Kenya’s 15% Safaricom stake sale to Vodacom, and Diageo’s sale of its
65% stake in East African Breweries Limited to Asahi Group Holdings, reflect deepening
capital flows into strategic sectors and a broader shift toward scale, digital integration,
and long-term value creation across the region.
“Kenya’s role as a regional financial hub, supported by strong institutions, sophisticated
markets and a dynamic technology sector, makes it a natural anchor for investment,”
commented James Gossip, NCBA Managing Director, Kenya.
“We are looking into the processes and identifying connections between different value
chains. The manufacturing landscape expects more, which is why we’re redefining what
it means to bank with NCBA through platforms like Connect Plus to help businesses
thrive in a digital-first world,” he added.
Agriculture alone contributes more than 20% of GDP directly and over 30% including
value chain linkages, employing the majority of the rural population and driving critical
exports such as tea and floriculture. Financial services and ICT each contribute close to
8–9% of GDP, reinforcing Kenya’s position as a regional capital and innovation hub,
while manufacturing and infrastructure remain central to industrialisation, job creation
and trade expansion.
NCBA’s leadership across these sectors is reflected in its market reach banking 7 of the
top 10 SACCOs, serving 55% of diplomatic missions, partnering with 40% of
international NGOs, financing 60% of the sugar industry, and supporting over 50% of
the tea sector and 30% of the floriculture industry.
The event also marked the launch of the UBUNTU Strategy 2026–2030, a belief-driven
approach that seeks to build a community grounded in shared ambition, mutual growth
and lasting trust.