CBK Reveals Banks Offering Cheap Loans to Kenyans in 2026 [FULL LIST]

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has released its latest report on commercial bank interest rates for January 2026, highlighting the banks offering the most affordable loans in the country.

In a notice dated Thursday, February 26, 2026, the regulator’s data showed that the overall industry average lending rate settled at 14.81%, with variation across individual banks. The report highlighted the differences in rates among commercial banks, ranging from some of the lowest to the highest in the sector.

According to the report, Citibank N.A Kenya offered the lowest average lending rate at 10.19%, followed by Stanbic Bank Kenya at 12.35%, Standard Chartered Bank at 12.38%, Ecobank Kenya at 12.54%, and Habib A.G Zurich at 13.23%.

CBK Reveals Data of Banks Offering Cheap Loans

Other affordable lenders included Guardian Bank Limited (13.51%), ABSA Bank Kenya PLC (13.76%), Bank of Baroda (Kenya) Limited (13.87%), and Consolidated Bank of Kenya Limited (13.99%).

Also Read: Equity Bank Announces Cheaper Loans for Customers After CBK Lowers CBR Rate

Banks with mid-range rates, close to the national average, included Prime Bank (14.05%), Bank of India (14.11%), Gulf African Bank (14.14%), Equity Bank (14.68%), I&M Bank (14.81%), Paramount Bank (14.48%), Victoria Commercial Bank (14.51%), Guaranty Trust Bank (K) Ltd (14.74%), Premier Bank (14.78%), Diamond Trust Bank (14.88%), M-Oriental Bank (14.97%), KCB Bank Kenya Limited (15.21%), CIB (15.49%), and Co-operative Bank of Kenya (15.51%).

Banks Offering Loans with More than 15.5% Interest

Among lenders in the higher interest bracket, several banks charged more than 15.5%, including African Banking Corporation (15.53%), NCBA Bank (15.60%), National Bank of Kenya (15.72%), Family Bank (15.98%), UBA Kenya (16.02%), Sidian Bank (16.21%), Kingdom Bank (16.23%), DIB Bank Kenya (16.40%), Development Bank of Kenya (16.71%), Middle East Bank (K) (17.21%), SBM Bank Kenya (17.83%), HFC Limited (17.91%), Bank of Africa Kenya (18.12%), Credit Bank PLC (18.96%), and Access Bank (Kenya) PLC, which recorded the highest average rate at 19.37%.

Also Read: Relief for Borrowers as CBK Cuts Lending Rates by 25 Basis Points

The report released by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) comes days after the regulator lowered its base lending rate. On February 10, 2026, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) reduced the Central Bank Rate (CBR) by 25 basis points, bringing it down to 8.75% from 9.00%.

This marked the tenth consecutive rate cut in an ongoing easing cycle that began from a high of 13% in mid-2024, representing a cumulative reduction of 425 basis points.

The decision was aimed at stimulating private sector lending, which has been gradual and recently reached about 6.4%, supporting broader economic activity amid contained inflation, which eased to 4.4% in January 2026, well within the 2.5–7.5% target range, and benefiting from a stable Kenyan shilling alongside declining non-performing loans, which have fallen to 15.5%.

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