NCBA Group has posted a Sh6 billion net profit for the first three months of 2026, marking a nine per cent increase compared to the same period last year, driven by strong income growth and expansion in digital lending.
The lender said the performance was supported by its new strategy focused on strengthening core operations, scaling high-growth business segments, and expanding into new markets.
Operating income rose 15 per cent to Sh20 billion, while profit before tax increased by nine per cent to Sh7.4 billion.
Customer deposits climbed 10 per cent to Sh544 billion, with total assets growing 13 per cent to Sh741 billion.
NCBA managing director John Gachora said the bank recorded strong revenue growth across its key business lines despite a challenging operating environment.
“Operating income increased by 15 per cent year-on-year, reflecting sustained business growth, improved revenue diversification and continued resilience across core operating segments,” he said.
However, the bank increased provisions for possible loan defaults by 56 per cent to Sh2.5 billion as it adopted a cautious approach to credit risk management.
“Increased impairment charges were driven by a prudent approach to credit risk assessment given the heightened volatile operating environment,” Gachora added.
NCBA Bank Kenya remained the group’s biggest earnings contributor, with profit before tax rising 20 per cent to Sh6.5 billion.
Regional subsidiaries in Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda delivered a combined profit before tax of Sh707 million, while non-banking units, including investment banking, insurance, leasing and bancassurance, posted a combined Sh641 million in profit before tax.
The group also reported strong growth in wealth management and insurance businesses. Assets under management at NCBA Investment Bank grew to Sh101.5 billion, while the number of wealth management customers surpassed 60,000.
Its insurance subsidiaries recorded Sh5 billion in gross written premiums as the lender pushed to integrate insurance products into its banking services.
Digital banking continued to be a major growth driver, with 98 per cent of all transactions conducted through digital channels. Digital loan disbursements rose 27 per cent to Sh391 billion during the quarter.
NCBA said investments in technology infrastructure, cybersecurity and AI-powered customer onboarding helped improve system uptime to 99.74 per cent and boosted customer experience.
The bank is also betting on growth in asset financing and SME lending. Its vehicle marketplace platform CarDuka has attracted nearly seven million users, while the newly launched NCBA Boosta SME lending product is expected to support small businesses after the lender advanced Sh8.3 billion to MSMEs in the quarter.
The lender said its planned transaction with Nedbank Group remains on course, with key milestones progressing as planned.
