mobile loans Stories

Business, emergency needs top reasons for loans in Sub-Saharan Africa, study finds
Alfred Onyango  |  Oct 03, 2025

Mobile lending apps lead in most markets, especially Uganda (37 per cent), Ghana (33 per cent), Kenya (30 per cent), Tanzania (27 per cent), and Niger...

More SACCOs register with FRC to fight money laundering, terrorism financing
Mary Wambui  |  Oct 03, 2025

The FRC tracks suspicious financial activities through reports filed by banks, mobile money providers, forex bureaus, and SACCOs. SASRA supervises SAC...

SASRA on the spot over alleged mismanagement, wrangles at Nandi Teachers Sacco
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Oct 03, 2025

National Assembly’s Public Petitions Committee, chaired by Muchangi Karemba, questioned David Sandagi on SASRA’s role in supervising the Sacco since i...

Thousands at risk of loan defaults as employers fail to remit Sh4.2 billion to Saccos
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 27, 2025

Deposit-taking Saccos, which dominate the industry with over 80 per cent of assets, loans, and deposits, showed improved financial strength.

Kenya nets Sh2.3 billion from international digital service providers
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 27, 2025

The bulk of the revenue came from the earlier Digital Service Tax (DST), which was introduced in June 2020 at 1.5 per cent of gross turnover before be...

HELB: Former students owe Sh32 billion in unpaid loans, 64,000 blacklisted
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 27, 2025

Currently, at least 708,000 students are enrolled in Kenyan universities, and over 100,000 graduated this year.

CS Oparanya calls for mergers to stabilise small SACCOs, strengthen sector
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 26, 2025

Currently, Sasra only oversees Saccos with deposits of Sh100 million or more, leaving many smaller co-operatives under the Commissioner of Co-operativ...

Senators demand reopening of HELB portal to allow more students to apply
Lucy Mumbi  |  Sep 25, 2025

Embu Senator Alexander Mundigi termed the premature closure of the portal as ill-timed, saying it has disadvantaged learners who had only recently acq...

Private sector credit surges to Sh10.7 billion in June as lending recovers
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 24, 2025

Further, the CBK’s consecutive reductions in the indicative lending rate, including the latest cut to 9.50 per cent in August, made loans more afforda...

National Assembly petition seeks to stop banks from charging interest beyond loans
Lucy Mumbi  |  Sep 24, 2025

According to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, the petition argues that while Section 44A of the Banking Act provides that interest on a non...

Kenyans drop fridges, sofas and cars as loan collateral, turn to livestock
Lucy Mumbi  |  Sep 22, 2025

Data from the Business Registration Services reveals that the total number of items pledged fell to 132,374 in the year ended June 30, with most Kenya...

HELB confirms full funding for university and TVET students despite past delays
Lucy Mumbi  |  Sep 16, 2025

Several students had reported delays in receiving their loans, which risked preventing them from registering for classes or sitting exams.

Saccos outpace banks with affordable loans, but face liquidity challenges - Sasra
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 16, 2025

The Central Bank of Kenya raised the base lending rate to 13 per cent in February 2024 and maintained it until August, driving some commercial lenders...

83 per cent of Kenya’s microloans under Sh1,000 go unpaid, says CBK
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 13, 2025

CBK statistics show that default rates drop as the size of the loan increases, with loans between Sh1,000 and Sh5,000 showing a 69.4 per cent non-perf...

Hustler Fund defaulters to lose access to SHA 'Lipa Pole Pole' initiative
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 13, 2025

Wycliffe Oparanya said that Kenyans who have failed to repay Hustler Fund loans will be barred from accessing credit from banks, SACCOs, and other fi...

Court trims interested parties in Hustler Fund’s legality case
Carolyne Kubwa  |  Sep 11, 2025

CBK, in its defence, insisted it has no role in the establishment or management of the fund, distancing itself from allegations touching on financing...

Oparanya: Hustler Fund loan defaulters to be locked out of bank, SACCO loans
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 11, 2025

The CS said the initiative was intended to provide affordable loans to the informal sector, which he described as “the backbone of Kenya’s economy.”

Judiciary rejects claims of bribery in decades-old KCB-Muiri case
Carolyne Kubwa  |  Sep 10, 2025

The case traces back to 1988 when KCB advanced a loan to Benjoh Amalgamated Ltd, secured by properties owned by the company and a 443-acre coffee esta...

CBK: Microfinance banks struggling with loan defaults amid shrinking deposits
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 04, 2025

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) reports that the 14 licensed microfinance institutions (MFBs) are finding it difficult to grow their lending portfolio...

HELB extends student loan application deadline
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 03, 2025

HELB confirmed that first-time applicants now have until September 14 to apply. Continuing students, meanwhile, have until September 7, extended from...

Nearly entire global population exposed to harmful environments - World Bank
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 02, 2025

The report highlights that in low-income countries the situation is even worse, with eight out of ten people lacking all three essentials: clean air,...

MPs warn of huge losses at NCPB, raise alarm over Kenya’s food security
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Aug 29, 2025

Among the worst financial mistakes highlighted was a disputed maize procurement contract that ended in arbitration, resulting in huge losses, with sev...

Senators warn Sh10 billion debt threatens NCPB operations ahead of harvest
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Aug 28, 2025

Fertiliser distribution to local stores was launched last year, but the board has yet to receive payment for the services rendered.

Kenyan banks’ asset value declines for first time in 23 years
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Aug 27, 2025

The Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) linked the latest decline to challenging economic conditions and an unstable macroeconomic environment.

Kenyan farmers abandon Hustler Fund for commercial and digital Loans, CBK survey shows
Lucy Mumbi  |  Aug 25, 2025

The survey, covering March to May 2025, found that 11 per cent of farmers who borrowed from the Hustler Fund and 13 per cent who relied on microfinanc...

Kenya secures Sh22 billion loan from Japan to boost industry, cut power bills
Lucy Mumbi  |  Aug 22, 2025

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi signed the deal on behalf of Kenya, while Mr Atsuo Kuroda, Chairman and CEO of Nippon Export and Investment I...

Universities directed to update student portals amid frustration over HELB delays
Lucy Mumbi  |  Aug 20, 2025

This comes even as most students reported that they have not received Helb funds released by the Ministry of Education on Tuesday, leaving many strugg...

Kenya and Japan sign yen-denominated loan deal to boost development, cut borrowing costs
Bashir Mbuthia  |  Aug 20, 2025

According to Reuters, while the loan’s pricing and terms were not disclosed, the deal builds on a February 2024 agreement between Kenya and NEXI to de...

HELB disburses Sh9.46 billion to over 309,000 university students, easing fee confusion
Lucy Mumbi  |  Aug 19, 2025

First-year students who reported to campuses on Monday, August 18, 2025, expressed confusion after many were unsure how much to pay following the gove...

First-year university students face chaos over upfront payments after fee reductions
Lucy Mumbi  |  Aug 18, 2025

Some students reported being asked to make upfront payments of up to Sh50,000 before admission, even as many await disbursement of loans from the High...

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