NCBA Bank convened over 100 industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and financial experts at its Annual Commercial Banking Forum, themed “Vision to Velocity,” emphasizing the need for commercial enterprises to adopt speed, structure, and informed decision-making to achieve sustainable growth.
Medium-Sized Enterprises Face Structural Challenges
The forum comes at a critical time as medium-sized businesses in Kenya continue to grapple with challenges such as weak governance frameworks, limited access to long-term financing, leadership transition gaps, and difficulties in scaling operations sustainably.
According to the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook Update, global GDP growth in 2026 is projected at 3.3%, while trade tensions, geopolitical uncertainties, and high public debt levels in major economies continue to influence currency and commodity markets.
In Kenya, positive signals include a resilient service sector, particularly tourism improved agricultural performance, and anticipated interest rate easing. However, fiscal pressures and high public debt remain key risks for private sector expansion.
Real-Time Market Intelligence Key to Growth
“In today’s dynamic economic environment, market intelligence is no longer optional. Businesses need real-time insights to manage foreign exchange exposure, optimize liquidity, and make strategic capital allocation decisions,” said Robert Kiboti, NCBA Director for Commercial and SME Banking, during the forum.
The engagement brought together enterprises across sectors including manufacturing, fintech, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, real estate and construction, professional services, agribusiness, import-export trade, and fashion and textiles.
Participants explored key considerations for sustainable growth, including governance structures, leadership capacity, operational resilience, succession planning, and disciplined execution.
Growth Demands Speed, Structure, and Insight
Keynote speaker Patrick Obath emphasized that modern business growth is no longer just about ambition. “Businesses that succeed are those that combine disciplined financial architecture with deep market insight and strong ecosystem partnerships,” he said.
Commercial Banking as a Growth Engine
Commercial banking remains a critical engine for sector growth, reflecting its increasing contribution to NCBA’s overall performance. The forum highlighted the importance of targeted, high-impact engagement beyond traditional financing, focusing on advisory services and strategic support for business expansion.
NCBA’s Commitment to Capacity Building
The engagement is part of NCBA’s broader commitment to capacity building and relationship-led banking, positioning the bank as a trusted advisor for commercial enterprises across the full growth lifecycle.
By fostering collaboration and strategic dialogue, NCBA aims to enable businesses to move decisively from strategy to execution, scaling, and sustained access to finance.