KCB Group Plc disbursed KSh48.8 billion in green financing in 2025 to support environmentally sustainable projects across East Africa, reinforcing its commitment to climate resilience and inclusive economic growth.
According to the Group’s 2025 Sustainability Report themed Transitioning Economies, the financing supported renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, green buildings, clean transportation, water management, and climate-smart investments. Of the total amount, KSh9.9 billion was independently verified as climate-eligible through the Climate Assessment for Financial Institutions (CAFI) tool.
KCB also screened transactions worth KSh587.9 billion under its Environmental and Social Due Diligence framework across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. The move enabled the lender to exceed its strategic goal of allocating 25 per cent of total lending to green projects, reaching 25.84 per cent in 2025 compared to 21.6 per cent in 2024.
KCB Group CEO Paul Russo said the bank is intentionally aligning its financing decisions and business strategy to strengthen climate resilience and support sustainable enterprise growth across the region.
“KCB seeks to be a bigger player in shaping a robust and sustainable financial ecosystem throughout East Africa by continuously developing tailored green financing solutions for MSMEs, households, and corporates in order to support the adoption of sustainable practices across key sectors.
This will be enabled through strengthened partnerships with global climate financiers to mobilise capital at scale, product innovation and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon and climate resilient economy throughout the region,” said Russo.
Beyond financing, KCB intensified environmental conservation efforts through its tree-growing campaign, surpassing its 2025 target of 1.5 million trees by planting more than 3.5 million trees through over 200 tree-planting initiatives conducted with 1,778 schools and partners.
The lender also expanded clean energy adoption in education through its Learning Institutions Customer Value Proposition programme, financing 266 schools with KSh782.5 million to transition to cleaner cooking systems.
Additionally, KCB advanced its solar energy programme with installations completed in 16 branches and plans underway to extend solar power to 30 more branches in 2026.
These initiatives contributed to a 2 per cent reduction in fuel and electricity use and helped the Group achieve a 13 per cent reduction in emissions.
Through the KCB Foundation, the Group supported more than 265,300 jobs and reached 16,549 youth through workforce readiness and skills development programmes. A further 38,635 youth-led enterprises benefited from business support under the 2Jiajiri Young Africa Works programme.
KCB also disbursed KSh149 billion to women-led businesses under its Female-Led and Made Enterprise programme, advancing its five-year commitment to unlock KSh250 billion for women entrepreneurs.
In its financial inclusion agenda, the bank extended formal banking services to 20,299 refugees and issued KSh71.4 million in loans to refugee-owned businesses using UNHCR identification documentation.
The sustainability report, published alongside the Group’s 2025 Integrated Report, marks KCB’s third sustainability report to undergo limited assurance review and reflects early adoption of IFRS S1 and S2 sustainability reporting standards ahead of the mandatory 2027 implementation timeline.