Murang’a businessman Francis Maina has been named the final grand winner of the just-concluded I&M Bank Shinda Millioni competition, closing a chapter marked by resilience, faith, and an unexpected turnaround.
Maina, who lost his businesses in a devastating fire last year, said the win represents a moment of renewal after months of struggle.
Guided by a friend, he opened an account with I&M Bank as part of rebuilding his financial stability, a move that ultimately led him to participate in the saving-based reward campaign.
“I describe myself as a man of faith. When I received the call from the I&M Bank Kenya CEO informing me that I had won, I asked if this was real. It was only when I visited the Kenol branch that staff confirmed I had indeed won Kshs 1 million,” he said.
The Shinda Millioni campaign ran from August 12 to November 12, 2025, rewarding customers who deposited funds into their personal and Solo Biz accounts. For every KES 2,000 saved, customers earned one point. The competition produced three million-shilling winners and 10 weekly winners of KES 50,000.
According to Eunice Kinyanjui, Head of Small Business at I&M Bank, the initiative underscores the Bank’s commitment to empowering small businesses and solo entrepreneurs, particularly through the Solo Biz Account — a product tailored for individuals running their own enterprises.
“Our focus is transforming the businesses of our customers, and this is why we continue to make the banking journey seamless,” she said.
The I&M Solo Biz Account offers a suite of benefits including no minimum balance, no monthly maintenance fees, free internal transfers, free bank-to-M-PESA transfers, daily transaction alerts, access to relationship managers, networking forums, personalized rewards, and a service guarantee for RTGS and SWIFT transfers. Account holders can also access unsecured loans of up to KES 5 million.
Evans Brown, Group Head of Product at I&M Bank, said the Bank plans to introduce more competitions and customer-focused products to further support small and growing enterprises.
For Maina, the KES 1 million win is more than a cash prize.
“This prize is a symbol of hope and renewal. I plan to use the money to boost my business, and a small portion will go towards celebrating with my family this festive season,” he said.
He joins earlier winners including Dorcas Wanga, who won KES 1 million just two weeks after opening her business account with an initial deposit of only KES 50 at the Kakamega branch.
The campaign’s conclusion marks a high point for Maina — a businessman who turned crisis into opportunity with the help of faith, persistence, and an unexpected phone call from his bank.