176
Commercial International Bank (CIB) Kenya is setting its sights on reshaping the country’s banking landscape through a digital-first approach and innovative lending models that focus on small businesses and regional trade.
Chief Executive Officer, Abhinav Nehra, said the bank’s mission goes beyond traditional banking metrics, as it seeks to solve real-life financial challenges faced by Kenyans.
“When we talk about banking, we don’t just mean balance sheets or ratios,” Nehra said in an interview with The Kenyan Wall Street. “It’s about helping the tea farmer in Kericho who struggles with delayed export payments, or parents facing endless paperwork to pay their child’s school fees abroad. Banking should make life easier, not harder.”
Formerly known as Mayfair Bank, the lender rebranded to CIB Kenya in 2023 after Commercial International Bank Egypt acquired full ownership. CIB Egypt, which is the largest private bank in Egypt and the third most profitable in Africa, recorded a net profit of $1 billion in 2023 and is targeting $1.5 billion in 2024.
According to Nehra, that financial strength is supporting CIB Kenya’s expansion and its long-term goal of building a pan-African banking hub from Nairobi.
“Our ambition is not just to succeed in Kenya but to grow into a pan-African hub,” Nehra said. “The group has invested capital far beyond regulatory requirements, not just for compliance but to support trade and economic growth between Egypt and Kenya.”
Digital banking over brick-and-mortar branches
CIB Kenya operates six branches across Nairobi, Mombasa, and Eldoret, but unlike other banks that continue to expand their physical networks, the lender is betting on digital infrastructure. It is deploying the Temenos T24 core banking system, already used in Egypt, which allows quick upgrades and new product rollouts.
“Africa doesn’t need hundreds of costly branches,” Nehra explained. “Once people trust the brand, the real competition is in digital banking.”
The bank’s digital strategy is aimed at creating convenience and faster access to financial services, especially for small businesses and individuals who are typically underserved by traditional banks.
Cash flow–based lending for SMEs
One of the bank’s most ambitious plans is to grow its loan book using cash flow–based lending, instead of the usual asset-backed loans. The model focuses on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that have stable revenues but lack collateral.
“Africa’s backbone is SMEs. Many have good cash flows but no land titles or assets to pledge,” Nehra said. “Our model is to fund them based on performance, not property.”
If successful, this approach could expand credit access in Kenya’s conservative banking system, where collateral requirements often lock out small entrepreneurs.
CIB Kenya is also introducing prepaid cards tailored for education, health, tourism, and trade. Nehra believes prepaid cards remain an underutilized product in Kenya, even though they are common elsewhere.
“Imagine tourists arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, completing KYC, and walking away with a loaded prepaid card,” he said. “It eliminates the stress of currency exchange and cash handling.”
In addition, the bank recently launched a daily-interest savings account, targeting retail customers who want instant returns on deposits.
Strengthening trade ties between Egypt and Kenya
Trade finance remains a major pillar of CIB Kenya’s strategy. Egypt is currently the largest buyer of Kenyan tea, and CIB already serves several major exporters. The bank is also helping Kenyan and Egyptian manufacturers form cross-border partnerships that enable joint production and market access.
“We are not just supporting trade in Kenya but across COMESA,” Nehra said. “That’s where the synergies between Egypt and Kenya are strongest.”
Customer experience at the centre
Beyond financial products, CIB Kenya is bringing Egypt’s unique “five-star branch experience” to Nairobi. In Cairo, the bank is known for hiring staff from the hospitality industry to create a more personalised customer service culture.
“That’s what we want to bring to Kenya. Banking should feel personal, not just transactional,” Nehra added.
As CIB Egypt marks its 50th anniversary, the Kenyan subsidiary is emerging as a symbol of the group’s African expansion strategy. With a strong capital base, innovative lending, and trade facilitation between the two nations, CIB Kenya hopes to challenge established local and international banks.
“Our role is not only to lend,” Nehra concluded, “but to support Kenya’s economic ambitions, deepen Egypt–Kenya trade, and build a true African banking success story.”
