SBM Bank Kenya has opened its 34th branch located in Nanyuki Town, Peak Place Building, targeting conservancies, flower and horticulture exporters, SMEs, farmers, and institutional customers with a dedicated local banking services.
Currently, businesses and residents across the Laikipia region have had to travel out of the county for full-service and relationship-led banking.
This gap has constrained access to credit to entrepreneurs, day-to-day transactional banking and tailored financial services despite the region driving a significant share of Kenya's tourism and agricultural exports.
The new branch aims to close that gap, providing conservancies, flower and horticulture exporters, SMEs, farmers, and institutional customers with a dedicated local banking partner, supported by in-person advisory and a tailored digital banking suite.
SBM Bank Kenya CEO, Bhartesh Shah, said: “Nanyuki is exactly the kind of market our strategy is built for. The region is a high growth economy where relationship banking and digital convenience should work together,” said
He added: “We are determined to bring banking closer to our customers at a time when our own numbers show the model is working. This branch is not a one-off activity, it is proof that we can back our growth ambitions with a strong balance sheet.”
The Laikipia region is currently a service district built around Mt. Kenya's conservancy economy, including Ol Pejeta, Lewa, Borana and Loisaba, alongside high-end tourism lodges, large scale flower and horticulture exporters, the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK), and a growing pool of SMEs, real estate developers and agribusinesses in Nanyuki and Timau.
Speaking at the launch of the new branch, H.E. Joshua Irungu, Governor, Laikipia County said, “Laikipia's economy has thriving sectors that create a perfect investment environment, especially for the private sector.”
He added: “I take this opportunity to invite the private sector to take a serious look at what our region has to offer. From agribusiness and tourism to real estate and manufacturing, the potential here is enormous, and we are ready to work with partners who share our ambition for this region.
The branch launch follows SBM Bank’s financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2026, which showed the Bank's sharpest earnings growth in recent years.
Profit before tax rose 171.3 per cent to Sh548 million, while net profit after tax climbed 88.2 per cent to Sh380.2 million and operating profit nearly quadrupled, up 279 per cent to Sh852 million.
Customer deposits grew 24 per cent to Sh94 billion and net loans and advances rose 18 per cent to Sh54.1 billion, taking total assets to Sh109.9 billion, up from Sh105.7 billion at the end of December 2025.
Asset quality improved sharply, with the gross non-performing loan ratio nearly halving to 17.3 per cent from 32.4 per cent a year earlier, while shareholders' equity strengthened to Sh11.1 billion.
The Nanyuki branch is SBM's newest outlet since it opened another branch in Kilifi in July 2025.
The Bank now records a nationwide network of 34 branches, a deliberate strategy to deepen market penetration and improve accessibility in emerging commercial hubs beyond Kenya's major urban centres.
