By Boniface Mulu
Kitui County, Kenya: The National Commercial Bank of Africa (NCBA) Kitui Branch was officially opened on Friday, November 8, 2024. The Kitui County Governor, Dr. Julius Makau Malombe was the event’s chief guest.
The Kitui Branch is the National Commercial Bank of Africa’s newest branch in Kenya. The bank has a total of 97 branches across the country. The NCBA Bank is the result of a merger between the National Industrial Credit (NIC) Bank of Kenya and the Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA) in 2019.
Group Managing Director, John Gachora, said the bank expanded its presence in the Kitui and Nyandarua Counties to drive the regional economic growth. “Fresh from expanding its network in Nyandarua last week, the NCBA has today announced the official opening of a new branch in Kitui County, located at the Chief Kitonga Building in Kitui Town. This speaks to the bank’s reinforcement of its commitment to fostering economic growth and supporting the financial needs of local communities across Kenya,” Gachora said.
The banker added that the NCBA’s presence in Kitui County seeks to empower the local economy with accessible and affordable financial products that meet the diverse needs of the community. “The new branch introduces specialized financial solutions such as construction loans and asset financing for essentials like the hardware and school buses, directly supporting the Kitui’s economic growth and infrastructure development,” he added. “The market in Kitui presents numerous untapped opportunities and as the NCBA we are committed to further broadening our impact. Last week we were in Nyahururu within the Nyandarua County taking a step forward to serve the people of the Nyandarua and Laikipia Counties.”
“This speaks to a total population of 1,156,849, according to Kenya’s 2019 national census. As we all know that is a region celebrated for its extensive agricultural output and captivating tourist destinations like the famous Thomson Falls, and Ol Jogi Wildlife Conservancy just to mention but a few, and really offers a vibrant landscape for development,” the NCBA official said.
“Today we are here in Kitui and as part of our expansion strategy, the bank plans to introduce the public sector banking and on-board clients in sectors such as schools, churches, saccos, colleges, petrol stations, hospitals, hotels, driving the financial inclusion across this county that has a population of about 1.2 million industrious people, Gachora said. He also said the bank’s entry into Kitui and Nyandarua Counties has stimulated a rapid growth in customer base.
“To date, the branch in Kitui serves some 668 customers while the one in Nyahururu, Nyandarua County located at the NCBA Plaza, formerly the T-Falls Plaza, has a total of 430 customers and still growing. All these customers are keenly interested in the NCBA’s broad range of financial products including asset finance, construction loans, fixed deposits, money market accounts, and trade finance,” the official said. “These branches are demonstrating strong financial performance, reinforcing the NCBA’s role as a trusted financial partner in the regions,” he said. “Additionally, the bank aims to create pathways to prosperity for individuals, businesses, and key sectors, catering to popular customer needs through solutions like the NCBA Till, mobile banking, online banking, and PDQ machines. These services provide enhanced accessibility and transaction ease,” Gachora said.
NCBA Group Retail Banking Director, Tirus Mwithiga said: “Kitui is a region full of promise and we are committed to helping our customers here reach their financial goals by introducing accessible financial solutions and engaging directly with the community. The NCBA aims to be more than a bank. We aim to be a partner in the Kitui’s journey of growth.” He said that to strengthen community ties and ensure customer satisfaction, the NCBA has also implemented strategic engagement initiatives including daily market activations, market storming, and personalized client visits.
“With a dedicated team of 9 staff members at the Kitui Branch and eight staff members in the Nyahururu Branch, the NCBA is committed to delivering high-quality customer-centric services that will contribute to the county’s economic resilience and prosperity,” he said, adding that the bank’s expansion in both Kitui and Nyandarua Counties reaffirms the bank’s ongoing commitment to the regional development and customer accessibility. “The bank now has a total of 97 branches, Kitui being the 96th while Nyahururu is the 97th.”
The NCBA Group is a full-service banking group providing a broad range of financial products and services to corporate, institutional, small and medium enterprises, and consumer banking customers. It operates a network of more than 100 branches in five countries namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and the Ivory Coast. Serving over 60 million customers, the NCBA Group is the largest banking group in Africa by customer numbers. The NCBA Bank Kenya PLC is Kenya’s third-largest bank by assets.
The bank is set to play a key role in supporting Africa’s economic ambitions. The Bank is a market leader in corporate banking, asset finance, and digital banking. The NCBA Group Company Secretary Kathryne Maundu also addressed the event where she said: “I am honored to be here today at the grand opening of the NCBA’s newest branch in Kitui. As we open our doors today, we are investing in the future of Kitui. This is a testament to our commitment to expanding our services and a reflection of our dedication to empowering the communities we serve.”
