Theme and Focus

“Building Strong, Well-Capitalised and Fairly Priced Banks”

The 2026 theme reflects a defining transition in Kenya’s banking sector. As banks operate under higher minimum core capital requirements and the Central Bank of Kenya’s revised risk-based credit pricing regime, the focus has shifted beyond growth alone to resilience, fairness and long-term value creation.

This theme highlights institutions that are:

• Strong and well-capitalised – with robust balance sheets, prudent risk management and the capacity to withstand shocks.
• Fair and transparent in pricing – implementing CBK-aligned risk-based pricing models that customers can understand and trust.
• Customer-centric and market-responsible – translating regulatory and balance-sheet strength into inclusive access, fair credit and better outcomes for customers.

The theme underscores the imperative for banks to align capital strength with ethical market conduct, sustainable growth and transparency, ensuring that financial stability ultimately benefits customers and the broader economy.

1. New Theme Award Categories

   In line with the 2026 theme, four new award categories have been introduced:

   • Best Bank in Capital Strength & Resilience
   • Best Bank in Fair & Transparent Risk-Based Pricing
   • Best Bank in Strategic Consolidation & Capital Efficiency
   • Best Bank in Customer Value & Market Conduct

   Each category is supported by clear, question-based judging criteria, combining quantitative indicators and qualitative assessment to ensure transparency and consistency.

   Strengthened Judging & Governance

   The 2026 Awards are delivered in partnership with leading institutions to enhance rigor, independence and credibility:

   • Nation Media Group – Media Partner
   • PKF – Judging Process Partner
   • Strathmore Business School – Knowledge Partner
   • Craft Silicon – Technology Partner

   These partnerships ensure professional oversight, robust evaluation methodologies, secure data handling and authoritative industry insights.

The Think Business Banking Survey 2026 will be published alongside the Awards and aligned to the 2026 theme. The Survey will feature:

• Analysis on capital strength, pricing fairness and customer value
• Interviews with regulators and bank CEOs
• Bank rankings and ratings (2024–2025)
• Customer satisfaction, experience and pricing insights

Participation in the Awards and CES automatically feeds into the Survey, ensuring a coherent narrative across performance data, customer feedback and industry leadership perspectives.

Key Dates