Sidian Bank’s Shareholders Approve KES.1.5 Billion Additional Share Capital to Fund Growth.

Sidian Bank’s shareholders have approved the raising of additional share capital of1.5 billion shillings through a rights issue to fund growth initiatives aimed at driving the achievement of the Bank’s strategic goal of becoming a Tier 2 bank by 2022.

The additional capital will support the Bank’s growth plans including further investment in its trade finance business, which in 2017 registered significant growth of over 600 percent. The trade finance portfolio increased from 896 million shillings in 2016 to 6.6 billion shillings by close of 2017.

Other targeted areas are the loan book growth where the Bank will continue enabling entrepreneurs through lending to them. The capital will fund key strategic investments in 2018 including the upgrade of the Bank’s T24 core banking system to enhance customers’ experience and drive efficiencies.

It will be used to bolden a new robust internet banking platform that will accord customers’ increased convenience, reliability and choice to access the Bank’s products and services from anywhere as well as the opening of a new branch in Westlands that will increase the reach of its services to current and potential customers.

“The business growth envisaged through this investment will lead to increased profitability driven by nonfunded income from digital banking and trade finance. The increased capital will facilitate the exploration, innovation, and creation of solutions for wealth formation for our customers,” said Chege Thumbi, Sidian Bank C.E.O during the announcement.

Centum Investment Company Limited, the Bank’s largest shareholder, has taken up its full rights totaling 1.1 billion shillings. Dr. James Mworia, Chairman, Sidian Bank, emphasized the shareholder’s commitment to the Bank, which forms part of their key eight (8) sectors in which they develop, scale and grow investment capabilities as part of their 3.0 strategy”.