NCBA Bank convened over 100 industry leaders, entrepreneurs and financial experts at its Annual Commercial Banking Forum under the theme “Vision to Velocity” to foster sustainable business growth.
The forum comes at a critical time for commercial enterprises as Medium-sized continue to face structural challenges, including weak governance frameworks, limited access to long-term financing, leadership transition gaps and difficulties in scaling sustainably.
According to the World Economic Outlook Update by the International Monetary Fund, the Kenya projected global GDP growth in 2026 is approximately 3.3%, even as ongoing trade tensions, geopolitical uncertainties and elevated public debt levels in major economies, continue to influence currency and commodity markets. In Kenya, discussions pointed to a resilient service sector, particularly tourism alongside improved agricultural performance and anticipated interest rate easing as encouraging signals for private sector expansion, while noting that fiscal pressures and high public debt remain key risks to monitor
“In today’s dynamic economic environment, market intelligence is no longer optional. Businesses need real-time insights to manage foreign exchange exposure, optimize liquidity and make strategic capital allocation decisions,” NCBA Director for Commercial and SME Banking Robert Kiboti said during the Forum.
The engagement attracting enterprises across Manufacturing, Fintech, Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals, Real Estate and Construction, Professional Services, Agribusiness, Import and Export Trade, and Fashion and Textiles explored critical considerations for growth including governance structures, leadership capacity, operational resilience, succession planning and disciplined execution.
Keynote speaker Patrick Obath emphasized that growth is no longer just about ambition; it is about speed, structure and informed decision-making. Businesses that succeed are those that combine disciplined financial architecture with deep market insight and strong ecosystem partnerships.
Commercial banking continues to be a key growth engine for the Banking sector, underscoring the segments’ growing contribution to the bank’s overall performance and the need for targeted, high-impact engagement beyond traditional financing.
The engagement forms part of NCBA’s broader commitment to capacity building and relationship-led banking, positioning the bank as a trusted advisor supporting Commercial enterprises across their full growth lifecycle. By fostering collaboration and strategic dialogue, NCBA continues to enable businesses to move decisively from strategy, to execution, scale and sustained access.