Ecobank Deepens SME Push as Kenya’s KSh2.5 Trillion Financing Gap Persists

Ecobank Kenya has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth and resilience of Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), positioning the sector as central to the country’s economic transformation and to the Bank’s long-standing purpose of empowering African businesses.

Speaking during a breakfast meeting with SMEs, Managing Director Rebecca Mbithi said the Bank is strengthening its support for entrepreneurs through faster decision-making, enhanced relationship management, tailored financial solutions and strategic partnerships designed to address both the financial and non-financial challenges facing SMEs.

Held under the theme “Empowering Your Business for Sustainable Growth“, the breakfast brought together entrepreneurs, industry leaders and ecosystem partners for a dialogue on the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of small businesses in Kenya.

One of the highlights of the SME breakfast was an inspiring account by Flora Mutahi, Founder and CEO of Melvin Marsh International and a Non-Executive Director on Ecobank Kenya’s Board of Directors, who shared her entrepreneurial journey and encouraged SMEs to continue learning and strategic partnerships as they pursue sustainable growth.

“SMEs are not simply another customer segment to us. They are innovators, manufacturers, traders, service providers and job creators who drive Kenya’s economy every day. They are the heartbeat of Kenya’s economy and are central to Ecobank’s purpose,” said Ms Mbithi.

Ms Mbithi noted that Ecobank’s commitment to SMEs is deeply rooted in the Bank’s history. Established in 1985 with the vision of creating a truly African banking institution capable of supporting African enterprise, Ecobank has grown into one of the continent’s leading financial institutions with operations in 34 African markets and international presence in France, the United Kingdom, Dubai, and China.

She said, “Ecobank was founded to finance African enterprise. Supporting entrepreneurs is part of our DNA. As African businesses increasingly look beyond their domestic markets, they need a banking partner with the regional footprint, expertise and networks to support that ambition.”

“Additionally, Ecobank has a Single Market Trade Hub platform gives you access to trusted buyers and sellers beyond out Kenyan borders, knowledge on trade requirements across Africa, and even gives you insights on the flow of products in various countries,” added the MD.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Kenya is home to approximately 7.4 million MSMEs, which contribute about 34 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and support nearly 16 million jobs, making the sector one of the largest drivers of employment and economic activity. Yet many businesses continue to face challenges accessing appropriate finance, market opportunities and business development support.

Access to finance is often cited as one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face, with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimating that Kenya’s SME financing gap at over US$19 billion, which is approximately Ksh 2.5 trillion.

To help bridge this gap, Ecobank continues to expand its suite of SME solutions, including working capital facilities, asset financing, stock financing, unsecured lending for qualifying businesses, trade finance, cash management solutions, foreign exchange services and digital banking platforms designed to simplify business operations.

Recognising that access to finance alone is insufficient, Ecobank is also strengthening strategic collaborations with ecosystem partners such as the African Guarantee Fund (AGF) and Melanin Kapital to reduce lending risk and provide business advisory to help entrepreneurs access both capital and the capabilities required for long-term growth.

Euromoney recently recognised Ecobank as Africa’s Best Bank for SMEs due to its single commercial banking proposition across all these markets. Across the continent, Ecobank Group served over 4.5 million MSMEs in 2025, trained over 90,000 entrepreneurs digitally across 25 countries, enhanced access for over 929,000 micro- and retail women-owned enterprises, and disbursed over $783 million to female-owned enterprises.

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