KCB Group shareholders approve Sh22.5 billion dividend payout

The dividend approved at the Annual General Meeting on Thursday comprises an interim and special dividend of Sh4 per share approved by the board in November 2025 and a final and special dividend of Sh3 per share.

This brings the total to Sh7.00, the total dividend for the year, a 133 per cent rise from last year.

The final dividend will be paid, net of withholding tax, on or about May 22, 2026, to shareholders on the Register of Members at the close of business on April 2, 2026.

Speaking during the AGM, Group chairman Joseph Kinyua said the payout reaffirms the Group’s strong financial performance, resilient balance sheet, and commitment to delivering sustainable shareholder value.

“As we look ahead to 2026, we remain cautiously optimistic about the outlook. Despite the pressures in the operating environment, opportunities continue to emerge through regional integration, intra-African trade, infrastructure development, digital innovation, and the expanding role of the private sector in driving economic transformation," Kinyua said.

During the year, Group’s net profit grew by 11 per cent to a historic Sh68.4 billion while total assets were up nine per cent  to Sh2.1 trillion.

The regional diversification strategy continued to deliver impressive performance as subsidiaries outside Kenya delivered 29.5 per cent of the overall net profit and accounting for 30.5 per cent of total group assets.

KCB Group CEO, Paul Russo said: “We are running a well-diversified business which is sustaining our resilience, leveraging our regional footprint and scale, customer confidence and continued investment in digital transformation”

“The business continues to benefit from strong momentum across key business segments, improved operational efficiency, and our deliberate focus on supporting businesses, SMEs, and households across the markets we operate in,” he added.

For the first quarter of 2026, KCB Group recorded Sh24.4 billion in pre-tax profit, representing a 15.3 per cent growth, compared to Sh21.2 billion a similar period last year.

The improved performance, amid a difficult operating environment, was driven by an 8.5 per cent growth in total operating income to Sh53.6 billion,  which mostly streamed from growth in interest bearing assets offsetting decline in Net Interest Margin.

The sustained rate cuts by regulators in the region saw a drop in asset yield across all our markets in the period under review.

On the citizenship front, KCB Group has deepened its focus on Sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).

Under the Environmental and Social Diligence (ESDD) framework, the group screened loans totaling Sh587.8 billion in 2025, to ensure that lending decisions are guided by environmental and social considerations before disbursement.

The value of green loans disbursed stood at Sh48.8 billion, reinforcing the group’s commitment to sustainable finance, climate resilience, and supporting businesses and communities to transition to low-carbon and environmentally sustainable future.