NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 5 – Pesalink has launched its inaugural awards recognising Kenya’s top-performing lenders in instant payments, introducing new industry benchmarks for reliability, affordability and growth in the country’s expanding digital payments sector.
Integrated Payment Services Limited (IPSL), which operates Pesalink, said the rankings were based on ten months of verified data from its Instant Payments Dashboard, assessing transaction success, service availability, growth and pricing — metrics the operator says reflect overall customer experience.
IPSL CEO Gituku Kirika said the data-driven approach is intended to strengthen transparency and accountability in the digital payments space.
“By grounding recognition in verified performance data, we ensure that excellence in instant payments is not only celebrated but measured,” Kirika said. “Every successful instant transfer represents trust fulfilled.”
Bank of Africa topped the transaction success rate category, followed by Bank of Baroda and the National Bank of Kenya.
Baroda also led in service availability, ahead of Commercial International Bank Kenya and Dubai Islamic Bank.
Equity Bank claimed first place in weighted growth, with I&M Bank and KCB Bank taking second and third positions. In the simplicity and affordability category, SBM Bank ranked first, followed by M Oriental Commercial Bank and Equity Bank.
Additional recognition awards named Equity Bank, I&M Bank and KCB Bank as Pesalink Adoption Champions.
SBM Bank was recognised as an Early Adopter, while Co-operative Bank of Kenya received the Ecosystem Collaboration Champion award.
IPSL Board Chairman Jeremy Ngunze said the rankings introduce a new benchmark for quality in digital transfers.
“These awards show that reliable, affordable instant payments are now the standard customers deserve,” he said.
Pesalink processed Sh1.1 trillion in 2024 across 8.2 million transactions, connecting more than 80 banks, fintechs, SACCOs and mobile money providers. The platform currently supports transfers of up to Sh999,999 and maintains 99.99 per cent uptime.
