NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 16 – Leading commercial banks have lowered their base lending rates after the Central Bank of Kenya reduced the Central Bank Rate from 9.00 percent to 8.75 percent this week.
The Monetary Policy Committee announced the 25 basis point cut on February 10, marking the tenth consecutive rate reduction aimed at boosting credit growth and lowering borrowing costs.
In response, major lenders including KCB Bank Kenya, Equity Bank Kenya, NCBA Bank Kenya and Family Bank Kenya have revised pricing for Kenya shilling-denominated variable-rate loans to align with the new 8.75 percent benchmark under the Risk-Based Credit Pricing Model.
New variable-rate loans issued from mid-February will be priced at the base rate plus a customer-specific risk margin.
Existing variable-rate facilities will have the benchmark adjusted after the statutory 30-day notice period, while older loans are being migrated to the updated pricing framework by March 2026.
The adjustments come as inflation eased to 4.4 percent in January, giving the central bank room to maintain an accommodative stance.
Analysts note that while base rates are falling, monthly loan repayments will depend on individual risk margins and loan terms.
