Assets held by Kenyan banks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) crossed the Sh1 trillion mark in 2025 as lenders expanded their regional operations and increased their investments in the country’s financial sector.
Data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Bank Supervision Annual Report shows that assets held by Kenyan banks in the DRC rose to more than Sh1 trillion in 2025, up from Sh933.4 billion recorded in 2024.
The increase highlights the growing importance of the DRC to Kenyan lenders as they continue to expand beyond the domestic market and deepen their presence across Africa.
The DRC accounted for about 41 per cent of the total assets held by Kenyan banks operating outside the country across seven markets, including Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan and Mauritius.
Uganda was the second-largest market, with Kenyan banks holding assets worth Sh415.9 billion, followed by Rwanda at Sh396.2 billion.
Tanzania accounted for Sh359.9 billion, while Kenyan banks held Sh186.9 billion in assets in Mauritius. South Sudan and Burundi recorded Sh62.9 billion and Sh28.4 billion, respectively.
Bank assets generally include resources such as cash reserves, customer loans, securities and physical property. The size of assets held by banks in a foreign market can therefore provide an indication of the scale of their lending, investment and other financial activities in that market.
The rapid expansion of Kenyan banks in the DRC has been driven in part by acquisitions that have allowed major lenders to establish or strengthen their presence in one of Africa’s largest economies.
Equity Group has built a significant presence in the DRC through Equity BCDC, which was formed following the merger of Equity Bank Congo and Banque Commerciale du Congo (BCDC).
Equity Group owns an 85 per cent stake in Equity BCDC, which has become one of the major banking institutions operating in the DRC.
The acquisition and subsequent merger provided Equity Group with an established branch network and customer base in the country, strengthening its position in the Congolese financial market.
KCB Group has also expanded its DRC operations through the acquisition of Trust Merchant Bank (TMB).
KCB acquired an 85 per cent stake in TMB in 2022, giving the Kenyan banking group a significant foothold in the DRC.
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