Stanbic-NCBA Merger Signals Consolidation for East Africa’s Banking Sector

Stanbic Bank Kenya and NCBA Group have entered advanced merger talks, a move that could create Kenya’s second-largest bank by assets - $6 billion (KES 900 billion). Announced on October 14 in Nairobi, the deal reflects mounting pressure for scale and capital efficiency as funding costs rise and non-performing loans tick above 15% industry-wide. It also mirrors a global emerging-market pattern of defensive mergers to preserve profitability.