By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, June 22, 2026 - Kenya's rapidly expanding private education sector is emerging as a key frontier for financial services, with NCBA Bank unveiling a comprehensive package of banking, financing, and investment solutions aimed at helping schools expand infrastructure, embrace technology, and improve operational efficiency.
The lender announced the initiative during a Private Schools Directors Engagement Forum held in Nyeri County, bringing together school owners, directors, and education stakeholders amid growing demand for financing across the country's private education sector.
The move comes as private schools continue to shoulder a significant share of Kenya's education burden, serving millions of learners and increasingly investing in classrooms, laboratories, digital learning systems, transport fleets, and renewable energy projects.
According to the Kenya Private Schools Association (KPSA), the country has more than 10,400 registered private primary schools serving over 2.1 million learners and more than 1,600 private secondary schools educating over 277,000 students.
NCBA Director for Network Business and Distribution Jane Ng'ang'a said schools are facing mounting pressure to modernise operations while maintaining quality education standards.
"Schools today require more than traditional banking services as they navigate increasing demands for infrastructure development, technology adoption, operational efficiency, and long-term sustainability," she said.
The bank's new proposition combines financing, transaction banking, digital collections, insurance, investment, and wealth management services under a single platform tailored to educational institutions.
Industry players say access to affordable financing remains one of the biggest challenges facing private schools, particularly as institutions seek to expand facilities, acquire school buses, invest in digital learning technologies, and strengthen sustainability programmes.
Speaking at the forum, Nyeri County Private Schools Association Coordinator Dionisio Ndegwa welcomed the initiative, saying private institutions are under growing pressure to improve learning environments while managing rising operational costs.
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"Private schools today are balancing the need to invest in infrastructure, technology, and quality learning environments while managing operational costs and changing market demands," he said.
Under the programme, schools will have access to working capital facilities, infrastructure development financing, asset finance, and leasing solutions designed to support investment in classrooms, laboratories, libraries, dormitories, and transport assets without straining cash flow.
The package also includes digital fee collection platforms, dedicated collection accounts, and education technology solutions aimed at streamlining administration and improving financial management.
NCBA said it is also offering insurance products to help schools protect facilities, vehicles, and equipment against operational risks, as well as savings and investment products intended to support long-term institutional growth.
The lender's strategy reflects increasing competition among financial institutions seeking a larger share of Kenya's education market, one of the country's fastest-growing sectors outside mainstream corporate lending.
Analysts say the growing demand for private education, coupled with rising enrolment and the need for modern learning infrastructure, is creating new opportunities for banks to develop specialised products targeting schools and other education-related enterprises.
For NCBA, the initiative forms part of a broader strategy to deepen its footprint in the small and medium enterprise segment while positioning itself as a preferred financial partner for learning institutions across the country.
As schools race to modernize and remain competitive, access to capital is increasingly becoming a defining factor in determining which institutions can expand, innovate, and meet the evolving expectations of parents and learners.