Access Bank Kenya is set to resolve a Sh2.11 billion capital shortfall through its merger with National Bank of Kenya (NBK) as their parent firm consolidates its Kenyan operations amid rising regulatory requirements.
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) said Wednesday that it had approved the transfer of all assets and liabilities of Access Bank Kenya to NBK, following approval on August 17 under the Banking Act and clearance by the Treasury on September 21.
Nigeria’s Access Bank Plc acquired NBK from KCB Group in May 2025. The buyout of NBK was Access’ second acquisition in Kenya, coming after the 2020 deal in which it bought Transnational Bank and rebranded it to Access Bank Kenya.
‘The CBK announces the transfer of all assets and liabilities of Access Bank Kenya to NBK…The transfer shall take effect upon completion of the transaction in accordance with the terms of the Business and Assets Transfer Agreement between the parties,’ said CBK.
The completion of the transfer in line with the business and assets transfer agreement between the pair will come as a relief for Access Bank Kenya, which had core capital of Sh892 million as at end of June 2026 against the required minimum of Sh3 billion.
NBK held core capital of Sh12.01 billion over this period, making it fully compliant with the Business Laws (Amendment) Act 2024 that raised the minimum core capital from Sh1 billion, triggering a wave of fundraising for extra capital among 10 banks.
However, Access Bank Kenya, had stated in June that it was counting on the merger with NBK to hit compliance rather than turn to its parent company for additional funding.
‘Access Bank (Kenya) Pic’s core capital currently stands at Sh892 million, which is below the regulatory minimum of Sh3 billion. The proposed merger with NBK is expected to fully close this shortfall, strengthen the combined entity’s core capital and ensure regulatory compliance,’ Access Bank Kenya said in August in a commentary on its half-year 2026 financial results.
The transfer also consolidates Access Bank’s Kenyan operations under NBK, potentially giving the group a larger balance sheet.
The transaction comes as Kenyan banks face progressively higher capital requirements following changes to the Banking Act.
Under the Business Laws (Amendment) Act 2024, the minimum core capital requirement was raised from Sh1 billion to Sh3 billion by December 2025. The law initially provided for further increases to Sh5 billion by the end of 2026, Sh6 billion in 2027, Sh8 billion in 2028 and Sh10 billion by 2029.
The higher requirements triggered a wave of capital raising, particularly among smaller lenders seeking to remain compliant.
The government has since adjusted the implementation of the Sh10 billion requirement. In June, Treasury CS John Mbadi scrapped the staggered compliance timeline, extending the deadline to December 2032 and setting a one-off deadline for banks to meet the threshold.