National Bank of Kenya
A Kenyan commercial bank serving retail customers, small and medium-sized enterprises, and corporate clients.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
National Bank of Kenya, commonly known as National Bank or NBK, is a commercial bank headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. It was established in 1968 as a wholly government-owned financial institution and developed into a broad financial-services provider serving individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, and larger businesses. Its activities have included retail banking, corporate and institutional banking, business banking, wealth and investment services, foreign-exchange services, and related trustee and agency activities. The bank was created during the period when Kenya was building a national financial system after independence. In 1994, the Kenyan government reduced its ownership from 100 percent to 68 percent by selling a 32 percent stake to the public. Further government divestment reduced the state's holding over time; it stood at approximately 22.5 percent in April 2019. NBK returned to profitability in 2010 after a prolonged period of weak financial performance and subsequently paid annual dividends for a number of years. NBK was listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange for much of its corporate history. In April 2019, KCB Bank Kenya announced an agreement to acquire all of NBK's assets and liabilities, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. The transaction was completed on 16 September 2019, and NBK's shares were delisted from the Nairobi Securities Exchange on the same date. KCB Group initially indicated that NBK would be operated as a stand-alone subsidiary before any possible integration with KCB Bank Kenya. On 20 March 2024, Access Bank Plc announced an agreement to acquire NBK from KCB Group. The transaction required regulatory approvals in Kenya and Nigeria and was completed on 30 May 2025. NBK consequently became a wholly owned subsidiary of Access Bank Plc. The bank also owns or has owned related entities involved in trustee, investment, capital-markets, and insurance-agency services, including NatBank Trustee and Investment Services Limited, Kenya National Capital Corporation Limited, and NBK Insurance Agency Limited. It remains a Kenyan banking brand within the Access Bank Group, although its post-acquisition operating structure and any future integration plans may evolve.
History
National Bank of Kenya was founded in 1968 as a financial institution wholly owned by the Kenyan government. Its creation reflected the country's effort to expand domestic control of banking and provide financial services to Kenyan individuals and businesses. Over time, the institution developed from a government-backed bank into a diversified commercial banking organization with retail, business, corporate, investment, trustee, and related agency activities. A major ownership change occurred in 1994, when the government sold 32 percent of its stake to the public, reducing its holding to 68 percent. The state continued to reduce its interest over subsequent years. By April 2019, the government's ownership was reported at approximately 22.5 percent. During this period, NBK remained listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange and operated as one of Kenya's recognized banking institutions. The bank experienced a prolonged period of poor financial performance lasting approximately 12 years. It returned to profitability in 2010 and thereafter paid an annual dividend for a number of years. NBK's business covered personal and retail customers, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large corporations. Its financial-services portfolio included deposit-taking and lending, corporate banking, foreign exchange, wealth and investment-related services, and activities conducted through associated subsidiaries. In April 2019, KCB Bank Kenya, the country's largest commercial bank by assets at the time, announced its intention to acquire NBK's assets and liabilities. The deal required shareholder and regulatory approval and was completed on 16 September 2019. Following completion, NBK was delisted from the Nairobi Securities Exchange. KCB Group stated that it intended to operate NBK as a stand-alone subsidiary for at least two years before considering integration with KCB Bank Kenya. KCB Group became the bank's owner and operated it within its wider East African financial-services group. NBK's related entities included NatBank Trustee and Investment Services Limited, Kenya National Capital Corporation Limited, and NBK Insurance Agency Limited. These entities extended the brand's presence beyond conventional deposit-taking and lending into trustee, investment, capital-markets, and insurance-agency services. On 20 March 2024, Access Bank Plc announced an agreement to acquire NBK from KCB Group. The proposed transaction was subject to approvals from the Central Bank of Kenya and the Central Bank of Nigeria. The acquisition was completed on 30 May 2025, after which NBK became a wholly owned subsidiary of Access Bank Plc and part of Access Bank Group. The bank therefore moved from state ownership, through public ownership and KCB Group control, into the ownership of a large pan-African banking group. The available reference material does not establish whether NBK will ultimately retain a fully separate operating identity or be integrated further into Access Bank's Kenyan operations.
- 2025
Access Bank acquisition is completed
[1]On 30 May, NBK becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Access Bank Plc.
- 2024
Access Bank announces proposed acquisition
[1]Access Bank Plc announces an agreement to acquire National Bank of Kenya from KCB Group, subject to regulatory approvals.
- 2019
KCB Group acquisition is completed
[1]KCB Bank Kenya completes its acquisition of NBK's assets and liabilities on 16 September, and NBK is delisted from the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
- 2010
Return to profitability
[1]After roughly 12 years of weak financial performance, the bank returns to profitability.
- 1994
Government begins public divestment
[1]The Kenyan government sells 32 percent of its holding to the public, reducing its stake from 100 percent to 68 percent.
- 1968
National Bank of Kenya is established
[1]The bank is established as a wholly government-owned Kenyan financial institution.
Products and positioning
Kenyan commercial bank serving individuals, SMEs, and corporate and institutional customers.
Banking
Retail banking
NBK's retail banking activities serve individual customers through conventional personal banking services, including accounts, payments, savings, and credit-related products. The reference material identifies retail customers as one of the bank's principal customer groups but does not provide a current product catalogue.
Banking
SME and business banking
The bank serves small and medium-sized enterprises and other businesses with commercial banking support. The offering is positioned between personal banking and large-corporate services and may include deposits, payments, lending, and transactional support, although the available sources do not specify individual products.
Banking
Corporate and institutional banking
Corporate banking is directed at larger companies and institutions. NBK's corporate activities form part of its role as a full-service Kenyan commercial bank and include business financing and banking services for larger organizations, without a detailed current list of facilities available in the reference material.
Investment services
Wealth and investment services
NBK has provided wealth-management and investment-related services alongside its core banking activities. These activities are complemented by related entities involved in trustee and investment services, supporting customers and institutions with services beyond ordinary deposits and loans.
Financial markets
Foreign-exchange services
Foreign exchange is among the services associated with NBK's commercial banking business. It supports customers' international payments and currency-related requirements, although the available sources do not specify the full range of currencies, channels, or trading products.
Trust and investment services
NatBank Trustee and Investment Services
NatBank Trustee and Investment Services Limited is identified as a subsidiary of National Bank of Kenya. It extends the group into trustee and investment-related services and is based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Brand decisions
2024
Agreement to sell NBK to Access BankM&ABackground
KCB Group entered into an agreement with Access Bank Plc for the sale of National Bank of Kenya. The deal required approval from the Central Bank of Kenya and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Action taken
Access Bank announced the proposed acquisition on 20 March 2024 and subsequently completed the acquisition process on 30 May 2025.
Aftermath
NBK became a wholly owned subsidiary of Access Bank Plc and joined Access Bank Group.
2019
Sale of NBK to KCB GroupM&ABackground
NBK had experienced an extended period of weak financial performance, although it had returned to profitability in 2010. KCB Bank Kenya proposed acquiring all of the bank's assets and liabilities.
Action taken
Following shareholder and regulatory approvals, the transaction was completed on 16 September 2019. NBK shares were delisted from the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
Aftermath
NBK became part of KCB Group and was initially intended to operate as a stand-alone subsidiary before any possible integration with KCB Bank Kenya.
Recent events
- 2025
Access Bank completes acquisition of National Bank of Kenya[1]
M&A · Other
The acquisition process by Access Bank Group was completed on 30 May 2025, making NBK a wholly owned subsidiary of Access Bank Plc.
- 2024
Access Bank agrees to acquire National Bank of Kenya[1]
M&A
Access Bank Plc announced an agreement to acquire NBK from KCB Group, with completion dependent on approvals from the relevant Kenyan and Nigerian regulators.
- 2019
KCB Group announces agreement to acquire National Bank of Kenya[1]
M&A
KCB Bank Kenya announced an agreement to acquire all of National Bank of Kenya's assets and liabilities, subject to the required approvals.
- 2019
National Bank of Kenya is acquired by KCB Group and delisted[1]
M&A · Other
The KCB transaction was completed on 16 September 2019, after which NBK shares were removed from trading on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/national-bank-of-kenya · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled