(Nairobi) – Absa Bank Kenya has signed a strategic partnership with Women’s World Banking, a global nonprofit, to support women-led small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with an initial focus on agribusiness. The agreement aims to provide both financial and non-financial tools to help women entrepreneurs overcome the many barriers they face when trying to grow their businesses.
The partnership was formalized during a breakfast event hosted in Nairobi by Women’s World Banking. It will build on Absa Bank Kenya’s existing “Women in Business” (WIB) offering and its broader “SHE” program, which already serves over one million women entrepreneurs across Kenya. The initiative is expected to enhance access to credit, training, and advisory services, especially for women operating in underfunded sectors.
Elizabeth Wasunna-Ochwa, Director of Business Banking at Absa Bank Kenya, said the partnership supports the bank’s goal of promoting inclusive economic growth. She noted that while progress has been made through the SHE program, the new collaboration is designed to deliver deeper and more focused impact—especially for women who face additional challenges due to location, sector, or income level.
Under the agreement, the partnership will roll out in phases, with each phase structured around a specific project and governed by a detailed Statement of Work (SOW). The first initiative will focus on women in agribusiness—a sector that is critical to Kenya’s economy but one that often lacks adequate financial support, particularly for women in rural areas.
Through this effort, women farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs will gain access to tailored credit products and business training to help them grow sustainably. The goal is to not only support individual businesses but to build resilience and productivity across a sector that feeds the nation and employs a significant share of the population.
Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO of Women’s World Banking, said the partnership reflects a shared mission to unlock economic opportunities for women. She described the program as “innovative” and noted its potential to become a model for inclusive financial services across the region.
The collaboration comes at a time when many women-led businesses in Kenya still face systemic challenges such as lack of collateral, limited financial education, and difficulties accessing credit. These issues have long kept women entrepreneurs—especially in rural and informal sectors—on the margins of formal banking systems.
By combining Absa’s banking infrastructure and local experience with Women’s World Banking’s global expertise in gender-inclusive finance, the alliance seeks to create lasting change. It also represents a growing recognition in Kenya’s banking sector of the need to design financial solutions that address the unique needs of women.
Absa Bank Kenya currently operates 83 branches and over 200 ATMs in 38 counties. The bank has recently expanded its services to include digital banking and Sharia-compliant financing, showing a commitment to meeting the diverse needs of the Kenyan population.
Women’s World Banking, with over 40 years of experience, has worked in nearly 30 countries to promote financial access for women. Their approach involves working with local institutions, building inclusive financial products, and advocating for policies that close the gender gap in finance.