Absa Bank Kenya Partners with Women’s World Banking to Back Women-Led SMEs

Absa Bank Kenya has entered into a new strategic partnership with global nonprofit Women’s World Banking, in a move aimed at expanding financial access and capacity-building for women-led businesses across Kenya. The collaboration is expected to bolster Absa’s Women in Business (WIB) offering and enable targeted support for female entrepreneurs—particularly those in underserved sectors such as agribusiness.

A Focus on Inclusive Growth

The agreement was signed during a Women’s World Banking breakfast event held in Nairobi. At the core of this partnership is the aim to deliver both financial and non-financial solutions that address the barriers faced by women entrepreneurs. According to both organisations, the alliance will combine Absa’s on-the-ground banking network with Women’s World Banking’s deep expertise in gender-inclusive financial services.

Elizabeth Wasunna-Ochwa, Absa Bank Kenya’s Director of Business Banking, emphasized that the partnership aligns with the bank’s broader mission to champion inclusive finance in the country. She noted that Absa has already been supporting women through its SHE proposition, and that this latest initiative will deepen the impact of those efforts.

Since the inception of the SHE program, Absa claims to have reached over one million women entrepreneurs in Kenya. The bank has provided a mix of credit, training, and business advisory support, helping many women scale their businesses and access previously unavailable resources.

First Priority: Women in Agribusiness

According to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two parties, the collaboration will be implemented through a series of specific projects. Each will be governed by a separate Statement of Work (SOW). The first initiative will target women working in agribusiness—a sector acknowledged as crucial to the Kenyan economy but one that remains notably underfinanced, especially for women from rural or marginalized communities.

The project will aim to improve access to credit and financial products while also equipping women farmers and agripreneurs with training and support to scale operations sustainably.

Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO of Women’s World Banking, stated that the collaboration has the potential to unlock significant market opportunities for women. She described the initiative as “innovative” and said it reflects a shared commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs throughout their business journeys.

Tackling Systemic Barriers

This partnership reflects a growing trend in Kenya’s banking sector—one that acknowledges the need for gender-responsive financial products and strategies. Many women-led SMEs still face structural challenges such as lack of collateral, limited financial literacy, and restricted access to formal credit systems.

The Absa-Women’s World Banking alliance is expected to confront these challenges head-on, not just through direct service delivery, but also by pushing for systemic change across the financial ecosystem. The project may serve as a testbed for inclusive finance models that could eventually be replicated across the region.

Context and Implications

Absa Bank Kenya has a long-standing presence in the country, operating 83 branches and over 200 ATMs across 38 counties. Its recent moves—such as digital banking solutions and Sharia-compliant financing—suggest an interest in evolving its product suite to serve a wider demographic.

Meanwhile, Women’s World Banking has spent over four decades advocating for better financial access for the nearly one billion women excluded from formal financial systems worldwide. Their focus on investing in institutions, developing inclusive solutions, and influencing policy makes them a significant force in driving financial inclusion globally.

As more stakeholders—including banks, NGOs, and policymakers—grapple with the challenges of building equitable financial systems, this partnership may offer a blueprint for how local experience and global expertise can work together to deliver results.