2025 AGENDA

0800 - 0900

Registration

0900 - 0905

Opening Remarks

0905 - 0935

Kenyan Banking 2026: Crossroads or Launchpad?

Kenya’s banks are shifting from mobile money pioneers to regional leaders. With EAC integration, AI adoption, regulatory scrutiny, and sustainability demands, CXOs must decide whether to consolidate their current model or reinvent for long-term competitiveness.

Is EAC integration a growth driver or competitive threat for Kenyan banks seeking regional market dominance in the EAC?
How can Kenyan banks adopt AI responsibly while avoiding regulatory backlash and ensuring customer trust in digital services?
What will stricter Data Protection Act enforcement mean for budgets, boardrooms, and regulatory compliance strategies in 2026?
How urgent is investment in green and sustainable finance to maintain competitiveness and meet growing stakeholder expectations?

0935 - 0950

Lightbulb Moments

0950 - 1020

Next-Gen Payment Rails: Cross-Border, Instant, Interoperable

Kenya’s $60bn mobile payments market is moving into regional flows. With PAPSS and EAC harmonisation, banks must modernise their rails to deliver instant, trusted, and interoperable payments that support trade, remittances, and wider inclusion.

How can friction in EAC cross-border transactions be reduced to improve speed, reliability, and affordability for customers?
What opportunities do instant and interoperable payment systems unlock for SMEs, merchants, and remittances across East Africa?
How can banks and fintechs align strategies to enable secure and seamless cross-border remittance flows across the region?
What role should regulators play in creating frameworks that balance innovation, financial inclusion, and regional trust?
Are CBDCs or a Kenyan digital shilling realistic prospects in the near term, and what benefits could they bring?

1020 - 1050

Networking Break

1050 - 1120

Cloud Cores & API Banking: Lessons from Kenya

Kenyan banks are re-platforming to cloud-native cores and API-first systems. The goal is agility and scale, but risks include compliance, data localisation, and long-term costs. What lessons can be learned from early implementations?

What lessons have emerged from Kenyan banks’ experiences migrating to cloud-native cores and modern digital infrastructure?
Which API use-cases have delivered the fastest value in enabling partnerships between banks, fintechs, and telcos?
How can strong governance frameworks protect banks from vendor lock-in while ensuring resilience and long-term flexibility?
How can Kenyan banks balance cloud adoption with compliance, particularly data localisation and sovereignty requirements?
What is the true ROI and total cost of ownership for Kenyan banks adopting cloud-native core systems?

1120 - 1135

Lightbulb Moments

1135 - 1205

Responsible AI Lending: Balancing Inclusion and Risk

AI and alternative data are reshaping credit decisions across SMEs, retail, and corporate lending. The challenge is expanding access while ensuring fairness, compliance, and commercial viability in Kenya’s rapidly evolving credit market.

How can AI expand SME, retail, and corporate lending while reducing defaults and widening access to financial services?
What safeguards are required to prevent algorithmic bias, customer exclusion, and predatory lending practices in Kenya?
How can mobile and telco data enable new credit scoring models that expand SME financing responsibly at scale?
Where can AI deliver the greatest impact in corporate lending, trade finance, and large-scale project credit decisions?
How can banks, fintechs, and regulators collaborate to ensure AI lending is commercially viable and socially responsible?

1205 - 1220

Lightbulb Moments

1220 - 1250

Data-Driven Banking: Redefining Customer Experience in Kenya

Kenya’s banks hold vast datasets across products and channels. The next step is turning this into seamless, personalised experiences that improve customer journeys, while meeting compliance demands under the Data Protection Act.

How can banks effectively break down data silos to unify customer insights across retail, SME, and corporate portfolios?
Which analytics tools are transforming product design, service delivery, and customer engagement across Kenyan financial institutions?
How can AI deliver personalised banking journeys while ensuring compliance with Kenya’s Data Protection Act requirements?
How can data-driven insights improve omnichannel experiences across physical branches, mobile apps, and digital platforms?
What cultural and organisational shifts are needed for Kenyan banks to become truly data-driven institutions?

1250 - 1305

Lightbulb Moments

1305 - 1335

Digital Trust: Data Protection, ID, and Fraud Prevention

Fraud incidents are rising in Kenya while data protection enforcement tightens. Digital trust has become a growth driver, requiring banks to invest in identity, security, and fraud systems that also enhance customer loyalty.

How can eCitizen and Huduma Namba be integrated into onboarding to strengthen digital identity verification and trust?
What tools and strategies can best strengthen real-time fraud prevention in Kenya’s increasingly digital banking landscape?
How should banks prepare for stricter enforcement of data protection and privacy obligations in 2026?
How can compliance spending be reframed as investment that builds long-term customer trust and brand loyalty?
How should Kenyan banks prepare to counter emerging AI-driven fraud, including deepfake identity theft and synthetic accounts?

1335 - 1340

Closing Remarks

1340 - 1430

VIP Networking Lunch

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