Building on its prior working relationship with the bank, DAI assisted Equity Bank in developing its capacity to lend to the small and medium-sized enterprise sector. Over the previous five years, Equity Bank has targeted small-scale businesses and individuals that have had limited access to finance. In doing so, they have become a significant player in the financial sector in Kenya. The bank’s success has been led by an accomplished management team and a highly motivated staff. As part of the growth, Equity has evolved into a full-service bank although it continues to focus its activities primarily on the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise segment.

DAI worked with Equity to develop:

Strong credit policies and procedures, effectively communicated throughout the bank;

Robust risk management procedures;

Competitive products implemented for all lending areas based on Equity’s strategy;

A strong organizational structure clearly outlining roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines;

Tailored training curricula and internal training capacity; and

Credit scoring and rating models where appropriate to ensure better credit decision making.