Kenyan commercial banks are intensifying efforts to recover non-performing loans (NPLs) as they climbed to 15.6% of gross loans in the first quarter of the year.

• 78% of surveyed banks plan to step up credit recovery in the trade sector, followed by personal and household loans (75%).
• The survey involved 38 commercial banks and one mortgage finance company, conducted by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).
• Despite a slight dip in quarterly profit before tax, banks' capital adequacy improved to 20.4%.