Inquiries for borrower profiles from credit reference bureaus (CRBs) saw a significant 23 per cent increase in 2025. This surge is attributed to commercial banks stepping up lending to the private sector and needing to assess repayment abilities.

• 47.3 million credit reports were requested by commercial and microfinance banks in 2025, up from 38.6 million in 2024.
• The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) published the annual report detailing these findings.
• The increase in CRB queries reflects a rebound in private sector lending as banks became more active in extending credit.