Thirty-eight business owners have completed a six-month training programme run by NCBA Bank and Strathmore Business School, as part of a wider strategy to strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and prepare them for long-term sustainability.

The Enterprise Development Programme (EDP) targets entrepreneurs in sectors such as manufacturing, retail, agribusiness, logistics, and consultancy.

This year’s cohort brought together NCBA clients from across the country, all looking to sharpen their leadership, strategy, and operations skills in an increasingly uncertain economic environment.

The bank said the initiative forms part of its broader SME banking plan aimed at improving how businesses handle growth, financing, and market challenges.

“We are delighted to empower our SME customers through this programme. We are hopeful that these skills will be helpful to them in scaling their enterprises and as they navigate the dynamic business environment,” said Dennis Njau, NCBA’s Acting Group Director for Retail Banking.

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He added that the lender is keen on going beyond credit facilities to help businesses grow in a more structured way.

“NCBA remains committed to Kenya’s economic growth. As a financial institution, we extend our services beyond financial support to our customers to facilitate sustainable growth of their businesses,” he said.

The graduation follows the recent renewal of NCBA’s partnership with the African Guarantee Fund (AGF).

Under the new agreement, the fund’s support has doubled from Sh1.5 billion to Sh3 billion, which the bank says will help address major pain points for SMEs, particularly access to credit.

“This graduation comes at an opportune moment following NCBA’s recently renewed 10-year partnership with Africa Guarantee Fund, with the lending capacity doubled from Sh1.5 billion to Sh3 billion to eliminate SMEs’ challenges, such as inaccessibility to financing,” Njau said.

The course, which was delivered at Strathmore Business School, covers topics such as financial management, marketing, business model innovation, digital strategy, and operations.

It mixes classroom learning with practical exercises, peer feedback, and networking sessions — all tailored to suit the Kenyan business environment.

Dr Caesar Mwangi, who heads Strathmore Business School, said the partnership with NCBA has helped make business training more relevant to the local context.

“We are proud of the collaboration we have with NCBA, and its impact on the business community. This programme is designed to deliver meaningful and contextualised learning experiences that address real-world business challenges facing SMEs in Kenya today,” he said.

The programme has now trained over 100 entrepreneurs since its launch, with NCBA saying more customers will have the chance to join future cohorts.

The next intake opens on June 10, 2025.

To qualify, one must be an NCBA customer with a business account active for at least six months, run a business that has been operating for two to three years, employ more than three people, and record a minimum turnover of Sh3 million annually.

The applicant must also be the main decision-maker and majority shareholder.

The bank and Strathmore also run other joint programmes through the Strathmore Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation Centre.

These include management training for business owners, networking forums, boot camps, conferences, and trade expos — all geared towards helping enterprises grow with structure and support.