Nairobi, Aug. 11 -- Lending to households and businesses by commercial banks hit a 28-month high in June 2026 as lenders continued to pass on the gains of cheaper credit to their clients, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) said.

The private sector lending performance in June and July 2026 marks the first double-digit growth since February 2024.

"Growth in commercial banks' lending to the private sector remained strong at 10.2 percent in July 2026 and 10.6 percent in June 2026 compared to a contraction of 2.9 percent in January 2025," the CBK said in a statement.

"Growth in credit to key sectors of the economy, particularly trade, building and construction, agriculture and consumer durables, remained strong, reflecting improved demand for ...