Nairobi, March 4 -- I&M Bank Kenya has cut its branch expansion target to 79 outlets by the end of 2026, scaling back from an earlier aspiration of reaching 100 branches as part of a three-year growth strategy.

The lender, which currently operates 71 branches countrywide, says it will only add eight more outlets before year-end, bringing its footprint to 79 branches spread across 27 counties.

The bank had last year said that it would increase its branches to 100 by the end of 2026, as part of its iMara 3.0 strategy aimed at deepening its activity in the retail and small and medium enterprise (SME) segments.

Shameer Patel, director for retail and business banking at I&M Bank Kenya, said the lender has walked back on its earlier target o...