Our investment
Description of the investment.
Description of the investment.
Family Bank is a financial institution in Kenya that provides lending solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a focus on agriculture and women-led businesses. This investment supports the expansion of the bank’s trade finance portfolio, enabling greater access to capital for SMEs and women-led businesses engaged in import and export activities.
Impact information
Applies to investments made from 2019 onwards. The tabs in this section define what we expect to achieve through the investment, assessing the potential impact of the investment against six dimensions of impact. You can find more details on our methodology of assessing impact here.
Applies to investments made from 2019 onwards. The tabs in this section define what we expect to achieve through the investment, assessing the potential impact of the investment against six dimensions of impact. You can find more details on our methodology of assessing impact here.
What?
| Impact |
|---|
Improve economic opportunity through access to trade and working capital finance for micro, small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) (8.1, 8.3, 8.5, 8.10). Improve women’s access to economic resources (5.a). |
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How?
| How? |
|---|
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Economic enabler: Our trade loan will help bridge the financing gap faced by MSMEs and women-led businesses |
Who?
| Stakeholder | Geography | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Owners and employees |
Kenya |
75% of the loan will support MSMEs. At least 50% of the capital will be directed toward businesses in the food and agriculture sector, and at least 50% will support women-led businesses. |
How much?
| Scale | Depth/Duration |
|---|---|
|
We expect the facility to support $20 million of trade transactions based on a pipeline average tenor of 11 months |
Given the scarcity of USD capital available for MSMEs and women-owned enterprises, the depth of impact is likely to be significant. |
Contribution/additionality
| Contribution/additionality |
|---|
|
Given the lack of commercial USD financing available to Family Bank and its limited internal USD funding, we are confident that BII’s capital is additional. In the absence of BII’s capital, it is unlikely that Family Bank would be able to fully finance its current pipeline of trade transactions. |
Risk
Drop-Off RiskRisk that Family Bank may reduce its MSME trade finance portfolio when BII’s facility is repaid. Alignment RiskRisk that the bank may have a stronger commercial focus, which could lead to a preference for corporate lending over MSME lending, potentially limiting the fund’s impact objectives. |
Impact score
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Impact score (at point of investment)
The Impact Score is a tool to help us manage our performance against our strategic impact objectives. It is designed to incentivise investments that support our productive, sustainable, and inclusive objectives. The Impact Score shown is based on the 2022-2026 Impact Score methodology. You can find out more here. The Impact Score is published for investments made from 2022 onwards. The Impact Scores are calculated at the point of investment. We publish the Impact Scores of new investments annually, once the information has been externally assured by an independent third party. |
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8 |
Environmental and social information
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Environmental and social summary
A high-level description of the environmental and social aspects of the investment. This may include a summary of key environmental and social risks identified during environmental and social due diligence (ESDD); key elements of an environmental and social action plan (ESAP); or ways in which we plan to support the investee improve environmental and social standards, such as through their environmental and social management system (ESMS); as well as any other priority areas agreed with the investee.
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Environmental and social risk
A risk category rating, which indicates the level of environmental and social risk associated with an investment. For an explanation of the categorisations used, see here. We consistently provide an environmental and social risk category for all investments screened from 2023 onwards.
Environmental and social summary
This is a medium-low risk transaction. BII and Family Bank agreed on an ESAP aimed at formalising the Bank's HR practices, particularly strengthening safeguarding risk and incident management.
Environmental and social risk
Medium-Low
Reporting and Complaints Mechanism
The Reporting and Complaints Mechanism allows anyone outside BII to report alleged breaches of the business integrity or environmental and social provisions of BII’s Policy on Responsible Investing. This includes breaches made by BII, a BII investee, or a portfolio company of a fund in which BII has invested. The Reporting and Complaints Mechanism Rules are available here. Reports and complaints can be submitted by email to [email protected] or by mail. See more details on our Reporting and Complaints Mechanism here.
For any other general enquiries contact us at [email protected]
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Key facts
- First published
:
When the investment was first published on the website database.
- September 2025
- Last updated
:
When the last quarterly update of the website database occurred.
- June 2026
- Project number
:
An identifier number shared by investments in the same project.
- D6431
- Status
:
The current status of the investment (green flag for active and red flag for exited).
- Active
- Region
:
The geographical region where the country is located. We currently invest in Africa, South Asia, South East Asia and the Caribbean. In 2023, BII’s investment mandate was extended allowing it to invest in regional funds linked to Ukraine, with the majority of activity expected to begin post-war. Investments outside these regions were made prior to 2012 under previous investment mandates.
- East Africa
- Country
:
The countries where the investment delivers impact. Where impact is delivered in multiple countries, this is indicated.
- Kenya
- Sector
:
We prioritise those sectors that facilitate development and need our capital the most. Our priority sectors contribute towards many of the Sustainable Development Goals. They range from investing in the power infrastructure that will provide people with better access to electricity, to investing in financial institutions that direct capital to the individuals and businesses that need it the most.
- Financial services
- Sub sector
:
The sub-sector that the investment is made into; this provides a more granular level of detail than the ‘sector’ information
- Banks
- Investment policy :
- Growth
- Investment type :
- Debt
- Start date :
- May 2025
- Amount :
- $20m
- Currency of investment :
- USD
- Domicile
:
The company or investment fund’s place of incorporation.
- Kenya
We provide capital in the following ways: directly – through direct equity, direct debt, guarantees and other non-intermediated financial instruments; and indirectly – principally through investment funds.
Type of investment portfolio that each investment is made under. Since 2014, we have run two investment portfolios: Catalyst and Growth. In addition, our Kinetic Portfolio enables us to manage concessional investment strategies.
For direct investments and fund investments, this is the date BII committed capital to the investments. This is typically the date on which legal agreements are signed by all parties.
For the portfolio companies of our fund investments, this is the date (either the month or the quarter) on which the fund committed capital to the portfolio company.
For direct equity investments, this is the date at which British International Investment exited the investment.
For debt investments, this is the date at which the final debt repayment was made.
For funds, this is the date at which the fund was terminated.
For underlying fund investments, this is the date at which the fund manager exited the investment.
The total amount committed, per financial instrument, per investment, on the date BII becomes subject to a binding legal obligation to provide funding or assume a contingent liability. This information is provided in US dollars.
For direct investments, this is the amount that BII has committed to the business or project. For fund investments, this is the amount BII has committed to the fund.
The currency in which the investment was made.
- First published
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Gender and climate finance facts
- 2X gender finance
:
Indicates whether the investment is ‘2X qualified’ using the 2X Challenge criteria. You can find out more here. It only applies to investments made from 2018 onwards, when the 2X Challenge was first launched.
- Fully qualified
- 2X qualification criteria:
:
2X Criteria the investment qualifies under. See 2X Criteria for more information.
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- Employment
2X threshold 45%: Investee already meets threshold - Indirect/Portfolio
2X threshold 30%: Investee already meets threshold - Governance and Accountability
- Employment
- 2X sector
:
Indicates the specific 2X sector benchmark the investment qualifies under. See 2X Criteria for more information.
- Financial and Insurance Activities
- 2X country
:
Indicates the specific 2X country benchmark the investment qualifies under. See 2X Criteria for more information.
- Kenya
- 2X gender finance
