CIS ValiData – An Innovative Tool for Efficient Data Validation and Submission of Credit Information to Credit Reference Bureaus
In 2017, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) constituted a technical working group (TWG) to identify candidate proposals aimed at reforming and streamlining Kenya’s Credit Information Sharing (CIS) mechanism. The objectives of the TWG were to: (i) review and revise the data specification template that is used for the submission of credit information to the three licensed Credit Reference Bureaus (CRBs); (ii) standardise the rules applied by the CRBs when validating the data submitted; (iii) recommend an appropriate model for the validation and submission of credit information; and (iv) harmonise the interpretation of credit scores based on the credit information …
CBK and CIS Kenya Sign Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Credit Information Sharing and Financial Sector Capacity Building
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and the Credit Information Sharing Association of Kenya (CIS Kenya) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on October 6, 2025, to deepen collaboration in advancing Kenya’s credit information sharing framework and financial sector capacity building. The signing ceremony took place at the CBK Institute of Monetary Studies (CBK IMS) in Nairobi. The partnership reaffirms CBK’s continued support for the Credit Information Sharing (CIS) ecosystem. It also acknowledges CIS Kenya’s evolution from 2009 when it was established as a joint initiative between CBK and the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) with support from the Financial Sector …
Charting a Course for a Resilient Kenyan Credit Market: Lessons from the CIS Kenya Credit Market Growth Summit 2025
As we navigate mid-2025, the Kenyan credit market finds itself at a critical juncture, shaped by the significant political realignments of 2024, including the public protests and subsequent government changes and an unsettled global economic landscape. Against this backdrop, The Credit Market Growth & Resilience Summit held on July 24–25, 2025, brought together a diverse group of experts, thought leaders, and industry peers. The mission was clear: to equip participants with the knowledge and tools needed to validate and recalibrate their credit strategies for competitiveness, ultimately charting a course for a more resilient and sustainable market.The summit’s theme, “Empowering the …
Parliamentary Petition to Disband the CRB Mechanism is Retrogressive
A number of concerns have arisen about credit information sharing (CIS). Many of these are indeed myths about credit reference bureaus. John Lenon once said, ‘’ I believe in everything until it is disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it’s in your mind.’’ The first myth arises from the concept called blacklisting. We have heard it from many quarters, including the petitioner who has approached Parliament asking for disbanding of CRBs on account of the blacklisting of borrowers. This is retrogressive, and as we shall demonstrate below, blacklisting of consumers does not actually exist …
“Co-Ownership” of Mobile Money Data: Building a Kenyan credit bureau for the digital age
By Rafe Mazer and Kate McKee, CGAP (www.cgap.org) for CIS Kenya Who owns the data generated by mobile money customers’ transactions? In January, 2016, Safaricom announced a new way for consumers to access statements for their mobile money accounts. With a simple enrollment via short code, you can now receive a detailed statement of all your M-Pesa activity each month or request a statement for the past 6 months. The benefits to customers of this new feature extend beyond its ease of use when compared to the Self-Care option at Safaricom.co.ke. Betty Mwangi, Director – Financial Services, Safaricom, described what …
BIG Data Lending in Sub-Saharan Africa, Responsibility is key to avoid pain of the past
The experience of the over-indebtedness crisis amongst the poorest in Kosovo and other regions such Andhra Pradesh in India is still a clear memory to those who had to manage the human and financial fallout from these situations. This type of crisis is caused by 2 factors; excessive liquidity largely from donor funded institutions and secondly no credit bureau infrastructure, or usage of it. Are we about to witness the same cycle in sub-Saharan Africa with the highly funded race to provide loans through the trend of alternative/big data, at a time when MFIs are yet to be integrated into …
5 reasons why you should check your credit report frequently!
The year 2014 began on a high note for Kenya’s Credit Information Sharing (CIS) mechanism, with the publication of the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) Regulations 2013. The new Regulations opened a new chapter in the CIS mechanism by among others, allowing both commercial banks and microfinance banks (previously known as Deposit-Taking Microfinance Institutions – DTMs) to share information on their good and bad borrowers, away from the traditional approach of sharing information on defaulters only amongst commercial banks. Other provisions included the reduction of data retention rules from seven to five years, issuance of pre-llisting notices to borrowers before they …