Kenya’s mobile banking fraud in 2024 exposed KES 981.7 billion, leading to losses of KES 810.7 billion

  • Kenya’s total fraud exposure in 2024 hit KES 2.0T, with KES 1.6T actually lost.
  • Mobile banking fraud was the largest contributor, with KES 981.7B exposed and KES 810.7B lost.
  • Mobile banking had an 82.6% loss rate, making it one of the riskiest fraud channels.
  • Computer fraud and internet scams recorded 100% loss rates, showing no funds were recovered.
  • Identity theft saw 97.9% of exposed amounts lost, translating to KES 199.1B.
  • Card fraud had a lower loss rate (59.9%) but still cost banks and customers KES 263.3B.

Bank fraud in Kenya remains a massive concern, with total exposures reaching KES 2.0 trillion in 2024 and actual losses amounting to KES 1.6 trillion. Mobile banking fraud was the biggest contributor, with KES 981.7 billion exposed and KES 810.7 billion lost—an 82.6% loss rate. This highlights just how vulnerable mobile money platforms have become as Kenya continues to thrive globally in mobile financial services adoption.

For everyday Kenyans, this means that while mobile banking is convenient for paying bills, shopping, and sending money instantly, it is also the most targeted entry point for fraud. Think of how quickly mobile payments replaced cash in matatus, supermarkets, and even small kiosks—it’s this rapid uptake that has made mobile wallets such an attractive target for fraudsters. As more people shift their finances into digital channels, the risks climb higher, underscoring the need for extra vigilance and robust security systems.

Source:

Central Bank of Kenya

Period:

H1 2025
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Kenya's local banks such as Equity Group (17% growth) recorded strong profit growth, while foreign-owned banks struggled
  • Equity Group was the most profitable bank on the list with $268M in H1 2025.
  • KCB followed closely with $250M in profits, supported by 8% YoY growth.
  • I&M Group achieved the fastest growth rate of 36%, despite a smaller base of $63 million.
  • Standard Chartered’s profits fell by 21%, highlighting the struggles of foreign banks.
  • Stanbic Holdings also declined by 9%, contrasting with local banks’ upward trend.
Mobile banking fraud cases increased by 87.2% to 146, the highest in 2024
  • Total fraud cases in Kenyan banks rose from 173 in 2023 to 353 in 2024.
  • Mobile banking fraud cases jumped by 87.2% to 146, making it the most common fraud type.
  • Online banking fraud recorded the steepest rise, growing by 457.9% to 106 cases.
  • Identity theft increased by 51.4%, reaching 56 reported cases in 2024.
  • Internet scams increased by 28.6%, totalling 9 cases in 2024.
With 146 cases, mobile banking fraud resulted in the highest loss of KES 810.7B
  • Kenya recorded 353 fraud cases in 2024, totalling KES 1.6T in losses.
  • Mobile banking fraud, with 146 cases, was the biggest threat, causing KES 810.7B in losses.
  • Card fraud had only 24 cases but resulted in KES 263.3B lost, showing its high risk. Computer fraud recorded 12 cases, leading to KES 203.4B in damages.
  • Identity theft saw 56 cases, costing banks and customers KES 199.1B.
  • Online banking fraud was the second most frequent (106 cases), but losses were relatively lower at KES 111.8B.
  • Internet scams had the fewest cases (9) but still caused KES 6.1B in losses.
Titan Trust acquires Union Bank, keeping its name and century-old heritage
  • Union Bank began as Colonial Bank, later Barclays Bank DCO, before indigenisation in 1979.
  • Nigerian investors took majority control, renaming it Union Bank of Nigeria.
  • The 2009 banking crisis weakened the bank; AMCON stabilised it, while Union Global Partners Ltd injected $500m for 65% control.
  • Titan Trust Bank acquired up to 100% ownership, and Union Bank was delisted from the Nigerian Exchange.
  • A court-approved scheme merged Titan Trust into Union Bank; Union Bank survived, retaining its century-old name and legacy under Titan’s ownership.
Access Bank reported the highest total salaries paid among selected Nigerian banks in 2024, reaching ₦357.6B
  • Access Bank paid the highest total salaries in 2024, amounting to ₦357.6 billion.
  • Stanbic IBTC devoted the largest share of its revenue to salaries at 9.96%, despite a much lower total salary bill than Access or FirstHoldCo.
  • Zenith Bank had one of the highest salary bills (₦137.7 billion) but spent the smallest portion of its revenue on staff at just 3.47%.
  • Wema Bank, though paying the lowest in total salaries (₦33.8 billion), had one of the highest salary-to-revenue ratios at 7.81%.
  • FirstHoldCo, with ₦229.1 billion in staff costs, maintained a moderate salary-to-revenue ratio of 7.14%.
  • The gap between total salary spend and salary-to-revenue ratios reveals more about each bank’s internal cost structure.
Access Bank consistently led in gross earnings among selected Nigerian banks, reaching N4.9T in 2024, a significant jump from N2.6T in 2023
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  • FirstHoldCo saw a sharp rise in earnings to ₦3.2T in 2024
  • Zenith Bank grew consistently, crossing the ₦4T mark in 2024 from ₦1T in 2022, showing strong operational expansion.
  • Wema Bank, despite being the smallest, quadrupled its earnings over two years, from ₦0.1T to ₦0.4T.
  • Fidelity and FCMB nearly tripled their gross earnings between 2022 and 2024, showing rising momentum among mid-tier banks.
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