I&M Group saw its staff count rise by 355 last year as the Kenyan banking multinational accelerated its regional expansion strategy, with most of the new jobs added in Kenya.
According to the lender’s latest annual report, staff numbers rose to 3,601 in the year ended December 2025 from 3,246 the previous year.
“Workforce expansion grew by 11 percent to 3,601, supported by branch network growth and digital transformation, while employee engagement improved by three percent to 81 percent,” the company said in the report.
The lender’s permanent staff rose to 2,995 from 2,682 a year earlier. The company added 258 jobs in Kenya alone, increasing its workforce in its largest market to 2,094 from 1,836.
Retail push
The Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed bank has continued to aggressively expand its retail banking business through new branches and additional staff.
“The Retail & Business Banking (RBB) segment demonstrated strong momentum anchored in customer-centric innovation, network expansion and data-enabled product development,” the lender said.
Customer numbers grew by 33 percent to 965,940, partly driven by the expansion of the lender’s distribution network, which aided the acquisition of new clients.
“Our focus on expanding alternative channels led to notable improvements in customer acquisition and engagement through digital platforms… the Group customer base grew by 33 percent to 965,940 customers, underpinning increased deposit stability supported by improved cash management and a growing retail franchise,” the company added.
During the review period, I&M added 12 new branches, bringing its total network to 119 outlets and strengthening its footprint across regional markets.
The lender opened 10 new branches in Kenya alongside initiatives aimed at empowering micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
I&M has also strengthened its retail banking appeal through free bank-to-M-Pesa and Airtel Money transfers for individual customers.
Regional growth
In Tanzania, the group added 37 employees, bringing the total staff count to 234, while in Uganda it added 12 employees to reach 318 at the end of the year.
In Rwanda, the lender added 44 employees and four in Mauritius, bringing staff numbers in the two markets to 529 and 426 respectively.
I&M posted a 20.2 percent jump in net profit in the first three months of the year to Sh4.7 billion, driven by higher interest income.
The lender’s net income rose from Sh3.9 billion a year earlier as revenues from loans increased while the cost of funds remained flat.
Net interest income rose 31.1 percent to Sh12.2 billion from Sh9.3 billion as payments to depositors held steady at Sh6.1 billion.
Total interest income increased by 19.4 percent to Sh8.4 billion from Sh5.4 billion, supported by higher revenues from loans and advances and government securities, which stood at Sh11 billion and Sh6.6 billion respectively.
