Financial Access in Kenya: Results of the 2006 National Survey

This report presents findings from a nationally representative survey that measures access to and demand for financial services in Kenya. It aims to provide a benchmark measure of effective access to financial services that can be monitored over time and be used to evaluate the effect of various government, private and donor led initiatives to deepen access. Government of Kenyas efforts to improve financial access have been hampered by the lack of clear quantitative measures to gauge the extent of access to financial services in the country. The Financial Access Partnership attempts to solve this problem by mapping the supply of and demand for financial services through a national household survey. The survey covers all providers of financial services including banks, finance companies, savings and credit co-operatives, MFIs, insurance companies, as well as more informal sources such as Rotating Savings and Credit Associations, informal lenders, NGOs, friends and family. The report:

• Provides basic results;
• Does not attempt to interpret findings;
• Aims to provide detailed table summaries;
• Describes the survey methodology;
• Presents an overview of the financial landscape in Kenya;
• Deals with savings, credit, insurance, money transfer, informal groups, technology and youth.