Diamond Trust Bank Kenya has reported a pretax profit of KSh 9.8 billion for the six months to June 30, 2026, a 37 percent jump from the same period last year. The regional lender’s turnaround strategy is now delivering results across its three markets, with revenue climbing 21 percent on the back of stronger interest income and a rapidly expanding digital customer base.
The results mark one of the strongest half year performances in the bank’s 80 year history and build on a full year 2025 that saw pretax profit rise 26 percent to KSh 13.5 billion, with profit after tax reaching KShs 10.7 billion.
Customer Base Nearly Doubles as Digital Channels Take Over
DTB Group Chief Executive Officer Nasim Devji attributed the momentum to initiatives launched over the past year gaining traction across the bank’s Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda operations, anchored on a loyal customer base built over eight decades in East Africa.
That base grew fast. DTB now serves 5.9 million customers across the region, up 44 percent in twelve months. Group Finance and Strategy Director Alkarim Jiwa said the growth fed directly into the loan book and deposits, with a double digit expansion in both.
“Instructively, 99% of all new customers acquired over the past year were onboarded through our digital platforms and over 86% of all customer transactions were conducted on our digital channels,” Jiwa said.
That shift to digital channels has commercial weight behind it. The bank extended KSh 10 billion in digital loans over the past six months alone, targeting retail customers and small and medium enterprises.
Branch Network Set to Cross 100 Marks in Kenya
DTB Kenya Managing Director Murali Natarajan linked the results to the bank’s expanding footprint and digital partnerships. The bank plans to open its 100th branch in Kenya by December, taking its regional network to 163 branches.
“Our DTB3.0 Business Growth Strategy is driving customer acquisition and retention across segments, strengthening our digital capabilities, customer propositions and ultimately enriching the lives of the customers we serve and the broader communities we operate in,” Natarajan said.
The bank intends to deepen its presence in trade, manufacturing, real estate, construction, tourism and transport, sectors it has traditionally served. Natarajan said DTB is also pushing into agriculture, education and public sector agencies through partnerships with ecosystem anchors and bespoke digital platforms.
Balance Sheet Strengthens as Bad Loan Coverage Improves
Total assets rose above 10 percent year on year to KSh 675 billion. Customer deposits reached KSh 534 billion, up 11 percent, while loans and advances grew 14 percent to KSh 328 billion.
Asset quality also moved in the right direction. The nonperforming loan ratio fell to 11.6 percent from 13.0 percent, and specific provision coverage climbed to 56.6 percent from 40.7 percent as the bank set aside more against bad debts. DTB has previously set a target of reaching a single digit nonperforming loan ratio, targeting a range of 7% to 9% by 2026.
| Metric | H1 2026 | Change YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Pretax profit | KSh 9.8 billion | +37% |
| Total assets | KSh 675 billion | +10% |
| Customer deposits | KSh 534 billion | +11% |
| Loans and advances | KSh 328 billion | +14% |
| Customer base | 5.9 million | +44% |
| NPL ratio | 11.6% | from 13.0% |
| Specific coverage ratio | 56.6% | from 40.7% |
| Net interest income | — | +26% |
| Non interest income | — | +7% |
| Operating costs | — | +6% |
| Loan provisions | — | +37% |
Jiwa said the profit growth reflected disciplined cost management alongside revenue expansion. Net interest income grew 26 percent and non interest income rose 7 percent, while operating costs increased just 6 percent. Loan provisions grew 37 percent, a deliberate move that pushed up coverage against bad debts.
Automation and AI Feature in Next Phase of Growth
Jiwa said the bank plans to expand its use of robotic process automation and digitised business process management to speed up internal operations and improve customer experience.
“Building on some of the end-to-end process automation initiatives rolled out in the past year, we plan to increase our adoption of RPA and other process automation tools across the business,” Jiwa said. “The Group is also looking at deploying agentic Artificial Intelligence solutions to improve customer experience and delivery, controls and compliance as we reposition DTB for sustained growth and profitability.”
Devji said the bank remains confident about sustaining balance sheet and profit growth into the medium term, pointing to brand equity and customer relationships built over eight decades in the region. DTB has set a medium term target of 18% to 22% return on equity, alongside its goal of narrowing the cost to income ratio.
The half year results follow a mixed reporting season for Kenyan lenders. Family Bank’s profit jumped 62 percent in the same period, while Absa Bank Kenya posted a 10 percent decline in profit despite doubling its interim dividend.
