Editor's Review

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has announced the official closure of Bank Al-Habib Ltd’s (BAHL) Representative Office in Kenya.

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has announced the official closure of Bank Al-Habib Ltd’s (BAHL) Representative Office in Nairobi.

In a statement on Monday, June 30, CBK confirmed it had revoked the authorization previously granted to the Pakistani-based lender to operate in Kenya. 

According to CBK, the cancellation took effect on May 15, 2025.

“The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) announces the cancellation of the authority granted to Bank Al-Habib Ltd (BAHL) of Pakistan to operate BAHL Representative Office in Kenya, pursuant to Section 43 of the Banking Act,” said CBK in its statement.

The exit, according to CBK, was initiated by BAHL as part of a global operational review.

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"BAHL’s exit from Kenya, effective May 15, 2025, follows a strategic decision by BAHL to rationalize its foreign operations," the statement added.

File image of the BAHL bank

BAHL was authorized by CBK to open a Representative Office in Kenya on April 9, 2018. 

The office primarily served as a marketing and liaison arm for the bank’s parent company and its international network.

"The Representative Office in Kenya served as a marketing and liaison office for the parent bank and its international affiliates," the statement concluded.

Headquartered in Karachi, BAHL has grown into one of Pakistan’s largest banks, operating over 1,113 branches in the Asian country.

The bank also operates three overseas wholesale branches in Bahrain, Malaysia, and Seychelles, along with representative offices in China, Turkey, and the UAE.

BAHL offers a series of banking services spanning traditional retail and corporate banking, trade finance, consumer lending and credit cards.