A cultural view of loan defaults in Kenya

Executive summary 

From 2019 to 2024, Kenya experienced a steady rise in personal and consumer loan defaults, driven not just by economic challenges, but deeply rooted cultural behaviors, social expectations, and shifting attitudes towards debt.

While formal banks, microfinance institutions, and mobile lenders expanded access to credit, repayment struggles mirrored longstanding cultural and communal dynamics.

This report explores how historical borrowing traditions, social norms, religious beliefs, and modern pressures collectively shape why many Kenyans default and what this means for the future of credit in the country.

Historical context of borrowing in Kenya

Traditional borrowing systems: Before the formal banking sector took hold, borrowing in Kenya was primarily social. Communities operated rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCAs) like chamas (informal savings groups). Loans were based on trust, social standing, and communal relationships rather than contracts or interest rates.

Rise of formal institutions: By the 1960s, post-independence Kenya saw the growth of formal banks. However, access was limited to urban elites. In rural areas, microfinance institutions like K-Rep Bank (now Sidian Bank) filled the gap in the 1980s and 1990s.

The digital lending boom: Between 2015 and 2020, mobile money (M-Pesa) and digital lenders like Zenka and M-Shwari transformed borrowing. Instant, collateral-free loans became accessible to millions but repayment discipline, deeply tied to cultural practices, did not evolve at the same speed.

Cultural attitudes towards loans and debt repayment

Debt as a shared burden: In many Kenyan communities, debt is not seen purely as an individual’s burden. It is intertwined with family and social expectations. When someone borrows, family or friends may feel obligated to assist with repayment, or at least offer moral support.

Borrowing driven by immediate needs: Culturally, borrowing is often tied to immediate survival or urgent family needs (school fees, funerals, hospital bills), not long-term investment. Quote from a Borrower Interview (2023): “When my mother got sick, I took a loan. Paying it back was secondary; her life came first.”

Low fear of default: Because of the historical reliance on communal support, there is often a lower fear of personal consequences for defaulting, especially among informal borrowers.

Social and economic triggers of default

Economic instability: Unemployment has remained high, averaging around 5.7% nationally (World Bank, 2024). Inflation reached a peak of 9.2% in 2022, worsening cost-of-living pressures. When economic survival is at stake, loan repayment ranks lower among priorities.

Black tax: “Black tax” which is the financial responsibility of supporting extended family heavily strains borrowers. Young adults, especially first-time earners, often channel salaries toward family obligations, making loan repayment difficult.

Borrower prioritization: Borrowers often prioritize: Rent and food, Family needs, School fees, and then loan repayment only if immediate consequences are likely.

Religious and moral views on loan defaulting

Christian influence: About 85% of Kenyans identify as Christian. Many denominations preach the importance of debt repayment as a moral obligation.Churches sometimes intervene to help members in financial distress, or caution against reckless borrowing.

Islamic finance principles: In Muslim-majority regions like the Coast and parts of the North-East, Islamic finance principles discourage interest-based borrowing (riba). Thus, loan default is seen both as a religious violation and a dishonor to one’s family.

Default: Moral failure or economic reality? While religious teachings frame default as a moral failure, economic realities (e.g., job loss) often override guilt, leading borrowers to rationalize defaults.

Formal vs Informal lending default rates

Formal sector: According to the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), non-performing loans (NPLs) in the banking sector stood at 14.8% by the end of 2023, significantly higher than the continental average. Digital lenders reported default rates of 23%–28% between 2022 and 2024, especially among small-ticket loans under KES 5,000.

Informal sector: Defaults within chamas and community groups are lower (estimated at 8%-12%). Here, social pressure, fear of being ostracized, ensures higher repayment rates.

Stigma, social consequences, and legal repercussions of default

Social stigma: In urban centers like Nairobi and Mombasa, defaulting carries mild stigma, largely tied to access to future credit or mobile money restrictions. In rural areas, defaulting in informal groups brings significant social shame.

Community pressure: Borrowers who fail to repay loans in chamas risk:Public shaming at group meetings, exclusion from future borrowing, and damage to family reputation.

Legal consequences: Under Kenyan law: Formal lenders can pursue defaulters via the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) blacklist. Defaulters also face difficulty accessing future formal loans. Harassment and illegal debt collection practices by some digital lenders have drawn government crackdowns since 2021.

Strategies lenders use to curb defaults

Tailored debt collection: Rather than using aggressive or impersonal debt collection methods, some microfinance institutions deploy community-based officers who are embedded within the areas they serve. These officers are often locals who understand the social hierarchies, customs, and sensitivities of the community. They also build personal relationships with borrowers, creating a sense of mutual obligation and respect. And finally, nediate repayment discussions in culturally appropriate ways, such as involving elders or religious leaders when necessary.

Use of peer pressure: Digital lenders like Tala and Zenka have harnessed the power of peer pressure to encourage timely repayments. Through app features and referral programs, they foster soft community surveillance, where borrowers can see how their friends or referral networks perform on repayments. Referral incentives are tied not just to borrowing, but to maintaining good repayment behavior. Some apps quietly reduce loan limits or access if referees default, subtly pressuring borrowers to keep their own records clean. By intertwining individual loan performance with group reputations, lenders recreate the peer accountability dynamics traditionally seen in chamas and village savings groups, but in a digital format.

Social contracts: In informal lending settings including chamas, village banks, and SACCOs, formal legal contracts are often seen as too rigid or intimidating. Instead, borrowers are encouraged (and sometimes required) to sign social contracts that are witnessed by respected community leaders, religious figures, or elders. A signed social contract, witnessed and acknowledged publicly, carries weight far beyond its paper value. It becomes a matter of personal and family pride.

Government policies and regulatory environment

Regulation of digital lenders: In 2021, the CBK mandated that all digital lenders must be licensed and regulated. Aggressive recovery practices were banned, and transparency on loan terms was enforced.

Debt relief and literacy programs: Financial literacy initiatives targeting youth were rolled out under the Ajira Digital Program. Debt restructuring programs for pandemic-hit borrowers were introduced but uptake remained low.

Cultural impact on policies: Policymakers increasingly acknowledge the role of culture in financial behaviors, but programs remain largely urban-centric, missing deeper rural dynamics.

Changing cultural views on loans and defaults

Urbanization and changing norms: Younger, urbanized Kenyans view debt differently: They embrace digital loans but have less patience with traditional social obligations (e.g., black tax). Also, financial literacy is slowly gaining ground through TikTok, YouTube, and fintech apps, which makes it all the more easy for them to stay off bad debt.

Financial education’s rising role: More Kenyans are becoming aware of credit scores, loan consequences and budgeting strategies. By 2030, cultural attitudes towards loans are expected to align more closely with individual responsibility rather than communal support.

Culture and its intersection with credit 

Understanding loan defaults in Kenya requires more than analyzing economic data. It demands a nuanced view of cultural values, social structures, and evolving financial behaviors. While defaults will persist in the short term due to economic pressures and traditional social expectations, urbanization, financial literacy, and regulatory tightening are slowly shifting repayment behaviors.

Lenders who succeed will be those who not only manage financial risk but also appreciate the cultural complexities shaping borrower behavior across Kenya.