Bank Al Habib to exit Kenya after seven years amid global restructuring

Bank Al Habib Limited (BAHL), one of Pakistan’s leading private banks, has announced its exit from Kenya, bringing an end to its seven-year presence in East Africa. The move is part of the bank’s broader global restructuring plan aimed at consolidating international operations and improving overall efficiency.

According to a public notice referenced in The East African, and several other Kenyan news sources the bank’s representative office in Nairobi will officially close on May 15, 2025. The decision follows approval from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) on April 30, 2025, under the Banking Act (Cap. 488) and related prudential guidelines.

“The closure of the Representative Office follows a strategic review undertaken by the Board of Directors of BAHL,” the bank stated. “Accordingly, BAHL shall terminate its presence in Kenya and ceases all its operations effective May 15, 2025.”

Bank Al Habib had opened its Nairobi office on April 18, 2018, marking its first foray into the African continent. The office was intended to explore business opportunities across Kenya and the broader East and Central African region. As a representative office, however, it was restricted to liaison and marketing functions and was not authorized to conduct direct banking business.

Though the bank has not specified detailed reasons for its withdrawal, the decision reflects a trend among global financial institutions to streamline overseas operations and focus on core, high-growth markets.

Outside Pakistan, BAHL continues to operate in Bahrain, China, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and the Seychelles. The Kenyan exit underscores both the ambition and the challenges faced by Pakistani financial institutions in expanding into complex and competitive foreign markets.