Deposit-taking Saccos' assets hit Sh1tr as loans outpace deposits
Business
By
Graham Kajilwa
| Oct 12, 2026
Total assets for deposit-taking Saccos (DT-Saccos) have crossed the Sh1 trillion mark, growing 13 per cent year-on-year according to the latest report from the regulator.
The report also signals regulated Saccos to devise ways to mobilise more deposits from their members due to the rate of loans being advanced growing faster than that of deposits in 2025.
This is even as assets for the whole industry improved by Sh134 billion.
Assets for DT-Saccos closed 2025 at Sh1.1 trillion, having grown by 13.2 per cent in the 2024/2025 period, an improvement from Sh944.9 billion recorded in 2024.
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This is as non-withdrawable deposit-taking Saccos (NWDT-Saccos) closed the same period with Sh141.4 billion in assets, a rebound growth of 7.7 per cent.
DT-Saccos are societies that partially operate as banks, offering services such as deposit taking and withdrawals as well as salary processing. NWDT Saccos, however, do not offer such services, as they strictly operate as a savings platform for loans.
This means DT-Saccos operate both front and back office, while NWDT Saccos only do back office services.
In 2024, assets for NWDT-Saccos stood at Sh131.2 billion, a contraction of 5.6 per cent in the 2023/2024 period.
Due to the growth recorded in 2025, total assets for regulated Saccos closed the period at Sh1.2 trillion, an increase from Sh1.1 trillion recorded in 2024.
“The total deposits of the regulated Saccos, which are composed of non-withdrawable deposits (commonly known as BOSA deposits), withdrawable deposits (commonly known as FOSA deposits), and fixed deposits, on the other hand, grew by 11.12 per cent to reach Sh832.74 billion in 2025 from a total deposit base of Sh749.43 billion in 2024,” says the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) in its latest industry report.
According to the report, gross loans and advances by DT-Saccos grew twice as much as those extended by NWDT-Saccos at 12.98 and 6.87 per cent, respectively.
Gross loans and advances by DT Saccos stood at Sh840.99 billion compared to Sh107.68 billion for NWDT Saccos.
Gross loans and advances for both tiers of Saccos then closed the year at Sh948.67 billion. This is a growth of 12.25 per cent compared to Sh845.11 billion recorded in 2024.
“The allowances made by regulated Saccos for loan loss, however, increased by 9.53 per cent to reach Sh61 billion in 2025 from 55.69 billion in 2024,” the report shows.
"Consequently, the net loans and advances for the regulated Saccos for the period ended December 2025 stood at Sh887.67 billion, which represented an increase of 12.45 per cent compared to a net loans and credit advances increase of 11.78 per cent in 2024."
Sasra, however, notes that gross loans and advances grew faster than deposits.
This implies that Saccos extended loans and advances faster than they could attract more deposits.
From the report, gross loans and advances for both Sacco tiers stood at 12.25 per cent in the 2024/2025 period, compared to deposits that grew at a rate of 11.12 per cent.
While gross loans and advances for DT Saccos grew by 12.98 per cent, deposits for this category improved by 11.89 per cent.
For NWDT Saccos, as gross loans and advances grew by 6.87 per cent, deposits went up 6.13 per cent.
“This elevated demand for loans does not, however, present regulatory risks to the Sacco industry as there was concurrent growth in deposits, which is the main source of funding for loans, and the fact that new loan demands are met by monthly loan repayments,” Sasra explains in the report.
“Regulated Saccos are, however, challenged to devise strategies to spur the growth in deposits to cope with the surging demand for loans.”