Sixty KCB Group employees lost their jobs to fraud-related dismissals in 2025, nearly double the 34 fired the previous year. Kenya's largest bank by assets confirmed the figures in its 2025 sustainability report, noting that the dismissed staff were linked to schemes targeting both the bank and its customers.
The sharp rise in dismissals comes even as actual fraud dropped significantly. Reported incidents fell by more than 40 percent, from 339 to 201, and losses from fraud and forgery came down to KES 760,000 (about $5,870) from KES 4.5 million ($34,762) the year before. The value of attempted fraud that KCB managed to block also declined, from KES 212.9 million to KES 141.1 million, pointing to stronger detection systems working earlier in the process.
KCB credits the improvement to a suite of security upgrades including biometric authentication, document verification, selfie matching, and enhanced digital onboarding. The bank also uses real-time monitoring of digital transactions to flag and contain fraud faster. Most of the year's incidents, 188 of the 201 reported, and 50 of the 60 dismissals were traced to KCB's Kenyan subsidiary specifically.
The pattern here tells a wider story. As internet and digital banking grow across the continent, Kenyan commercial banks are investing heavily in technology to manage the fraud risks that come with that expansion. Catching fewer incidents while firing more people suggests the tools are sharper, and banks are less willing to look away when those tools surface a problem.
Originally published by TechCabal.