Co-op Bank wins Award for Water Finance at Africa Water Forum 2026

Image: Ms Vedika Bhandarkar, President and Chief Operating Officer, Water.org (second right) presents the Leadership in Water Infrastructure and Finance Award to Ben Muriuki, Head of Investor Relations & Strategy at Co-op Bank (Image: Files)

The Co-operative Bank of Kenya has been recognized with the Leadership in Water Infrastructure and Finance Award at the Africa WaterCredits Forum 2026.

This award is a recognition of its leadership in financing water enterprises, water infrastructure, and water service providers, and its contribution to strengthening Kenya’s commercial WASH ecosystem.

The award specifically recognizes the Bank’s Co-op A Maji product, a dedicated banking solution designed to gives water service providers access to tailored financing for water supply, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure.

The product offers financing for water tanks, solar pumps, connections, exhausters/bowsers, smart meters, etc., for individuals, MSMEs and institutions.

Through Co-op A Maji, the Bank has availed resources that position the bank as one of Kenya’s major financiers of water service companies, supporting projects that extend safe drinking water and improved sanitation to communities across urban, peri-urban, and rural areas.

This recognition builds on the Bank’s broader commitment to the WASH sector.

The Coopbank- Water.org partnership was launched in 2023 under a three-year agreement targeting the disbursement of more than Ksh.3 billion in WASH financing while improving access to water and sanitation services for over 110,000 people.

The results exceeded expectations. Between March 2023 and August 2026, Co-op Bank disbursed Ksh.4.39 billion in WASH financing, surpassing the original target and demonstrating both the demand for specialized financing and the positive impact of the initiative across the country.

Commenting on the award, the Bank’s Group Managing Director & CEO Dr Gideon Muriuki said;

“Access to reliable water and sanitation remains one of Kenya’s most pressing development priorities, and innovative financing is essential to turn infrastructure ambitions into delivered services.

Co-op A Maji reflects the Bank’s long-standing focus on sectors that drive inclusive growth and improve livelihoods at the community level.”

The Africa WaterCredits Forum 2026 was held on 16 October 2026 at the Radisson Blu in Nairobi, Kenya.

The event brings together financial institutions, water utilities, development partners, and sector stakeholders to accelerate commercial investment in water and sanitation across Africa.