SMEP Microfinance Bank Limited is a public limited company incorporated under the Companies Act (Cap 486) and licensed under the Microfinance Act (Cap 493D) regulated by The Central Bank of Kenya to offer banking services focusing on Group (Microfinance) banking and SME & Church banking. SMEP has a subsidiary company, SMEP Insurance Agency, which provides insurance services to diverse customer insurance needs.
SMEP Microfinance Bank spanning nearly four decades has been a remarkable one. The noble idea of starting a micro-finance was born in 1975 when the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) embarked on a project to feed the children of the commercial sex workers in Mathare Valley, Nairobi. Their children were acutely malnourished and the need for an intervention to salvage the health of these young ones was necessary.
As with any donor-funded program, the need for sustainability emerged as it was clear that the nutritional support was turning the families into dependents. As a famous philosopher wisely said, “Give a bowl of rice to a man and you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to grow his own rice and you will save his life.” The project was redesigned and focused on giving small loans to the mothers (commercial sex workers) which they invested in small-scale businesses. Following the success of this project, NCCK registered the company SMEP (Small and Micro-enterprise Programme) in 1999 to undertake this work in a more targeted and strategic manner. SMEP became a public deposit taking microfinance institution) in 2010 and in 2013 SMEP DTM changed its name to SMEP Microfinance Bank as per The Microfinance Amendment Act 2013 which defined“ deposit-taking microfinance business” as “microfinance bank business”
1975: Started out as a relief arm of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK)
1999: Evolved into Finance Credit Company. Licensed as a company limited by guarantee under the name Small and Microenterprise Programme (SMEP)
2008: Rebranded to SMEP and dropped the long name small and microenterprise program
2010: Becomes the third microfinance institution (MFI) in Kenya to be awarded a nationwide Deposit Taking Microfinance by the Central Bank of Kenya and opens 6 Banking Branches across the country.
2011: Launched the SMEP mobile banking system. SMEP customers can currently withdraw; check balances, transfer funds, get a mini statement using their mobile.
2012: The first MFI in Africa and second in the world to launch a Visa debit card to its customers. SMEP customers can now shop, fuel and obtain cash at any visa enabled ATM
2012: The first MFI in Kenya to obtain a nod by Capital market Authority to raise capital through private placement offer to enable SMEP Microfinance Bank Limited to comply with the terms of licensing by CBK in respect to the cap of 25% single shareholder rule.
2013: SMEP DTM changes the name to SMEP Microfinance Bank as per The Microfinance Amendment Act 2013
2015: Opens SMEP Insurance Agency company and the 17th Banking Branch supported by 35 Marketing Units and over 50 SMEP Agents around the country.
SMEP Microfinance Bank Ltd
Postal Address: P. O. Box 6406300620, Nairobi
Telephone: 0203572799/2055761, 2673327/8, 0711606900
Email: info@smep.co.ke, info@smep.co.ke, info@smep.co.ke
Website: www.smep.co.ke
Physical Address: SMEP Building, Kirichwa Road, Off Argwings Kodhek Road
Date Licensed: 14th December 2010
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