LENDER'S TOOLKIT VALIDATION AND MARKET SOUNDING WORKSHOP

The Kenya Water Sanitation and Hygiene Program (K-WASH) today convened a lenders’ toolkit validation and market sounding workshop at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Nairobi. The workshop was designed to encourage banks to explore opportunities in financing viable water projects across the country. Facilitated by the Water Sector Trust Fund (WSTF) and the World Bank, with technical support from the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB), the session brought together eight commercial banks that expressed strong interest in partnering with Water Service Providers (WSPs). During the discussions, the World Bank, through WSTF, announced that it would match the funding provided by the banks with a leverage of up to USD 8 million for the WSPs. This co-financing mechanism is expected to de-risk lending and unlock more capital for water investments. The way forward will see WSPs finalize their project designs, secure the necessary approvals, and subsequently engage the banks in loan negotiations.