Kenya Dividend Tracker 2026: NSE Companies That Have Paid and What's Still Due

Last updated: April 24, 2026 | Reading time: ~10 minutes

Kenya's 2026 dividend season has produced some of its most significant payouts in years. Equity Group is on track to deliver the largest absolute dividend payout in its history. KCB Group added a special dividend on top of its ordinary final. Safaricom's interim payment jumped 54.5% year-on-year. And BAT Kenya continues to offer one of the highest per-share yields on the entire exchange.

This tracker covers NSE-listed companies with declared 2026 dividend events — both those already paid and those confirmed but still due. Amounts are stated in Kenya shillings (KES) per share, gross before the 5% withholding tax deducted at source.

Quick summary:

• 1 company has already paid a 2026 dividend event (Safaricom interim, March 31).
• 9 more have declared and confirmed upcoming payments between May and June 2026.
• Kenya deducts 5% Withholding Tax (WHT) at source for resident shareholders — the lowest dividend tax rate among major African exchanges.
• Several large-cap names — including Safaricom's final dividend and EABL's full-year payout — are still pending announcement as their financial years close.

> Track live Kenya market data on Mansa Markets, browse corporate action filings in the disclosures hub, or compare Kenya with other African exchanges on the markets page.

## Companies That Have Already Paid in 2026

Safaricom's interim dividend of KES 0.85 per share was paid on March 31, 2026, and represents a 54.5% increase over the KES 0.55 interim paid in the prior year. It covers the first half of Safaricom's financial year (April–September 2025). The full-year final dividend — covering the second half — is expected to be announced alongside Safaricom's FY2026 results in May 2026. Safaricom's financial year runs April to March, making it one of the few large-cap NSE names that does not follow the calendar year.

## Confirmed Upcoming Payments

The following companies have declared dividends with confirmed record or payment dates. All amounts are gross per share in KES before the 5% WHT deduction.

Notes on amounts:

• KCB's KES 3.00 combines a KES 2.00 ordinary final with a KES 1.00 special dividend. KCB's total 2026 dividend including the H1 interim is KES 7.00 per share.
• Stanbic Holdings' KES 18.55 is the final dividend only. Total declared for the year is KES 22.35, including the interim already paid. This represents a 7.3% increase year-on-year and Stanbic's fourth consecutive annual raise.
• Co-operative Bank declared KES 2.50 total for the year; the KES 1.50 final is the remaining portion after the H1 interim. That represents a 67% increase in Co-operative Bank's total 2026 dividend compared with the prior year.
• Standard Chartered Kenya's KES 31.00 is a reduction from the KES 45.00 paid in 2025 — a deliberate cut as the bank recalibrates its capital distribution policy.
• BAT Kenya's KES 70.00 is among the highest per-share cash dividends on the NSE in absolute terms, consistent with BAT's tradition of paying out the majority of earnings as dividends.

## What Stood Out This Season

Equity Group set a payout record. The bank declared a KES 5.75 final dividend — the highest in its history — with a total payout to shareholders estimated at KES 21.7 billion. That is more cash returned than in any previous year, backed by strong full-year 2025 earnings. Equity has now raised its dividend in each of the last four years.

KCB added a surprise special. KCB Group declared a KES 1.00 special dividend alongside its KES 2.00 ordinary final, bringing the total 2026 payout to KES 7.00 per share — the highest in several years. KCB posted a net profit of KES 68.4 billion in FY2025, giving it room to reward shareholders beyond the ordinary payout cycle.

Stanbic delivered its fourth consecutive raise. Stanbic Holdings' KES 18.55 final brings the full-year total to KES 22.35, up 7.3%. Institutional investors tracking dividend growth on the NSE will note that Stanbic has now compounded its annual dividend for four straight years.

Standard Chartered Kenya cut sharply. SCBK's KES 31.00 annual dividend is 31% lower than the KES 45.00 it paid in 2025. The bank cited a recalibration of its capital allocation framework. This is the most significant dividend cut among large-cap NSE names so far in 2026.

BAT Kenya remains the yield standout. KES 70.00 per share from a stock priced in the hundreds means BAT consistently offers one of the highest yield percentages on the exchange. Tobacco companies worldwide tend to pay out nearly all earnings, and BAT Kenya is no different. The ex-dividend date is May 11, with payment scheduled for June 12.

Safaricom's interim surged 54.5%. Growing from KES 0.55 to KES 0.85 is meaningful given Safaricom's enormous share count — the company has over 40 billion shares outstanding, making even a small per-share increase a very large absolute payout. The final dividend, expected in May, will confirm whether the full-year payout continues in this direction.

## Still Pending — Watch These Names

The following companies are expected to declare 2026 dividends but have not yet confirmed amounts or dates as of this update:

Safaricom is the most closely watched. With FY2026 results expected in May 2026, the final dividend announcement will give investors a full-year picture. Given the 54.5% interim jump, expectations are elevated.

EABL paid a KES 4.00 interim dividend in January 2026 — its first half payment. The full-year final depends on H2 performance, which includes peak consumption months. EABL's financial year closes June 30, meaning the final payout will likely land in August or September.

DTB has confirmed a record date of May 22 and payment on June 26, but the declared amount per share was not confirmed at the time of this publication.

## How Kenya's Dividend Tax Works

Kenya applies a 5% Withholding Tax (WHT) on dividends paid to resident shareholders by companies listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. For non-resident shareholders, the rate is 10% under the Income Tax Act, though this may be reduced by a Double Tax Agreement (DTA) between Kenya and the shareholder's country of residence.

Key practical points:

• WHT is deducted at source by the paying company's registrar before cash reaches your CDS-linked bank account. You do not need to file separately for this deduction.
• Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) guidance confirms that the 5% rate for residents applies specifically to dividends from companies listed on the NSE. This preferential rate is designed to encourage participation in the formal capital market.
• If you are a non-resident and your home country has a DTA with Kenya (e.g., the UK, Canada, Germany), the treaty rate may apply instead of 10% — but you typically need to submit a certificate of residence to the paying agent.

Kenya's 5% rate is the lowest of any major African exchange. Compare it with:

• South Africa: 20% DWT (the JSE dividend tax that applies to all JSE-listed ordinary share dividends)
• Nigeria: 10% WHT on dividends from NGX-listed companies
• Ghana: 8% WHT on dividends for residents
• Egypt: 10% WHT on dividends

For an investor comparing the same gross yield across African markets, Kenya's tax treatment retains significantly more cash per share.

## How Dividends Are Paid — The CDSC Process

The Central Depository & Settlement Corporation (CDSC) is the infrastructure that underpins all NSE dividend payments. When a company declares a dividend:

1. The company lodges the dividend cash with its registrar (typically Image Registrars or Custody & Registrars Services Limited).
2. The registrar cross-references the CDSC shareholder register as of the record date.
3. Eligible shareholders receive cash credited directly to the bank account linked to their Central Depository System (CDS) account.
4. WHT is deducted before the credit hits your account. You receive the net amount.

To receive NSE dividends, you must have an active CDS account with a bank account linked to it. If your CDS account has no linked bank account — a common issue with older accounts — dividends may be held by the registrar as unclaimed. Checking your CDSC portal or contacting your broker to verify your account linkage before the record date is advisable.

Unclaimed dividends are eventually published by registrars in local newspapers and held for a statutory period before being surrendered to the Capital Markets Authority (CMA).

## FAQ

How many Kenyan companies have paid dividends in 2026 so far?

One company — Safaricom — has paid a 2026 dividend as of this update. Safaricom paid its KES 0.85 interim on March 31, 2026. Nine more declared dividend payments are pending between May and June 2026, covering Equity Group, KCB, I&M, Absa Bank Kenya, Co-operative Bank, Stanbic Holdings, Standard Chartered Kenya, NCBA Group, and BAT Kenya.

What is the dividend withholding tax rate in Kenya?

Kenya applies a 5% WHT for resident shareholders on dividends from NSE-listed companies. Non-residents pay 10%, though this may be reduced by a Double Tax Agreement. This is confirmed by the Kenya Revenue Authority and PwC Kenya Tax Summaries.

What is the difference between Equity Group's interim and final dividend?

Equity Group operates on a calendar year. The interim dividend covers the first half (H1) of the year and is typically declared with H1 results in August or September. The final dividend covers the full year and is declared with the annual results in March or April. Equity's KES 5.75 final declared in early 2026 relates to FY2025 earnings.

Why does KCB Group have a "special dividend"?

A special dividend is a one-time cash payment that sits outside a company's regular dividend policy. KCB declared a KES 1.00 special alongside its KES 2.00 ordinary final for 2025, funded by strong earnings. Special dividends are not commitments to future payouts — they signal that the company has excess capital it is returning to shareholders in a specific year.

When will Safaricom announce its final dividend for FY2026?

Safaricom's financial year runs April to March. Full-year FY2026 results are typically released in May 2026, at which point the board declares the final dividend. The record and payment dates for the final are usually set for July or August.

Can non-resident investors receive NSE dividends?

Yes. Non-resident investors holding NSE shares through a CDS account receive dividends like any other shareholder. The applicable WHT is 10% (rather than the 5% resident rate), deducted at source. If a Double Tax Agreement exists between Kenya and your country, you may submit a certificate of residence to claim the treaty rate instead of the statutory 10%.

## Sources

• Safaricom PLC investor relations — FY2026 interim results and dividend announcement (safaricom.co.ke)
• Equity Group Holdings investor relations — FY2025 annual results and final dividend announcement (equitygroupholdings.com)
• KCB Group investor relations — FY2025 full-year results and special dividend announcement (kcbgroup.com)
• I&M Group PLC NSE filings — dividend announcement April 2026 (africanfinancials.com)
• Stanbic Holdings Kenya NSE filings — full-year 2025 results and final dividend
• Co-operative Bank of Kenya investor relations — FY2025 results and dividend announcement
• Standard Chartered Bank Kenya — annual dividend announcement 2026
• BAT Kenya investor relations — 2026 dividend circular (businessdailyafrica.com)
• Kenya Revenue Authority — Withholding Tax guidance on dividends (kra.go.ke)
• PwC Kenya Worldwide Tax Summaries — Dividend income, resident and non-resident WHT rates
• CDSC Kenya — Central Depository & Settlement Corporation shareholder services (cdsckenya.com)
• Capital FM Kenya — NSE dividend roundup coverage (capitalfm.co.ke)
• Kenyan Wall Street — NSE market and corporate action reporting (kenyanwallstreet.com)
• Business Daily Africa — NSE corporate actions and dividend tracking (businessdailyafrica.com)

This tracker is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Declared amounts and dates can change if companies amend payment schedules after publication.