Individuals and enterprises desire to create wealth. Doing so not only earns them revenue but also improves their socio-economic wellbeing. However, one of the challenges is finding the best bank for investments.
It’s no secret that many people have lost money while investing. They may have put cash in a fraudulent scheme or made losses due to market forces.
Also, a good number of prospective investors wasted too much time and effort looking around or ended up giving up due to non-profitability.
Such is why intelligent people prefer to collaborate with a proven and reputable financial institution that offers good investment options. Finding the right fit can be quite a challenge.
What is Investment Banking?
Investment banking is an arm of banking services that seeks to help potential investors to create wealth. The institution is an intermediary or go-between a prospective investor and an investee or capitalist.
The company can be an individual, a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), corporation, parastatal, government, or another institution. Investees include private or public companies, government agencies, multinational organizations, and others.
This investment bank offers underwriting or brokerage services to both parties. It provides relevant information to the prospective investor regarding the type of equity, security, or debt.
Also, the service covers mergers, reorganizations, acquisitions, financial consultation, share trading, and raising capital.Here are some of the best banks for investment in Kenya.
1. African Alliance Investment Bank (AAIB)
The African Alliance Investment Bank, known as AAIB, ranks among the top banks for investment in the country. This finance enterprise has been around for more than 2 decades and enjoys a good reputation.
It was founded in 1992 and has its headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa. Note that most of its operations and other services are in many African countries.
These include South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Angola, Togo, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Senegal, Benin, Niger, and many others.
The large regional presence plays a part in its general acceptance by the public. Also, it has been showing good returns and progress for the years it’s been functioning.
The bank tries to keep up with the changing business environment. For instance, it has adopted digital and mobile banking, making it much easier for not only investors but also capitalists.
What’s more, its portfolio keeps growing to keep up with the soaring demand from prospective investors, both small and large. According to its website, it offers the following services:
- Financial research
- Brokerage services
- Wealth management
- Private Equity
- Third-party administration
- Corporate finance
It operates from the Trans-national Plaza in Kenya and is reachable via phone, email, or website.
2. AIB-AXYS Africa Ltd
AIB-AXYS Africa came about after the merger of AIB Capital Ltd and Apex Africa Capital Ltd. Both securities firms were well established and enjoyed experience and existence spanning more than 25 years. Fortunately, the new firm brought in highly skilled and experienced professionals.
The brokerage/ underwriting firm is a critical player in different investment options. In fact, its services have been increasing over the years. AIB-AXYS Africa enjoys a global presence and has offices in Kenya, Mauritius, Switzerland, Hong Kong, and UAE.
Its investment role is being experienced the most now as the African region experienced an economic boom. According to statistics, it generates revenue in excess of more than $7.45 million annually.
The entity provides a range of services, which include the following:
- Asset Management
- Portfolio management
- Corporate Finance
- Wealth Management
- Share trading
- Corporate Services
- Asset financing
- Brokerage
- Deposit-taking
Buying shares is one of its primary services and the process is laid out for easy trading. AIB-AXYS Africa collaborates with leading institutions and organizations in the country.
These include Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), Capital Markets Authority (CMA), Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), and Central Depository and Settlement Corporation (CDSC).
The firm was the pioneer investment bank in Kenya to adopt online trading and mobile technology such as MPESA. The Kenyan office is located at The Promenade building, General Mathenge Drive, in Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya. The contact email is info@aib-axysafrica.com, while the website is www.aib-axysafrica.com.
3. Equity Bank
Equity bank stands out as a top bank for investment in Kenya and beyond. It has become a force to reckon with, starting from a humble beginning. This is evidenced by its large customer base of 9 million customers and a large asset base.
The organization started and has been growing its portfolio to meet the market demands and suit its customers.
It runs its operations from many countries. These comprise Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, and the democratic republic of Congo (DRC). Its key services include:
- Advisory services
- Portfolio management
- Corporate finance
- Stock brokerage
- Trading in government bonds
- Investment banking
The bank’s investment arm, Exotix Partners, won the accolade as the top-performing broker in Kenya and Africa in 2021. Equity focuses on small, medium, and large investors.
They consist of individuals, SMEs, corporations, and multinationals. By adopting mobile technology such as the Equitel sim card service, investors can transact via their handheld devices such as phones or tablets. Its headquarters are at Equity Centre, Upper Hill, and Nairobi, Kenya.
Final Word
Creating wealth does come with many challenges. One, an investor may lack adequate information regarding good or existing news. This means s/he missing golden opportunities. Two, a prospective investor may have the money/ funding but lack time to look around.
Three, an individual or corporation may desire to invest but lacks adequate funds. Four, there is the risk of putting money in a phony or fraudulent scheme. Five, with so many financial institutions offering underwriting or brokerage services, it can be hard to zero in on a specific service provider.
In the above article, we have highlighted some of the best banks for investment in Kenya. Our focus has been on the service offering, reputation, investment portfolio, and consumer opinions. Working with any of the above financial institutions will make investing much more accessible and safer both in the short and long run.
