Co-operative Bank Leads Kenya’s Digital Banking Search Index
Co-operative Bank leads online search interest among Kenya’s 38 commercial banks, while 12 lenders recorded a Share of Interest (SSI) score of zero relative to the market leader, according to an analysis of digital search trends covering January to September 2026.
The analysis, shared by data and business analytics strategist Bernard Okyere, examined search activity across 41 urban centres over 40 weeks, highlighting differences in the online visibility of banks and the geographical distribution of consumer search interest.
Co-operative Bank ranked first with an SSI score of 100, followed by Absa Bank at 61.24, Equity Bank at 45.90, KCB Bank at 37.96 and Family Bank at 26.42.
The rankings suggest a concentration of online search interest among a small group of lenders, with the top five banks accounting for the strongest relative visibility in the study.
NCBA Bank, with an SSI score of 21.31, and I&M Bank, at 14.15, formed the next tier of banks in the web-search category.
Okyere said 12 of the 38 commercial banks, including Ecobank, Citibank, Gulf African Bank and UBA, recorded an SSI of zero relative to Co-operative Bank, pointing to a substantial gap in their visibility on the search platform analysed.
However, a zero score in this comparison does not necessarily mean the banks have no online presence or customers. It indicates that their measured search interest was negligible relative to the index leader during the period under review.
Banks show different regional strengths
The analysis also found that search interest varied considerably across the 41 urban centres, with different banks leading in specific locations.
Co-operative Bank recorded strong relative search interest in Maua, where it had an 80 per cent share, Siaya at 82 per cent and Mariakani at 81 per cent. It also led in Migori at 47 per cent and Eldoret at 42 per cent.
Absa Bank recorded strong results in Masimba, where it accounted for 100 per cent of the measured interest, as well as Garissa at 65 per cent, Karuri at 49 per cent, Kapsabet at 44 per cent and Kilifi at 40 per cent.
Equity Bank led in Karuri at 51 per cent and recorded notable shares in Murang’a at 29 per cent, Kapsabet at 29 per cent and Tatu City at 27 per cent.
KCB Bank recorded strong search interest in Webuye at 55 per cent, Voi at 42 per cent, Machakos at 25 per cent and Ol Kalou at 25 per cent. Family Bank’s strongest results included Kitale at 19 per cent, Nanyuki at 18 per cent, Naivasha at 16 per cent and Tatu City at 15 per cent.
The figures indicate that online search patterns differ across markets, rather than following one uniform national ranking. For banks seeking to strengthen their digital visibility, the results could help identify locations where consumer interest is strong and areas that may require further investigation.
July surge points to changing search behaviour
The weekly data showed that Co-operative Bank maintained the top position throughout the 40-week period, averaging an SSI score of 72.55 and reaching 100 in February 2026.
The analysis also identified a sharp industry-wide increase in search activity during the week of July 26, 2026.
Equity Bank’s score rose to 79 from 33.4, while KCB increased to 70.5 from 27.5. Credit Bank recorded one of the largest movements, climbing to 48 from a baseline of approximately 2.1.
The report described the movement as a synchronised surge across the sector but did not establish a specific cause for the increase. Further analysis would be needed to determine whether it was associated with marketing campaigns, product launches, news events or other factors influencing public searches.
The findings offer banks, financial technology firms and marketing teams a comparative view of online search interest across institutions and locations. They also underline the importance of distinguishing search visibility from other measures of banking performance, including customer numbers, deposits, transaction volumes and profitability.
