From Seif Mangwangi at Namanga
CRDB Bank has extended its footprint to the Tanzania–Kenya border with the launch of a new branch at Namanga’s One-Stop Border Post, a strategic hub for regional trade. The expansion is aimed at capturing rising cross-border business flows and providing traders and investors with easier access to financial services at one of East Africa’s busiest commercial gateways. The branch was inaugurated on September 26, 2025, by Arusha Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Amos Makala, who stressed the importance of financial institutions at border exits for driving economic growth and integration. “In the last financial year, revenue at Namanga increased by 110 per cent, reflecting the strong growth of business activities at the border post,” he noted.
CRDB Bank’s Director of Small and Medium Customers, Bonaventura Paul, said the Namanga branch was part of the bank’s broader strategy to serve growing markets. “We are committed to bringing financial services closer to traders, entrepreneurs and the border community, ensuring they can expand and operate with confidence,” he said. Longido District Executive Director (DED), Rahma Kondo, added that the bank’s presence would strengthen the local economy and enhance security for traders who often handle large sums of cash. “Now, business operators can transact safely and conveniently, which is vital for sustaining cross-border commerce,” she said.
CRDB Bank Plc, established in 1996 and listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE), is one of Tanzania’s largest commercial banks. It operates over 240 branches nationwide, supported by more than 17,000 agents, 650 ATMs and mobile branches, with subsidiaries in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Namanga remains a critical corridor for bilateral trade in agricultural products, manufactured goods and services between Tanzania and Kenya. The Namanga One-Stop Border Post handles about 400,000 travellers a year, including some 138,000 tourists, according to a border-flow study and Kenya’s Tourism Research Institute report. The One-Stop Border Post has streamlined clearance procedures, cuts transaction time and boosts revenue collection under the framework of the East African Community (EAC). With the Namanga branch, CRDB positions itself at the heart of this growing trade corridor, underscoring its mission to drive financial inclusion and regional economic integration.