Absa Bank Kenya has partnered with International Housing Solutions (IHS) Kenya as the title sponsor of the 2nd IHS Kenya Affordable Housing Conference, reinforcing its commitment to accelerating scalable solutions for housing delivery and expanding homeownership opportunities across the country.
The conference, set to take place on Thursday, will bring together property developers, financiers, policymakers, and investors to address structural challenges affecting the delivery of affordable housing while exploring practical solutions to scale supply.
Kenya continues to face a significant housing deficit estimated at more than 2 million units. Annual demand is projected at between 200,000 and 250,000 housing units, while current supply remains below 50,000 units, widening the affordability and access gap.
Tackling Kenya’s Housing Shortage Through Collaboration
Speaking ahead of the conference, Absa Bank Kenya Managing Executive for Corporate and Investment Banking, James Agin, emphasized that addressing the housing gap requires more than construction activity. He noted that coordinated action across financing, infrastructure development, and urban planning is essential to achieving meaningful progress.
“Affordable housing is central to economic inclusion, productivity and urban resilience. As cities grow, housing systems must evolve to support sustainable and inclusive development,” said Agin.
He further highlighted that affordability challenges often emerge early in the development cycle, driven by high land costs, infrastructure requirements, financing constraints, and lengthy project timelines. These pressures impact both developers and prospective homeowners.
Expanding Access to Housing Finance
Through its Real Estate Finance division, Absa Bank Kenya is working across the housing value chain to improve project viability, strengthen developer-offtake linkages, and enhance mortgage readiness. These efforts are designed to enable potential homeowners to access financing earlier in the property development process.
The bank is also advancing alternative financing models tailored to local market conditions, including solutions targeting informal and non-traditional income earners who are often excluded from conventional mortgage systems.
“Delivering affordable housing at scale will depend on how effectively we connect capital, expertise and execution across the ecosystem. Stronger collaboration will be critical to unlocking commercially viable, inclusive solutions,” Agin added.
Driving Investment in Kenya’s Housing Sector
The 2nd IHS Kenya Affordable Housing Conference forms part of ongoing efforts by Absa Bank Kenya and IHS Kenya to foster partnerships, innovation, and investment aimed at building more inclusive and resilient urban communities.
As Kenya continues to urbanize rapidly, stakeholders are increasingly turning to collaborative platforms such as this conference to unlock sustainable solutions to the country’s housing challenge.
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