Co-operative Bank of Kenya has partnered with Fanaka Real Estate to offer Kenyans financing to buy land and develop residential or commercial property, creating a financing option that combines plot acquisition and construction under one arrangement.

The partnership will allow prospective property owners to secure financing not only for land purchases but also for development on the sites. Fanaka will provide the land, while Co-operative Bank will finance eligible customers seeking to build homes or commercial projects.

The arrangement comes as Kenyan lenders and property companies seek ways to make ownership more accessible amid rising demand for housing and serviced land. It also follows Fanaka’s partnership with KUPPET Nairobi, which is aimed at helping teachers acquire land and develop property within the Nairobi metropolitan area.

Financing beyond land

Speaking at the partnership signing Friday, Co-operative Bank Head of Mortgage Finance Fridah Mitei said the lender’s national reach and financing capacity would support customers seeking property opportunities across Kenya.

“We are committed to putting our customers at the heart of everything we do,” Mitei said. She said Fanaka’s presence in key growth corridors and its four branches complemented the bank’s ability to provide financing to prospective property owners.

Land and construction combined

Fanaka CEO Moses Muriithi said the partnership would allow more Kenyans to acquire land in locations of their choice and develop it rather than stopping at plot ownership. He said the arrangement would help customers turn land purchases into completed homes and other income-generating properties.

“We will have more Kenyans come on board and not only have a piece of land, but also somewhere they can put up a home,” Muriithi said. He described land as more than an investment, noting its role in building family wealth and leaving an asset for future generations.

Fanaka targets growth corridors

Founded in 2016 by Group CEO Moses Muriithi Kihunii, Fanaka Real Estate sells land and provides property solutions in Kenya. Its projects include serviced plots with amenities such as electricity, water, graded roads and perimeter fencing, targeting buyers seeking infrastructure alongside land ownership.

Fanaka’s properties are spread across the Nairobi metropolitan area and surrounding growth markets, including Kangundo Road, Ruiru, Juja, Kitengela, Ngong, Kikuyu and Mombasa Road. The locations place the company in some of Kenya’s expanding residential and commercial development corridors.

Co-op Bank expands property reach

Co-operative Bank, founded in 1965 and listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, is one of Kenya’s major financial institutions. Its operations include retail banking, with products covering loans, deposits and other services for individual customers across the country.

The bank also operates through subsidiaries and affiliated businesses including Kingdom Securities, Co-op Trust Investment Services, Co-operative Consultancy and Insurance Agency, Kingdom Bank and Co-operative Bank of South Sudan.

The Fanaka partnership adds another channel for the lender to connect mortgage and development finance with land buyers.