Nakuru, West Pokot counties top in betting activities – report
Nakuru, West Pokot, and Nyandarua counties have the highest rates of gambling in Kenya, a FinAccess Household Survey has revealed.
At 26, 25, and 23 percent, respectively, the three counties are sitting above the 11 percent national average.
Even so, the report shows Nakuru has the highest financial literacy levels, at 67 percent, as measured by respondents’ ability to calculate the cost of interest on a loan.
The survey was funded by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and Financial Sector Deepening Kenya (FSD Kenya).
It provided county analysis along the four dimensions of formal financial inclusion (access, usage, quality, and impact), there is a correlation between the level of economic activity, population density, and urbanization.
“Counties of Nairobi, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang’a and Kiambu were the only ones with adult population included in the formal financial services, with rates above 90 percent. On the lower end of the pyramid, are West Pokot, Turkana, Garissa and Narok Counties, with inclusion rates of below 61 percent, compared to the national average of 84 percent,” the report reads in part.
According to the report, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kiambu, and Kisumu have the highest levels of bank service utilization, while Garissa, Tana River, and Marsabit have less regularity and frequency of use.
“Compared to other counties, Machakos county reported the highest usage of Insurance services (mainly driven by National Hospital Insurance Fund) rate of 51 percent, twice the reported national average of 25 percent,” reads the report in part.
On the other hand, Marsabit, Garissa and Samburu Counties recorded the highest level of debt distress proxied by default rates of 74 percent, 59 percent, and 58 percent among adult population, respectively.
“This may be explained by the climate-related shock of drought facing these counties that has reduced the ability of borrowers to repay their loans,” the report reads.
Busia, Nandi, and Siaya had the lowest incidence of reported loan defaults, each recording less than 5 percent.
The report also discusses microfinance, capital markets, mobile banking, SACCO use of services and products, and other financial solutions.
The report further provides indicators on the usage of informal solutions such as Chamas at the county level.