Outlook into 2025: Compliance Requirements by CBK and CMA

As we approach 2025, businesses in Kenya’s financial and capital markets are navigating a more robust regulatory landscape. The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) continue to refine their compliance requirements to foster transparency, accountability, and market stability. This article examines the evolving compliance expectations, emerging trends, and strategic actions firms should prioritize to remain compliant and competitive in 2025.

1. The Regulatory Landscape for 2025

CBK Compliance Requirements

The Central Bank of Kenya oversees the banking and financial services sectors. Its regulatory focus has expanded to include:

Risk-Based Supervision: Emphasis on managing systemic risks through enhanced reporting and governance.
AML/CFT Obligations: Strict requirements under the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act (POCAMLA) and related guidelines to combat money laundering and terrorism financing.
Digital Payment Oversight: Enhanced compliance for fintech firms, mobile money operators, and digital lenders, ensuring consumer protection and cybersecurity resilience.
Climate Risk Reporting: Growing focus on environmental risks within financial institutions' operations, aligning with global sustainability initiatives.

CMA Compliance Requirements

The Capital Markets Authority regulates participants in Kenya’s capital markets, including listed companies, fund managers, brokers, and investment banks. Key areas of focus for 2025 include:

Corporate Governance Compliance: Adherence to the Code of Corporate Governance Practices for issuers of securities to the public, ensuring ethical and transparent business conduct.
ESG Disclosures: CMA is increasingly aligning with international standards like Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI), and TCFD (to be superseded by the International Sustainability Standards Board’s S2 Climate-related Standards Disclosure in FY2025 (ISSB S2))
pushing companies to disclose ESG performance.
Investor Protection: Enhanced transparency in prospectuses, fund reporting, and fee structures to safeguard investor interests.
Technology Adoption and Cybersecurity Compliance: Strengthened requirements for reporting and mitigating cyber risks across capital markets players.

2. Key Compliance Trends to Watch in 2025

1. Technology-Driven Reporting

Regulators are leveraging RegTech solutions to streamline compliance oversight. In turn, businesses must invest in robust technology platforms to ensure timely, accurate, and efficient reporting.

2. Focus on Climate-Related Risks

Both CBK and CMA are moving toward mandatory disclosures on climate-related risks. Financial institutions and listed companies must align their operations and reporting frameworks with sustainability goals.

3. Consumer and Investor Protection

Regulators are intensifying efforts to protect consumers and investors by demanding clear disclosures, fair pricing, and transparency in contracts and offerings.

4. Integration of International Standards

CBK and CMA are adopting global standards, including the Basel III Accord for banks and IFRS 17 for insurance entities, alongside international ESG reporting frameworks.

3. Preparing for CBK Compliance in 2025

To align with CBK’s requirements, financial institutions should:

Strengthen Risk Management Frameworks: Implement systems to identify, assess, and mitigate operational and systemic risks.
Adopt Digital Security Measures: Enhance cybersecurity protocols and ensure compliance with digital financial services guidelines.
Embrace Sustainability Reporting: Incorporate climate risk into governance, strategy, and decision-making.
Enhance AML/CFT Processes: Upgrade systems for real-time transaction monitoring and suspicious activity reporting.

4. Preparing for CMA Compliance in 2025

For players in the capital markets, staying compliant with CMA regulations requires:

Board Training and Evaluation: Regular training on corporate governance practices for directors and annual board evaluations.
Developing ESG Policies: Establish robust ESG strategies and integrate them into annual reports to meet disclosure obligations.
Investor Communication Tools: Deploy digital platforms for better transparency in shareholder communication and annual reporting.
Proactive Cyber Risk Management: Ensure compliance with CMA’s cyber risk management frameworks by conducting regular audits and staff training.

5. Challenges Businesses May Face

1. Cost of Compliance

Implementing the required systems, training, and audits can strain financial and operational resources, particularly for smaller firms.

2. Rapid Regulatory Changes

Adapting to evolving regulations demands agility, which may be challenging for firms lacking structured compliance functions.

3. Data Management Complexities

Accurate, real-time data collection and reporting remain significant hurdles, especially in large organizations with decentralized systems.

6. Strategic Actions for 2025 Compliance

1. Invest in Compliance Technology

Adopt RegTech tools to automate compliance processes, reduce errors, and meet reporting timelines.

2. Engage Regulators Proactively

Maintain open communication with CBK and CMA to clarify expectations, seek guidance, and ensure compliance alignment.

3. Upskill Employees

Train staff across all levels on emerging compliance requirements, with particular emphasis on ESG disclosures, cybersecurity, and AML/CFT measures.

4. Conduct Regular Audits

Engage third-party auditors to identify gaps in compliance and recommend corrective measures before regulatory deadlines.

Conclusion

In 2025, compliance with CBK and CMA regulations is no longer just about meeting requirements—it’s a strategic necessity. Businesses that proactively adapt to regulatory demands and embed compliance into their operations will not only mitigate risks but also gain a competitive advantage in Kenya’s dynamic financial and capital markets.

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