Frequently Asked Questions

General & Membership

• What is Bancario Group?

  Bancario Group is a community-driven financial Self Help Group founded on 1st May 2023 in Murang'a County and registered with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection under Certificate No. MUN/SHG/7061 as Bancario Self Help Group. We pool member resources to promote savings, responsible lending, and investment opportunities that would typically be out of reach for individuals saving alone.

• How do I become a member?

  You can start as a probationary member through the One Bob One Day savings challenge — open to everyone, including members of the public — with no upfront registration fee. To become a Full Member with access to Chama, Table Banking, and Premium Loan products, you pay a one-time registration fee of KES 1,500 during one of our two annual recruitment windows: the Mid-Year Meeting (December) or the Annual General Meeting (July).

• What is the difference between a probationary member and a Full Member?

  Probationary members participate only in the One Bob One Day savings challenge and may access the Flexx Loan and Edu Loan against that savings account. Full Members have completed registration and the KES 1,500 fee, and gain access to Chama contributions, Table Banking, Premium Loans, and Bancario's investment projects such as the Mwea real estate shares.

• Where is Bancario Group based?

  Our office is on the 2nd Floor, Famous Building, next to Unitas,Murang'a. Our postal address is P.O Box 4485 – 00100, G.P.O, Nairobi, Kenya. We are reachable on +254 727 542701 (call, SMS, and WhatsApp) and via info@bancariogroup.com.

Savings Products

• How does the One Bob One Day savings challenge work?

  It is an incremental daily savings model: you save 1 shilling on Day 1, then increase by 1 shilling each subsequent day. For example, 1st Jan = Ksh 1, 2nd Jan = Ksh 2, 3rd Jan = Ksh 3 ... 31st Jan = Ksh 31, 1st Feb = Ksh 32, and so on through the year. Savings are made via M-Pesa Buy Goods Till Number 4549084 (Name: Bancario Self Help Group).

• When are One Bob One Day savings refunded?

  Savings are refunded at the end of the financial year with interest added, less M-Pesa transaction costs. Bancario Group's financial year runs from 1st July to 30th June the following year, and refunds are processed at the Annual General Meeting (A.G.M).

• What is Chama Investment and how much do I contribute?

  Chama is our flagship collective savings and investment product for Full Members, contributing KES 3,500 per month (KES 3,000 as a Chama contribution and KES 500 as an administrative kitty). Pooled Chama funds are invested in opportunities such as the NSE, Money Market Funds, Sacco investments, and real estate.

• What is Table Banking?

  Table Banking is a community lending system where member contributions form a common fund used to provide fast, low-bureaucracy loans without traditional collateral requirements. It runs alongside Chama and offers members an alternative route to working capital and personal financing.

• Can I withdraw my savings before the end of the financial year?

  Yes. You may request a withdrawal anytime by emailing bancariogroup@gmail.com. Withdrawals are processed and released on the 5th of the month following your request (e.g. a request made on 6th January is paid on 5th February). If the 5th falls on a weekend or public holiday, payment is made the next working day, sent via M-Pesa to your registered number, less transaction costs.

Loans & Borrowing

• What loan products does Bancario Group offer?

  We offer four self-secured loan products: the Flexx Loan (up to 70% of your One Bob One Day savings), the Edu Loan (up to 80% of your One Bob One Day savings, for education costs), the Table Banking Loan (up to 70% of your Chama contributions), and the Premium Loan (Full Members only, up to 60% of the combined 70% of OBOD + 70% of Chama + 70% of Investment Reinvestment balances).

• What interest rate applies to Bancario loans?

  All Bancario Group loan products carry a flat rate of 36% per annum, which is equivalent to 3% per month on a reducing balance. The minimum loan amount is Ksh 10 and the maximum is Ksh 1,000,000, across all loan types.

• What happens if I miss a loan repayment?

  A 10% penalty fee is applied automatically to the missed installment at 1:30 a.m. the day after the due date. For example, if a payment was due on 1st January 2026 and remains unpaid, the penalty applies at 1:30 a.m. on 2nd January 2026. You then have until 1:30 a.m. on 4th January 2026 to settle the amount before it is automatically recovered from your savings balance.

• Do I need collateral or a guarantor to borrow?

  No. All Bancario loans are self-secured — guaranteed by your own savings balance rather than third-party guarantors or physical collateral. This means no CRB checks and no bureaucratic delays; your own saving discipline determines what you can borrow.

• Who qualifies for a Premium Loan?

  Premium Loans are reserved for Full Members who have paid the KES 1,500 registration fee and who have no outstanding balance on any Flexx Loan, Edu Loan, or Table Banking Loan. This loan draws on your combined balances across the One Bob One Day, Chama, and Investment Reinvestment accounts.

Investments & Projects

• What investment opportunities does Bancario Group offer?

  Through our Balanced Investments programme, pooled member capital is allocated across the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE), Money Market Funds, Sacco investments, and real estate — diversifying risk while opening access to opportunities that would normally require large individual minimum investments.

• What is the Mwea real estate project?

  Mwea I, II, and III are real estate share projects available to full members who meet their annual One Bob One Day target (KES 66,000 for the 2025/26 cycle). Mwea I closed in July 2025 with a small number of shares remaining at KES 34,000 each, while Mwea II and III are ongoing at KES 33,000 per share. Once a project closes, no new entries are accepted.

• What is Group Dynamics Consultancy?

  It is Bancario Group's advisory service for Chamas, table banking groups, and investment clubs, helping them strengthen governance, leadership, and conflict resolution so that collective investment goals remain on track over the long term.

• How does Bancario decide where to invest member funds?

  Our Proactive Research and Development function continuously studies market trends, emerging sectors, and member needs, conducting feasibility studies before any new product or investment is rolled out to the wider membership — keeping decisions data-driven rather than speculative.

Online Portal & Support

• How do I check my savings and loan balances?

  Members can log in to the Bancario Online Portal to track savings contributions, loan balances, repayment schedules, and investment statements in real time.

• How do I report an issue or complaint?

  Complaints and account-related reports can be sent to bancariogroup@gmail.com. General inquiries go to invest@bancariogroup.com, or call/WhatsApp us on +254 727 542701.

• What are your office hours?

  Our offices are open Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. WhatsApp and emergency M-Pesa-based services such as savings and the automated loan penalty system run continuously, including outside office hours.