NAIROBI, Kenya – The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has announced extended operating hours for the Kenya Electronic Payment and Settlement System (KEPSS), in a move aimed at boosting the efficiency of large-value transactions and accelerating the country’s shift toward a fully digital economy.
Starting July 1, 2025, KEPSS will operate from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm on business days—up from the current window of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The system will remain closed on weekends and public holidays.
KEPSS is the country’s real-time gross settlement (RTGS) platform, used by banks and other financial institutions to process high-value, time-critical payments.
CBK says the new hours are designed to better support business operations, reduce payment delays, and enhance liquidity management across sectors.
“This strategic enhancement is aimed at improving the efficiency, accessibility, and resilience of Kenya’s payments ecosystem,” the Central Bank said in a statement released on June 18.
Press Release: Extension of Operating Hours for Kenya Electronic Payment and Settlement System (KEPSS) centralbank.go.ke/uploads/press_…
The decision, CBK noted, was reached following extensive consultations with system participants and aligns with the National Payments Strategy 2022–2025, which seeks to modernise and strengthen the country’s financial infrastructure.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi had hinted at the changes during his June 12 budget statement, revealing that KEPSS would transition to 24/7 settlement capability starting July.
CBK Governor Dr. Kamau Thugge said the extended hours will allow businesses and institutions to initiate and complete payments earlier and later in the day—reducing settlement risks, improving cash flow, and enhancing operational flexibility.
“This is a key step toward building a 24/7 digital economy and positioning Kenya as a regional financial hub,” Dr. Thugge said.
The central bank also highlighted the benefits for cross-border transactions and small businesses, saying the changes will promote financial inclusion by giving more stakeholders access to fast and secure payment systems.
The KEPSS enhancement builds on CBK’s October 2024 migration of the platform to ISO 20022, a global standard for electronic financial messaging.
That upgrade introduced streamlined processing, faster settlement times, and better data quality—laying the groundwork for future innovations in the financial sector.
