Equity Bank Kenya has fully restored its digital and branch banking services following a widespread system outage that temporarily disrupted mobile apps, USSD (*247#), ATMs, card payments, and PesaLink transfers. The service disruption, which began early Thursday morning, affected key customer-facing channels, causing frustration among retail clients and small business owners who rely heavily on Equity's digital ecosystem for daily trade, wage disbursements, and routine payments.
The disruption unfolded during peak morning transaction hours, with social media platforms inundated with customer inquiries seeking clarity on pending transfers, failed airtime purchases, and debited account balances that failed to reflect on recipient accounts. Reports circulating on social media linked the system outage to a technical malfunction at the lender’s primary data center, where security firewall infrastructure reportedly experienced critical operational downtime.
Equity Bank issued a preliminary statement acknowledging the system instability, reassuring the public that its technical teams were actively addressing the root cause. Shortly after, the bank confirmed that normal operations had been fully established across all digital and physical channels. The lender announced in an official public statement, "Dear Member, All our services have been restored. We thank you for your patience and your continued support."
Following the restoration, Equity Bank reassured impacted users that all incomplete, debited, or reversed transactions would be processed automatically. The bank advised customers whose accounts showed discrepancies due to interrupted sessions to allow time for reconciliation or to reach out to official support channels and local branches for immediate resolution.
Alongside the operational update, the financial institution issued a fraud warning urging account holders to maintain strict cybersecurity awareness during service recoveries. The bank emphasized that it would never ask for personal banking details, PIN, Password, OTP, or Card information on the phone or via SMS, and provided a single official contact number for customer support.
Equity Bank Kenya is intensifying its effort to transition small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from primary raw material production into higher-value processing and integration within global supply chains. The lender’s new strategic focus emphasizes value addition, climate-smart agricultural practices, and direct market access aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of grassroots enterprises both regionally and internationally.
The approach was outlined during an executive engagement hosted by Equity Bank's leadership, which brought together officials from the Narok County Government and members of the regional business community. Equity Bank Managing Director Moses Nyabanda highlighted that driving agricultural growth requires shifting focus from basic yield expansion toward securing premium, market-driven prices for farmers and business owners.
Key points
- Equity Bank Kenya resolves system downtime, restoring digital and branch banking services after hours of disruption.
- The bank advises customers to be cautious of potential social engineering attempts and phishing messages during service recoveries.
- Equity Bank Kenya is focusing on transitioning SMEs into higher-value processing and integration within global supply chains.
