Kenya steps up push to exit global financial watchlist status

Kenya has stepped up efforts to secure its removal from the global financial watchlist, with government agencies reviewing outstanding measures required to strengthen the country’s fight against money laundering and terrorism financing.

Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga on Wednesday brought together law enforcement and financial sector principals to assess Kenya’s progress and identify actions needed to speed up its exit from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.

The meeting reviewed feedback from the FATF Africa Joint Group meeting held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on September 11, 2026, and considered the remaining requirements under Kenya’s action plan.

“The Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Ingonga, CBS, OGW, has this morning chaired a meeting of law enforcement and financial sector principals to review Kenya’s progress in addressing deficiencies identified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and accelerate efforts towards the country’s removal from the FATF grey list,” the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) stated.

Agencies review remaining requirements

ODPP said the meeting focused on priority interventions, implementation of existing measures and documenting evidence of progress for submission through the FATF process.

Kenya was placed under increased monitoring in February 2024 after the international financial crime watchdog identified weaknesses in its systems for combating money laundering, terrorism financing and related financial crimes.

A June 19, 2026 review kept Kenya among jurisdictions under increased monitoring, although the country had made progress in some areas, including improving understanding of targeted financial sanctions among banks and designated non-financial businesses.

Seven action points remain on Kenya’s plan. They include strengthening risk-based supervision, increasing suspicious transaction reporting, improving regulation of trusts and ensuring accurate beneficial ownership information.

Kenya is also required to strengthen the use of financial intelligence, improve money laundering investigations and prosecutions based on identified risks, establish a framework for targeted financial sanctions and strengthen oversight of non-profit organisations using a risk-based approach.

Government targets stronger coordination

The latest meeting follows a coordination session held on July 1, 2026, involving the DPP, DCI Director Mohammed Amin, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission chief executive Abdi Mohamud, Financial Reporting Centre Director General Naphtaly Rono and officials from the Asset Recovery Agency and Kenya Revenue Authority.

The agencies agreed to improve intelligence sharing, conduct joint investigations and speed up prosecutions involving financial crime networks.

The discussions included cases involving fake-gold schemes, fraudulent investment platforms and cross-border scams, including wash-wash syndicates.

Officials also agreed to strengthen asset tracing, seizure and forfeiture, as well as improve the quality of data required to demonstrate progress under FATF’s effectiveness measures.

Kenya seeks removal from watchlist

The government’s latest push comes as Kenya seeks to demonstrate that measures introduced to address financial crime weaknesses are being effectively implemented.

The grey-list status is linked to increased monitoring of a country’s efforts to address identified deficiencies. FATF has said being placed under increased monitoring does not mean the organisation recommends enhanced due diligence for all transactions with a listed jurisdiction or that banks should automatically cut off business relationships.

Kenya’s progress will therefore depend on demonstrating that laws, institutions and financial intelligence systems are being used effectively to detect and pursue financial crime.

The DPP said sustained cooperation among government agencies would be necessary to address the outstanding issues and provide evidence of implementation through the applicable FATF processes.

The country is expected to continue working towards the remaining benchmarks ahead of the next stages of the international review process.