Local contractors to access JCB heavy machinery in new financing deal

Small construction businesses and contractors across Kenya can now acquire heavy machinery with as little as a 10 per cent upfront deposit.

This is after Bank of Africa (BOA) Kenya and Ganatra Plant and Equipment (GPE) signed an agreement to provide 90 per cent financing for the equipment, repayable over five years.

The deal, sealed at GPE’s head office in Nairobi this week, connects BOA’s asset finance capabilities with Ganatra’s position as the authorised seller of JCB construction equipment in Kenya and Uganda.

The new deal is designed to bring premium machinery within reach of contractors whom high upfront costs have long locked them out of business. Ganatra’s four decades of local presence give it a service network that newer entrants have struggled to match.

“As a family business, we have been dedicated to serving the needs of our customers for over 40 years,” said the company’s Managing Director Altaf Ganatra.

That long relationship with the Kenyan market is now being extended into the financing arena.

Kenya’s construction sector contributes about 5.6 per cent to the country’s gross domestic product and is projected to grow at over five per cent annually through 2032, driven by government road projects, affordable housing programmes, and energy infrastructure.

Credit arrangements

Yet most of the machinery deployed on those projects has historically been purchased by large firms or sourced through expensive informal credit arrangements.

For a small contractor seeking to buy a JCB backhoe loader, the BOA-Ganatra arrangement will see the Bank of Africa finance up to 90 per cent of the equipment cost, with a repayment period of 60 months.

During the MOU signing ceremony in Nairobi, the MD noted that timing was central to the deal’s design.

“During this infrastructure period, JCB Ganatra will put equipment in the market while offering longer repayment periods to help businesses fulfil their commitments,” he said.

GPE General Manager Suhhel Yakub said the partnership offers a complete solution to the customers. “Through this partnership, JCB and BOA provide complete solutions by creating something powerful and an opportunity for businesses to grow with confidence,” he said.

“Look for a machine with over 10 years in the industry and still working. That machine will be a JCB.”

BOA Head of Assets Bernice Murigi said the bank had built the product around its existing experience in agricultural and construction lending.

The 90 per cent ceiling and 60-month window, she said, were not arbitrary.

“The strong collaboration in finance, agricultural, and construction sectors will enable seamless services,” she said.

BOA’s Philip Ngunyu added that the bank was ready to begin processing applications for qualifying machinery immediately.