23 February 2026
NSE Dividend Calendar 2026: Every Confirmed Date, Amount & Payment Guide
The NSE dividend calendar 2026 is the most important reference for any Kenyan income investor. Missing a book-close date by a single day means losing the entire dividend — no exceptions, no appeals.
This guide covers every confirmed and projected NSE dividend date for 2026, updated with results announced through April 2026.
🟢 Last updated: April 8, 2026. All confirmed dates marked ✅. Projected dates based on prior year patterns marked 📊. Always verify at nse.co.ke before investing.
How to Use This Calendar
The critical rule: You must own NSE shares at least three business days before the book-close date for your purchase to settle in time. The NSE uses T+3 settlement — buy Monday, settle Thursday. Buy too late and you miss the dividend entirely.
The three dates that matter:
| Date | What it means |
|---|---|
| Ex-dividend date | ~Two business days before book-close. Buy before this date to qualify |
| Book-close date | The registration deadline — your name must be on the shareholder register |
| Payment date | When money deposits automatically to your registered bank account |
Safe rule: Buy at least five business days before book-close to be absolutely safe.
2026 NSE Dividend Calendar — Complete Table
Banking Sector
| Company | Ticker | Dividend per share | Book close | Payment | Yield | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCB Group | KCB | KES 3.00 final | April 2, 2026 | ~May 22, 2026 | ~10.3% | ✅ Book close passed — payment coming |
| Stanbic Holdings | SBIC | KES 18.55 final | ~May 15, 2026 | ~June 2026 | ~8.8% | ✅ Confirmed amount — dates pattern-based |
| ABSA Bank Kenya | ABSA | KES 1.85 final | ~April/May 2026 | ~May 2026 | ~6% | 📊 FY2025 results pending |
| Co-operative Bank | COOP | KES 1.50 final | ~May 2026 | ~June 2026 | ~8.3% | ✅ Confirmed amount — dates pending |
| NCBA Group | NCBA | Final TBA | ~April/May 2026 | ~May/June 2026 | ~6.9% | 📊 FY2025 results imminent |
| Equity Group | EQTY | KES 5.75 final | May 22, 2026 | ~July 2026 | ~8.0% | ✅ Date confirmed — window open |
| Standard Chartered | SCBK | Final TBA | ~April/May 2026 | ~May/June 2026 | ~15% | 📊 Final amount pending |
| I&M Holdings | IMH | ~KES 3.50 | ~May 2026 | ~June 2026 | ~7% | 📊 Estimated |
| Diamond Trust Bank | DTK | ~KES 5.00 | ~June 2026 | ~July 2026 | ~7.5% | 📊 Estimated |
Telecoms
| Company | Ticker | Dividend | Book close | Payment | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safaricom | SCOM | KES 0.85 interim | Feb 25, 2026 | Mar 31, 2026 | ✅ Paid |
| Safaricom | SCOM | Final TBA (~KES 1.70–2.00 est) | ~June/July 2026 | ~Aug 2026 | 📊 FY2026 results April 30 |
Consumer Goods
| Company | Ticker | Dividend | Book close | Payment | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAT Kenya | BAT | KES 10 interim | Paid Sep 2025 | Paid | ✅ Paid |
| BAT Kenya | BAT | KES 60.00 final (total KES 70) | May 8, 2026 | June 12, 2026 | ✅ Fully confirmed — act by May 2 |
| EABL | EABL | KES 4.00 interim | Feb 20, 2026 | Apr 30, 2026 | ✅ Confirmed |
| EABL | EABL | Final TBA | ~Sep 2026 | ~Oct 2026 | 📊 Based on prior year pattern |
Energy and Infrastructure
| Company | Ticker | Dividend | Book close | Payment | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya Power (KPLC) | KPLC | KES 0.30 interim | Feb 23, 2026 | ~Mar 27, 2026 | ✅ Paid |
| KenGen | KEGN | ~KES 1.20 | ~Oct/Nov 2026 | ~Nov/Dec 2026 | 📊 Estimated |
The Active Deadlines Right Now — Act Before These Dates
✅ KCB Group — Book Close April 2, 2026 (PASSED)
The KCB final dividend of KES 3.00 per share is payable on or about May 22, 2026 to shareholders on the register at the close of business on April 2, 2026. If you owned KCB shares by April 2, your payment arrives automatically in May. The book close has passed — new buyers will qualify for the next interim dividend around November 2026.
⚠️ Equity Group — Book Close May 22, 2026 — Act by May 16
The closure of the Equity Group register for payment of the proposed ordinary dividend is Friday, May 22, 2026, with the AGM scheduled for June 24, 2026.
Equity Group Holdings has proposed a record dividend of KES 5.75 per share for FY2025. At KES 71.50 per share, this represents an ~8.0% yield.
You must buy EQTY shares by approximately May 16 for T+3 settlement to clear by May 22.
| Shares | Net dividend (after 5% WHT) |
|---|---|
| 500 shares | KES 2,731 |
| 1,000 shares | KES 5,463 |
| 5,000 shares | KES 27,313 |
⚠️ BAT Kenya — Book Close May 8, 2026 — Act by May 2
BAT Kenya’s final dividend of KES 60 per share will be paid on or about June 12, 2026 to shareholders on the register at the close of business on May 8, 2026.
The total FY2025 dividend is KES 70 per share — the highest shareholder payout in BAT Kenya’s history. BAT Kenya’s after-tax profit rose 17% to KES 5.25 billion for FY2025.
Warning: BAT’s full year dividend of KES 7 billion will surpass its net profit of KES 5.25 billion — meaning the company is distributing expected future cash flows and partially drawing on retained earnings of KES 11.86 billion. High yield, but monitor this payout sustainability carefully.
You must buy BAT shares by approximately May 2 for T+3 settlement to clear by May 8.
⚠️ Stanbic Holdings — Book Close ~May 15, 2026 — Act by May 9
Stanbic Holdings raised its dividend by 7.3% to KES 22.35 per share after posting a net profit of KES 13.7 billion for the year ended December 31, 2025.
The Stanbic final dividend is payable to shareholders registered by May 15, 2026. The final dividend component (KES 18.55) is payable after book close, with the KES 3.80 interim already paid in September 2025.
At approximately KES 257 per share, the dividend implies a yield of approximately 8%, with a core payout ratio of 64.4%.
2026 Dividend Payment Schedule — Month by Month
March 2026
- Safaricom interim KES 0.85 — paid ~March 31 ✅
- KPLC interim KES 0.30 — paid ~March 27 ✅
April 2026
- EABL interim KES 4.00 — payment ~April 30 ✅
May 2026
- KCB final KES 3.00 — payment ~May 22 (qualifying shareholders receive this)
- BAT Kenya book close May 8 ⚠️ — Act by May 2
- Stanbic book close ~May 15 ⚠️ — Act by May 9
- Equity Group book close May 22 ⚠️ — Act by May 16
June 2026
- BAT Kenya final KES 60 — payment ~June 12
- Stanbic final payment — ~June 2026
- Standard Chartered final — expected
- NCBA final — expected
July 2026
- Equity Group final KES 5.75 — payment ~July 2026
- Safaricom final — expected (following April 30 results)
- COOP Bank final — expected
- Diamond Trust Bank — expected
August–September 2026
- Safaricom final — payment expected
- Liberty Kenya — expected
October–November 2026
- KCB interim dividend (H1 2026) — expected
- EABL final — expected
- KenGen final — expected
Key Confirmed Dividend Amounts — Safety Rankings
| Company | FY2025 total dividend | Net per share (5% WHT) | Approx. yield | Payout ratio | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity Group | KES 5.75 | KES 5.46 | ~8.0% | 29% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Safest |
| KCB Group | KES 7.00 | KES 6.65 | ~10.3% | 33% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Safest |
| COOP Bank | KES 2.50 | KES 2.38 | ~8.3% | 35% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very safe |
| Stanbic Holdings | KES 22.35 | KES 21.23 | ~8.8% | 64% | ⭐⭐⭐ Good — profits flat |
| Standard Chartered | TBA | TBA | ~15% | 123% | ⭐⭐ Monitor — paying more than earned |
| BAT Kenya | KES 70.00 | KES 66.50 | ~12.6% | >100% | ⭐⭐ Monitor — dividend exceeds profit |
| Safaricom | ~KES 2.70 est. | ~KES 2.57 | ~7–9% | 80% | ⭐⭐⭐ Policy commitment |
| KenGen | ~KES 1.20 | ~KES 1.14 | ~13%+ | Moderate | ⭐⭐⭐ |
How NSE Dividends Work — Complete Explainer
Interim vs Final Dividends
Interim dividend: Paid mid-year after half-year results. Typically smaller — one third to half of the annual total. KCB, NCBA, Stanbic, BAT Kenya, and Safaricom pay interim dividends. Equity Group does not.
Final dividend: The main annual payment, after full-year results. Requires AGM approval — a formality, not a risk.
When you see “KCB KES 7.00” — that is KES 4.00 interim paid November 2025 plus KES 3.00 final payable May 2026.
The T+3 Settlement Rule Explained
| Buy date | Settles | Qualifies for May 22 Equity book close? |
|---|---|---|
| Friday May 16 | Wednesday May 21 | ✅ Yes — last safe day |
| Monday May 19 | Thursday May 22 | ✅ Yes — exactly on deadline |
| Tuesday May 20 | Friday May 23 | ❌ No — too late |
What Happens on the Ex-Dividend Date
Two business days before book-close, the share price typically drops by approximately the dividend amount. The dividend value has transferred from the company to qualifying shareholders. This is normal — you have not lost money. You have converted share value into incoming cash.
Tax on NSE Dividends — The Complete Picture
| Investor type | Dividend tax rate |
|---|---|
| Kenyan resident individual | 5% |
| Non-resident | 15% |
| Resident company | 5% |
Tax is deducted automatically before payment. No filing required. The 5% is a final tax. Capital gains tax on NSE-listed shares remains 0% — any profit from selling shares is entirely tax-free.
NSE vs other investments:
| Investment | Tax on income |
|---|---|
| NSE dividends | 5% |
| NSE capital gains | 0% |
| Bank savings interest | 15% |
| Treasury Bills | 15% |
| Infrastructure bonds | 0% |
How to Build a Year-Round Dividend Income Portfolio
A well-constructed NSE portfolio generates income across multiple months by combining stocks with different payment schedules.
Example portfolio — income spread across 2026 (1,000 shares each):
| Month | Stock | Approximate net payment |
|---|---|---|
| March | Safaricom interim | KES 808 |
| May | KCB final | KES 2,850 |
| June | BAT Kenya final | KES 57,000 (higher price stock) |
| June | Stanbic final | KES 17,622 |
| July | Equity final | KES 5,463 |
| July | Safaricom final (est.) | ~KES 1,900 |
| August | COOP final | KES 1,425 |
| November | KCB interim (est.) | ~KES 1,425 |
The key insight: Single stocks concentrate income into one month. Holding four to six dividend stocks spreads income throughout the year and diversifies the risk if any company cuts its dividend.
Pre-Book-Close Checklist — Do This Before Every Deadline
One-time setup:
- ✅ CDS account in your name — not your broker’s name
- ✅ Kenyan bank account registered on your CDS account
- ✅ Bank account active and in your name
- ✅ KRA PIN linked to CDS account
Before each book-close:
- ✅ Check this calendar for the book-close date
- ✅ Count back five business days — that is your safe buying deadline
- ✅ Verify shares appear in your CDS portfolio
- ✅ Confirm your registered bank account is still active
If you miss a dividend: You cannot recover it. Use it as motivation to bookmark this page. The next dividend will be yours if you hold shares before the next ex-dividend date.
FAQ
When does KCB pay its dividend in 2026? The KES 3.00 final dividend is payable on or about May 22, 2026. The book close was April 2 — already passed. The next opportunity is KCB’s H1 2026 interim dividend, expected around November 2026.
When does Equity Bank pay its 2026 dividend? The Equity Group register closes on May 22, 2026, with payment expected approximately July 2026 following the June 24 AGM. You can still qualify — buy EQTY before May 16.
When does BAT Kenya pay its 2026 dividend? The BAT Kenya final dividend of KES 60 will be paid on or about June 12, 2026 to shareholders on the register at close of business on May 8, 2026. Buy by approximately May 2.
When does Safaricom pay its 2026 dividend? The KES 0.85 interim was paid March 31. The final dividend will be announced with FY2026 results on April 30, 2026, with book close and payment expected around July–August 2026.
What is withholding tax on NSE dividends? 5% for Kenyan resident individuals — deducted automatically. No filing required.
Is there capital gains tax on NSE shares? No. CGT on NSE-listed shares is currently 0%.
Individual Dividend Guides
- KCB Dividend 2026 — record KES 7.00, payment ~May 22
- Equity Bank Dividend 2026 — record KES 5.75, book close May 22 ⚠️ Act by May 16
- BAT Kenya Dividend 2026 — record KES 70, book close May 8 ⚠️ Act by May 2
- Stanbic Holdings Dividend 2026 — KES 22.35, book close ~May 15 ⚠️ Act by May 9
- Best Kenyan Stocks 2026 — top NSE picks by dividend and value
- How to Invest in NSE Kenya 2026 — open CDS account from KES 5,000
Calendar updated April 8, 2026. Confirmed dates (✅) sourced from official NSE corporate action announcements, CDSC, and company results. Projected dates (📊) based on prior year patterns — verify at nse.co.ke before investing. This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.