Paul Arithi 
- StanChart Report: Wealthy Kenyans Reinvesting Bonus Earnings
The majority of the wealthy Kenyans plan to utilize their bonus earnings in recycling their investments, the Standard Chartered Kenya 2025 Bonus Sentiment Report states.
The report indicates that over 70 per cent of the upper – class Kenyans expect to get a minimum of two bonuses in this year and that most expect to use their earnings to invest in wealth-producing assets.
For the second year running, investment is the number one priority for bonus spending (30 per cent), ahead of spending, saving, and paying off debt.
Half of consumers intend to invest more in 2025 than they did last year, with property and land and stocks and equities being the leading investment priorities.
Savings are not far behind, with plans to “save more than last year” remaining consistent in 2024 and 2025.
Joyce Kibe, Standard Chartered Kenya and Africa’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing, said that the results of this survey matter a great deal.
“Knowing how much money high-income Kenyans plan to spend their bonuses on allows us to offer solutions that are tailored to their wishes,” said Kibe.
The Bonus Sentiment Report picks out intriguing shifts in investment patterns.
While saving money and buying assets are traditionally seen as the foundation for building a better life, Kenyans are increasingly considering more sophisticated forms of investment.
Edith Chumba,Head, Wealth and Retail Banking, said that more and more consumers are taking their bonuses as wealth-creating instruments, rather than a one-off bonanza.
“Kenyans are demonstrating financial discipline, as there is a deliberate move towards savings, investing, and wealth creation,” noted Chumba.
She added that they recognize that their high-net- worth clients seek more than returns.
“They’re looking for insight during times of uncertainty, world opportunities, and a trusted partner with whom they can share the local condition as well as the world of investment opportunities,” she noted.
The report suggests that while the frequency of bonuses expected has gone down, the character of bonuses expected has not.
The most common bonuses shoppers expect are performance bonuses and profit-sharing.
The reports states that the intentions to save more than the previous year have remained consistent throughout 2024 and 2025.
“In the same way, as consumers spend more on investing, those who are spending more on saving do so in an effort to save for buying property and land,” report indicated.
