On November 25th, 2025, IFAD, SASRA, and FSD Kenya unveiled a document that could quietly (or not so quietly) reshape the future of Kenya’s cooperative movement; the SACCO Remittance Toolkit.
While Ecostacs Consulting Ltd was not physically present at the launch, our analysts spent days doing what we do best: digging into the document page by page, diagram by diagram, detail by detail. And one thing became crystal clear.
For the first time, SACCOs have a clear, step-by-step roadmap to enter the remittance market confidently, safely, and strategically.
And the timing could not be better.
Kenya’s diaspora sent home an estimated USD 4.9 billion in 2024, about 4% of the country’s GDP and a lifeline for millions of households. It pays for education, medical bills, land purchases, housing construction, and small businesses. Yet despite their deep roots in communities, SACCOs, the trusted backbone of Kenya’s cooperative finance, have barely tapped into this opportunity. Only about 22% of SACCOs currently offer remittance services, leaving an untapped market of roughly USD 734 million on the table.
So, why the hesitation?
For years, SACCOs have faced real barriers: limited technical capacity, uncertainty around regulation, fear of compliance risk, and a simple but dangerous question: Where do we even start?
The SACCO Remittance Toolkit finally answers that question. Clearly. Practically. Systematically.
It doesn’t just inspire SACCOs; it guides them.
A seven-stage journey
The toolkit breaks the remittance journey into seven logical, practical stages. Not as theory, but as a walkable path.
1. Know Your Members (Design Member-Centric Products)
It starts where every smart institution should: with the member. Understanding what members value, speed, convenience, affordability, flexibility, is the foundation of any successful remittance product. The toolkit encourages SACCOs to look at diaspora patterns, household needs, and remittance use cases, from family support to loan repayments and investments. In other words, it pushes SACCOs to move from guessing to knowing.
2. Pick Your Model (Build Strategic Partnerships)
From there, SACCOs are guided to choose the right operating model. Since they cannot directly operate as licensed remittance providers under CBK regulations, partnerships become the bridge. Two main routes emerge: the IMTO-linked model, which offers quicker market entry through established money transfer operators, and the digital integration model, which uses APIs and platforms to create scalable, tech-driven solutions. The message is simple: you don’t have to do it alone, but you must choose wisely.
3. Get Tech-Ready (Align Technology & Compliance Systems)
Technology readiness follows closely behind. APIs are no longer “tech jargon”, they are the digital highways that connect SACCOs to the global remittance ecosystem. The toolkit makes it clear that core banking systems must be ready for real-time transactions, supported by strong data security, compliance tools, and digital channels such as mobile and online platforms.
4. Manage Operations Like a Pro (Operational Frameworks)
Then comes the part many SACCOs underestimate: operations. Roles must be clear. Processes must be defined. Liquidity must be managed. Reconciliation must be accurate. Dispute resolution must be prepared for. Chaos, the toolkit reminds us (politely), is not a strategy.
5. Engage Members (Drive Adoption Through Targeted Engagement)
But even the best system is useless without members using it. As such, the toolkit shifts attention to awareness and engagement. If members don’t know a service exists, or don’t trust it, they won’t use it. Marketing, education, diaspora engagement and strategic incentives are not just “nice extras”; they are central to success.
6. Tame the Risks (Strengthen Risk Management & Cybersecurity)
And because every opportunity attracts risk, the toolkit strongly emphasises risk management. From AML and KYC frameworks to cybersecurity and fraud monitoring, SACCOs are urged to build defences that are proactive, not reactive. Regular audits, training, and a living risk register are key to keeping the system safe.
7. Think Long-Term (Consolidate a Remittance Strategy)
Finally, the journey ends where it should always have begun: strategy. Remittances are not a one-time product or a side experiment. They must sit within a SACCO’s 3–5 year strategic plan, tied to measurable targets, member value, and long-term institutional growth.
This is not a short-term project. It is a long-term position.
Why the time is now
The case for SACCOs entering remittances is not just emotional, it is economic.
Nearly half of all remittances flow into rural and peri-urban areas, precisely where SACCOs have the strongest presence. This is SACCO territory. This is SACCO influence. This is SACCO opportunity.
Beyond financial inclusion, remittances open up diversified income streams, deepen member loyalty, strengthen deposit bases, and create cross-selling opportunities for savings, loans, insurance, housing, and investment products. Add to this the digital evolution of financial services, and the conclusion becomes unavoidable:
SACCOs that ignore remittances today risk becoming irrelevant tomorrow.
And success stories already exist. From Mwalimu SACCO’s structured partnerships to Stima SACCO’s multi-channel diaspora approach, the proof of concept is already in the market. The question is no longer can SACCOs do this? It is now how fast can they catch up?
Where Ecostacs Consulting Comes In
This is where Ecostacs Consulting Ltd steps into the picture, not as spectators, but as partners.
Our role is to walk SACCOs through this seven-stage journey with clarity, confidence, and structure. We support SACCOs in translating the toolkit from paper to practice through:
Regulatory and compliance guidance that aligns operations with SASRA and CBK requirements, reducing risk and building supervisory confidence.
Technology and integration support, helping SACCOs prepare their systems for API connections, digital platforms, and secure remittance processing.
Remittance strategy development, including market assessments, member surveys, financial modelling, partnership evaluation, and implementation planning.
We don’t just advise; we co-create, guide, train, and walk with you through the process.
With Ecostacs Consulting Ltd, SACCOs don’t simply enter the remittance market. They enter it prepared, structured, and ready to thrive.
The door to the remittance market is now open.
The only question left is: Which SACCO will walk through it first?
