NBKEKENX11-character variant (head office):
NBKEKENXXXX| Bank code | Country | Location |
|---|---|---|
| NBKE | KE | NX |
| NBK | KE (Kenya) | Nairobi |
An 11-character variant like NBKEKENXXXX also indicates the head office — the trailing 'XXX' is the default. Codes ending in different sequences (e.g. 'NBKEKENX001') refer to specific branches.
National Bank of Kenya (NBK) was founded in 1968 as a state-owned commercial bank to provide banking services to Kenyan-owned businesses and was later listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. In 2019 KCB Group acquired a majority stake in NBK, integrating it as a subsidiary while maintaining the brand and SWIFT identity. NBK operates around 80 branches across Kenya with a particularly strong presence in upcountry markets. The SWIFT code NBKEKENX routes inbound wires to the Harambee Avenue head office in Nairobi; the long form is NBKEKENXXXX. Despite the KCB Group ownership, NBK retains its own SWIFT identifier and continues to operate under the NBK brand.
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SWIFT and BIC are two names for the same identifier: an 8 or 11-character code standardised by ISO 9362 that identifies a bank in the SWIFT payment network. For a wire to NBK, your sending bank needs this code (NBKEKENX) to route the payment message through correspondent banks to National Bank of Kenya in Nairobi.
An IBAN, by contrast, identifies a specific bank account — not the institution. IBANs are mandatory in the European Economic Area, the UK, most of the Middle East, and several African countries (but Kenya does not use IBANs universally). For most wires to Kenya, you will supply SWIFT code NBKEKENX + the recipient's account number, not an IBAN.
UK sort codes (6 digits) and US routing numbers (9 digits) are domestic-only equivalents — they do not work for international wires. If a US-based sender wants to wire to NBK, they need the SWIFT code, not the US routing number of the correspondent bank (although their bank may use the routing number internally to route their side of the wire).
One final technical detail on the 11-character form: the last three characters identify a specific branch. When they read 'XXX' (as in NBKEKENXXXX), they conventionally designate the head office itself. Most international wires use either the 8-character form or the 11-character form with XXX; unless your recipient explicitly tells you otherwise, that is the right choice.
National Bank of Kenya's SWIFT/BIC code is NBKEKENX. This 8-character code identifies the bank's Nairobi head office for international wire transfers.
Yes. SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) and BIC (Business Identifier Code) are two names for the same 8 or 11-character identifier standardised by ISO 9362. You will see NBK's code referenced under either name on different financial platforms.
Yes. For an international wire to reach your NBK account, the sender needs SWIFT code NBKEKENX AND your account number. Some sending banks also request the recipient bank's full address (National Bank Building, Harambee Avenue, Nairobi).
Typically 1 to 5 business days. The timing depends on the intermediary (correspondent) banks between the sending bank and NBK. Wires from major global banks (HSBC, Barclays, JPMorgan, Citi) usually clear fastest.
For smaller amounts to Kenya, operators such as Wise, LemFi, Sendwave, and TapTap Send typically offer a rate closer to mid-market and lower fees than a classic SWIFT bank wire. See our Kenya inbound corridor comparison for side-by-side pricing.
Source: NBK's official website + Wise SWIFT directory. Last verified: 2026-06-04. SWIFT codes change rarely but always confirm with your bank before initiating a transfer. Educational only — not financial advice.