Details of Sh51.8 billion World Bank emergency funding Kenya is set to receive within weeks

Kenya is expected to receive approximately $400 million (Sh51.8 billion) in emergency financing from the World Bank within six weeks as the country prepares for a combination of health, climate and economic risks.

The financing will be accessed through the World Bank's Rapid Response Option (RRO), an emergency mechanism designed to allow countries to quickly redirect or access financing when an eligible crisis occurs.

According to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters, Kenya initially sought the facility after the outbreak of the Iran war in February pushed global crude oil prices sharply higher, increasing pressure on government finances and the wider economy.

The proposed financing is expected to support the country's response to the threat of an Ebola outbreak in the region, prepare for the effects of the anticipated 2026/27 El Niño season, and cushion the economy from continued pressure from elevated energy prices.

A World Bank spokesperson confirmed that the lender was supporting Kenya to finalise a framework that would allow it to access rapid financing when an eligible crisis or emergency occurs, including the conflict in the Middle East and El Niño.

The World Bank has not publicly confirmed the final amount, with the source saying the figure will depend on the amount remaining undisbursed when the financing framework is completed.

The health component comes as East Africa remains alert to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has also spread for a period into neighbouring Uganda.

Reuters reported that more than 3,000 people have died in the latest outbreak in the region, increasing the need for countries such as Kenya to strengthen surveillance, preparedness and response capacity.

Kenya is also preparing for the anticipated October-December El Niño rains, with forecasts pointing to above-normal rainfall in several parts of the country.

The government has already activated contingency measures, including mapping flood-prone areas, identifying evacuation centres, clearing drainage systems, inspecting vulnerable infrastructure and pre-positioning emergency supplies.

All 47 counties have been directed to strengthen preparedness measures.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said this week that eastern Africa could experience wetter-than-normal conditions between October and December, warning of potential flooding and associated health risks.

Kenya is entering the season after widespread flooding during the March-May 2026 long rains.

The severe 1997 El Niño episode caused extensive flooding, damaged roads and homes and destroyed crops.

World Bank analysis has previously estimated that the 1997-98 floods affected about one million people and caused between $800 million and $1.2 billion in economic losses.

The approximately $400 million figure is linked to the World Bank's emergency financing rules.

The source told Reuters that emergency financing under the mechanism is typically capped at 10 per cent of a country's undisbursed World Bank lending portfolio. Kenya's World Bank portfolio exceeds $7 billion.

The World Bank's current country information lists $7.03 billion across 32 active projects, covering areas including water, finance, education, transport, energy, agriculture, governance, digital development and health.

The source said about $3 billion of Kenya's portfolio has already been disbursed or committed, leaving an undisbursed balance from which the emergency financing can be drawn.

Kenya and the World Bank are now finalising a Contingency Emergency Response Project, which will establish the terms for accessing the funds.

The World Bank Board has already cleared the projects underpinning the Rapid Response Option, meaning the financing can be released once the contingency framework is completed.

The emergency financing comes against the backdrop of a substantial and longstanding World Bank partnership with Kenya.

The bank's active portfolio spans infrastructure, water, education, transport, energy and extractives, agriculture, governance, digital development and health. Its Kenya programme also includes private-sector investments through the International Finance Corporation.

Kenya has also been seeking additional external financing as rising debt repayments continue to constrain fiscal space.

The new emergency facility would therefore provide additional financial room at a time when the government is simultaneously preparing for potential climate-related disruptions, strengthening health preparedness and dealing with the economic effects of higher energy costs.