This volume of the KBA Policy Briefs, the first in the series, highlights policy insights generated from eight KBA Working Papers presented during the 10th Annual Kenya Bankers Association Banking Research Conference held in September 2021 under the theme “Banking Beyond COVID-19: Risk- Assessment, Balance Sheet adjustments and Exploring Options and Pathways to Strong and Sustainable Economic Recovery”

The briefs contained herein spotlight three interrelated areas. First, whether the COVID-19 pandemic altered traditional views about risk and its assessment at the sector and aggregate level. Second, whether the pandemic triggered adjustments in bank balance-sheet structures, in particular seeking to establish how the structural changes occasioned by the pandemic influence the sector’s path/evolution post-pandemic, and third, ascertain the economic effects of the pandemic at both aggregate and sectoral level, with the objective of identifying any evident potential channels that could be explored towards a strong and sustainable recovery.

We wish to thank and acknowledge the role of the contributors, peer-reviewers, discussants, and conference participants for a stimulating and robust dialogue that has continued to shape the production of the KBA Working Paper Series. Indeed, the collegial outcome of the analytical work contained herein continues to inform industry decisions, especially in the existing dynamic and evolving environment.

It is our hope that that you will find this piece of work useful and that it will sustain the momentum of the discussions that began during the conference. We welcome feedback on the contents of this 2022 KBA Policy Briefs as we continually seek to improve its relevance and informativeness to you. You can send your feedback to the editor at research@kba.co.ke.