Absa Group has appointed Eric Muriuki, the former executive who led NCBA’s digital banking business LOOP, to a senior role focused on driving growth across its African markets.

Muriuki has taken up the position of Managing Executive for Pan-African Growth Strategy, Platforms and Digital Ventures at Absa Group, marking a move from NCBA after nearly two decades with the banking group.

He will be based in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he will work on the bank’s regional growth strategy and digital businesses.

Eric Muriuki Leaves NCBA for Senior Absa Pan-African Role

In this role, he will work on growth strategy, digital platforms, and new ventures across Absa’s African operations.

Eric Muriuki spent 19 years and four months at NCBA, where he held several senior positions.

He joined the bank in July 2007 as Programme Director for Enterprise Transformation before becoming General Manager for New Business Ventures in August 2012.

In October 2019, he became Group Director of Digital Business and CEO of LOOP Digital Financial Services, a position he held until his departure.

Before joining NCBA, Muriuki worked at Co-operative Bank of Kenya as a Business Change Manager between July 2004 and July 2007.

He began his career at Citi, where he worked as a Business Systems Manager from September 1999 to July 2004.



Role in Kenya’s Digital Finance Growth

Muriuki has been involved in the development of several digital financial services that have shaped banking in Kenya.

In 2007, he helped design the trust-account architecture that enabled Safaricom to issue electronic value under regulatory approval for M-Pesa.

He later played a role in the development of M-Shwari, the mobile savings and micro-credit service launched in 2012 through a partnership between Commercial Bank of Africa and Safaricom.

Muriuki was also involved in the development of Fuliza, the mobile overdraft service launched in 2019.

His experience covers mobile money, savings, digital credit, and other financial services delivered through mobile platforms. 



Education and Training

Muriuki holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), which he completed in 1999.

He also has a Master of Business Administration in Strategy from Strathmore Business School, where he studied between 2007 and 2008.

Muriuki has also undertaken executive education programmes at leading international business schools.

In 2014, he completed Executive Education in Strategic Leadership in Inclusive Finance at Harvard Business School.

Later, in 2016, he completed Executive Education in Strategic Leadership at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

His academic and professional training has combined technology, business strategy, leadership, and financial services.

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