TransUnion’s Q2 2026 Consumer Pulse Survey of 462 Kenyan adults found that just 30% reported an increase in income over the previous three months, down from 42% a year earlier.

The slowdown was attributed mainly to reduced salaries (27%), job losses (24%) and business closures or declining orders (23%).

Despite the pressure, 61% of respondents said they could still meet bill and loan payments, a figure unchanged from the previous year.

To cope, half of those unable to pay all bills planned partial payments, while another half intended to supplement income through gig work, especially Gen Z (54%) and Gen X (62%).

More than a quarter (28%) said they would rely on savings or borrow from friends and family to bridge shortfalls.

Spending intentions shifted, with 53% planning to cut discretionary expenses such as dining out and entertainment, and 48% aiming to reduce major purchases like appliances and vehicles.

Conversely, 41% expected to increase spending on bills and loan repayments, reflecting a prioritisation of essential financial commitments.

Access to credit remained important, with 73% rating it as very or extremely important, and 40% now believing they have sufficient access, up from 36% a year earlier.

Nevertheless, the share of consumers planning to apply for new credit fell to 57% from 69% a year ago, particularly among Millennials whose intent dropped by 15 points to 60%.

Personal loans remained the most popular credit product (53% of respondents), while interest in mobile loans rose to 45%, up six points year‑on‑year.

Digital fraud threats persisted, with 77% of Kenyans reporting attempts via email, phone, text or online channels in the past three months.

While 68% avoided falling for scams—a slight decline from the previous year—9% admitted to being victims, down from 10% in Q2 2025.

Gen Z was the most vulnerable age group, with 12% reporting victimisation, and many respondents responded by changing passwords (57%) or updating them across accounts (54%).

Overall cybersecurity awareness appeared high: 72% changed passwords in the past 60 days, 50% enabled password‑less login or multi‑factor authentication, and 36% reviewed credit reports for fraud.

TransUnion Kenya CEO Morris Maina described the trends as evidence of “remarkable resilience” and noted that consumers are diversifying income streams and taking deliberate credit decisions to sustain financial stability.