The family of Eva Ngigi-Sarwari, the Equity Group executive who died while on a business trip to China, has announced her funeral arrangements and revealed details of her immediate family.
According to a death and funeral announcement published on Friday, November 6, the funeral service will be held on Monday, November 9, at St Andrew’s Catholic Church in Rironi, beginning at 9am.
A private burial will then follow the church service.
Ngigi-Sarwari died on October 20, 2026, aged 45. She was the managing director of Finserve Africa, Equity Group’s digital financial services subsidiary, and the group director for payments and international banking.
“It is with profound sadness, deep regret, and humble acceptance of God’s will that we announce the passing of Eva Ngigi-Sarwari, Managing Director of Finserve Africa (a subsidiary of Equity Group), who passed away on 20th October 2026,” the family said.
Eva Ngigi-Sarwari: Family Reveals Husband, Children and Funeral Plans After Death in China
According to the announcement, Eva Ngigi was married to Hidayat Khan Sarwari.
The couple together three children named Habib Sarwari, Amman Ngigi Sarwari and Alesha Sarwari.
Ngigi was born to Charles Ngigi Kamiti and Grace Wanjiku Kamiti.
She was a sister to Evans Kamiti Ngigi and Philip Kimani Ngigi.
Other relatives named in the announcement include her brothers-in-law Ridwan Sarwari, Eusebia Kamiti and Emily Kimani, as well as her nieces and nephews Ellis, Nathaniel, Giovanna, Matthew and Nadia Sarwari.
The family described Ngigi-Sarwari as a woman whose warmth, intellect and leadership touched many lives, adding that relatives, work colleagues and friends would miss her deeply.
They also thanked those who had offered prayers, love and support following her death.
“Eva’s warmth, intellect, and leadership touched countless lives, and she will be deeply missed by her family, work colleagues and friends,” the family said.
Also Read: Equity Bank Discloses Billions Disbursed to Businesses, Farmers and Students
Eva Ngigi Career Before Her Death in China
Ngigi-Sarwari joined Equity Group in January 2025 as group director for payments and international banking. In April 2026, she became managing director of Finserve Africa, leading the group’s digital financial services subsidiary.
Before joining Equity, she served as Visa’s senior director and country manager for Kenya, South Sudan and Somalia from September 2020 to December 2024.
She began her banking career at Co-operative Bank in 2005, working in customer relationships and electronic banking, before moving to Stanbic Bank.
In 2012, she joined Standard Chartered Kenya, where she rose to become head of transaction banking for the commercial banking division. She later moved to SC Ventures in 2020 before joining Visa.
Her professional experience covered working capital and cash management solutions for governments, international development organisations, large companies and mid-sized local businesses.
Also Read: Who Was Eva Ngigi Sarwari? Oxford-Trained Equity Bank Executive Who Died in China
She also pursued executive training at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, completing the Oxford Fintech Programme in 2019 and the Oxford Strategic Management Executive Programme between August 2022 and April 2023.
Ngigi-Sarwari held an MBA in Strategic Management from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Business Management in Marketing Management from Moi University.
She died while on a business trip to China. The cause of her death had not been publicly disclosed in the reports available at the time.
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