Learners from across the country will compete for a KSh2.52 million prize fund at this year’s Kenya Music Festival (KMF) national competition after Equity Bank announced the sponsorship to reward top performers under categories supported by the lender.
The national festival will be held at Kibabii University in Bungoma County, bringing together outstanding performers who progressed through the sub-county, county and regional competitions.
Speaking during the Nairobi regional edition held at Buru Buru Girls High School, Equity Bank Head of Education Peter Ndoro said the national competition represents the culmination of the bank’s sponsorship programme, noting that Equity has invested more than KSh25 million in supporting the festival over the past three years.
“Our partnership goes beyond sponsorship. We want to create meaningful opportunities and nurturing responsible citizens who will drive positive change in our society,” Ndoro said.
KSh2.52 Million Up for Grabs at National Finals
As the festival’s major partner, Equity Bank is sponsoring performances under its sub-theme, “Sustainable Transformation for a Resilient Future: Protecting Our Environment, Empowering Our Communities for Wealth Creation.”
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The sub-theme complements the Kenya Music Festival’s 2026 theme, “Enhancing the Creative Economy through Knowledge, Skills and Artistic Production for Sustainable Development.”
At the regional level, Equity Bank sponsored 11 competition classes across primary, junior and senior schools, awarding KSh4.4 million in prize money and presenting 88 trophies out of a total of 130 trophies donated.
The competition expands during the national festival, where Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, and universities join primary and secondary school learners. This increases the number of classes under Equity’s sponsorship from 11 to 14.
National winners will share a KSh2,520,000 prize pool, with first-place winners in each class receiving KSh100,000, second-place finishers KSh50,000, and third-place winners KSh30,000.
Teachers and trainers behind the winning performances will also receive cash awards, with first-place trainers earning KSh30,000, second-place KSh20,000, and third-place KSh10,000.
Equity Links Talent Development to Sustainability
Ndoro said the festival’s themes encourage learners to use music, poetry, and other artistic performances to champion environmental conservation, community empowerment, and sustainable wealth creation.
“The themes speak directly to the aspirations of our nation and values that guide Equity Bank. Students should use their talents creatively to inspire change, promote environmental responsibility, and demonstrate how empowered citizens can create wealth and resilience,” he said.
Equity Group Managing Director and CEO Dr. James Mwangi said the sponsorship reflects the bank’s broader commitment to sustainability and long-term economic empowerment.
“The question before us is no longer simply how to transform lives. It is how to sustain that transformation for generations to come,” Dr. Mwangi said.
He added that sustainability has become a core part of the bank’s strategy, saying prosperity cannot be achieved without protecting the environment.
According to the bank, its environmental initiatives have supported the planting of more than 39.6 million trees as part of Kenya’s goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
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Equity has also supported schools and communities through solar energy projects, clean cooking solutions, water harvesting systems and financing for renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture and other green investments.
Dr. Mwangi said responsible wealth creation should benefit communities while preserving the environment for future generations.
Bank Eyes Long-Term Opportunities for Young Artists
Beyond rewarding winners, Equity Bank says it wants to help young people transform their artistic talents into sustainable careers.
Ndoro revealed that the lender is engaging the Ministry of Education on ways to help learners earn an income from their talents beyond the annual competition.
He said the bank wants to ensure that participation in the Kenya Music Festival becomes a pathway to future careers rather than ending once the trophies have been awarded.
“Now it is our responsibility as responsible organizations to look at how do we support these children, these young learners to be able to earn a livelihood out of their talent,” Ndoro said. “That is our responsibility, and as Equity Bank, we are determined to make it happen.”
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