TransUnion’s second-quarter 2026 Consumer Pulse Study shows that only 30 per cent of Kenyan consumers reported an income rise in the previous three months, meaning 70 per cent saw no growth, while 77 per cent said they had been targeted by digital fraud attempts.

The slowdown in reported income growth was attributed mainly to reduced salaries (27 per cent), job losses (24 per cent) and business closures or falling orders (23 per cent). The share of consumers reporting an income increase fell from 42 per cent a year earlier.

Despite the pressure, 78 per cent of respondents remain hopeful that their earnings will rise over the next twelve months, a five-point drop from the previous year.

The ability to meet financial commitments stayed flat, with 61 per cent saying they could pay all bills and loans in full, unchanged from a year ago. However, more than half of Generation Z respondents (54 per cent) said they could not meet all obligations, a seven-point increase YoY.

Among those unable to settle at least one bill or loan, half plan to make partial payments and the other half intend to take on gig work to boost earnings. Gig work is especially popular with Generation Z (54 per cent) and Generation X (62 per cent). A further 28 per cent expect to rely on savings or borrow from friends and family.

To cope with tighter budgets, 53 per cent intend to cut discretionary spending such as dining out, travel and entertainment, while 48 per cent plan to postpone major purchases like appliances and vehicles. Retail spending is set to fall for 40 per cent of consumers, and 41 per cent anticipate increasing outlays on bills and loan repayments.

Credit remains a priority for 73 per cent of consumers, who view it as very or extremely important. Perceived access to credit improved, with 40 per cent saying they have sufficient access, up from 36 per cent a year earlier. Yet the proportion planning to apply for new credit or refinance fell to 57 per cent from 69 per cent, with Millennials’ intention dropping fifteen points to 60 per cent.

Personal loans continue to be the most favoured product, cited by 53 per cent of prospective borrowers. Interest in mobile loans rose to 45 per cent, six points higher than the previous year, and 27 per cent said they might use buy-now-pay-later options.

Digital fraud attempts reached 77 per cent of respondents in the last three months. Of those targeted, 68 per cent avoided loss, while 9 per cent fell victim, down from 10 per cent in Q2 2025. Generation Z was the most exposed age group, with 12 per cent reporting victimisation.

Respondents who discovered that their identity details or online accounts were compromised took protective steps: 57 per cent changed the password on the affected account, 54 per cent updated passwords on other accounts and 46 per cent checked for unauthorised activity. In the preceding 60 days, 72 per cent changed passwords as a precaution, half enabled password-less login or multi-factor authentication, and 36 per cent reviewed their credit reports.

“Kenyan consumers are demonstrating remarkable resilience in the face of slower income growth,” said Morris Maina, chief executive officer of TransUnion Kenya. He added that the proactive security measures taken by households are encouraging as digital adoption expands.

The study was carried out by TransUnion in partnership with research provider Dynata between April 29 and May 19, 2026. It surveyed 462 Kenyan adults aged 18 and over via an online panel, achieving a 95 per cent confidence level with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points.