In Kenya’s credit-driven economy, Janet Kuteli built a bridge for those often left out: traders, farmers, boda riders, and women entrepreneurs growing small businesses.
As the Founder and CEO of Fortune Credit Limited, Kuteli has quietly engineered one of Kenya’s most impactful microfinance institutions. Since launching in 2014, Fortune Credit has disbursed over $10 million in affordable loans, reaching more than 50,000 households and currently serving over 30,000 active clients nationwide.
With 18 years in the banking and microfinance sector, Kuteli built her expertise within established institutions such as Co-operative Bank of Kenya and National Bank of Kenya. Rising to senior management roles, she developed mastery in credit risk, SME lending structures, portfolio management, and asset-based financing.
Armed with an MBA and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from Kenyatta University, plus certification as a Credit Risk Analyst, Kuteli was not just another banker; she was a strategist in sustainable lending.
Over time, she discovered that traditional banking models systematically excluded micro and small entrepreneurs who lacked formal collateral or structured credit histories. The gap wasn’t about capability. It was about access. She decided to close that gap.
Building Fortune Credit: A Model Rooted in Inclusion
When Kuteli founded Fortune Credit, she aimed to create a solution that serves those often labelled as too risky by mainstream banks.
The company adopted a hybrid approach, a blend of both digital lending systems and community outreach. Loans are collateral-free, processes are streamlined, and client relationships are built through trust rather than intimidation. Insurance products and green energy financing have since been integrated, expanding the institution’s impact footprint.
Today, Fortune Credit employs 106 staff members and continues to expand its digital platforms to improve efficiency, risk profiling, and client engagement.
Scaling with Discipline, Not Hype
Unlike startups that chase rapid expansion at the expense of stability, Kuteli scaled deliberately. Early investment in strong credit assessment frameworks and portfolio monitoring systems ensured asset quality remained intact as the client base grew.
Revenue was reinvested. Debt financing was structured carefully. Growth was tied to performance metrics, not ambition alone. This disciplined expansion has positioned Fortune Credit as a credible player in Kenya’s microfinance landscape, proving that inclusion and profitability are not mutually exclusive.
Her leadership has gained continental attention, including recognition through Africa’s Business Heroes, where top entrepreneurs compete for $1.5 million in funding at the Grand Finale in Kigali.
Navigating Challenges in a High-Risk Sector
Microfinance is not without volatility. Economic downturns affect repayment cycles. The cost of capital remains high. Regulatory compliance is rigorous. And as a woman leading a financial institution, Kuteli has confronted gender bias in boardrooms and investor spaces.
By diversifying loan products, strengthening risk analytics, and cultivating a resilient internal culture, she has maintained portfolio health while expanding outreach.
Fortune Credit aims to reach one million clients, deepen digital lending capabilities, and scale insurance coverage across Kenya. The goal is not merely growth in numbers but in strengthening economic resilience in underserved communities.
For Kuteli, financial inclusion is not charity. It is infrastructure. It is empowerment structured through systems, discipline, and sustainable capital flows.
In a country powered by hustlers, Janet Kuteli is ensuring that ambition is not stalled by lack of access. Through Fortune Credit, she is rewriting the rules of who gets funded while proving that when capital meets courage, communities rise.
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