NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya’s central bank said on Friday it had issued a licence to DIB Bank Kenya Ltd, a unit of United Arab Emirates-based Dubai Islamic Bank, to operate in the east African nation.

“DIB intends to exclusively offer shariah-compliant banking services in Kenya,” the Central Bank of Kenya said in a statement. “DIB’s entry will expand the offerings in the market, particularly in the nascent shariah-compliant banking niche.”

(Reporting by George Obulutsa; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath)