NAIROBI: Equity Bank of Kenya posted a 21 percent rise in first quarter pretax profit to 5.4 billion shillings ($62.14 million), lifted by growth in its loan book, the bank said on Thursday.

The bank's net loans and advances to customers rose 28 percent to 179.3 billion shillings, Chief Executive Officer James Mwangi told an investor briefing in Nairobi.