Kenya commercial Bank (KCB) Group’s net profit for the first quarter of this year has increased by 25 per cent to Ksh3b (Rwf22.9b) compared to Ksh2.4b (Rwf18.3b) reported in a similar period last year.Its pre-tax profit rose by 26 per cent to Ksh4.3b (Rwf32.8b), up from Ksh3.4b (Rwf25.9b) in March 2012.The bank’s loan book grew by eight per cent to Ksh211.9b (Rwf1.6 trillion) compared to the Ksh195.3b (Rwf1.5b) recorded in a similar period last year, but only by 0.09 per cent since December.Its net interest income increased by six per cent to Ksh7.4b (Rwf56.6b) compared to Ksh7b (Rwf 53.4b) in the first quarter of 2012.KCB’s net non-performing loans and advances, however, increased significantly to Ksh7.5b compared to Ksh5b in March 2012, a 51 per cent increase.The group’s cost to income ratio is on a steady decline at 59.6 per cent in the first quarter, down from 62 per cent in March 2012. It has attributed the pay-off to a Ksh1.6b (Rwf12.2b) one-off restructuring cost in 2011.