LONDON, May 16 (Reuters) - Kenya and Nigeria are on

track to become members of the European Bank for Reconstruction

and Development (EBRD), the bank said on Thursday, as the lender

continues its expansion into Sub-Saharan Africa.

Shareholders of the bank had approved applications from the

two African nations during the multilateral lender's annual

meeting in Armenia, the EBRD said in an emailed statement. They

follow in the footsteps of Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana and

Senegal, all of which started their membership applications

since October last year.

Both countries, who also requested to become recipients of

EBRD financial and advisory services, still have to meet some

last pre-membership requirements before the process is fully

concluded. Only Benin so far has gained full membership.