Banque Populaire du Rwanda SA

Banque Populaire du Rwanda SA
Private
Industry Financial Services
Founded 1975
Headquarters Kigali, Rwanda
Key people
 Ben Christiaanse
Chairman
Ephraim Turahirwa
Chief Executive Officer
Products Loans, Checking, Savings, Investments, Debit Cards
Revenue Decrease Aftertax:US$7.62 million (RWF:5.17 billion (2013)
Total assets US$232.3 million (RWF:157.44 billion) (2013)
Number of employees
 1,477 (2014)
Website Homepage

Banque Populaire du Rwanda SA (BPR), is a commercial bank in Rwanda and licensed by the National Bank of Rwanda, the national banking regulator.[1]

Overview

As of December 2013, BPR was a medium-sized financial services provider in Rwanda. Its total asset valuation was approximately US$232.3 million (RWF:157.44 billion). At that time, shareholding in the bank was valued at about US$20.3 million (RWF:13.8 billion).[2] The bank focused its lending to businesses in the agricultural sector. It employed 1,477 staff at that time.[3]

History

The origins of BPR can be traced back to 1975, when the first Banque Populaire was formed in the settlement of Nkamba, in the city of Kibungo, Eastern Province. Over the next ten years many other similar banks were founded around the country. In 1986, the various autonomous Banques Populaires formed an umbrella called the Union des Banques Populaires du Rwanda (UBPR). UBPR was operated as a cooperative bank. In January 2008, following 33 years of experience in the Rwandan financial sector, UBPR was transformed from a cooperative bank into a commercial bank: Banque Populaire du Rwanda S.A.[4] In June 2008, Rabobank, the Dutch cooperative banking conglomerate, acquired 35 percent of the shares in BPR.[5][6] In July 2012, Visa Inc. certified the bank to issue visa-branded debit and credit cards.[7]

Ownership

The bank's stock is owned by the following corporate entities, since June 2008:[8]

Banque Populaire du Rwanda Stock Ownership
Rank Name of OwnerPercentage Ownership
1Rabobank35.0
2Rwanda Savings Cooperatives65.0
Total100.00

Branch network

As of August 2009, Bank Populaire du Rwanda maintained a network of 25 full-service branches, including at the following locations: [9]

  1. Main Branch - Kigali
  2. BPF Branch - Kigali
  3. Kimironko Branch - Kimironko, Kigali
  4. Muhima Branch - Muhima, Kigali
  5. Rwezamenyo Branch – Rwezamenyo, Kigali
  6. Muhanga Branch - Muhanga, Southern Province
  7. Musanze Branch - Musanze, Northern Province
  8. Rusizi Branch - Rusizi, Western Province
  9. Gicumbi Branch - Gicumbi, Northern Province
  10. Rubavu Branch - Rubavu, Northern Province
  11. Ngoma Branch - Ngoma, Eastern Province
  12. Huye Branch - Huye, Southern Province
  13. Rwamagana Branch - Rwamagana, Eastern Province
  14. Karongi Branch - Karongi, Western Province
  15. Nyamagabe Branch - Nyamagabe, Southern Province
  16. Nyagatare Branch - Nyagatare, Eastern Province
  17. Bugesera Branch - Bugesera, Eastern Province
  18. Nyanza Branch - Nyanza, Southern Province
  19. Ngororero Branch - Ngororero, Western Province[10]

Governance

The activities of Bank of Kigali are supervised by a nine member board of directors. The current chairman of the board is Ben Christiaanse.[11] The day-to-day affairs of the bank are managed by a six-member executive management team, led by Ephraim Turahirwa, the chief executive officer.[12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ BNR, . "List of Licensed Commercial Banks In Rwanda" (PDF). National Bank of Rwanda (BNR). Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  2. ↑ BPR, . (6 June 2014). "BPR 2013 Annual Report" (PDF). Banque Populaire du Rwanda (BPR). Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  3. ↑ RB, . (2014). "Profile of Banque Populaire du Rwanda". Rabobank (RB). Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  4. ↑ BPR, . (2014). "History of Banque Populaire du Rwanda". Banque Populaire du Rwanda (BPR). Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Magyambere, Gertrude (13 June 2008). "Rwanda: Dutch Bank Invests RWF6.5 Billion Into BPR". New Times (Rwanda) via AllAfrica.com. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  6. ↑ The Administrator, . (1 November 2012). "The Profit Puzzle" (PDF). The Independent (Uganda). Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  7. ↑ Nyesiga, Dias (30 July 2012). "BPR Gets Visa Certification". New Times (Rwanda) via AllAfrica.com. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  8. ↑ Rabobank, . (13 June 2008). "Rabobank Acquires 35% In Banque Populaire du Rwanda". PR Newswire. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  9. ↑ Saul Butera, and Ruth Kang'ong'oi (7 August 2009). "Rwanda: BPR in On-Line Harmonisation of Local Branches". New Times (Rwanda). Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  10. ↑ BPR Maintains Branch In Ngororero
  11. ↑ BPR, . (2014). "BPR Board of Directors". Banque Populaire du Rwanda (BPR). Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  12. ↑ BPR, . (2014). "The Executive Staff At BPR". Banque Populaire du Rwanda (BPR). Retrieved 30 April 2015.

External links