Urwego Opportunity Bank
| Private | |
| Industry | Financial Services |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Kigali, Rwanda |
Key people | Jeffery Lee, Chief Executive Officer[1] |
| Products | Loans, Savings, Investments |
| Total assets | US$24.8 million (2012)[2] |
Number of employees | 225[3] |
| Website | Homepage |
Urwego Opportunity Bank (UOB), is a microfinance bank in Rwanda. The bank is one of the commercial banks licensed by the National Bank of Rwanda, the national banking regulator.[4]
History
Urwego Opportunity Bank of Rwanda, SA (UOB), was created in July 2007, as a result of a merger between Urwego Community Banking SA (Urwego), and Opportunity International Bank of Rwanda SA (OIBR). Urwego, founded by World Relief Rwanda in 1997, was a leading microfinance institution (MFI) in Rwanda. Since 2004 Urwego had been operating as an independent and regulated MFI in the country with branches in Kigali and in the provinces. OIBR was established by Opportunity International, an international microfinance network dedicated to the development of transformational, commercial microfinance banks in developing countries.[5]
Overview
The bank is a licensed microfinance bank, operated along Christian principles, with services aimed at improving the economic, social and spiritual conditions of the communities that the bank serves. The bank focuses on serving Rwandans who are economically active but under banked. Services offered by UOB include deposit accounts, savings accounts, individual loans, Trust Group Loans, village phone loans, home improvement loans, bicycle loans and school tuition loans. The bank also offers insurance services, business training and HIV/AIDS training.[6]
Ownership
According to the bank's website, the following corporate entities are shareholders in the bank. [7]
| Rank | Name of Owner | Percentage Ownership |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hope International | |
| 2 | Opportunity International | |
| 3 | World Relief | |
| 4 | World Relief Canada | |
| Total | 100.00 | |
Branch Network
As of June 2011, UOB had eight full-service branches, four of which, including the bank's headquarters, were located in the city of Kigali, Rwanda's capital. The other four full-service branches were located in the provinces. In addition, the bank had twenty-eight other loan-producing offices in Rwanda's thirty districts. The full-service branches of the bank were located in the following locations:[8]
- Main Branch - Avenue de la Paix, Kigali
- Kimirongo Branch - Kimirongo, Kigali
- Nyarugenge Branch - Nyarugenge, Kigali
- Kicukiro Branch - Kicukiro, Kigali
- Muhanga Branch - Muhanga District
- Rwamagana Branch - Rwamagana, Rwamagana District
- Bugesera Branch - Bugesera District.
- Musanze District - Musanze District[9]
See also
References
- ↑ Jeffery Lee is CEO of UOB
- ↑ Total Assets As of December 2012
- ↑ UOB Employs 225 People in 2010
- ↑ List of Licensed Banks In Rwanda
- ↑ History of Urwego Opportunity Bank
- ↑ Overview of Urwego Opportunity Bank
- ↑ Shareholders of Urwego Opportunity Bank
- ↑ The Branch Network of UOB
- ↑ Musanze Branch Is Eighth Branch of UOB
External links
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