Kigali – Banque Populaire du Rwanda (BPR) marked its 50th anniversary on August 8 with a sweeping celebration at the Kigali Convention Centre, underscoring its role in shaping Rwanda’s financial sector while announcing new commitments to technology, partnerships, and inclusive growth.
Founded in 1975, BPR today operates Rwanda’s largest banking network, with 73 branches, more than 2,200 agents, 59 ATMs, and over 1,000 merchant partnerships nationwide. Managing Director Patience Mutesi told attendees that this reach was not just about infrastructure, but about trust painstakingly built “town by town, and village by village.”
BPR’s commitments extend beyond banking. It has supported flagship national projects including financing Bugesera International Airport in 2017, backing Africa Improved Foods to bolster nutrition security, and investing in clean energy initiatives such as its partnership with Gasmeth Energy to harness methane gas from Lake Kivu. The bank’s SME loan portfolio now surpasses Rwf145 billion, with targeted programmes like the Ikamba Women Proposition designed to accelerate women-led enterprises.
The merger with KCB Rwanda in 2022 has strengthened BPR’s capital base and digital capabilities, positioning it for more aggressive innovation. KCB Group CEO Paul Russo emphasised the decision to keep the BPR brand, arguing that “local brands, built locally, would add value to KCB shareholders.” He stressed that investments in both technology and people will shape the bank’s next 50 years.
Finance Minister Yusuf Murangwa highlighted BPR’s contribution to Rwanda’s development, noting a loan book exceeding Rwf666 billion, with nearly Rwf53 billion channelled into SMEs in the past year alone – a quarter of which went to women-led firms. He praised initiatives like the Igire programme, which has trained hundreds of youth and created over 800 jobs.
BPR Chairman George Rubagumya framed the anniversary as a turning point for the bank’s mission to transform finance into a driver of economic growth. He called for stronger investment advisory services to support Rwanda’s long-term development.
With geopolitical volatility reshaping global markets, BPR’s anniversary pledges suggest a dual focus: shoring up Rwanda’s financial sovereignty while aligning with global sustainability goals. By prioritising partnerships, digital inclusion, and green finance, the bank signalled its intent to remain central not only to Rwanda’s economy but to broader regional dynamics.
As Rwanda positions itself as a rising financial hub in Africa, BPR’s trajectory over the next half-century will be closely watched — both domestically and internationally — as a measure of how local banking institutions can anchor national development amid shifting global currents.
