Under the initiative launched on Monday, shareholders can trade shares at a price ranging between RWF 2,371 and RWF 2,906 per share, subject to a 10% tax deduction.

Shareholders interested in buying or selling shares are required to complete the relevant application forms available through BPR Bank Rwanda's share trading portal and submit them, together with identification documents, either via email or through any BPR branch. Following verification, applications will be forwarded to BK Capital, which will act as an intermediary matching buyers and sellers.

Participants may specify a preferred trading price within the approved range or authorize BK Capital to execute transactions at the most competitive price available.

Addressing longstanding shareholder needs

Speaking during the launch, BPR Bank Rwanda Managing Director Patience Mutesi said the initiative responds to requests received from shareholders over the past several years.

"We have spent nearly three years engaging with shareholders and their representatives to better understand their concerns," she said. "During this period, we also conducted a shareholder registration exercise to update shareholder records and contact information. Many shareholders expressed interest in selling their shares, but there was previously no formal mechanism to facilitate such transactions."

According to Mutesi, the absence of an organized share-trading framework and the bank's non-listing on the stock market had previously limited opportunities for shareholders wishing to trade their holdings.

Majority shareholder holds 87.56%

BPR Bank Rwanda's shareholding structure consists of two principal shareholder groups. KCB Group remains the majority shareholder with a stake of 87.56%, while Rwandan shareholders collectively own the remaining 12.44%.

Although individual holdings among local shareholders are generally small, their numbers remain significant. Mutesi noted that the bank continues efforts to identify and register shareholders whose records remain incomplete.

Pascal Nyiringango, a member of BPR Bank Rwanda’s Board of Directors, said that many individuals remain unaware that they are shareholders in the bank.

According to Nyiringango, when the former People's Banks were transformed into a commercial banking institution, all members automatically became shareholders. As a result, many beneficiaries never realized they held shares, while others have shown limited interest in registration due to the relatively small size of their holdings.

Despite this, he emphasized that local shareholders have played a vital role in the bank's development both as investors and customers and should actively seek to benefit from the institution's growth.

He encouraged anyone who held an account with a former People's Bank before July 31, 2007 to visit their nearest BPR branch with proof of account ownership in order to verify and register their shareholding status.

Dividend payments strengthen investment appeal

Romuald Mukwiye, President of the Association of Rwandan Shareholders, said the bank's improved performance has strengthened the value proposition for shareholders.

He noted that since returning to profitability and distributing dividends beginning in 2024, BPR Bank Rwanda has delivered shareholder returns that compare favorably with those offered by many listed companies in Rwanda.

Mukwiye described BPR shares as an attractive long-term investment opportunity and observed that when shareholders choose to sell, existing shareholders frequently purchase the shares to increase their stakes.

Anyone seeking further information about buying or selling shares can contact BK Capital by phone at 0788143434 or 0788143141, send an SMS or WhatsApp message to 0798284430, or email [email protected].