Bank of Kigali hosted a coffee exporters networking event at Kigali Serena Hotel, bringing together key players in Rwanda’s coffee industry to connect, share insights, and celebrate achievements. The event highlighted the bank’s ongoing support for exporters and its role in helping Rwandan coffee businesses expand and compete on global markets. Attended by Bank of Kigali CEO Diane Karusisi on October 24, exporters had the opportunity to engage directly with her, ask questions, and discuss ways to further strengthen the sector, underscoring the partnership that continues to drive the success of one of Rwanda’s most valuable industries. ALSO READ: Bank of Kigali explores financing Rwanda’s green future Karusisi highlighted that while the coffee sector has made notable strides, there is still work ahead to achieve long-term growth and economic impact. She emphasised the importance of continued collaboration with exporters to drive sustainable development. “While significant progress has been made, our journey continues, and together, we will keep advancing toward our vision of sustainable growth and contributing to Rwanda’s economic development,” she said. ALSO READ: Bank of Kigali taps internal talent for fintech innovations at first hackathon Alex Bizimana, Head of Agribusiness at BK, said, “During recent discussions with exporters, we decided to double the portfolio next year from Rwf36 billion to Rwf72 billion. This is something achievable.” He highlighted the importance of working closely with clients, ensuring timely assessment of applications to avoid seasonal delays. For the upcoming season, the bank will focus on flexibility in collateral requirements, pricing, and transaction processes, ensuring compliance while remaining profitable and customer-oriented. “It’s critical to work closely with clients, agree on the way forward, and assess applications in a timely manner to avoid delays during the season, For the new season, we will focus on flexibility—flexibility in collateral requirements, pricing, and transaction processes—while ensuring compliance and profitability,” he added. ALSO READ: How Bank of Kigali is strengthening Rwanda’s agricultural value chains Bizimana also noted that the bank has been actively engaging with clients since 2021, gathering feedback and learning from their challenges to continuously improve agri-financing products and meet a larger share of the sector’s financing needs. One of the coffee exporters, Oreste Baragahorana, highlighted the importance of engaging directly with Bank of Kigali management, emphasising that these discussions were valuable for exporters. “We had a chance to meet BK management and discuss the challenges we face in the coffee sector, including financing, capital, timing, and bank interest. This meeting was important for us because it gave us a good opportunity to find solutions to support the coffee sector,” he said. Looking ahead, Baragahorana stressed the need for ongoing collaboration with the bank. “We hope to keep meeting regularly, maybe twice a year, to prepare for the season and evaluate it afterward.”
