Kenya’s Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) has announced interests in extending operation to Rwanda.

Ranked Kenya’s seventh biggest bank by assets, the bank’s Managing Director Nasim Devji said DTB would open operations in Kigali this year.

Diamond Trust operates in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi and also plans to open another 25 branches in the region this year.

It is also hoping to break into Madagascar and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

DTB made 719 million in pretax profit in the same period last year. It received a $25 million loan from the World Bank’s private sector lending arm last year to boost its lending and finance expansion plans.

The bank also posted a 20 percent increase in first half pretax profit to 859 million shillings ($11.23 million) following regional expansion, its MD said on Thursday.

Total operating income rose to 2.4 billion for the first six months while group assets grew by 56 percent to 64 billion shillings from 41 billion during the same period last year.

"The six months’ results have benefited from the continuing growth of our customer base across the region with a marked increase in operating revenue, particularly from active money market operations,” said Nasim Devji.

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