The International Finance Corporation (IFC), an investment arm of the World Bank Group, yesterday held a one day training session for auditors authorised by the Central Bank to support Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs).

The one day training aimed at creating awareness on leasing to auditors that serve MFIs.

Programme Manager IFC Africa Leasing Facility, Riadh Naour, said that the aim of the training is to transfer information that can be used by auditors to  support their clients.

"These trainings are key notes that the Financial Leasing is still a young project in Rwanda and thus the importance of these kinds of trainings,” Naour explained.

The officials said that the training has been ongoing and that they have already trained Lawyers, Journalists, Commercial Judges and Farmers.

The leasing project commenced work in 2006 but was officially launched in 2007. The program aims at providing new financing alternatives to Rwanda’s Small and Medium businesses. 

Naour said that the project cannot develop without the transfer of knowledge by the leasing expertise in order for any stakeholder to deliver and apply the right methods throughout the leasing project.

Jean Nathan Sezibera, one of the trainees said that leasing was a new thing to him.

"It is a good experience to have these trainings and know how this leasing project works and the laws that govern the program,” Sezibera added.

Team leader IFC Rwanda CEDP leasing Development Program, Brian Kirungi said that Rwanda’s leasing market has few players.

They include; Rwanda Commercial Bank (BCR) and FINA Bank, Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD), Access bank, Cogebank, Ecobank and Vision Finance Company.

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