Rwanda Commercial Bank (BCR) reported a rise in its net earnings in the third quarter of this year accessioned by the bank’s improved business practices as overall economic conditions remained robust.The lender, which was the subject of a takeover from Kenya’s I&M Bank in July this year, said its net profit for the period from July to September accelerated by 7.7 per cent to Rwf2.4 billion from Rwf2.3 billion in the same period last year.“We attribute the performance to the bank’s all-round improvement in doing business, especially penetrating the market outside Kigali which wasn’t our target before,” BCR’s Managing Director, Sanjev Anand, said.The bank’s audited results showed that its interest income rose to RwfRwf6.4 billion from Rwf.5 billion in the period under review occasioned by the growth in its loan book and deposits.Analysts forecast a significant rise in BCR’s interest income at the end of the year on the back of an increase in penal interest charges on loan arrears and temporary overdrafts.The lender doubled its penal interest charges on loan arrears and temporary overdrafts, saying the move aimed to ensure that clients pay in time. Raising the charges to 4 per cent and a strong Rwandan economy are expected to be contributing factors to the BCR’s declining non-performing loans—loans in default or close to being in default. BCR managed to improve its non-performing loans to 3.7 per cent, below the central bank’s threshold of 7 per cent. The former Actis-owned lender targets Rwf3.1 billion in net earnings at the end of this year.Kenya’s I&M Bank acquired 80 per cent stake in BCR from London-based private equity investor, Actis, in July as the Government of Rwanda retained its 20 per cent stake in the bank.
