I&M Bank (Rwanda) Plc: Best Bank Rwanda 2021

I&M Bank (Rwanda) was the first commercial bank in the country, incorporated in 1963. It has pinned its success on customer relations and value proposition and prioritises staff recruitment and retention. I&M Bank launched the country’s first blockchain-powered app, SPENN, helping to connect unbanked people with financial services. It introduced the first NFC-enabled ATMs with contactless, tap-and-go technology. These digitalisation strategies are geared to fulfil evolving customer needs while maximising operating efficiencies. I&M Bank serves a well-segmented customer base of corporate, retail and MSME clients, tailoring products to reduce touch-points in credit analysis and deliver services in a timely manner. It offers retail, business, and corporate cards, as well as one supporting 17 international currencies. Over the next two years, the bank aims to capitalise on the growth of core activities and efficiencies gained in a 2018 restructure and transformation. It enables future growth via a three-pillar approach to drive business, build resiliency, and optimise the operating model. The bank anticipates that this will triple the customer base — from 35,000 to 100,000 account holders — and see digital banking activity reach 80 percent of operations. Digital saving and lending products are being explored as an avenue to tap into new markets and diversify revenue streams. All these strategies are the result of data-driven decision-making, and the CFI.co judging panel applauds the advances. The judges present I&M Bank with the 2021 award for Best Bank (Rwanda).