Archive for the 'Rwanda' Category
January 4th, 2012 by Tom Minney
Although the number of investors from other East African countries opening trading accounts at Kenya’s Nairobi Stock Exchange (www.nse.co.ke) is still very small, it is growing more consistently in the last 2 years than other categories of investors. According to data to 30 Sept released by Kenya’s Capital Market Authority (www.cma.or.ke), East African individual investors opened 97 securities accounts at Kenya’s Central Depository and Settlement Corporation (www.cdsckenya.com). This compares to 92 accounts opened in the full year 2010 and 79 in 2009.
By comparison Kenyan individual investors only opened 27,669 accounts in the 9 months to September 2011, compared to 120,756 accounts opened in 2010 and 52,836 in 2009. Kenyan equity trading has remained subdued as investors say high interest rates make them choose government debt securities over equities.
One potential reason for the East African interest, according to an article in the East African , is that Ugandans are opening trading accounts at the NSE in anticipation of the IPO of electricity distributor Umeme (www.umeme.co.ug) scheduled for 2012. Umeme is expected to cross-list at the NSE and the Ugandan Securities Exchange (www.use.or.ug). Some investors open multiple accounts ahead of a potentially “hot” initial public offering (IPO) of shares, where they hope to sell their initial allocation quickly and make a quick profit, as this is likely to maximise their share of allocation if the IPO is oversubscribed.
Trading experience shows that cross-listed East African shares such as Centum, Kenya Airways, Jubilee Insurance, trade more on the NSE compared with the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (www.dse.co.tz) and USE. The increased liquidity in Nairobi means that East Africans are better off having a trading account at the NSE. The paper comments that Rwandans, Tanzanians and Ugandans are probably realising this fact and also taking positions ahead of the listing of some of their firms on the NSE by opening more CDS accounts in Nairobi: “Investors will go the extra mile to open and operate, as proxies, CDS accounts in the names of their relatives or friends who know nothing on trading in shares. Expect an influx of Rwandese, Tanzanians and Ugandans at the NSE in 2012.”
September 5th, 2011 by Tom Minney
Interest in share offers is high in Rwanda, after shares of Bank of Kigali (BK) rose 52% to RWF190 in their first day of trading on 1 September. The Initial Public Offer (IPO), which opened on 30 June and ran for a month, offered the shares at RWF125. According to today’s market report (5 September) total trading today was 5 deals in BK shares which ended at RWF172 (it closed on Friday at RWF 191) and in brewer BRALIRWA which was unchanged at RWF246.
The BK shares offered included a sale by the Government of its 20% stake and the bank offered a further 25%, making a total offer of 300.3 million shares for a total value of RWF37.5 billion ($63.6 m). This was 274% oversubscribed with Rwandan investors making up 75% of the shareholding. The retail investors’ pool was oversubscribed by 291%, institutional investors from Rwanda 165%, institutional investors from the region 221%, international investors 330% and BK employees and management 135%, according to a report in the East African newspaper.
The bank plans to use the IPO funds to expand its network including opening 44 branches in 2011, increase the loan portfolio and consolidate its leadership position in the increasingly competitive banking industry. The listing should also boost activity on the young RSE, Africa’s newest stock exchange which was launched on 31 January
Lado Gurgenidze, chairman of the BK board, is reported in New Times newspaper saying: “The transaction and new capital comes at the right time when the bank is focusing on building a great bank and retaining the leading position in the market. Through great service and 45% of the shares being in the hands of the public, we have all the reasons to be optimistic that it will be very liquid on the secondary market.”
Investors waitng for more offers
It is the fourth listing on the RSE. When it launched in January it immediately started trading the shares of the first domestic IPO, brewer Brasseries et Limonaderies du Rwanda BRALIRWA (www.bralirwa.com). This had been offered at RWF136 and started trading at RWF220. The other two counters are cross-listings from Kenya: Kenya Commercial Bank and Nation Media Group.
Reuters reports that appetite for shares is likely to be strong, partly because of the favourable pricing. The BK shares were offered at a multiple of 1.4x book value, a 15% discount to Kenyan banks at the time of the sale. The article quotes Nkoregamba Mwebesa, managing director of CFC Stanbic Financial Services in Kenya, saying: “Being a government exit, the Government is able to offer a discount which will attract (investors). We should continue to see appetite for all that. Rwanda is also stable politically, and that encourages investors as well. When the Government is exiting they don’t care about dilution. They are not out to really make money. The agency reports that market players said the main aim of the government was to help kick-start the bourse.
Future share offerings are likely to attract sustained interest, including government plans to sell a 20% share in the country’s biggest insurer Sonarwa (Societe Nouvelle d’Assurance du Rwanda – Nigeria’s IGI owns 35%). It is also hoping to sell shares in what Reuters called “an unidentified cement firm”, although earlier this year Ciments du Rwanda Ltd was mentioned.
Government has also held talks about selling its 10% stake in telecom operator MTN Rwanda. MTN Group is majority shareholder and has the right of first refusal on any share sales. John Rwangombwa, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, reportedly said earlier this year: “We have two options; if MTN gives us (Government) the price we want, we will sell the shares to them directly while the other option is through an IPO depending on the other investor.” (as reported on this website)
The Minister had also said that Government would sell more of its stake in BK later. It owned 66.3% before the offer.
T+2 settlement here, electronic trading “by June”
On 3 August the RSE announced that it was adopting a T+2 settlement cycle for all securities with effect from 5 August. Sellers of securities receive money and transfer of ownership is effected on the third day. This replaced T+5 for equities and T+3 for bonds. The new system was made possible after the Central Bank of Rwanda (BNR) introduced a modern payment system, the Rwanda Integrated Payment and Processing System (RIPPS), which offers real-time gross settlement (RTGS), an automated clearing house (ACH), an automated transfer system (ATS) and a central securities depository (CSD).
Reuters reported that the next step would be electronic trading and other steps to attract more stock and debt issues. Robert Mathu, chief executive of Rwanda Stock Exchange, was reported as saying: “We are hoping to put in place an electronic trading platform by June next year.”
July 15th, 2011 by Tom Minney
British American Investment Company (Kenya) Ltd (www.british-american.co.ke) launched its initial public offer (IPO) on 12 July, aiming to list on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. It aims to raise KES 5.58 billion (US$62.2 million) for expansion in the offer which is open until 5 August.
British American is issuing 650 m new ordinary shares at KES9 each. East African retail investors and foreign investors have each been allocated 30% of the shares, institutional investors 37% and employees, agents and individual life policy holders get the remaining 3%.
The offer was launched by Prime Minister Raila Odinga. He urged more people to use insurance products, and said market penetration is only 2.3% of GDP, according to Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation. The Standard newspaper reports him saying “I would like to take this opportunity to assure investors that Kenya is on a renewal path.”
Expansion: “missing middle” and new products
According to a report in Kenya’s Business Daily newspaper, of the money raised KES1 bn will be used for new investments and entry into the regional market while KES 1.3 bn would be used to grow its Kenyan insurance businesses and to expand its asset management business, including launching new funds for Kenyans in the diaspora as well as local and international investors.
The company will use KES2.5 bn to set up real estate investment trusts when the proposed law comes into effect and to develop property investments, including commercial buildings and housing units. KES750 m is to offset a loan from Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA) and KES 300 m is for offer expenses.
The paper reports British American’s chairman Nicholas Ashford-Hodges saying funds raised would be used to boost the company’s operations in Kenya and expand to regional markets: “This IPO will give British American an opportunity to increase the scope of its operations and widen its footprint.”
The company hopes to seize emerging opportunities through innovative products such as micro-insurance and bank-assurance. According to the Standard, managing director Benson Wairegi said the company is developing more products for the retail market and small and medium-sized businesses: “We seek to fundamentally redefine the scale and scope of the insurance sector in Kenya and the wider region. Our established model of scale, reach and multi-layered selling will also be extended to the retail market and SMEs in the wider geographical region.”
Regional expansion – Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda
On 7 July, BAT launched an insurance services business in Uganda through a subsidiary, Britam Insurance Company (Uganda) Limited, which has a capital of UGX5.6 bn ($2.2m). It also aims to open offices in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Southern Sudan.
Profit turnaround
British American is also the holding company of British American Insurance Company (Kenya) Ltd and British American Asset Managers Ltd (BAAM).
The market capitalization of the new company will be KES19.4bn ($216.3m), the highest among listed insurance firms. CfC Insurance Holdings, which was listed by introduction in April, was valued at KES6.85bn as at the close of trading yesterday, Jubilee Holdings Ltd at KES8.86bn, and Pan African Insurance at KES1.92bn, according to the paper.
Business Daily reports that British American Group posted KES2.7 bn in profits after tax last year, up from KES421 mn loss in 2009. The company made KES4.68 bn (KES 196m in 2009) in investment income and KES220 m (KES 32 m) in other income.
May 19th, 2011 by Tom Minney
Rwanda’s biggest brewer, the Brasseries et Limonaderies du Rwanda BRALIRWA (www.bralirwa.com), says post-tax profit leapt by 62.8% in 2010, driven by increased sales, higher pricing and improved cost management. BRALIRWA was the first listing on the Rwanda Stock Exchange which opened on 31 January.
BRALIRWA’s Initial Public Offer (IPO) last November was 174% oversubscribed. It has encouraged Government to push ahead with privatization plans outlined in the current 5-year plan.
According to a report on Reuters,Chief Executive Officer Sven-Erik Piederiet said in a statement on Tuesday: “I am confident that BRALIRWA remains well positioned to capitalise on the attractive growth opportunities in Rwanda.”
Net profit for the year to 31 December increased 63% to RWF 10.3 billion ($17.5 million) against the previous year (RWF 6.34bn)and in a press release the company says this was “driven by robust operating profit growth, lower interest expense and lower income tax expense”. EBIT was up 49.2% “driven by a strong volume performance, higher pricing and effective cost management”. Revenues were up 16% to RWF 52.8 bn through a 13% rise in volumes and higher prices. The brewer is well positioned to capitalise on growth opportunities. Earnings per share jumped 62.8% in 2010 to 20.09 francs. Despite the growth plans, the company recommended a 100% payout with a dividend of RWF 20.09 per share, up from RWF 12.34.
BRALIRWA shares closed on 17 May at RWF 228, up 68% on the January launch price of RWF 136, according to a report in New Times newspaper, the price climbed by RWF 21 that day, as investors anticipated the dividends.
BRALIRWA, majority owned by Heineken, is Rwanda’s oldest brewery. It has rights to produce brands such as Guinness and Amstel and branded soft drinks such as Coca Cola. Its main brand is Primus.
Jean Paul Van Hollebeke, Chairman of BRALIRWA’s Board of Directors, said that the brewer achieved compounded average growth in net profit of 56.1% over the period 2007-2010, demonstrating the successful implementation of strategic initiatives. He said a strong operational focus on top-line growth and disciplined cost management, combined with a favourable economic environment and the consistent implementation of constructive government policies drove a robust profit: “BRALIRWA was able to deliver the strong performance owing to a continuous focus on our core values, the talent and commitment of our people, the strength of our brands, the partnerships with our distributors and our ambition to continue to lead the market and promote profitable future growth.”
Rwanda Stock Exchange Operations Manager Celestin Rwabukumba was quoted saying the perception of local investors of the market is now positive because of its transparency, something likely to influence future Initial Public Offerings (IPOs): “It does provide serious confidence in the market and it is likely to influence other companies that may want to list.”
May 19th, 2011 by Tom Minney
The Rwandan Government plans to raise Rwf25 billion ($42.2 million) through the sale of its shares in Bank of Kigali Ltd (www.bk.rw) and telecom company MTN Rwanda (www.mtn.co.rw) in coming months.
The bank is Rwanda’s biggest lender by assets and it said the Government will sell a 20% stake to private investors in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) scheduled for June, according to a report on Bloomberg. In addition the bank will offer 25% of its shares to the public, according to the report, citing Chief Operating Officer Lawson Naibo. The Government owns 66.3% and will anticipate selling the rest of its stake later, according to John Rwangombwa, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, during a press conference on 9 May on the budget framework. He is quoted in the New Times newspaper as saying: “BK is confirmed; we are to sell our shares through an IPO. We started the process and it’s expected to be concluded by September, including listing BK on the Rwanda Stock Exchange (RSE).”
Minister Rwangombwa said there is expected to be strong demand. Last November 2010, the Government sold 25% of Brassieries et Lemonaderies du Rwanda SA (BRALIRWA), a unit of Heineken NV (HEIA), and the IPO was 174% oversubscribed. BRALIRWA shares closed at RwFr 228, up 68% on the January launch price of RwFr 136.
BK plans to open 44 branches across Rwanda in 2011, and the stock should be attractive stock given its rapid growth and stability.
The Minister also said Government is in negotiations with MTN Group regarding its 10% stake in MTN Rwanda. MTN Group is majority shareholder and has the right of first refusal on any share sales. The Minister reportedly said: “We have two options; if MTN gives us (Government) the price we want, we will sell the shares to them directly while the other option is through an IPO depending on the other investor.”
The Treasury will include the expected proceeds in the budget for the next fiscal year. The Minister said: “This is part of the Government commitment to promote accelerated economic growth under its five year plan of EDPRS (Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy 2008-2012) but also its the approach to liberalise the market.” Rwanda is a high-growth country and a top performer in improving its business and economic climate. It is working towards an ambitious long-term Vision 2020 that seeks to transform the country into a middle-income economy.
The Government remains keen to use IPOs to support the growth of the Rwanda Stock Exchange launched on 31 January by boosting market liquidity and ultimately supporting the country’s economic growth through attracting more inventors and increasing national savings.
The RSE has so far mainly attracted Treasury and corporate bonds, and 2 cross-listed Kenyan companies, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) and Nation Media Group. BRALIRWA is the only local listing.
April 24th, 2011 by Tom Minney
Dr James Ndahiro, Chairperson of the Rwanda Stock Exchange, said East African countries should form a single stock market by 2015. He is quoted in the local Standard newspaper as telling a conference in Nairobi: “Financial markets contribute to 28% of the region’s gross domestic product, which stands at $80 billion. This is a very big percentage from one sector, which should be nurtured to promote further growth.”
He said that the growth of stock and capital market would help East African countries liberate themselves from dependence on foreign aid.
Companies cross-listing their stocks and offering shares to citizens of the 5 countries without discrimination was one step, he said: “We saw it in Safaricom initial public offering where all citizens of countries in East Africa bought shares as local investors. This was good because it encouraged flow of investment in the region,” he said.
He also said governments should spread knowledge and encourage people, particularly the middle-class, to invest in stock markets and infrastructure bonds: “This is where Governments can find money to develop infrastructure, create employment opportunities and improve the quality of life of its citizens.”
The Summit of the East African Community Heads of State met in Dar es Salaam on 19 April and appointed Dr. Richard Sezibera, who was until April Rwanda’s Minister of Health, as Secretary-General for a 5-year term.
February 14th, 2011 by Tom Minney
Africa’s newest stock exchange is the Rwanda Stock Exchange (RSE), launched on 31 Jan to start trading the shares of brewer Brasseries et Limonaderies du Rwanda BRALIRWA (www.bralirwa.com). The exchange replaces the Rwanda-Over-The-Counter (OTC) market which has operated since 31 Jan 2008.
Prime Minister Bernard Makuza launched the RSE and said it is a key development milestone, according to news reports: “Building a strong financial system is a key element of Vision 2020; the Government will continue to facilitate the development of the capital market.” Finance Minister John Rwangombwa said Government had sustained a stable macroeconomic environment over the years and laid the appropriate environment to attract both domestic and international investments.
The RSE was formed as a dormant company after a March 2007 decree that established the Capital Markets Advisory Council (www.cmac.org.rw) to set up and regulate the transitional process towards a full stock exchange. CMAC had run the ROTC and would now be transformed into a Capital Markets Authority to act as regulator. The legal framework aims to comply with standards of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).
BRALIRWA IPO
Bloomberg agency reported that BRALIRWA shares surged 62% when trading began on the RSE on 31 Jan. It quoted Robert Mathu, Executive Director of CMAC, saying the stock first traded at 220 Rwandan francs ($1.67).
The Rwandan Government aimed to raise RwFr 22.1 billion (US$37.3 million) from selling its 30% stake in BRALIRWA. Of this 128.6 mn shares, or 25% of the company, were sold in the public offer at RwFr 136 francs (22.9 US cents) per share. The Government said this was a discount to the valuation of RwFr 170 each share, in order to encourage buyers.
Government was to sell the remaining 5% of its shareholding to Heineken Group, which earlier bought 70% of the brewer from the Government. BRALIRWA sells beers such as Amstel, Guinness, Mutzig and local brand Primus and has an estimated 95% market share and also bottles Coca Cola products. Net annual revenues are reported at around $93 mn.
The offer reportedly attracted $80 mn in bids. MBEA Brokerage Services Rwanda was lead transaction advisor. The IPO campaign included investor education, TV and radio ads and Rwanda’s first research reports.
Co-transaction advisor Renaissance Capital sold 60% of the international tranche offering to international and local investors across several continents. There were share orders from Africa, Europe and the United States and the international portion was oversubscribed more than 5 times.
The shares ended the week on 11 Feb at RwFR 189, according to the market report from CMAC.
Future share offers
Bloomberg reports that the Government is discussing the sale this year of its 10% stake in MTN Rwanda, 55% owned by South Africa’s MTN Group Ltd. Minister Rwangombwa said another shareholder with a 35% stake will probably also offer its shares in public offer.
State-owned Banque de Kigali, Rwanda’s biggest lender by assets, will sell shares in May 2011 and cement-manufacturer Ciments du Rwanda Ltd., Rwanda Commercial Bank (BCR) and insurance company SONARWA are among other companies partly owned by the State who may sell stock through the RSE.
Contract to Kenya’s central depository
Rwanda contracted Kenya’s Central Depository and Settlement Corporation (www.cdsckenya.com) for a year. The company said it will train staff of the central Bank National Du Rwanda (BNR). The bank aims to procure and install a system to run a central depository for the equity market using its own staff by the end of the contract. CDSC has handled the BRALIRWA IPO and many of the biggest share offerings in East Africa, including Safaricom.
Kenyan depositories and share registrars are competing to offer their services more widely in the region.
Market structure
CMAC’s Mr Mathu told East African Business Week that the law establishing Capital Markets and the law regulating the market were to be published before end of January.
Previously the Government owned majority shares in the dormant RSE, but now it has reportedly reduced this to “at least 20%”. The private sector, including stockbrokers, holds the majority. Mr Mathu said: “We would like to see a stock exchange that is going to be pro-business, active and capable of providing a very efficient service to the investors both domestic and international.” Stockbrokers have welcomed their inclusion in the ownership of the stock exchange saying it will hold them responsible for protecting the bourse.
According to statistics from CMAC, bonds worth RwFr 26 bn have been issued and listed for trading on the ROTC, including 7 treasury bonds (RwFr 25 bn) and one Commercial Bank of Rwanda (BCR) corporate bond of RwFr 1bn. Bonds traded on the secondary market have so far generated a turnover of RwFr 654.4 mn. Two Kenyan companies, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) and Nation Media Group (NMG), are cross-listed.
December 16th, 2010 by Tom Minney
The International Finance Corporation (www.ifc.org), a member of the World Bank Group (www.worldbank.org), and East Africa’s Securities Industry Training Institute (SITI), based at the Uganda Securities Exchange (www.use.or.ug) have signed an agreement to broaden training. This will boost opportunities for market participants, regulators and others in East Africa’s capital markets sector, with the aim of strengthening and supporting the growth of securities markets in the region.
SITI will be licensed to use IFC-developed securities markets training material for the next 10 years to train and certify thousands of securities market participants in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. The material is developed by the Efficient Securities Markets Institutional Development (ESMID) Programme, a joint project by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (www.sida.se), which provided $5.5 million, the IFC and the World Bank.
IFC Principal Investment Officer Aida Kimemia said in a press release: “Supporting the development of securities markets is a priority for IFC in Africa. This agreement will make available world-class training materials to thousands of people in East Africa, improving their skills and knowledge and giving them the tools that will support broad economic growth in the region.”
Joseph S. Kitamirike, Chairman SITI board and CEO, Uganda Securities Exchange, said: “We at SITI are very pleased to have cooperated with IFC to develop the training materials. We know that they are cutting edge and will help us develop the personnel we need to grow the securities markets in East Africa. On the strength of this successful cooperation with IFC, we are confident we will undertake more activities of this nature that will ensure proper market development.”
The ESMID programme aims to help develop well-functioning securities markets in Africa, with a goal of supporting key economic and social development needs with high developmental impact, such as infrastructure, housing, and microfinance. Despite efforts over the last 12 months this blog has been unable to contact the East Africa office directly to find out more, as the officers do not seem to reply to emails or phone messages.
Its funded programmes are to help simplify regulations and procedures for issuing and trading bonds; strengthen market infrastructure; build capacity of market participants; facilitate the regionalization of securities markets; and support demonstration transactions. In East Africa, it reportedly works with central banks, securities regulators, stock exchanges, and market participants, such as brokers, dealers, investment banks, and institutional investors. It also works in Nigeria, according to the website.
The ESMID-developed training material consists of 3 courses and 5 seminars: Fundamentals Securities Course; Securities Certification Course; Officers and Directors Course; Bond Trading Seminar; Corporate Finance Seminar; Corporate Governance Seminar; Bond Underwriting Seminar; and Portfolio Management Seminar.
The courses, which will be required for licensing of market intermediaries, have already benefitted more than 700 course participants in East Africa.
The IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest development institution focused on the private sector in developing countries. It says “our new investments climbed to a record $18 billion in fiscal 2010.”
November 22nd, 2010 by Tom Minney
The Rwandan Government said today (22 November) that it aims to raise RwFr 22.1 billion (US$37.3 million) from the sale of its 30% stake in brewer Brasseries et Limonaderies du Rwanda BRALIRWA (www.bralirwa.com), according to a report on Reuters.
It will be the first initial public offering and the share is intended to be traded on Rwanda’s Over The Counter market. The share offer will run from 23 November to 17 December.
According to Reuters, Finance Minister John Rwangombwa told a news conference that the Government would sell 128.6 million shares, or 25% of the company, at RwFR 136 francs (22.9 US cents) per share. He said this is a discount to the valuation of RwFr 170 each share, in order to encourage buyers.
Government will sell the remaining 5% of its shareholding to Heineken Group, which earlier bought 70% of the brewer from the Government. BRALIRWA sells beers such as Amstel, Guinness, Mutzig and local brand Primus and has an estimated 95% market share and also bottles Coca Cola products.
Rwanda’s Capital Markets Authority (www.cmac.org.rw) launched the Rwanda Over-The-Counter market in January 2008 and is working with Government to build the capital markets. The exchange has so far mainly attracted Treasury and corporate bonds and 2 cross-listed Kenyan companies — Kenya Commercial Bank and Nation Media Group. Kenya’s Central Depository and Settlement Corporation (www.cdsckenya.com) said recently it will provide registrar services.
Reuters reports that earlier this month, the market authority said taxes had been cut in line with recommendations in East African common market proposals to attract investors and issuers. Withholding tax on dividends on listed companies is now 5% (down from 15%), tax on interest from listed bonds with a maturity of three years is now 5% percent from 15% and corporate income taxes were reduced to the lower rates ranging from 28% to 20%.
Future privatizations are set to be the sale of Government’s 10% shareholding in mobile telephone operator MTN Rwanda (South Africa’s MTN Group has 55% stake) and its 20% stake in the country’s biggest insurer, Societe Nouvelle d’Assurance du Rwanda (Sonarwa), where Nigeria’s IGI owns 35% of the shares.
November 9th, 2010 by Tom Minney
Kenya’s Nation Media Group (www.nationmedia.com) has cross-listed its shares at the Rwanda Over-The -Counter (ROTC) market on 2 November. According to a report in New Times (www.newtimes.co.rw), NMG’s Chairman Wilfred Kiboro said the company was offering 157,118,572 ordinary shares to the official list of ROTC. The ordinary shares have a nominal or par value of Rwf 18.40 (US$0.03) each. The regulators, the Capital Markets Authority (CMAC) of Rwanda and the ROTC Market, approved the listing.
The paper quotes Mark Rugenera, the Chairman of Rwanda’s Capital Market Advisory Council (www.cmac.org.rw): “To attract both investors and issuers, fiscal and non-fiscal incentives were approved by Government. The income tax and value added tax were amended to include the tax incentives recommended under the (East African) Common Market Protocol..
Some of these include withholding tax on dividends on listed companies, which is now down to 5% from 15%; tax interest on listed bond with maturity of 3 years is now 5% from 15% and corporate income taxes were reduced to the lower rates ranging from 28% to 20%. All registered collective investments are exempted from taxes.”
Mr Kiboro added that the cross-listing on the ROTC market was mainly to enhance the profile of the company in Rwanda and to recognize the emergence of capital markets growth in Rwanda.
The paper quotes John Rwangombwa, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning: “The cross-listing of NMG, the most established media house in the region, will help Rwandans mobilize long term savings and propel the integration of regional economies.”
NMG is the second Kenyan company to cross-list shares, following Kenya Commercial Bank in 2009. Its shareholders have also approved cross listings on the Uganda Securities Exchange and the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange.