2023-06-28
The Bank of Angola issued Notice No. 06/2023 to establish operational rules for Microcredit Societies and Operators, aligning their activities with national financial legislation. The regulation defines permissible services, financing sources, and prudential supervision standards while capping maximum credit grants at Kz 2.5 million for licensed Societies and Kz 250,000 for registered Operators. It mandates specific accounting practices, external audits, and periodic information reporting, with non-compliance subject to sanctions under the General Regime of Financial Institutions Law.
NOTICE NO. 06/2023 SUBJECT: FINANCIAL SYSTEM
Continuation of Notice No. 06/2023, Page 2 of 6 Article 3. (Definitions) For the purposes of this Notice, the following terms are understood as: a) Social Interest Associations or Foundations: private law entities, endowed with legal personality and characterized by the grouping of persons to achieve common objectives and ideals, without profit motive. b) Monitoring: oversight by the Bank of Angola for statistical purposes, consisting essentially in receiving general and periodic information regarding services provided by Microcredit Operators and Microcredit Societies whose activity is financed with own funds and/or through financing from National Banking Financial Institutions. c) Microcredit Operator: companies whose corporate purpose includes granting microcredit on a non-exclusive basis, including non-governmental organizations, associations and foundations, legally established, as well as public entities that develop microcredit initiatives. d) Non-Governmental Organizations: non-profit entities created by persons working voluntarily in defense of a sociocultural or humanitarian cause. e) Supervision: activity carried out by the Bank of Angola consisting in the inspection and monitoring of compliance with prudential norms regarding requirements, procedures and prudential supervision processes and risk management, aiming at both the protection of the financial system as a whole and the security of public funds deposited in Institutions, pursuant to Law No. 14/21, dated May 19, General Regime of Financial Institutions Law and Law No. 24/21, dated October 18, Bank of Angola Law.
Continuation of Notice No. 06/2023, Page 3 of 6 Article 4. (Limits) Under this Notice, Microcredit Societies and Microcredit Operators exercising the activities listed in Articles 5. and 11. of this Notice may only grant credit in the following amounts: a) Microcredit Societies considered Institutions whose financing sources are provided for in Article 6. of this Notice, with a maximum credit granting limit per client up to Kz 2,500,000 (two million five hundred thousand Kwanzas); b) Microcredit Operators exempt from licensing by the Bank of Angola, subject only to registration, maximum credit granting limit Kz 250,000 (two hundred fifty thousand Kwanzas). Chapter II Microcredit Societies Article 5. (Permitted Activities) Microcredit Societies are permitted to carry out the following activities: a) Granting of small-amount credit; b) Provision of consulting services to their clients; and c) Provision of guarantees. Article 6. (Financing Sources) Microcredit Societies may only finance their activities with own funds and/or through the following resources: a) Public financing lines; and b) Financing from national and international Financial Institutions.
Continuation of Notice No. 06/2023, Page 4 of 6 Article 7. (Supervision and Information Reporting)
Continuation of Notice No. 06/2023, Page 5 of 6 Chapter III Microcredit Operators Article 11. (Permitted Activities) Microcredit Operators may only grant small-amount credits using own funds. Article 12. (Information Reporting) The Bank of Angola defines in specific regulations the terms and conditions for information reporting by Microcredit Operators. Article 13. (Repeal) All regulations contrary to the provisions of this Notice are hereby repealed. Article 14. (Sanctions) Non-compliance with the provisions established in this Notice by Institutions subject to supervision by the Bank of Angola constitutes an offense provided for and punishable under Law No. 14/21, dated May 19, General Regime of Financial Institutions Law. Article 15. (Questions and Omissions) Questions and omissions resulting from the interpretation and application of this Notice are resolved by the Bank of Angola. Article 16.