2025-02-07
The National Bank of Angola issued Notice No. 11/2024 to revise and update the requirements and procedures for authorizing the establishment of Commercial Banks, Development Banks, and foreign banking institutions' branches, agencies, and representation offices in Angola and abroad. The notice establishes specific capital, governance, and risk-profile criteria, mandates the designation of a technical manager, and outlines a detailed documentation and business plan compliance framework, including a three-year strategic alignment review. It repeals Notice No. 09/2020, mandates a 12-month establishment deadline with a single six-month extension option, and requires all foreign documents to be translated into Portuguese and certified.
PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE, FIRST SERIES, NO. 242, OF DECEMBER 20, 2024
NOTICE NO. 11/2024
SUBJECT: FINANCIAL SYSTEM − Authorization for the Establishment of Banking Financial Institutions
Given the need to define the requirements for the establishment of Development Banks, it is necessary to revise Notice No. 09/2020 of April 03, regarding Requirements and Procedures for the Authorization of Establishment of Banking Financial Institutions;
Under the combined provisions of Article 36 of Law No. 14/21 of May 19 - General Regime of Financial Institutions Law, with letters d) and f) of paragraph 1 of Article 31 and paragraphs 1 and 3 of Article 98, both of Law No. 24/21 of October 18, National Bank of Angola Law.
DETERMINES:
CHAPTER I General Provisions
Article 1. (Object and Scope)
Article 2. (Definitions) For the purposes of this Notice, the following shall be understood as: a) Director: the person responsible for a function or Organizational Unit, who exercises significant influence on the management of the institution's routine affairs, reporting directly to the governing body, or, depending on the organizational structure, to one of the members of the governing body; b) Economic Group: a set of Financial Institutions, whether Banking or Non-Banking, and Non-Financial Companies, in which a relationship of control exists from one institution to the others; c) Financial Group: a set of resident and non-resident companies having the nature of a Financial Institution, with the exception of Financial Institutions linked to insurance and social security activities, in which a relationship of control exists on the part of a Parent Company supervised by the National Bank of Angola over the other companies comprising it; d) Related Parties: holders of qualified or non-qualified participations, entities that are, directly or indirectly, in a relationship of control or group, members of the governing and supervisory bodies of Financial Institutions and their spouses, descendants, or ascendants up to the 2nd degree of the direct line, considered the ultimate beneficiaries of the transactions or assets; e) Control Relationship: as defined in the General Regime of Financial Institutions Law; f) Development Bank: a public law legal entity, endowed with legal personality, administrative, financial, and patrimonial autonomy, with the nature of a Public Financial Institution whose focus is the encouragement and promotion of the country's economic development.
CHAPTER II Activity in Angola
SECTION I General Authorization Requirements for Establishment
Article 3. (General Principles of Establishment Authorization)
Article 4. (Authorization Request for Establishment)
SECTION II Specific Requirements for the Establishment of Agencies and Representation Offices
Article 5. (Agency Establishment Requirements)
Article 6. (Representation Offices) Without prejudice to the conditions for opening representation offices in Angola provided for in Decree No. 37/92 of August 7, for the purposes of paragraph 1 of Article 96 of Law No. 14/21 of May 19, General Regime of Financial Institutions Law, the request for authorization for the establishment of a representation office must be submitted to the National Bank of Angola, with the information and documentation contained in Annex I of this Notice, and complementary elements deemed relevant by the National Bank of Angola for the processing of the file may be requested.
SECTION III Processing of the Authorization Request
Article 7. (Processing of the Authorization Request for Establishment) Applicants must designate a technical manager, by power of attorney, who will represent them all before the National Bank of Angola and indicate a domicile in Angola for the purposes of notification or correspondence.
Article 8. (Analysis of the Authorization Request for Establishment)
Article 9. (Business Plan Compliance)
CHAPTER III Activity Abroad
Article 10. (Authorization for Branch, Agency, and Representation Office) The establishment of a Branch, Agency, or Representation Office abroad of a Banking Financial Institution under the supervision of the National Bank of Angola depends on the submission of the information and documentation contained in Annex I, and, in the case of Branches and Agencies, the information contained in Sections I, II, V, and VI of Annex II of this Notice, with due adaptations.
Article 11. (Commencement and Closure of Activities) The commencement and closure of activities of Agencies or Representation Offices of Banking Financial Institutions under the supervision of the National Bank of Angola, located abroad, must be communicated to the National Bank of Angola within a maximum period of 30 (thirty) days, counting from the date of the respective occurrence.
Article 12. (Installation Request)
Article 13. (Foreign Authorities) Banking Financial Institutions under the supervision of the National Bank of Angola that have an Agency or Representation Office abroad must send to the National Bank of Angola the reports, inquiries, or requests for clarification made by foreign regulatory or supervisory entities, as well as their respective responses.
CHAPTER IV Final Provisions
Article 14. (Commencement of Activity) Non-Banking Financial Institutions must communicate in advance to the National Bank of Angola the date of commencement of activity, at least 1 (one) month in advance.
Article 15. (Inspection) The commencement of activity, within the period provided for in Article 56 of Law No. 14/21 of May 19, General Regime of Financial Institutions Law, is preceded by the result of the inspection of the Banking Financial Institution's premises.
Article 16. (Documents)
Article 17. (Repealing Clause) Notice No. 09/20 of April 03, regarding the Authorization for the Establishment of Banking Financial Institutions, is hereby repealed.
Article 18. (Entry into Force) This Notice enters into force on the date of its publication.
PUBLISHED. Luanda, December 19, 2024. THE GOVERNOR MANUEL ANTÓNIO TIAGO DIAS
This Annex must be completed in Word format and sent to the Integrated Licensing System for Financial Institutions – SILIF or to the electronic mail of the Department of Regulation and Organization of the Financial System (dro@bna.ao). Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, the authorization request for establishment will only be considered formally delivered upon receipt of this document, in duplicate, duly completed in Portuguese and signed by the applicant(s), at the following address: National Bank of Angola Av. 4 de Fevereiro n.º 151, Luanda - Angola | P.O. Box 1243 Luanda (+244) 222 339 125 http://www.bna.ao/ CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 11/2024 Page 10 of 50
ANNEX I Application for Authorization for the Establishment of a Banking Financial Institution In order to verify compliance with the legal requirements established in Articles 51, 89, and 95 of Law No. 14/21 of May 19, General Regime of Financial Institutions Law, and under the terms of this Notice, the applicant(s) wishing to establish a Banking Financial Institution must submit the following information and documentation: a) General information on the Financial Institution to be established (Section I); b) Authorization request for the establishment of a Financial Institution by the applicant(s) duly signed by all founding shareholders or by the legal representative of a Financial Institution in the case of opening an agency or representation office (Section II); c) Identification of the technical manager responsible for conducting the authorization establishment process (Section III).
This Annex must be completed in Word format and sent to the Integrated Licensing System for Financial Institutions – SILIF or to the electronic mail of the Department of Regulation and Organization of the Financial System (dro@bna.ao). Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, the authorization request for establishment will only be considered formally delivered upon receipt of this document, in duplicate, duly completed in PORTUGUESE and signed by the applicant(s), at the following address: National Bank of Angola Av. 4 de Fevereiro n.º 151, Luanda - Angola | P.O. Box 1243 Luanda (+244) 222 339 125 http://www.bna.ao/ CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 11/2024 Page 11 of 50
Section I – General Information
This Annex must be completed in Word format and sent to the Integrated Licensing System for Financial Institutions – SILIF or to the electronic mail of the Department of Regulation and Organization of the Financial System (dro@bna.ao). Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, the authorization request for establishment will only be considered formally delivered upon receipt of this document, in duplicate, duly completed in PORTUGUESE and signed by the applicant(s), at the following address: National Bank of Angola Av. 4 de Fevereiro n.º 151, Luanda - Angola | P.O. Box 1243 Luanda (+244) 222 339 125 http://www.bna.ao/ CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 11/2024 Page 12 of 50
1.2 Authorized Financial Institution Intending to Conduct Activity Abroad A Type of Financial Institution to be established i. Branch abroad ii. Agency abroad iii. Representation Office abroad B Corporate name of the applicant C Registration number of the applicant D Country where the Financial Institution is intended to be established E Name of the supervisory authority of the Country where the Financial Institution is intended to be established
CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 11/2024 Page 13 of 50
Section II - Request Excellency the Governor of the National Bank of Angola Under the provisions of Article 78 of Law No. 14/21 of May 19, General Regime of Financial Institutions Law, and Articles 10, 11, and 12 of this Notice, the undersigned, in the capacity of [fill in if proposed founding shareholder(s) or legal representative(s)] of the Banking Financial Institution [fill in with corporate name], with headquarters at [fill in with headquarters address], hereby request the National Bank of Angola to approve the project for [fill in if establishment or setting up] of [fill in if financial institution, branch, agency, or representation office] in [fill in country where establishment is intended]. The undersigned declare, under oath of honor, that the information provided corresponds to the truth, having omitted no facts that could be relevant for the evaluation of their project. They further declare that they are aware that failure to comply with duties of information, communication, or clarification to the National Bank of Angola may lead to the refusal of the authorization request for establishment, and that providing false declarations constitutes a legally punishable offense under letter p) of Article 387 of Law No. 14/21 of May 19, General Regime of Financial Institutions Law, without prejudice to applicable criminal sanctions. They finally commit, lastly, to communicate to the National Bank of Angola immediately upon verification, all facts capable of modifying any of the information provided above. Finally, the undersigned, in the capacity of [fill in if proposed founding shareholder(s) or legal representative(s)] of the authorized Financial Institution, authorize the National Bank of Angola to access information regarding them, contained in any public or private registration and information system, for the purposes of analyzing this request. In these terms, they request and await approval. Place and date:
Signature(s) of the applicant(s): (Signature according to ID) (Signature according to ID) (Signature according to ID) (Signature according to ID) (Signature according to ID) (Signature according to ID) (Note: the request must be signed by the proposed shareholder(s) or by their legal representative(s), and a certified copy of the power of attorney granted to the representative(s) must be attached for due purposes.
CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 11/2024 Page 14 of 50
CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 11/2024 Page 15 of 50
Section III – Identification of the Technical Manager 3. Information on the technical manager, i.e., contact person responsible for ensuring...