Regulatory AlertsBurundi: lending & credit regulation
RegulatedBurundi: Lending regulated by BRB under Law 1/17; no specific fintech license
- Lead regulator
- Banque de la Republique du Burundi (BRB)
- Also involved
- —
- Core law
- Law No. 1/17 of August 22, 2017 Governing Banking Activities
- Entry capital
- —
- Approval timeline
- —
- Customer assets
- Licensed credit institution only
- Data protection
- —
- Sandbox
- No
Lending activities are strictly regulated by the central bank under Law 1/17. Only licensed credit institutions may grant loans. Unlicensed entities offering consumer credit or P2P lending are prohibited. Microfinance is a distinct licensed category with specific data reporting obligations to the BRB's Information Exchange Centre.
Which licence do you need?
| Your activity | Requirement | Capital | Timeline | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer lending | LicenceCredit Institution License[1] Requires full banking license under Law 1/17 | — | — | Banque de la Republique du Burundi |
| SME / commercial lending | LicenceCredit Institution License[2] Subject to prudential risk segmentation limits | — | — | Banque de la Republique du Burundi |
| Microfinance | LicenceMicrofinance Institution License[3] Must report data to BRB Information Exchange Centre | — | — | Banque de la Republique du Burundi |
| Buy-now-pay-later | LicenceCredit Institution License[4] Credit-lease contracts subject to insurance rules | — | — | Banque de la Republique du Burundi |
| P2P lending platform | Prohibited[1] Unlicensed lending is prohibited under banking law | — | — | — |
| Credit bureau / scoring | Uncertain[3]verify with regulator Data sharing mandated for licensed institutions | — | — | — |
| Debt collection | Uncertain[1]verify with regulator Default reporting mandatory for credit institutions | — | — | — |
New — what changed recently
- 2025-06-01Regulation No. 01/2025 — Mandated insurance obligations and termination conditions for credit-lease contracts.[4]
- 2024-10-01Circular No. 008/RC/2024 — Defined conditions for granting foreign currency loans to residents and non-residents.[5]
- 2024-10-01Circular No. 13/M/18 — Regulated credit data transmission and consultation within the BRB Information Exchange Centre.[3]
Market-entry checklist
- 1Obtain BRB Credit LicenseApply for a credit institution license under Law 1/17 to legally grant loans.
- 2Establish Risk Management FrameworkImplement risk identification and monitoring systems per Circular 23/2018.
- 3Set Up Credit Data ReportingConnect to the BRB Information Exchange Centre for borrower debt history reporting.
- 4Implement Portfolio ClassificationClassify portfolios into Categories A, B, and C per Circular 13/99.
Sources
- Circular No. 17/2018 on the Credit Ban for Defaulting Clients within the Banking Sector Issued Pursuant to Law No. 1/17 of August 22, 2017 Governing Banking Activities · 2024-09-01
- On the Division of Credit Risks for Credit Institutions · 2024-09-01
- Circular No. 13/M/18 on the Feeding and Consultation of the Information Exchange Centre · 2024-10-01
- Regulation No. 01/2025 on Insurance Obligations, Termination Conditions and Exercise of the Purchase Option in Credit-Lease Contracts · 2025-06-01
- On the Required Conditions for Granting Foreign Currency Loans and/or Guarantees Issued Under the December 28, 2023 Foreign Exchange Regulations · 2024-10-01
This guide is compiled automatically from 5 primary-source documents published by Burundi's regulators, reviewed by RegAlert, and refreshed monthly (last updated 2026-07-12). It is not legal advice — always confirm requirements with the regulator or local counsel before acting.