The National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) and the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) have signed the Kigali Declaration on Fintech License Passporting. This is a new framework designed to make it easier for fintech companies and payment service providers to operate across both markets.
The agreement was signed by Soraya Hakuziyaremye, Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda and Gerald Nyaoma, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, on March 11 on the sidelines of the Inclusive FinTech Forum 2026.
The declaration seeks to reduce regulatory barriers for fintech companies expanding between the two countries by introducing a license passporting framework. This model makes it easier for intech firms licensed in one jurisdiction will be able to expand services into the other without undergoing a full licensing process again.
The initiative is expected to strengthen cross-border digital payments and financial integration in East Africa, while helping fintech companies scale faster across regional markets.
Hakuziyaremye said the agreement represents a major milestone in efforts to deepen financial integration and strengthen the region’s digital payments ecosystem.
“This marks an important achievement in our collective efforts to strengthen financial integration and enhance the digital payments ecosystem in our region,” she said during the signing ceremony.
Nyaoma noted that many fintech companies operate across multiple markets but still need to obtain separate licenses in each jurisdiction, even when regulatory standards are similar.
“The passporting framework signed today is an important step toward addressing this challenge once the joint technical committee under the memorandum of understanding develops the necessary technical and administrative arrangements,” Nyaoma said.
He also highlighted global precedents, pointing to regions such as the European Union, where financial passporting frameworks have allowed institutions licensed in one country to provide services across multiple markets.
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