Year: 2022
Cooperative Bank of Oromia hosted its first-ever Cooperatives’ Expo
The cooperative bank of Oromia hosted its first-ever cooperatives’ expo at Adama, Galma Abba Gada intending to enhance the capabilities of exemplary unions and cooperatives.
At the event, 14 cooperative unions, showcased their diverse products on the expo. Besides, business-to-business (B2B) ties were developed by cooperatives and unions. The bank commemorated Cooperatives’ Day with a theme "Cooperatives for Building a Better World”.
Value-added and exportable goods like coffee, cracked corn, wheat, corn, barley, and corn flour were on show at the expo. Various products and technologies, like machinery for washing and grinding coffee, were also amongst that were showcased by the cooperatives. The product and technology vendors acknowledged the event advertised their goods and forge B2B connections. A documentary has been produced and presented in such a way that it explores the success of three primary cooperatives from the time of their founding to the current day so that other cooperatives can learn from their experience.
In his opening remarks, the Cooperative Bank of Oromia's president, Mr.Deribie Asfaw, said the bank has supported the work of farmers in different aspects. Mr. Deribie added that currently, the bank has a portfolio of more than 9.7 billion in outstanding loans for cooperatives and farmers. It is mentioned that this is the first bank in Ethiopia to provide such an amount of money. It is explained that the bank has dedicated one percent of its annual profit to training primary cooperatives and unions. For this, the bank has spent more than ETB 25 million in the last three years.
Mrs. Meseret Assefa, the head of the Oromia Cooperative Promotion Agency (OCPA), stated that the government has prioritized cooperatives and unions since the agency's inception. Mrs. Meseret responded that the government has provided primary cooperatives and unions with the necessary support, and they have been fulfilling their social responsibilities, and observing visible changes in the sector. Finally, she extended her appreciation and acknowledgment to the Cooperative Bank of Oromia for the financial and technical support it has provided to the primary cooperatives and the unions.
During the event, the Coopbank rewarded various awards to primary cooperatives and unions that have shown outstanding achievement during the 2021/22 FY. The bank awarded PCs and unions engaged in export activities and generated FCY, deposits, capitalized shares, loan status, and special category consideration. The bank has donated ETB 10 million to be spent on the capacity-building activity of the Oromia Cooperative Promotion Agency (OCPA) employees and management so that they can better support the cooperative sector. In addition to that, the best-performing zonal offices of the agency have been awarded. The award items at the event included a wide range of items such as office equipment; from desktops and printers to motorbikes.
Coopbank commences a free call center for customer service
Coopbank is excited to announce the launching of one of its large ongoing initiatives, a cutting-edge Customer Contact Center, as part of its dedication to providing superior customer service.
The center would serve as a single point of contact for the bank's prestigious customers to receive live, on-site customer help for any banking-related difficulties, offer feedback, and learn more about the bank's goods and services.
Please keep in touch with us if you have any comments or complaints, and call our toll-free number at 609, seven days a week.
For any complaint:
Mobile +251994446070, Namie Torban
Line No.+251116162711
Address: Bole road around Japan Embassy Rang real estate 10th floor
Cooperative Bank of Oromia held the 1st round of the PLS Lottery Drawing program
The PLS program, which was running from December 1, 2014, up to June 30, 2014 E.C., with the Coopbank, was completed today at the Grand Eliana Hotel by identifying lucky customers who have been saving on their saving account starting from ETB 350 during the stated period.
The lottery drawing was held in collaboration with the National Lottery Administration and 99 winners were identified during the event. Accordingly, the first lottery winner won a two-bedroom apartment in Addis Ababa city. The second lottery winner was able to secure a Suzuki Dzire 2021 model automobile, followed by third, fourth, and fifth winners who got two three-wheeled vehicles, thirty 32-inch Samsung televisions, and sixty-five Samsung smart mobiles, respectively. The bank will continue to make similar efforts in the near future See More
2021/22 Budget Year: Another Year of Success!
Cooperative Bank of Oromia’s registers gross profit of ETB 3.95 billion.
Cooperative of Bank of Oromia has made tremendous effort in all aspects to realize its vision of becoming the leading private bank in Ethiopia by 2025.
At the grassroots level, the bank, which aims to achieve social economic growth through banking services, reaches out to the marginalized and underserved communities and promotes a culture of saving based on small and large deposits from the wider community.
The 2021/22 fiscal year has yet been another fruitful year for the bank. During the fiscal year the bank’s number of customers reached 9 million, an astonishing number that puts the bank in a leading position from the private banks. Following the agressive move of the bank, the total asset of the bank reached ETB 96.77 billion showing a 36.06% increase from the previous year’s position. The bank earned USD 437.95 million in foreign exchange during the fiscal year. It has also expanded its reach by adding 124 new branches through out the country totaling the number to 593. The bank has an outstandign loan of ETB 84.26 billion and its total asset grew to ETB 114.36 billion. The total capital of the bank as well surpassed ETB 12.28 billion with a paid-up capital ETB 7.73 billion exhibiting that the bank is on a better footing than ever. Moreover, the bank registered an astounding gross profit before depreciation and provision of ETB 3.95 billion during the budget year.
Cooperative Bank of Oromia is agressively working not only on financial aspects but also on non-financial ones, enabling the implementation of modern banking technology and provision of competitive human capital to realize its long-sought vision.
Coopbank asset hits ETB 100 Billion
Led by unique business model that is, strong emphasis to cooperatives & agro- based businesses coupled with special attention to rural banking and financial inclusion, Coopbank of Oromia has succeeded practically in almost all aspects of financial matrix.
The bank's total capital increased to ETB 10.7 billion after 17 years of successful operations, and its paid-up capital increased to ETB 7.02 billion. Using various deposit mobilization programs, the bank was able to gather ETB 83.02 billion from the conventional and interest-free banking sectors.
The bank allocated loans and advances to its customers engaged in various industries through its 567 branches, more than 80% of which are located in rural areas, resulting in an outstanding balance of ETB 75 billion.
As a bank committed to breakthrough, it is able to realize an asset amounting ETB 100 billion and unlocked another milestone.
The bank would like to thank all stakeholders who contributed, and continue to contribute to its advancement.
Coopbank donates Br 70 M to drought response efforts
The Cooperative Bank of Oromia, a community-oriented bank has donated humanitarian aid worth Br 70 M to drought-Stricken areas of Oromia Regional State.
The Supplies include food items such as 8,400 quintals of Corn Flour, 2,000 quintals of Corn Soya Blend, 168,000 liters of edible oil, and 56,000 rolls of animal feed (hay).
The distribution started on the 3rd of March, to the lowland areas currently affected by the drought, East Bale, Borena, Guji, East & West Hararge zones.
Adhering to its value ‘Concern for Community, Cooperative Bank Of Oromia is committed to upholding the victims.
Coopbank celebrates its 17th year anniversary
The Cooperative Bank of Oromia celebrates its 17th years anniversary, on March 08, 2022.
The bank has been celebrating its continued success and achievements with different events at all head office organs, districts, and branches.
Accordingly, at a celebration event held in the Dire Dawa District office, Coopbank president, Deribe Asfaw expressed heartfelt gratitude to colleagues who have made a significant contribution to the bank's growth over the past 17 years.
The Cooperative Bank of Oromia was founded on March 8, 2005, with the objective of changing the fate of its society's way of life through financial inclusion and paths over ups and downs, and now traveling towards its envisioned goal.
Currently, the bank has 8.7 million customers, has 556 branches, has increased its capital to over 79 billion in deposits, and its total assets have surpassed 96 billion.
Coopbank has started Commodity Collateralized Financing for the first time in Ethiopia
- Cooopbank launches Collateralized Commodity Financing.
For the first time in Ethiopia, the Cooperative Bank of Oromia has launched Collateralized Commodity Financing (CCF). This loan is believed to have a wide range of benefits for the community as farmers are no longer obliged to sell their crops during low seasons. Depending on its mission and rooting its foundation in the community, the bank is expanding its horizons by providing a better quality of service to its customers.
The newly launched Collateralized Commodity Financing service is a short-term credit secured against stored commodities as collateral. The commodity can be kept in either a warehouse operator's or a borrower's warehouse.
The two forms of CCF services are the one-time CCF loan facility and the revolving CCF loan facility, which ensure that the bank can satisfy its clients.
Beneficiaries of the Collateral Commodity Financing service include stakeholders, farmers, processors, cooperatives, and dealers.
The product has been officially inaugurated today by financing the first warehouse receipt 000001 to Hetosa Farmers Cooperative Union.
A fund raising has been organized by Coopbank employees to support late Hachalu Hundessa’s family
Following the death of the late iconic hero Hachalu Hundessa, employees of the Cooperative Bank of Oromia have organized a fund-raising effort to support his family and the management of the bank have arranged for the purchase of its equivalent in share of the bank. Employees from branches, headquarters, and district offices have contributed a total of ETB 1,456,500.00 for the cause.
The bank's president, Mr. Deribie Asfaw has presented the share certificates for Wabi Hachalu Hundessa, Milki Hachalu Hundessa, and Gifti Hachalu Hundessa.
Coopbank launches Ethiopia’s first digital lending product named Michu
Cooperative Bank of Oromia & Kifiya Financial Technology announce partnership for the launch of Ethiopia’s first uncollateralized digital lending product, Michu.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, January 12, 2022, Cooperative Bank of Oromia (Coop bank) and Kifiya Financial Technology (Kifiya), today announced a new partnership and launched a digital lending product named Michu.
Coop bank’s Michu is Ethiopia’s first uncollateralized digital lending product, powered by Kifiya’s Qena, an AI-driven digital lending platform.
The partnership allows Coop bank to tap into Kifiya's digital lending technology and give Kifiya the ability to leverage Cooperative Bank of Oromia distribution and financial capacity. The Bank will offer lending solutions targeting Micro, Small, and medium businesses (MSMEs), providing access to credit, through groundbreaking and cutting-edge credit scoring systems.
Research shows that Ethiopia’s MSME Financing to GDP Ratio was 2% in 2020. This ratio is lower than South Africa’s 14% and Kenya’s 6% in 2020. Ethiopia’s poor ratio is attributed to the crowding-out of credit by the public sector and high requirements for a loan to MSMEs by Micro-Finances and Commercial Banks.
Financial institutions place high requirements partly due to a lack of credible credit ratings. Michu’s ease of access enables users to apply for loans and receive decisions based on credit scoring logic. The loan application process from eligibility and verification to analysis, scoring, and loan disbursement gets completed within a few minutes.
“We are excited to join hands with Kifiya as we expand our digital financial offerings and deliver support to the financing needs of micro and small businesses that are often neglected but represent a significant part of the economy.”, says Deribie Asfaw, President of Cooperative Bank of Oromia.
“Today’s partnership with Coop bank marks an exciting era for the Ethiopian Digital Economy as Kifiya’s Qena technology heralds uncollateralized digital lending in the country. With the help of our AI-powered credit scoring digital lending platform, we hope to address the needs of uncollateralized finance in MSMEs sector in Ethiopia”, says Munir Duri, CEO of Kifiya Financial Technologies PLC.
Michu has offerings, both loans in the form of loans and overdraft facilities, for Micro, Small, and Medium Businesses. The Microloans are aimed towards the working capital needs of roadside traders and micro businesses with a maximum loan amount of 30,000 ETB and a repayment period of 1-4 months.
Whereas, the MSME loans targets traders at small and medium levels with a maximum loan amount of 150,000birr and a repayment period of up to one year. Moreover, the loans are intended to cover the working capital of the MSMEs. Michu also has another product targeted at employees of various organs called Consumer Loan.
The non-collateral digital lending product is a new desired loan service that is innovative and makes the loan service process swift, non-collateral, easy to access at anytime and anywhere. The product uses data to determine credit worthiness as well as a flexible payment method. Michu digital lending product is expected to increase Coop bank borrowers by 30% during the pilot period.
For more information please contact:
Cooperative Bank of Oromia (Coop bank)
Mr: Abdi Fekede
Position: Director MSME
T: +251 911026530
E: abdif@coopbankoromia.com.et
Kifiya Financial Technologies PLC
Ms: Lewam Assefa
Position: Head Marketing - Qena
T: +251913 028610
About Cooperative Bank of Oromia
The Cooperative Bank of Oromia was legally established and registered on October 29, 2004, in accordance with article 304 of the commercial code of Ethiopia and officially inaugurated on March 08, 2005.
The emerging financial services were primarily focused on wealthy individuals and large enterprises mainly in urban areas. The rural population, particularly farmers, small businesses owners, and large communities were excluded from financial services. Thus, the Cooperative Bank of Oromia was set up to correct this market failure and to overcome the associated problems of asymmetric information in favor of borrowers.
More than 67% of the bank share is owned by cooperatives, associations, individual farmers, and small business owners. The bank has been operating with the prime objective of transforming the livelihoods of farmers, micro, small, and medium business enterprises by enhancing their access to finance.
In doing so the bank has made a tremendous change for the past fifteen years in transforming farmers, MSME’s business, and other parts of a community that is financially excluded.
Using Michu digital lending platform Cooperative Bank of Oromia provides access to non-collateralized loans for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. Michu is a credit score-based digital lending platform that addresses risk components for the bank. The credit scoring system provides a means of systematically and objectively assessing the risk and growth potential of MSMEs, thus allowing the platform to make a risk-based decision and reducing management and operational costs of small amount loans.
About Kifiya:
Kifiya financial Technologies was established in 2010 and operational in 2013 with the vision to make transactions simple affordable, secure, and within reach through building integrated and scalable technology and distribution infrastructures that enable access to financial and non-financial services.
Kifiya also built the capacity to develop innovative products and services that can bring value to consumers, cooperate entities, and the government. Its technology focusing areas include e-commerce, Logistics, Payment & Distribution services, Digital Agricultural solutions, and Digital Lending services.
In partnership witKifiya’s has over the past five years been developing AI-based credit scoring and digital lending platform (Qena), and appropriate products for the MSME sector to enable financial institutions to provide credit to individuals, micro, small and medium enterprises. The platform enables MSMEs, and individuals to apply and manage their credit through mobile or web and get responses in a timely manner.