Angola’s sovereign wealth fund, the Fundo Soberano de Angola (FSDEA), has acquired a shareholding in Bureau de Informação de Crédito, the country’s first licensed private credit information centre, in a partnership expected to strengthen the institution’s reach across financial institutions and other market segments.

The move follows a Subscription Agreement signed between the two institutions on 4 June and represents, according to a statement issued to the Lusa news agency, “the beginning of a new phase of institutional consolidation and growth of the Bureau”.

The Bureau collects, processes, and analyses data on the financial and consumption behaviour of individuals and companies, with the aim of supporting more rigorous credit-granting decisions.

Beyond the banking sector, data provided by the Bureau can help telecommunications operators develop products tailored to different customer profiles, enable insurers to gain a deeper understanding of policyholders, and assist investors in assessing the growth potential of markets.

With the FSDEA joining as a reference shareholder, the Bureau plans to strengthen its corporate governance, including the appointment of a director nominated by the Fund to its Board of Directors.

The partnership is also expected to create conditions for expanding the institution’s activities among banks, insurers, telecommunications operators, microfinance institutions, financial technology companies (fintechs), investors, and individual citizens.

Technological Modernisation and Service Expansion

Quoted in the statement, Adriana Dias, chair of the Bureau’s Board of Directors, said the institution will focus its activities over the next two years on three priorities: modernising its technology platform, expanding its network of partner institutions, and launching a product catalogue targeting different market segments.

The offering is expected to include credit reports, risk scoring, portfolio monitoring, market studies and indicators, as well as self-consultation services for individuals and small businesses.

The institution also intends to develop financial literacy initiatives under the motto “Know to decide better”, aimed at helping citizens and companies understand how their financial history influences their access to credit, insurance, and other services.

With the FSDEA now part of its shareholder structure, the Bureau seeks to consolidate its position in Angola’s credit information market and broaden the use of financial data in risk assessment and business decision-making.