BKIGRWRW11-character variant (head office):
BKIGRWRWXXXWhether funds come from abroad or another local account, here's how to receive — and what it costs.
Sender uses BKIGRWRW + your account number.
Sender uses Wise, LemFi, or Sendwave to deposit into your account.
Receive into MTN MoMo, then move to Bank of Kigali if needed.
Rwandan banks use bank-specific account numbers (commonly 16 digits) settling over RIPPS — the Rwanda Integrated Payments Processing System operated by the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) for both RTGS high-value and ACH retail transfers.
Money in a Rwandan bank account can move to MTN MoMo or Airtel Money wallets via the bank's mobile app or USSD. Kigali's cashless-economy push has made wallet-to-merchant QR payments and bill payments routine; many recipients now spend directly from the wallet rather than cashing out.
Rail operator: www.bnr.rw
When you actually need a SWIFT code: only for receiving money from another country. RIPPS handles every domestic rwanda bank-to-bank, bank-to-wallet, and wallet-to-bank transfer at near-instant speed. If the sender is in the same country, SWIFT isn't involved at all — they just need your bank account number or phone number.
For inbound international flows, RIPPS also matters: most modern remittance operators (Wise, Sendwave, LemFi, WorldRemit, TapTap Send) terminate their payouts via this rail rather than via correspondent SWIFT relationships. That's how they deliver in minutes instead of days — and why their all-in cost can be a fraction of a classic SWIFT wire.
Cash pickup is the fourth node in the receiving graph: Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, RemitOne. These remain expensive but are the only option in some last-mile situations (no bank account, no wallet, urgent cash need). Mobile money cash-out via an agent network is increasingly the cheaper alternative — see our country mobile-money fee page for current cash-out rates.
One practical tip: if you're expecting a payment from abroad, ask the sender to choose the destination based on speed and amount. Small frequent payments below US$1,000 are almost always cheaper via a remittance app to your wallet. Mid-size payments (US$1,000–10,000) work well to your bank account via the same apps. Genuinely large payments (above US$50,000) are usually only practical via a SWIFT wire, even though they're the most expensive per dollar at that band.
| Bank code | Country | Location |
|---|---|---|
| BKIG | RW | RW |
| Bank of Kigali | RW (Rwanda) | Kigali |
An 11-character variant like BKIGRWRWXXX also indicates the head office — the trailing 'XXX' is the default. Codes ending in different sequences (e.g. 'BKIGRWRW001') refer to specific branches.
Check any SWIFT/BIC code is correctly formatted before a transfer.
vs RWF (Rwandan Franc)
Bank of Kigali (BK) is Rwanda's largest commercial bank by assets, market share and customer numbers — typically holding around a third of all Rwandan banking-system deposits. Founded in 1966, it is dual-listed on the Rwanda Stock Exchange and the Nairobi Securities Exchange. BK is at the centre of Rwanda's cashless-economy push, with deep integration into MTN MoMo and Airtel Money for wallet-to-bank movement, and a wide BK Quick QR merchant network. It is the default beneficiary bank for many corporate and diaspora-remittance flows into Rwanda.
Bank of Kigali Building, Avenue de la Paix, Kigali
Bank of Kigali PLC — Rwanda's commercial bank, one of the country's oldest institutions (founded 1966) — has the SWIFT/BIC code BKIGRWRW. The 8-character base BIC BKIGRWRW targets the Kigali head office; the 11-character variant BKIGRWRWXXX names that same head office explicitly. You only need it for receiving an INTERNATIONAL wire (from another country). For transfers from another Rwanda account, you just use your account number plus the domestic rail (RIPPS).
Yes. Operators like WorldRemit, Sendwave, Afriex, and Flutterwave Send let a sender abroad deposit directly into MTN MoMo without going through your Bank of Kigali account. It's usually faster and cheaper than a SWIFT wire for smaller amounts. You can then move funds to Bank of Kigali via RIPPS if needed.
Via Rwanda Integrated Payments Processing System (RIPPS), which interconnects banks and wallets in real time. From the Bank of Kigali app: add MTN MoMo as a beneficiary with your phone number, and the transfer arrives instantly. See our Rwanda mobile money fees page for the exact cost.
For amounts under ~US$5,000, a remittance app (Wise, LemFi, Sendwave) depositing direct to your Bank of Kigali account is almost always cheaper than a classic SWIFT wire — lower fees and a rate closer to mid-market. For larger amounts, compare SWIFT vs app on our Rwanda inbound transfer comparison.
Yes. Bank of Kigali is connected to Rwanda Integrated Payments Processing System (RIPPS), which enables near-instant transfers to other Rwanda banks and to mobile money wallets (MTN MoMo, Airtel Money). This is the infrastructure remittance apps use behind the scenes to deliver in real time.
Source: Bank of Kigali's official website + Wise SWIFT directory. Last verified: 2026-06-18. SWIFT codes change rarely but always confirm with your bank before initiating a transfer. Educational only — not financial advice.