Bayport Finance Services

Bayport Financial Services (BFS) is a provider of responsible, hassle-free and affordable unsecured credit in South Africa, Zambia, Uganda, Ghana and Tanzania.  Africans in these countries have made use of Bayport finance services to fund their futures can empower themselves through affordable credit.  Bayport’s finance services have become part of their lives.  

Bayport’s non-listed holding company, Bayport Management Limited (BML), is domiciled in Mauritius as a Pan-African group established in 2002.  Being a private company, Bayport does not release its trading and financial details and information into the public domain.  However, there is detailed information available to any interested parties on our distribution networks, customer support, branches, products and marketing initiatives.  Bayport Financial Services’ local funding support is substantially bolstered by senior debt providers like Citibank, Stanbic, Barclays, Standard Charted Bank and Old Mutual.  Other local asset managers and pension funds also contribute their support.

BML invests in BFS on a country-by-country basis, serves as the Group’s corporate office and manages all BFS’ funding, treasury, compliance and regulatory requirement.  BML is also responsible for establishing the standards, guidelines, framework and principles according to which all Bayport companies are required to operate.  BML realises that its business philosophy should be flexible enough to provide for the widely differing needs of all its clients in their respective countries.  Bayport has partnerships and clients in all the countries where we operate and our philosophy stays the same throughout: a belief that people have the capacity and will to empower themselves.  Therefore, we supply affordable credit so that our clients are free to pursue economic opportunities and self-development.  We are committed to building lasting partnerships and relationships with our stakeholders, communities and clients; partnerships based on trust and an understanding of what people are capable of and what they aspire to.

A consortium of international institutional investors fund Bayport at holding company level; these include Investment AB Kinnevik, Noonday Asset Management LLP and Citibank.  These backers bring with them considerable experience investing in Africa and significant financial support.

Bayport’s approach to credit has proven very effective in Africa, which is regarded to be a relatively immature financial market.  Countries differ widely and we have to ensure that we comply with each market’s regulatory and legislative requirements, because we view ourselves as a responsible member of society.  We have committed ourselves to making affordable unsecured credit available to all our clients and we have succeeded, right down to every mobile unit and Bayport branch that you encounter.

Bayport South Africa has been doing business since 2004 and encouraging growth was noted from the outset; in fact, we have become a leading supplier of unsecured credit and associated financial products in South Africa.  We have multi-faceted distribution network and a nationwide footprint to draw on, in addition to an extensive branch infrastructure.  This enables us to reach our clients, irrespective of where in the country they live.  Our unique, online credit origination relationship with SAPO (South African Post Office) and our mobile consulting units and sophisticated call centres make it possible for us to easily make contact with our clients.

We have learnt many lessons, doing business in Africa, and we have applied them all to our business model.  We have learnt that all countries and cultures are unique and require a different approach.  This philosophy of embracing challenges has formed the very character and corporate DNA that characterises Bayport.  It does not mean that the risks have gone away; rather, we have mitigated them through a unique approach and our collective skills set and the reward has been sustainable growth.

It is small wonder that Bayport leads the way in personal lending in Africa.  We meet clients’ needs where they are and a formidable line-up of flexible products means that there is one suited to every customer – the drivers of demand for credit is as diverse as the African people themselves.  We deliver these products to our customers with efficiency and respect, delivering on customers’ demands for affordability and top service levels.  We lend responsible advice, which is necessary if a client is to avoid becoming bogged down with unaffordable credit.  Therefore, we counsel the client before we grant the loan and tailor the arrangement so that the client is happy with the loan and repayment amounts and the agreed term.

Bayport finance services have changed many people’s lives as Bayport Financial Services continue to blaze a trail of responsible unsecured credit through Africa.