The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development and Afriland First Bank Côte d’Ivoire have signed a XOF 10 billion loan agreement aimed at expanding credit access for small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-sized companies in Côte d’Ivoire. The agreement was signed in Lomé on 20 May 2026 and is designed to support entrepreneurship, job creation and productive investment.
A targeted credit line
The facility will be channelled through Afriland First Bank Côte d’Ivoire, giving local businesses greater access to medium-term financing. For SMEs, which often face collateral constraints and limited bank credit, the partnership could help unlock investment in equipment, working capital and expansion.
Support for key sectors
The financing is expected to support firms across strategic areas of the Ivorian economy, including industry, services, agriculture and trade. Afriland First Bank CI presents itself as a universal bank focused on strengthening the Ivorian private sector, with tailored financing solutions for SMEs and support for agriculture.
EBID’s regional role
For EBID, the transaction fits into a wider mandate to finance development, private sector growth and regional economic resilience across ECOWAS member states. The bank describes SME and private-sector support as part of its core development role in West Africa.
Why Côte d’Ivoire matters
Côte d’Ivoire remains one of West Africa’s most dynamic economies, but smaller companies still face a financing gap. By using a local banking partner, EBID can extend its balance sheet into the real economy more efficiently than through direct lending alone.
A practical development signal
The partnership is not only a banking transaction. It reflects a broader shift in African development finance towards local institutions, private-sector growth and job-creating enterprises. If deployed effectively, the XOF 10 billion facility could strengthen business formation, industrial capacity and financial inclusion in Côte d’Ivoire.
Newshub Editorial in Africa – 25 May 2026
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