Côte d’Ivoire: SME bank receives funding from Oikocredit and Triodos

Dutch impact investors, Oikocredit and Triodos Investment Management, have co-invested in a €10 million subordinated facility to Bridge Bank Group Côte d’Ivoire (BBG CI). This investment aims to support BBG CI in expanding its geographic reach and increase its support for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) segment.

BBG CI is a SME-focused bank that was licensed in 2006. Although SMEs account for more than 80% of Ivorian companies and employ the biggest portion of the population, their access to financial services remains limited. To respond to this demand, BBG CI is investing in digitalisation and increasing its local presence.

Ehouman Kassi, CEO of BBG CI, stated that this Tier 2 investment will increase the lending capacity to SMEs in both Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, where the bank recently opened its first branch. Kassi further explained that this facility will support the bank’s 2022-2026 strategic plan of building a regional bank and leveraging technology to drive client access and financial inclusion.