Côte d'Ivoire banking sector sees surge in credit growth

The banking sector in Côte d'Ivoire is experiencing significant growth in credit distribution. According to reports from the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) central bank, new bank credits in Côte d'Ivoire rose by 13.9% in 2025, reaching 8,400 billion FCFA. This growth rate is more than double the 6.0% average seen across the UEMOA region, with Côte d'Ivoire accounting for approximately 37% of all new bank loans in the union.

On a corporate level, the Société ivoirienne de banque (SIB) reported a strong performance for the first half of 2026. The bank's customer credits reached 1,169 billion FCFA, a 12% increase compared to the previous year. This rebound follows a slight contraction in 2025. Additionally, SIB saw its cost of risk drop by 75% year-on-year, falling to 287 million FCFA from 1.16 billion FCFA in the first half of 2025, indicating a reduction in provisions for unpaid loans.