The African Development Bank Group has approved a €25 million trade finance facility to support Crédit Communautaire d’Afrique-Bank (CCA-Bank) in expanding its services to small and medium-sized enterprises and other businesses across Cameroon. The financing was endorsed during a Board session held on 1 December in Abidjan.
The facility will operate as a Transaction Guarantee, providing risk coverage to eligible African banks involved in trade finance operations. According to Lamin Drammeh, Head of the Bank Group’s Trade Finance Division, the support will enable the financing of essential imports, particularly equipment for the industrial, agro-industrial, and telecommunications sectors. He noted that the arrangement will allow the African Development Bank to guarantee up to 100 percent of letters of credit and similar trade instruments issued by CCA-Bank, unlocking more opportunities for Cameroonian SMEs.
Léandre Bassolé, Director General for the Bank’s Central Africa region, stated that the initiative aligns with the institution’s strategy to increase direct support to the private sector in Cameroon. He emphasized that strengthening CCA-Bank’s capacity to serve SMEs—including enterprises led by women and young entrepreneurs—will stimulate production, accelerate economic growth, and create thousands of jobs.
Welcoming the partnership, CCA-Bank Managing Director Marguerite Fonkwen Atanga expressed gratitude for the Bank’s first direct financing support to the institution. She highlighted that the facility represents a significant milestone that will enhance access to financing for small businesses, women entrepreneurs, and start-ups across Cameroon and the wider region.
