Orange Bank Africa and SGPME partner to provide 17 billion FCFA for Ivorian SMEs and VSEs
via Abidjan.net10 min read
Orange Bank Africa OBA and the Soci茅t茅 de Garantie des Cr茅dits aux PME SGPME signed two partnership agreements on July 23, 2026, to mobilize up to 17 billion FCFA in financing for Ivorian very small, small, and medium-sized enterprises VSEs/SMEs and intermediate-sized enterprises ETIs. Of this amount, 4 billion FCFA is specifically allocated to women's entrepreneurship. The agreements were signed during OBA's 6th anniversary celebration. Audrey Koffi, Director General of Orange Bank Africa, highlighted that the primary challenge for many of these businesses is access to financing, and these conventions aim to address that. Jo毛lle Kouassi, Director General of SGPME, explained that SGPME, an entity established by the Ivorian state to support SME financing, will guarantee these credits at a minimum of 50% and up to 70%. This initiative, supported by the French Development Agency and the World Bank, seeks to enhance financial inclusion and economic growth through digital financing.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Abidjan.net.
Must ReadA National Security Council CNS meeting, chaired by President Alassane Ouattara on Thursday, July 23, 2026, reviewed C么te d'Ivoire's general security situation. The Council commended the results in combating illegal gold mining, attributing success to the Special Group for the Fight Against Illegal Gold Mining GS-LOI, established in 2021. From 2021 to the first half of 2026, over 8,500 illegal gold mining sites were dismantled nationwide. Operations led to the prosecution of 4,474 individuals, 65% of whom were foreign nationals, and the seizure of over 960 million FCFA and approximately 136 kilograms of gold. Various equipment used in these illicit activities were confiscated and destroyed. Despite these encouraging outcomes, the CNS noted the persistence and expansion of illegal gold mining in several regions, considering it a serious threat to the environment, national security, natural resources, and the Ivorian economy. President Ouattara instructed Prime Minister Robert Beugr茅 Mamb茅 to intensify efforts against this phenomenon, emphasizing stronger accountability for administrative, traditional, and customary authorities, as well as defense and security forces, particularly through departmental security committees and civil-military cells under prefects. The President also called for increased collaboration with diplomatic representations of the illegal miners' countries of origin for awareness campaigns and repatriation. The Council stressed strict enforcement of repres
Must ReadThe African Peer Review Mechanism APRM, the African Union's governance assessment tool, has praised C么te d'Ivoire's significant efforts in consolidating political stability, economic transformation, institutional reforms, and its regional leadership. Marie-Antoinette Rose-Quatre, Director General of the APRM continental secretariat, made these remarks on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, following a working visit to the national APRM Commission in Cocody, Abidjan. She emphasized that these achievements form a solid foundation for the country's second-generation evaluation. Ms. Rose-Quatre stated that the second-generation country evaluation is a major step, offering C么te d'Ivoire a strategic opportunity to review progress since its first evaluation, identify new governance challenges, and highlight best practices that could inspire other African member states. She reiterated the continental secretariat's commitment to supporting C么te d'Ivoire throughout the preparations for this evaluation. The APRM, founded in 2003, is a voluntary agreement among African states to assess and review governance at the head of state level, aiming to promote political stability, economic integration, economic growth, and sustainable development. Ms. Rose-Quatre clarified that the APRM's ambition is not to judge countries but to support them in strengthening democracy, political governance, economic governance, corporate governance, and socio-economic development. During her stay, her institution plans to
Must ReadDr. Patrice Motsepe, President of the Confederation of African Football CAF, has lauded the "remarkable performances" of the ten African national teams that participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to a CAF information note. Nine out of ten 90% of these teams advanced past the group stage to the round of sixteen, marking a record percentage in the competition's history. Dr. Motsepe expressed immense pride in their journey, noting a significant improvement from previous World Cups, where the qualification rate for African teams to the second round was 40% in 2022, 0% in 2018, and 40% in 2014. He also highlighted areas for improvement and announced that CAF will host a conference with coaches, technical staff, former international players, and football experts to analyze the 2026 performances and formulate strategic recommendations for the 2030 World Cup. Furthermore, the CAF President pledged continued investment in youth development girls and boys, amateur football, professional leagues, and national teams across its 54 member associations. CAF will also enhance funding for technical staff training and offer development sessions in all six zones of the continent. This performance places Africa second globally, just behind UEFA, which saw 40% of its representatives advance. The African teams at the 2026 World Cup included Algeria, Cape Verde, C么te d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia. The tournament, held f