The Cameroonian Bank for Small and Medium Enterprises (BC-PME) is preparing to significantly strengthen its equity. A multi-year and mixed general assembly, held on February 26, 2026, in Yaoundé, approved a capital increase of FCFA 40 billion, subject to the approval of the Banking Commission of Central Africa (Cobac).
If the Cemac banking regulator gives its approval, the public bank's share capital will increase from FCFA 20 billion to FCFA 60 billion. The increase will be made through the issuance of 4 million new shares, with a nominal value of FCFA 10,000 each, fully subscribed by the Cameroonian State, the sole shareholder. These funds will come from the Integrated Agro-pastoral and Fisheries Import Substitution Plan, a government program aimed at supporting local production in the agricultural, pastoral and fisheries sectors. The aim is to direct these resources towards financing private economic operators active in these areas.
This recapitalization comes in a context where Cobac requires credit institutions in the Cemac zone to have a minimum share capital of FCFA 25 billion. Several banks, including Afriland First Bank, Bicec, CCA-Bank and BGFIBank Cameroon, have already made adjustments to comply with this requirement. BC-PME, created in 2015 to facilitate access to finance for SMEs, is struggling to achieve financial balance. In 2023, it recorded a deficit of FCFA 1.112 billion. The injection of public funds is therefore aimed at strengthening its financing capacity for SMEs, which constitute its main mission.
Alongside the recapitalization, the general meeting on February 26, 2026 approved the bank's 2025-2030 strategic development plan. This plan provides for a refocusing on SME financing, particularly projects linked to the government's import substitution program. In October 2023, Amadou Haman was appointed interim Managing Director, following the sanction of the former Managing Director, Agnès Ndoumbe Mandeng, by Cobac.
Despite the difficulties encountered, BC-PME has supported nearly 4,000 companies with approximately FCFA 75 billion in loans granted.
