Thunderclap in Lomé: Alain Nkontchou snatches Ecobank from under all his rivals’ noses
The surprise is total. Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) announces the signing of an agreement between Nedbank Ltd. and Bosquet Investments Ltd, according to a press release dated August 15, 2025. The sale, concluded by Bosquet Ibvestments Ltd, the private vehicle of Alain Nkontchou, concerns 21.22% of the capital. Thus, the former Chairman becomes the master of the ship… or almost, as the operation still awaits regulatory approval.
The backstage is just as strategic: Enko Capital Management LLP advised on the operation, Absa Bank Limited (Corporate & Investment Banking) as co-pilot. Nedbank, on the other hand, is refocusing on its markets in southern and eastern Africa, leaving a clear path for Nkontchou.
“I am very happy to have reached this stage with Ecobank, and convinced that we will open a new era of sustainable success,” says Alain Nkontchou, confident in his move.
Jeremy Awori, CEO of the group, praises “a strong vote of confidence” and “an unwavering commitment” from the one who has already shaped the bank’s profitability strategy. Nedbank, after 17 years of partnership, exits the stage gracefully… but remains a commercial partner.
A new chapter begins. And behind the scenes of African finance, a conviction emerges: from now on, one must reckon with Alain Nkontchou, the king shareholder of Ecobank.
