In a context of liquidity scarcity and strong volatility of global prices, Ecobank Côte d’Ivoire has set up a fund of 300 billion CFA francs (approximately 457 million euros) to finance the 2025-2026 coffee-cocoa campaign. This line of credit, one of the largest in the national banking sector, targets exporters, processors, and cooperatives accredited by the Coffee-Cocoa Council (CCC).
Structured support for the sector
Accredited companies will be able to access loans for the purchase, storage, processing, and transportation of beans. The bank will assess the financial strength, export experience, and guarantees offered by each beneficiary to avoid failures seen in the past, such as that of SAF Cacao in 2018. “Our priority is to ensure the smooth running of the campaign and strengthen the financial stability of the sector,” said an internal source at Ecobank CI. “This fund of 300 billion CFA francs reflects our commitment to a pillar of the Ivorian economy.”
Addressing price pressure and liquidity needs
The surge in cocoa prices – which exceeded $10,000 per ton in the spring of 2025 – led to a historic revaluation of the guaranteed price for producers, now set at 2,800 CFA francs per kilogram for 2025-2026, compared to 1,500 CFA francs two years earlier. This increase improves the income of farmers but increases financial pressure on exporters and processors, who are forced to mobilize more funds to buy beans. “Without a structured credit mechanism, many players would face a cash crisis at the start of the campaign,” said an Abidjan-based banking analyst.
Oumar Sangaré, Director of Ecobank CI’s Corporate and Investment Banking, and UEMOA region, said: “This fund of 300 billion CFA francs aims to secure the campaign and stabilize a sector that is strategic for the national economy.”
The fund will allow exporters to finance purchases at the official price of 2,800 CFA francs/kg, ensuring the announced income for producers. In 2024, the previous increase in cocoa prices from 1,000 to 1,500 CFA francs had already led the Professional Association of Coffee-Cocoa Exporters (GEPEX) to seek support from the CCC to address cash flow tensions. Ecobank’s initiative aligns with the public policy providing a subsidy of 75 CFA francs per kg to cocoa exporters and 35 CFA francs to coffee exporters until 2027. For the Ivorian subsidiary, celebrating its 40th anniversary, this initiative aims to support exporters – essential links in the value chain – and strengthen its role as a leading bank in agribusiness financing.
An underfunded economic pillar
With 1.8 million tonnes harvested in 2024-2025, Côte d’Ivoire remains the world’s leading producer, accounting for nearly 40% of the global supply according to the USDA and the CCC. The sector represents over 15% of GDP and 40% of export revenue, supporting around 6 million people, or a quarter of the population, according to the Cocoa-Forêts Initiative. Despite this economic weight, the sector suffers from limited financing: most commercial banks are cautious due to counterparty risk and lack of bankable guarantees. In April 2024, the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a facility of 100 million euros (65.5 billion CFA francs) to strengthen the value chain and facilitate access to credit.
Agribusiness, a strategic focus for Ecobank
Operating in 33 countries, Ecobank has made agribusiness one of the pillars of its 2025 strategic plan. In Côte d’Ivoire, the bank has launched, with SGPME, a 3 billion CFA franc “Agri-Financing” window, with 150 million reserved for women’s initiatives. In May 2025, it also inaugurated an Agribusiness Desk dedicated to supporting SMEs, cooperatives, and startups in the sector. With this new intervention of 300 billion CFA francs, Ecobank Côte d’Ivoire confirms its commitment to financing the real economy and its desire to make the coffee-cocoa sector a driver of sustainable and inclusive growth.
