The Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations du Bénin (CDC Benin) launched the IDERA initiative on October 16, 2025, a unique program dedicated to promoting and financing structuring projects led by Beninese women. Convinced that economic equality is a driver of sustainable growth, CDC Benin sees IDERA as a real lever for transformation and empowerment of women in the national economy.
Economic inclusion of women: a national growth issue
In Benin, women represent 51.2% of the population and contribute to nearly 59.7% of the national economy. However, they remain predominantly active in the informal sector: 80% of micro-enterprises are owned by women, but only 15% of SMEs and 5% of large companies are led by women. This under-representation is also reflected in access to financing: women barely receive 10% of bank loans, and only 8% of projects submitted to CDC Benin are led by female entrepreneurs – none have yet benefited from institutional support. This situation is deplored by Maryse Lokossou, General Director of CDC Benin: “Too often, women remain on the periphery of major projects. They are actors in daily life, but rarely architects of major transformations.”
Yet studies are unanimous: according to the World Bank and UN Women, better inclusion of women in the economy could generate an additional 1 to 2 percentage points of GDP per year. Women reinvest up to 90% of their income in their surroundings – health, education, well-being – thus strengthening the social fabric.
IDERA: a structuring, ambitious and inspiring initiative
Faced with these findings, CDC Benin has designed IDERA – a Yoruba word meaning facilitation or hope – to identify, support, and finance projects led by ambitious women in high-potential sectors: industry, real estate, digital, health, services, and culture. The objective is to create national champions, builders of a modern, inclusive, and competitive Benin.
IDERA stands out for its integrated and demanding approach that combines technical support (structuring, feasibility studies, governance), mixed financing (equity and debt), as well as personalized strategic monitoring to ensure the viability and social impact of each project.
“Each project will be analyzed with the same rigor as our major investments. We will talk about sustainability, governance, social and territorial impact,” says Maryse Lokossou. The program is based on three pillars: collective action around women – integration of available support tools – innovation as a growth driver.
For the General Director, “IDERA is an invitation for women to dare to dream big, to reach new heights, to take ownership of the tools and opportunities we provide. It is also a call to our partners to unite with the Caisse to build a more inclusive and equitable financial environment.”
An open and targeted procedure
The IDERA program begins with a call for projects launched on October 16, 2025. Applications are open until November 28, 2025 via a dedicated digital platform. Selection criteria will focus on economic viability and profitability, social and territorial impact, project innovation, and the integration of gender dimensions in governance.
Projects must be developed in Benin, fall within priority sectors, and have a minimum size of 3 billion FCFA. Each female promoter will benefit from tailored support, according to the maturity level of her project – from structuring support to access to financing. “IDERA does not claim to be just another program,” emphasizes Aréta Sacramento, project manager. It aims to be a change accelerator, so that in Benin, female success becomes the norm, not the exception.
A new step for CDC Benin
With IDERA, CDC Benin takes a new step in its mission of general interest: to accelerate the economic transformation of the country by unleashing the potential of all its forces, especially women. This initiative embodies the institution’s belief that women are not only actors in daily life, but also the architects of change.
