INVESTING IN WOMEN IS BUILDING THE CAMEROON AND AFRICA OF TOMORROW
Afriland First Bank’s vision for the economic empowerment of women
Every March 8, the world pauses for a moment to celebrate women. Beyond flowers and speeches, this day should be an opportunity for sincere and measurable commitment. In Central Africa where women represent nearly 52% of the population and are the backbone of the informal economy, the issue is no longer whether we should act, but how we should accelerate social inclusion. At Afriland First Bank, we have made a strategic choice: the economic empowerment of women is not a social program on the sidelines of our activities. It is a central lever of our mission and our strategic plan Horizon 2030.
Persistent obstacles
In the CEMAC zone, less than 25% of women have a formal bank account. Access to credit remains a major obstacle: women entrepreneurs receive a tiny fraction of the funding granted by the banking sector. Not due to lack of talent, creativity, or resilience – but due to lack of formal guarantees, networks, and tailored support. Obviously it is not women who lack capabilities. Sometimes it is the financial system that lacks imagination. And it is precisely this paradigm that Afriland First Bank intends to transform.
Our conviction: women are at the heart of African growth
Since its inception, Afriland First Bank has carried the vision of a bank serving the real Africa, the one of markets, fields, workshops, and households. This Africa has a predominantly feminine face. The trader from Douala crossing borders with her merchandise, the farmer from the Far North feeding her community, the young graduate from Yaoundé launching her tech startup… These are all pistons of the transformation engine that we must support.
According to several international studies, every franc invested in the economic empowerment of a woman generates a considerable multiplier effect on children’s education, community health, and local growth. Investing in women is not philanthropy. It is good economic strategy.
Our commitment
At Afriland First Bank, we do not believe in empty promises. Our commitment to women’s empowerment translates into measurable actions:
• Facilitated access to credit: We have developed financial products tailored to the realities of women entrepreneurs: credit lines with flexible conditions, alternative guarantee mechanisms that take into account the specificities of female entrepreneurship, and personalized support from business creation to growth.
• Financial inclusion through digital: Our digital transformation strategy places women at the center. Mobile banking, simplified payment solutions, and digital savings platforms that we deploy through our presence in all localities aim primarily to bank women who have rarely had access to formal financial services.
• Training and mentoring: Financing is not enough. We invest in financial education programs, business management, and female leadership. Because true empowerment comes from knowledge and self-confidence.
• Internal parity: The commitment starts with us. Afriland First Bank actively works to strengthen the representation of women in leadership positions, ensure wage equality, and create a work environment where every individual can fully realize their potential.
Horizon 2030: a transformative ambition
As part of our strategic plan Afriland Horizon 2030, we set ambitious goals: significantly increase the share of women in our SME credit portfolio, deploy dedicated programs for female entrepreneurship in each locality, and become the reference bank in inclusive finance for women in Central Africa and beyond.
We also strengthen our partnerships with development institutions such as Proparco, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), and the African Guarantee Fund (AGF) – to mobilize resources dedicated to women’s financing. These strategic alliances allow us to multiply our impact and create an ecosystem conducive to women’s economic empowerment.
A call for collective action
Women’s economic empowerment cannot be the responsibility of a single institution. It is a systemic challenge that requires a collective response. I invite my peers in the banking sector, regulators of COBAC and BEAC, public authorities, and civil society to join forces.
Together, we can make the CEMAC zone a space where being a woman is no longer an economic handicap but an asset. A space where talent, ambition, and hard work are the only criteria for success.
Beyond March 8…
March 8 is not a destination. It is a renewed starting point every year. At Afriland First Bank, our commitment to women goes beyond a day. It is ingrained in our DNA, in our strategy, in every decision we make.
Because we deeply believe: an Africa that unleashes the economic potential of its women is an Africa that advances twice as fast.
Happy International Women’s Day to all women! And most importantly, good luck for the other 364 days of the year where the essential work remains to be done.
Afriland First Bank
The African Bank of the Millennium
