According to an information note published on its website on May 22, 2026, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a branch of the World Bank Group dedicated to the private sector, will provide $10 million to Coris Bank International Chad (CBI Chad), a local subsidiary of Coris Holding, a banking group founded in Burkina Faso. The IFC publication reveals that this operation will take the form of a five-year senior loan. Half of this loan, $5 million, will be directly funded by the IFC, while other financial partners will complement the funding with a syndicated loan.
According to the IFC document, “the projected financing aims to strengthen the bank’s capacity in financing micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).” The long-term credits that will be granted will benefit MSMEs in the sectors of trade, industrial production, construction, agriculture, forestry, and fishing. With the requirement to finance at least 15% of businesses owned or led by women.
If successful, this operation would strengthen Coris Bank’s presence in the SME segment, which is very underfunded by commercial banks in Chad. This situation is also experienced in all other countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea) of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC). In this sub-region, large companies, multinationals, and activities deemed less risky are prioritized for bank loans. To justify their stance, credit institutions in this economic zone cite “the lack of guarantees offered by small structures and the scarcity of long-term financing.” An opinion not shared by the IFC. Indeed, the World Bank’s arm for private sector financing considers that “the financing needs of Chadian SMEs remain substantial.” The institution indicates that “the financing gap for MSMEs is close to $1.5 billion, representing over 14% of the country’s GDP.” In addition to providing some of the necessary financing to Chadian MSMEs, the IFC intends to provide CBI Chad with “technical support to help improve its risk management practices and financing of agricultural value chains.”
As a reminder, the project to finance Chadian MSMEs will be reviewed by the IFC’s board of directors on June 22, 2026.
In Chad, the Coris Bank network consists of 13 branches. The local subsidiary of the banking group founded in Burkina Faso is among the main commercial banks in the country.
