IFC's Claude Owona: “Expanding financing is not enough unless SMEs become more creditworthy”

What practical steps can improve access to credit in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC)? That question was at the center of discussions held on October 1-2, 2026, in Bangui, Central African Republic, during the Bangui Financial Days and CEMAC Bankers’ Days. In this interview, Claude Owona, the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) Regional Representative for Financial Institutions in Central and West Africa, discusses the barriers businesses face in obtaining financing, the solutions IFC offers and upcoming initiatives, particularly those aimed at expanding digital financial services. Ecofin Agency: What is your main takeaway from the discussions in Bangui? Claude Owona: The main takeaway is that regional and local stakeholders need to work more closely together, including banks, capital markets, institutional investors, fintech companies, development institutions and public authorities.

First reported by Ecofin Agency. This page is a short excerpt; the full text is theirs.