NSIA Banque secures $34.2M term loan from British International Investment to expand SME lending
What's the deal? NSIA BanqueDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → Côte d'Ivoire has signed a €30 million ($34.2 million) term loan with British International Investment, the UK's development finance institution.
The deal aims to expand credit for small and medium-sized enterprises and women entrepreneurs in Côte d'Ivoire.
NSIA Banque is the flagship banking subsidiary of NSIA GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, controlled by Ivorian billionaire Jean Kacou Diagou.
Why now? Small businesses across West Africa face a stubborn credit gap, with banks often wary of lending to firms that lack collateral or formal records.
Development finance institutions like British International Investment are stepping in to share that risk, channelling capital toward underserved borrowers.
What could go wrong? Debt facilities carry repayment obligations, and SME lending remains higher-risk than corporate lending.
If borrowers default or local conditions sour, the bank could face pressure on the loan book the facility is meant to grow.
The signal: British International Investment, the UK's development finance institution, is doubling down on West African banks as conduits for hard-to-reach borrowers — a pattern that positions established, mature lenders like NSIA Banque alongside peers such as Banque Atlantique Côte d'IvoireDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → in the race to close the region's SME credit gap.
Read more: thefuse.co.za
