Vista Group buys majority of microfinance network ACEP, spanning four countries
What's the deal? Vista Group Holding has acquired a majority stake in ACEP GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a microfinance network operating in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Madagascar, and Niger. Founder Simon Tiemtoré announced the deal on November 12 in Ouagadougou. The transaction value and number of shares acquired were not disclosed.
What's the endgame? The acquisition marks Vista's entry into microfinance, extending its reach beyond banking and insurance. ACEP Group bundles four institutions that finance very small, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
ACEP was created in February 2020 by investment fund I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs, Belgium's Société belge d'investissement pour les pays en développement (BIO)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and ACEP International, with initial capital of €11.9 million. It took majority stakes in ACEP Burkina, ACEP Niger, and ACEP MadagascarDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → at launch; ACEP CamerounDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → joined in 2023.
Why now? The deal continues an aggressive run of acquisitions by the Burkina Faso-based group. In June 2025, Vista completed its purchase of Société Générale Burkina FasoDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, following its acquisition of the French bank's Mozambique subsidiary in 2024.
ACEP Group financed 49,548 borrowers in 2024, according to the ESG and Impact 2025 report from fund I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs 1.
The signal: Vista is using acquisitions to broaden its financial-services network across Africa, moving from conventional banking into smaller-scale finance. The deal's full significance will depend on ACEP's size and terms, which remain undisclosed.
Read more: agenceecofin.com
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