Support for the international trade of Senegalese companies: The EBRD and Ecobank Senegal sign a €15 million financing line

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), through its Trade Assistance Programme, is launching its first trade finance facility in Senegal, granting up to €15 million to Ecobank Senegal, equivalent to over 9.75 billion CFA francs. The launch and signing ceremony took place on Thursday, July 9, 2026, in the presence of Ms. Odile Renaud-Basso, President of the EBRD, and Mr. Sahid Yallou, Managing Director of Ecobank Senegal.

Objective: "To support the import and export operations of Senegalese SMEs"

This operation comes at a time when Senegal is seeking to consolidate its role as a regional trading hub, at the crossroads of international markets and the WAEMU region. According to the EBRD President, this financing line is intended to support import and export operations and broaden access to international trade finance for Senegalese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It will help stimulate Senegal's import and export activities and support Ecobank Senegal's trade finance operations through the issuance of guarantees to confirming banks, thereby mitigating political and commercial risks related to payment.

“I am delighted to sign today, with Ecobank Senegal, our first trade finance facility in the country. We hope that it will mark the beginning of a lasting partnership. This facility will enable local businesses to access essential goods, strengthen private sector growth and contribute to the country’s economic resilience,” said Ms. Odile Renaud-Basso, President of the EBRD.

The renewed confidence placed in Ecobank Senegal

This financing will enable Ecobank Senegal to strengthen its capacity to support the international trade operations of its corporate clients. It aims in particular to facilitate access for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to import and export financing instruments, leveraging the guarantee scheme provided under the EBRD's Trade Assistance Programme.

“This partnership with the EBRD reflects the renewed confidence placed in Ecobank Senegal and recognizes the strength of our market position. This trade finance facility reinforces our ongoing commitment to Senegalese businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are true drivers of our economy. We remain fully committed to facilitating their trade with international markets,” said Mr. Sahid Yallou, Managing Director of Ecobank Senegal.

Ecobank Senegal will also benefit from access to the EBRD's network of partner banks, which will facilitate the execution of transactions in a greater number of markets and allow it to expand its support to Small and Medium Enterprises.

The Programme covers 28 economies and brings together more than 130 issuing banks.

The EBRD's Trade Assistance Programme covers 28 economies and brings together more than 130 issuing banks and over 800 partner banks worldwide. To date, it has supported more than 36,000 transactions with a cumulative volume exceeding €42 billion. Senegal became a shareholder and country of operations of the EBRD in 2025. In Senegal, the EBRD will focus its efforts on private sector development, institutional strengthening, and the promotion of sustainable and inclusive growth.

A banking group present in 35 sub-Saharan African countries

It is worth noting that Ecobank Senegal is a subsidiary of the Ecobank Group, the leading independent pan-African banking group. It is the premier private-sector pan-African banking group, boasting unparalleled African expertise. Today, the group operates in 35 sub-Saharan African countries, as well as in France, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and China. Its unique pan-African network provides a unified platform for payments, treasury management, trade, and investments.

The Ecobank Group employs more than 14,000 people serving more than 32 million customers and offers a full range of Retail Banking, Commercial Banking and Corporate & Investment Banking products, services and solutions through multiple channels, including digital.