In a press release issued on Friday, October 08, 2021, the Ivorian authorities announced the signing of a partnership agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC). This agreement aims to help SMEs to easily access financing.

Côte d'Ivoire has just signed a partnership agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, to improve financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to the IFC, Côte d'Ivoire is among the top 10 African countries in the leasing markets in terms of economic potential. Already in 2015, the state had signed an agreement with the institution to capitalize on this potential to improve access to financing for SMEs. The agreement aims to implement the Afrileasing program. It will lay the foundation for developing a viable leasing market in Africa, including strengthening the legal and regulatory framework for the field, while introducing tools and best practices necessary to better develop the sector. Through the new convention, the Ivorian authorities hope to offer financing solutions to economic agents with low financial capacity, by allowing financing without initial contribution.