49956 - MFP-SME BBGCI

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Summary of Investment Information

Project Number

49956

Company Name

BRIDGE BANK GROUP COTE D'IVOIRE

Date SPI Disclosed

Jan 28, 2025

Country

Cote D'Ivoire

Region

Africa

Projected Board Date

Oct 20, 2025

Environmental Category

FI-2 - Limited

Status

Pending Signing

Last Updated Date

Oct 28, 2025

Department

Regional Industry - FIG Africa

Industry

Financial Markets

Previous Events

Approved : Oct 27, 2025

Sector

Commercial Banking - SME Finance

Project Description

The proposed investment with Bridge Bank Group Côte d’Ivoire (BBGCI or the Bank) consists of an up to $20 million loan equivalent in EUR. The proposed loan will have a tenor of 2-years. The purpose of this IFC investment is to support BBGCI's lending program to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a carve-out of 25 percent earmarked for Women-owned/led SMEs (the Project). The Project is being processed under the SME Envelope of the MSME Finance Platform but will not benefit from a Pooled First Loss Guarantee provided by the IDA-20 IFC-MIGA Private Sector Window's Blended Finance Facility (IDA-PSW's BFF).

Associated Advisory Engagement

The project is supported by an advisory service from IFC’s Advisory Services (“AS”) on SME Risk Management. This AS engagement will help BBGCI strengthen its credit risk management framework as well as improve its SME credit procedures, in accordance with IFC’s requirements.

Sponsor / Cost / Location

Product Line	IFC Investment (million USD)
Risk Management
Guarantee
Loan	20.0
Equity

IFC's loan to the financial institution described in this SII is targeted for on-lending to the following sector(s):

Product Type	Use of Proceeds
Straight Senior Loan	Loans to SME Borrowers
Straight Senior Loan	Loans to Woman-Owned SMEs

IFC's Definitions of Targeted Sectors can be found here.

Development Impact

The most significant expected project-level outcome is the increase in access to finance for SMEs, including WSMEs operating in Côte d’Ivoire. This Project is part of a program of interventions that IFC has been pursuing with several financial institutions in Côte d’Ivoire with the intention of promoting greater market competitiveness through demonstration and replication effect.

IFC does not anticipate any imminent corporate governance (CG) risks to the expected development impacts of the Project. The overall CG risk is deemed Low to IFC. Bridge Bank Côte d’Ivoire adheres to the regulator’s CG requirements and operates within a defined governance framework and set of policies and procedures. The Bank could benefit from improving its CG practices, especially considering BBGCI’s high exposure to related parties.

IFC’s additionality through this Project is both financial and non-financial. Financial additionality is provided through a financing structure where IFC will provide a medium-term loan, that is not readily available to financial institutions in the regional market. Non-financial additionality will be provided through Advisory Services aimed at strengthening the Bank’s lending capabilities to SMEs and WSMEs, segments presenting higher actual and perceived risks.

Indicator	Metrics	Calendar Year 2022	Calendar Year 2023	Calendar Year 2024
Number of Outstanding Loans, SMEs	loans	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
SME Finance volume in Cote d'Ivoire	%	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
SME share of total loan portfolio	%	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Women-owned SME as a share of SME loan portfolio	%	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Number of Outstanding Loans, WomenOwned Smes	loans	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Value of Outstanding Loans, WomenOwned Smes	USDMill	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available

E&S Category Rationale / Risks and Mitigation

The proposed investment consists of loan to BGGCI, targeted to support MSMEs. The portfolio supported under the Project is expected to comprise business activities with limited adverse environmental and social risks or impacts that are few in number, generally site-specific, largely reversible and readily addressed through mitigation measures. The Project has been categorized as FI-2, in accordance with IFC’s Environmental and Social Sustainability Policy. The Project will not support coal-related activities and Higher Risk Transactions that may include a) involuntary resettlement, b) risk of adverse impacts on Indigenous Peoples, c) significant risks to or impacts on environment, community health and safety, biodiversity, cultural heritage, or d) significant Occupational Health and Safety risks. The key E&S risks and impacts of this Project relate to the ability of BGGCI to identify and manage the potential E&S risks and impacts associated with its financing of MSMEs. These typically include occupational health and safety, pollution prevention, waste management, labor and working conditions issues, among others. The Bank’s HR practices are largely aligned with the requirements of the IFC Performance Standard 2 except for the absence of an employee grievance mechanism.

For this project, BBGCI will be required to screen the eligible loans against the IFC Exclusion List and local environmental and social laws and regulations. In addition, the Bank will be required to meet Life & Fire safety requirements and the requirements of IFC’s Performance Standard 2 on Labor and Working conditions. The Bank will also be required to establish an employee grievance mechanism in line with the requirements of the IFC Performance Standard 2 on Labor and Working Conditions.

BBGCI currently have an Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) in place which covers loans eligible for support through the existing risk sharing facility with IFC. The ESMS covers the E&S risk screening and assessment procedures for MSMEs including initial screening against the IFC Exclusion List, E&S categorization, E&S due diligence against the applicable laws and regulations, E&S risk management roles and responsibilities, and E&S risk monitoring. The ESMS has been approved by the Bank's senior management but is yet to be implemented. As part of this Project, BBGCI will be asked to confirm that its ESMS is applicable to all its MSME loans and provide evidence of ESMS implementation.

S.no	Title	Anticipated Completion Date
1	Update the ESMS	03/03/2025
2	Submit an ESMS implementation report	03/31/2025
3	HR policies and procedures	09/01/2025

Contacts

For Inquiries About the Project, Contact

Bridge Bank Group Côte d’Ivoire
Mr. Ehouman KASSI
Chief Executive Officer
+225 27 20 25 85 58
ehouman.kassi@bridgebankgroup.com
01 B.P. 13002 ABIDJAN 01
www.bridgebankgroup.com

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IFC supports its clients in addressing environmental and social issues arising from their business activities by requiring its real sector clients to set up and administer appropriate grievance mechanisms and/or procedures to address complaints from Affected Communities in relation to environmental and social issues arising from IFC's clients' business activities. Since 2012, IFC's Financial Intermediary clients applying the Performance Standards are required to develop External Communications Mechanisms to receive and review inquiries or complaints from any interested party regarding the E&S risks and impacts of their operations.

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Complaints can be submitted to IFC online at www.ifc.org/escomplaints or by email to EScomplaints@ifc.org.

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Complaints may relate to environmental and social harm regarding any aspect of the planning, implementation, or impact of a project or sub-project, and can be made by any individual, group, community, entity, or other party affected or likely to be affected by the environmental or social impacts of an IFC- or MIGA-financed business activity.

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CAO receives and addresses complaints in accordance with the CAO Policy, which can be accessed at: https://www.cao-ombudsman.org/policies-guidelines.

This Summary of Investment Information (SII) is prepared by IFC to disclose a factual summary of the main elements of the potential investment. It also includes findings and recommendations related to environmental and social considerations regarding this potential investment. The purpose of the SII is to enhance the transparency of IFC’s activities. For any project documentation or data included or attached herein, whether prepared by the project sponsor or otherwise, authorization has been given for public release by the project sponsor. IFC considers that this SII is of adequate quality for release to the public, but has not necessarily independently verified all of the project information therein. It is distributed in advance of IFC Board of Directors’ consideration and may be periodically updated thereafter. Board dates are estimates only and this document should not be construed as presuming the outcome of the Board Directors’ decision. The following SII is disclosed in accordance with IFC's Access to Information Policy (AIP) that went into effect on January 1, 2012.

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