BOLDEN African News · Tuesday 3 November 2026
Ecobank and Proparco sign an agreement to back women-led SMEs in the DRC
Ecobank and the French development finance institution Proparco signed an agreement in Luanda, worth $20 million a year, to support small and medium-sized enterprises led by women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in health, agriculture and education. It was signed by Moukaramou Chanou, chief executive of Ecobank International, and Emmanuel Haye of Proparco at the 6th Africa Financial Industry Summit. Chanou said it was the first agreement of this type in Ecobank's 38 countries and could be extended to others.
Why it matters
Access to finance is a main obstacle for women-owned firms in the DRC, and a model that can be repeated across Ecobank's network could widen SME lending.
Source: AllAfrica (French) · 4 November 2026