Benin official urges better business access to capital
Abdoulaye Bio Tchané called for more guarantees and financial transparency to help companies secure funding.
Abdoulaye Bio Tchané, president of Benin's Economic and Social Council, called for improved access to capital markets for private businesses. He made this plea on Monday, October 26, 2026, at the Capital Reach Forum in Cotonou. Bio Tchané highlighted that the regional stock market's progress alone is insufficient to meet business needs, noting a concentration of listed companies in a few sectors and the dominance of state bonds.
Bio Tchané advocates for guarantee and risk-sharing mechanisms to facilitate private sector financing. He also stressed the need to mobilize more savings from institutional investors, individuals, and the diaspora. Financial transparency must strengthen the confidence needed for this mobilization, according to him. The forum, organized by SGI AGI, aimed to connect companies with investors and financial intermediaries.
The Minister of Economy and Finance, Aristide Médénou, announced at the forum that the SME guarantee fund, established in July 2024 with an initial endowment of 5 billion FCFA, has received central bank approval and will soon be operational. This fund is designed to share risks with banks and microfinance institutions, thereby easing business access to credit.
Why it mattersBeninese businesses and investors are affected by the call for better access to capital markets and the upcoming operationalization of the SME guarantee fund.