February 2026
BIC-UEMOA (West African Economic and Monetary Union) Data Cafè – Dakar
On February 16th 2026, the second edition of the BIC-UEMOA Data Café was held at the Pullman Dakar Teranga in Dakar. The event brought together institutional stakeholders and financial sector professionals to discuss key issues surrounding data valorization and its strategic role within the financial ecosystem.
Organized in an interactive and engaging format, the workshop provided a valuable platform for dialogue on data quality, its contribution to informed decision-making, and its role in enhancing institutional performance.
A Strong Message from the Managing Director
In his welcome address, Mr. Sidy KOUNTA, Managing Director of Creditinfo West Africa, emphasized that this workshop represents a significant milestone in the collective effort to strengthen the effectiveness and relevance of the credit information system.
He highlighted the substantial progress achieved in Senegal, where momentum remains particularly strong:
- Nearly 8 million declared credit contracts;
- More than 3 million borrowers;
- 59 data providers, including 34 banks and financial institutions, 20 microfinance institutions (MFIs), and 5 major utility companies.
These results reflect continuous improvements in data coverage, quality, and reliability. They enable financial institutions to gain clearer visibility into their clients’ creditworthiness and to enhance the quality and soundness of their lending decisions.
Strong Institutional Representation
The event benefited from the presence of leading institutional partners, notably the BCEAO (Central Bank of West African States), represented by Mr. DAME THIAM, as well as representatives of professional associations from the local financial sector.
Their participation underscores the shared commitment to strengthening the credit information system and deepening collaboration among all stakeholders.
Participants — including data officers, project managers, Chief Information Officers, risk managers, and compliance officers from institutions affiliated with the BIC — attended technical sessions delivered by the Director of Information Systems, Mr. Étienne Silué, together with Mrs. Faty LO, Database Administrator and Support Officer.
Aligned with the 2026 Strategic Action Plan
As part of the implementation of its 2026 Strategic Action Plan, the BIC-UEMOA continues to conduct outreach and capacity-building initiatives for its regulated entities and technical partners. These initiatives aim to enhance understanding of the framework, improve the quality of reported data, and strengthen operational cooperation.
This proactive approach supports stakeholders in effectively leveraging credit information system tools and promotes optimal data utilization in the service of financial stability and sustainable development across UEMOA.
Promising Outlook
The success of this second edition of the Data Café reflects the growing interest in data-driven governance within the financial sector and reinforces the ongoing commitment to fostering a culture of reliable information in support of institutional performance and economic development. It is worth recalling that the first edition was held on April 29, 2025, in Côte d’Ivoire, with strong participation from all stakeholders.
To date, the BIC-UEMOA has recorded more than 47 million contracts in its database, representing over 20 million clients, with 317 data providers across the 8 UEMOA Member States.
For more information, please visit: creditinfo-uemoa.com
Creditinfo Central Africa Begins Operating CEMAC’s Regional Credit Information Bureau
Creditinfo Central Africa (CICA) is now operating the Credit Information Bureau licensed for the CEMAC region (BIC-CEMAC), following the official launch held in Douala on 20 January 2026 in partnership with the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) and with technical assistance from the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
This is an important milestone for the CEMAC financial ecosystem: a modern, region-wide credit information infrastructure designed to strengthen transparency, improve credit risk management, and support broader access to finance, particularly for individuals and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Why it matters
In many credit markets, lenders and borrowers don’t always have access to the same quality of information. This creates an “information gap” which can make lending slower, more expensive, and more conservative than it needs to be, especially for first-time borrowers and smaller businesses.
A well-governed credit information system helps reduce that gap by enabling regulated financial institutions to make more consistent, data-led decisions and support responsible credit growth and greater confidence in the market.
What’s now live
As part of the implementation phase, 61 financial institutions – including 41 commercial banks and 20 microfinance institutions operating across the CEMAC member states – have been connected to the testing platform and are ready for live operations.
The bureau will be rolled out progressively across the region, with the aim of covering all six CEMAC countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad.
What Creditinfo Central Africa is delivering
As the licensed private operator, CICA is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the bureau and for supporting participating institutions with the services that make credit information actionable, including:
- Credit reports that support risk assessment and decisioning
- Credit scoring capabilities to help standardise evaluations
- Secure, scalable technology designed to support regional coverage
- A strong focus on data governance and data quality, which are essential to maximising real-world impact
Satty Saha, Global CEO at Creditinfo Group said: “Our focus is on building trusted infrastructure that strengthens transparency and confidence in the credit market. This will enable lenders to make faster, more informed decisions while ensuring more borrowers – including those traditionally underserved – can access finance on fairer, more inclusive terms.”
What happens next
The bureau operates on a hub-and-spokes model, with a regional hub in Douala and a phased approach to expanding representative coverage across the region.
Over time and in line with the regulatory framework, the ecosystem can be expanded to incorporate additional data sources, such as payment institutions and major service providers. This has the potential to broaden access to credit for people with limited or no traditional credit history, including women, young people, and first-time borrowers.
Learn more
To find out more about Creditinfo Central Africa and the CEMAC bureau, visit creditinfocemac.com.
If you are a participating institution and need support, contact cica.support@creditinfo.com.
