DPI has invested €60 million for a minority stake in Groupe Cofina to bolster its growth and enhance financial services for SMEs across West and Central Africa.

Target Information

Groupe Cofina, founded in 2014 by Jean-Luc Konan, is a financial services company headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The firm is dedicated to bridging the financing gap often referred to as the 'missing-middle,' which exists between microfinance and traditional banking. It offers a range of innovative financial solutions to support entrepreneurs and enable small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to scale effectively. To date, Groupe Cofina has disbursed nearly 1.5 billion euros in credit and operates in eight countries across West and Central Africa, including Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Gabon, Mali, Congo, Burkina Faso, and Togo. Additionally, it has a presence in France through a locally approved subsidiary.

The company aims to enhance financial inclusion in these regions, where the SME and consumer finance markets are notably underdeveloped. Currently, it is estimated that only 20% of African SMEs have access to bank loans, revealing a significant opportunity for growth and development in this sector.

Industry Overview

The SME lending landscape in West and Central Africa is still in its infancy. Despite the region's economic potential, a considerable number of entrepreneurs and SMEs lack access to affordable, quality financing. Prior