Ecobank Group commits US$2.6bn to women-led businesses and agribusinesses across Africa
The announcement was made during the Ecobank@40 Media Conference in Lomé, as the pan-African banking group marked the conclusion of its 40th anniversary year.
Ecobank Group has committed USD 2.6 billion over the next decade to women-led businesses and agribusinesses across its 34 African markets, during its 40th anniversary year. The funds will be allocated through two initiatives: USD 2.0 billion for women entrepreneurs via the Ellevate programme, and USD 600 million for agriculture-focused SMEs under the "Farm-to-Fork" approach.
The Ellevate programme aims to increase its registered client base to 400,000 formal businesses and provide digital onboarding and financial inclusion initiatives, targeting up to 1 million female micro-entrepreneurs. The agribusiness commitment will support the wider agricultural value chain, focusing on climate-smart agriculture, digital payment channels, and structured trade finance.
Both initiatives will leverage Ecobank's Single Market Trade Hub, a digital marketplace connecting African businesses, and will be pursued through expanded credit, cross-border trade, digitalisation, and capacity building, with a focus on ESG integration.
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