€10m Proparco–Ecobank Agreement Targets SME Growth and Raw Material Imports in Chad

Proparco and the Ecobank Group have signed a €10 million trade finance guarantee agreement aimed at supporting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) across Africa, with a focus on strengthening import capacity and local industrialisation in Chad.

In a statement issued on Thursday, both institutions announced that the deal was formalised on the opening day of the Africa Financial Summit 2025.

The facility, specifically designed for Ecobank Chad, will help finance the importation of raw materials critical for manufacturing and value-added production in the country. The initiative seeks to bridge supply gaps not met by the domestic market and is part of the Food & Agriculture Resilience Mission (FARM) launched in 2022 by France, in partnership with the European Union, G7, and the African Union, to bolster food security in vulnerable nations.

The new agreement also aligns with the Choose Africa programme—an initiative of the AFD Group (comprising Agence Française de Développement, Proparco, and Expertise France)—which provides financing and technical support to African start-ups, microenterprises, and SMEs at different stages of growth through local partnerships.

Commenting on the partnership, Jeremy Awori, Chief Executive Officer of the Ecobank Group, said the collaboration underscores the bank’s commitment to driving economic resilience and sustainable development across Africa.

> “This renewed partnership with Proparco reflects our shared goal of strengthening the economic resilience of Chad and the wider region while contributing to the implementation of Chad’s National Development Plan,” Awori stated.
“By facilitating access to essential raw materials, we are helping to advance local industrialisation, food security, and value creation across the continent.”

He added that through Ecobank’s extensive pan-African network and its international arm in France, the bank will continue to enhance trade facilitation and risk management for sustainable growth.

Also speaking, Proparco’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Djalal Khimdjee, expressed delight at the inclusion of Ecobank Chad in the ongoing trade finance programme co-developed with the Ecobank Group since 2018.

> “This partnership will empower local businesses to import essential raw materials and integrate more effectively into international value chains,” Khimdjee said.
“It also brings the total volume of trade finance guarantees extended to the Ecobank Group since 2018 to €125 million.”

The agreement reinforces both institutions’ commitment to deepening access to finance for African SMEs, enhancing trade flows, and promoting economic resilience across the continent.