IFC Announces Investments to Support Smaller Businesses, Jobs at Africa Financial Summit

Casablanca, Morocco, November 4, 2025 -- IFC has announced investments totaling $337 million in projects that will support the growth of smaller businesses and job creation across several African countries. The projects were announced at the Africa Financial Summit (AFIS), which convened private and public sector representatives from across Africa under the theme of mobilizing domestic capital at scale for development.

The two-day event, co-hosted by IFC, the Jeune Afrique Media Group, and the Kingdom of Morocco, featured discussions among African central bank governors, regulators, financial institutions, and fintech innovators on how Africa can best tap its own resources-and attract more foreign investment-to shape the continent's financial future, create jobs, and sustainably grow its economies.

On the sidelines of AFIS, IFC announced partnerships with several financial institutions that will channel funds and support towards businesses in Egypt, Ethiopia, and Morocco, helping businesses grow and reach new markets.

The new projects IFC announced are:

· A $50 million financing package to Suez Canal Bank will expand lending to smaller businesses across Egypt, particularly in underserved regions. A quarter of the loan is earmarked for women-owned businesses to help bridge the gender financing gap and boost inclusive growth.

· A $10 million equivalent IFC risk-sharing facility with Attijariwafa Bank Egypt to expand access to finance for smaller businesses and support job creation. At least a quarter of the loans are for women-owned businesses, and half to SMEs in vulnerable communities. The initiative is supported by the Prospects Partnership, which supports development for host communities and forcibly displaced people.

· A $250 million IFC risk-sharing facility with newly established Saham Bank will strengthen Morocco's financial stability and expand access to finance for local businesses. IFC will share up to 48 percent of the credit risk on the bank's $525 million corporate loan portfolio, helping sustain lending to key sectors such as manufacturing, fertilizers, and food security. Saham Bank recently acquired Société Générale Marocaine de Banques.

· A MAD 250 million (US$27 million) IFC risk-sharing facility with Crédit du Maroc, backed by the Global SME Finance Facility, will help farmers access finance, technology, and markets to grow sustainably and withstand climate shocks. As part of the World Bank Group's AgriConnect initiative, the project strengthens Morocco's agri-finance ecosystem by linking capital to innovation.

· An IFC advisory services support program for VisionFund to help the microfinancier expand lending to smaller businesses and deepen financial inclusion in Ethiopia. The project will strengthen VisionFund's capacity in strategic business planning, risk management, and responsible finance, enabling it to reach more underserved entrepreneurs-especially women. This initiative follows IFC's recent $10 million local currency loan to VisionFund.

Makhtar Diop, IFC's Managing Director, said, "The combination of Africa's own financial resources with strategic international capital is a potent recipe for growth on the continent. Africa's entrepreneurs are building companies that rival any in the world-and with the right support, they can grow and create the jobs and opportunities Africa needs. These projects underscore the power of partnerships and also the important role of events like AFIS in bringing together like-minded organizations for development and impact."

AFIS was established in 2021 to promote a shared understanding among public authorities and private sector leaders of the trends and risks shaping the continent's financial industry. Through open dialogue and collaboration, AFIS helps identify opportunities for improvement, whether through regulatory reforms or market-driven initiatives.

This year's event brought together more than 1,250 senior leaders from Africa's financial sector-including those who manage Africa's savings with those who can channel international investment-with the aim of delivering more funds to job-creating African businesses and projects.

Ethiopis Tafara, IFC's Vice President for Africa, said, "These projects reflect IFC's deepening support for Africa's smaller businesses, which are engines of job creation and providers of innovative solutions across the continent. AFIS is a powerful reminder that partnerships and the exchange of innovative ideas are at the heart of successful development strategies."

Over the past two decades, IFC has collaborated with more than 300 financial institutions across 40 African countries to enhance banking systems, expand access to finance, and mobilize private capital. This partnership has helped build the foundations for opportunity-fueling enterprise, enabling jobs, and driving the continent's next generation of growth.