• BGFIBank Gabon accounted for 71.29% of all new bank credit in Gabon in the first quarter of 2025.
• No other bank operating in Gabon exceeded a 10% market share in new lending by end-March 2025.
• Regulators face rising concerns over credit concentration and competitive balance in the banking sector.

In the first quarter of 2025, BGFIBank Gabon alone granted 71.29% of all new bank loans in the country. The bank had posted a 23.43% share one year earlier. The Bank of Central African States reported the data in its report on lending rate trends in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community. The central bank published the report on January 19, 2026.

According to the document, no other bank operating in the Gabonese market reached a 10% market share in new credit issuance by the end of March 2025. This situation contrasted sharply with the first quarter of 2024, when AFG Bank Gabon, formerly BICIG, dominated the credit market with a 35.24% share. In 2025, AFG Bank Gabon dropped to third place with a 6.39% market share.

A Dynamic That Raises Competition Concerns

The gap between BGFIBank and its direct competitors remained significant. Union Gabonaise de Banques, a subsidiary of Morocco’s Attijariwafa Bank group, ranked second with 7.32% of new loans granted.

Data on BGFIBank’s evolution in the domestic credit market over several quarters showed a steady rise. The bank reached a 50.66% share in the third quarter of 2024. It then increased its share to 64.30% in the fourth quarter of 2024. It ultimately climbed to 71.29% in the first quarter of 2025.

BGFIBank’s Position in the Other Five CEMAC Countries

In the Central African Republic, BGFIBank ranked first with 54.84% of new loans granted in the first quarter of 2025. Banque Sahélo-Saharienne pour l’Investissement et le Commerce followed with 31.68%. Banque Populaire Maroco-Centrafricaine ranked third with 7.28%.

In Cameroon, BGFIBank ranked fourth with 11.27% of new loans granted by the end of March 2025. BICEC led the market with 17.60%. AFG Bank followed with 13.26%. SCB Cameroun ranked third with 13.22%.

In Congo, BGFIBank ranked third with 11.11%. The bank had led the market one year earlier with a 30.24% share.

In Equatorial Guinea, BGFIBank also ranked third with 11.71%. Bange Bank dominated the market with 48.18%. Société Générale followed with 36.53%.

For public decision-makers, these figures highlighted the challenge of monitoring credit concentration while maintaining balanced access to financing across the banking system.

Chamberline Moko