• Non-performing loans exceed 16% of total bank credit in the Cemac
• BEAC warns of elevated systemic risk across the regional banking system
• New credit bureau aims to improve data sharing and credit risk assessment

The stock of non-performing loans within the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (Cemac) is currently estimated at nearly CFA2,500 billion ($4.45 billion). This amount represents a ratio of more than 16% of banks’ gross credit, a level well above the international benchmark of 5%, highlighting the banking system’s strong exposure to credit risk.

The figure was disclosed by Yvon Sana Bangui, governor of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), during the official launch of Creditinfo Central Africa (CICA), the community’s first credit bureau, on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in Douala, Cameroon.

“This situation is worrying and could lead to systemic risk for the sub-regional banking ecosystem,” Mr. Bangui said, stressing the need for swift action.

According to the central bank, the deterioration in the quality of bank loan portfolios reflects a combination of economic conditions and internal weaknesses within the sector. On a structural level, the BEAC points to risk management and governance mechanisms that remain insufficiently robust in several institutions. It notes that the pursuit of market share and commercial performance has often taken precedence over careful and prudent credit risk assessment.

Cemac turns to data sharing to clean up credit

It is precisely to address these weaknesses that the Cemac credit bureau has been established. “This entity is tasked with collecting all economic data, whether relating to individuals, SMEs, large companies, or households,” the BEAC governor explained. He added that the bureau processes this data and ensures its reliability and completeness, enabling banks and microfinance institutions to reduce their exposure to credit risk.

For commercial banks, the system operated by international credit information group Creditinfo is expected to make it possible to access reliable customer data and rule more quickly on credit applications. “The credit bureau will allow better risk assessment through centralized data, faster financing decisions, and the promotion of more favorable lending conditions,” said the president of the Professional Association of Credit Institutions of Cameroon (APECCAM) and chief executive of Ecobank Cameroon.

With this new tool, the BEAC hopes to replicate the results observed in the WAEMU region, where the introduction of credit bureaus led to a significant reduction in non-performing loans, according to Sidimohamed Abouchikhi, chairman of the board of Creditinfo West Africa. Over time, the mechanism is also expected to facilitate access to finance, particularly for groups traditionally excluded from the banking system, including young people, women, rural entrepreneurs, and very small, small, and medium-sized enterprises, which are often penalized by the lack of collateral or a banking history.

Sandrine Gaingne