• Net profit drops 14% to CFA19.25 billion in 2025
• Cost of risk nearly doubles, cutting operating income
• Bank shifts toward more liquid assets amid rising uncertainty

Bank of Africa Burkina Faso (BOA BF), the local subsidiary of Morocco’s BOA Group, reported net profit of CFA19.25 billion ($33.9 million) in 2025, down 14.1% from CFA22.42 billion in 2024.

The decline was mainly driven by a sharp increase in the cost of risk, which nearly doubled to CFA8.35 billion, compared with CFA4.3 billion the previous year. This surge weighed on operating income, which fell from CFA25.7 billion to CFA22.18 billion, even as net banking income remained broadly stable at CFA57.8 billion.

The bank has now posted a second consecutive year of declining net profit after several years of growth. It appears to be entering a phase of weaker profitability, as concerns over loan defaults and asset quality intensify.

In response, BOA BF has adopted a more cautious approach to managing its balance sheet. Customer loans fell by nearly 20% to CFA474 billion, while interbank assets quadrupled to CFA213.1 billion, signaling a shift toward more liquid and lower-risk positions.

Despite this more conservative stance, customer confidence remains strong. Deposits rose 8% to CFA877.8 billion.

To maintain investor confidence and ensure stable returns, the bank approved a dividend payout of CFA19.97 billion, equivalent to a net dividend of CFA397.25 per share after a 12.5% tax. As the payout exceeds 2025 earnings, BOA BF used retained earnings, reducing them from CFA10.1 billion to CFA7.1 billion, to meet its commitments to shareholders.

Sandrine Gaingne