• Burkina Faso-based financial group, Vista Group Holding, has acquired a majority stake in Société Générale Burkina Faso (SGBF).
•The move is part of Vista Group's pan-African expansion strategy and coincides with Société Générale's ongoing withdrawal from the African continent.

Vista Group Holding, led by Burkinabe financier Simon Tiemtoré, announced on Monday, June 30, 2025, the acquisition of Société Générale Burkina Faso (SGBF). The deal's value was undisclosed but involved 52.6% of the capital of the Burkinabe subsidiary of the French banking group. This stake represents the entirety of the shares previously held by the French bank in this entity.

Already approved by banking and financial regulators, the acquisition enables Vista Group to fully control SGBF's operations, bringing all the bank's customers and staff under its umbrella. It represents a pivotal step in Vista Group's consolidation of its presence in the Burkinabe market, where it has operated through Vista Bank Burkina, established in 2021, and the recently launched Vista Assurances Burkina.

The acquisition aligns with a broader pan-African growth strategy pursued by Vista Group. The group, already operational in five Sub-Saharan African countries—Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Mozambique—plans expansion into 25 African countries in the coming years.

"Since 2021, Vista Bank Burkina has offered innovative and inclusive banking solutions. With the addition of Vista Assurances and the integration of this new bank, we are establishing a comprehensive financial ecosystem, capable of supporting each client, particularly every business, toward sustainable growth," Tiemtoré commented.

This transaction accelerates Société Générale's gradual retreat from the African continent, a move the French bank began two years ago.