Ecobank Group has recorded a 194 per cent increase in lending to women-led businesses, providing a total of $780 million in loans during 2025, the bank announced in a report released to mark International Women’s Day 2026. The figure represents a significant increase from $265 million in 2024, signalling a major scaling of the bank’s gender-focused financial initiatives across the continent.
Speaking on the launch of the Ecobank Gender Programme Report, Jeremy Awori, the group CEO emphasised the role of financial inclusion as a catalyst for Africa’s economic growth. “Women entrepreneurs are among the most powerful drivers of local economic growth across Africa, yet many still face barriers to finance that limit their ability to scale. At Ecobank, we are working to close this gap by combining capital, capability building, and market access through our pan-African platform,” he said.
Central to this expansion is the Ellevate programme, Ecobank’s flagship initiative for women-led enterprises, which now spans 26 countries across West, Central, East, and Southern Africa. By the end of 2025, Ellevate supported over 103,000 registered women entrepreneurs, including 24,000 who received specialised mentoring and non-financial business support.
The bank is also targeting the informal sector, recognising that small-scale traders and artisans often lack the documentation required for conventional loans. Through the MAMA programme, launched in Ghana, Ecobank has enabled 10,000 women to access subsidised credit facilities exceeding $1.8 million, while helping participants gradually formalise their businesses to qualify for larger financing over time.
Innovative financing instruments have reinforced this momentum. In March 2025, Ecobank Ivory Coast issued the region’s first Gender Bond, raising XOF 11 billion ($18.2 million) in just 48 hours, further showcasing investor appetite for gender-focused initiatives.
Looking ahead, the bank plans to expand digital tools and trade hub connections, enabling women-led businesses to access continental markets and compete at scale. With operations in 34 sub-Saharan countries and a customer base of over 32 million, Ecobank continues to position itself as a major enabler of inclusive growth across Africa.
