MINING FINANCE : BGFIBank Bets on Africa to Support the Extractive Sector
La voix des entreprises 
(LVDE) — The Gabonese banking group BGFIBank aims to strengthen its presence in the continent’s extractive industries. At the Mining Indaba, Africa’s largest mining conference held in Cape Town, the group outlined its strategy to support the growth of mining players across several African countries.
From February 9 to 12, 2026, Cape Town hosted the Mining Indaba, a key event for professionals in Africa’s mining sector. For BGFIBank, this gathering represents much more than institutional visibility: it demonstrates the Gabonese group’s ambition to position itself as a preferred financial partner for the continent’s extractive industries. Present in around ten African countries, BGFIBank is pursuing a proactive approach, combining local expertise with strategic support for mining companies, ranging from established operators to subcontractors.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the group’s local subsidiary recently joined the Professional Miners’ Association (GPMCI), a move aimed at facilitating access to financing for local companies and supporting sector development. Meanwhile, BGFIBank DRC regularly participates in the DRC Mining Week, a major event for the Congolese mining industry. In 2025, Isaac Ibuabu, Director of Retail & SME Banking, highlighted that the bank’s expertise relies on dedicated teams for each category of actors, capable of providing tailored financial solutions to mines and their suppliers.
This year again, the CEOs of BGFIBank Côte d’Ivoire and DRC, Francesco de Musso and Kaféhé Silué, represented the group at the Mining Indaba, accompanied by Alain Fazili Bula, Head of the Corporate Division at BGFIBank DRC, participating in a panel on mining finance. Their message was clear: local partnerships are crucial to support a sector in full expansion, while consolidating the role of African banks in funding extractive projects.
BGFIBank’s initiative is part of a broader movement. Ecobank, Coris Bank, and AFG Bank are increasingly providing financing lines to support the construction and expansion of mines across the continent. In Mali, AFG Bank launched in late 2025 a 100 billion CFA francs (USD 181 million) financing package for suppliers and subcontracting firms, while in Cameroon, the bank helps mobilize funds for the construction of Minim Martap, the country’s first bauxite mine.
However, the rise of African banks in mining finance remains in a consolidation phase. The main challenge is to demonstrate their ability to compete with international financial institutions that have historically dominated the sector. The sustainability of initiatives, the scale of mobilized financing, and the quality of partnerships will be decisive for groups like BGFIBank to establish themselves as major, long-term players in mining finance across Africa.
Esther Grace
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