Finance Institutions Launch $30m Sustainable Funding for DRC SMEs

British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, and Ecobank DRC announced a $30 million risk-sharing facility to expand access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Under its new five-year strategy, BII has committed that at least 25 per cent of new investments by value will go to frontier markets, defined by the UN as Least Developed Countries. The partnership brings together BII’s commitment to these markets, where private sector capital remains scarce due to structural barriers to investment, and Ecobank DRC’s track record in supporting small businesses in the country.

By sharing risk on new and expanded loans, BII will help Ecobank DRC increase its support to businesses that struggle to access finance due to collateral requirements and limited credit availability. The facility will target sectors critical to the country’s economic development, job creation and more resilient supply chains in the real economy, including agriculture and agro-processing, industrial, infrastructure, climate-aligned projects and renewable energy, as well as local entrepreneurship.

The managing director and head of Africa, BII, Chris Chijiutomi said, “small and medium-sized enterprises are at the heart of economic development and job creation in the DRC, yet many continue to face significant barriers in accessing the capital they need to grow. As part of BII’s focus on frontier markets, our expanded partnership with Ecobank will enable greater and longer-term lending to small businesses in the DRC.”

The acting managing director of Ecobank DRC, Joel Kabuya stated, “this strategic partnership with British International Investment represents a major step in strengthening our SME financing capabilities in the DRC. It reinforces our commitment to providing long-term support to the private sector, while applying the highest standards in risk management and responsible finance.”

This collaboration is BII’s second risk sharing facility with the Ecobank Group following the Ecobank Sierra Leone investment in 2024. This is also delivered under the Africa Resilience Investment Accelerator (ARIA) initiative. ARIA is a collaborative initiative launched by BII and co-funded with two other development finance partners, FMO and Proparco, to boost investment in frontier markets in Africa.