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Ecobank Group has reported a 194 percent increase in lending to registered women-led businesses, extending US$780 million in 2025, up from US$265 million in 2024, as its gender-focused initiatives accelerate entrepreneurship and local economic growth across Africa.
The figures were revealed during the launch of the Ecobank Gender Programme Report, marking International Women’s Day 2026.
Jeremy Awori, Group Chief Executive Officer, said women entrepreneurs were among the most powerful drivers of economic growth across Africa but often faced barriers to finance that limited their ability to scale.
“Despite high levels of entrepreneurship, women-led businesses across the continent continue to face a US$42 billion financing gap, limiting their ability to scale, invest and grow,” Awori said.
He added that the bank’s initiatives, including the Ellevate programme launched in November 2020, combined tailored financial products with training, mentoring, and access to regional markets, enabling women entrepreneurs to grow sustainable businesses.
“Following its expansion across 26 countries in West, Central, East, and Southern Africa in 2025, Ellevate enrolled an additional 21,000 women entrepreneurs, while more than 24,000 women received training, mentoring, or other non-financial support,” Awori stated.
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The programme also links women-led businesses to continental trade opportunities through the Ecobank Single Market Trade Hub, allowing entrepreneurs to reach customers and partners across African markets.
Through the MAMA programme, launched in Ghana in 2024, the bank provides subsidised credit, tailored savings solutions, and practical business guidance to women in the informal sector.
Over 10,000 women have been enrolled in the programme, with more than 2,000 receiving subsidised credit totaling over US$1.8 million.
In March 2025, Ecobank Côte d’Ivoire launched the first Gender Bond in the WAEMU region, raising over XOF 11 billion (approximately US$18.2 million) in just 48 hours, financing nearly 1,200 additional loans to women-owned SMEs.
Awori said the growth in lending reflected both the demand from entrepreneurs and the impact of initiatives such as Ellevate and the Gender Bond, which mobilized capital to support women-led growth.
Looking ahead, Ecobank plans to scale the enhanced Ellevate programme across all markets, deepen non-financial support including digital tools and business formalisation pathways, strengthen partnerships with development finance institutions, and launch new financial products tailored specifically for women.
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