Mr. Jean-Claude Kassi BROU, Governor of the BCEAO and Chairman of the Banking Commission of the West African Monetary Union (WAMU), chaired on Monday, December 1, 2025, the 5th edition of the annual meetings between the General Secretariat of the Banking Commission (SGCB) and the Managing Directors of large-scale microfinance institutions of the WAMU, held via videoconference.

In his opening remarks, the Governor urged the top executives of the microfinance institutions to rethink and improve governance methods within their organizations to ensure compliance with regulations and best practices. In this regard, he announced support measures from the Central Bank, including the periodic organization of an event to share best practices in the sector, as well as training initiatives for a better understanding of regulatory provisions and management standards.

The presentations delivered during the meeting and the subsequent discussions focused primarily on the global situation of large-scale microfinance institutions, the main issues within the WAMU microfinance sector arising from SGCB inspections, and the profession's concerns regarding the regulatory and supervisory framework.

The industry was also sensitized to the roles and responsibilities of executives in establishing an effective framework for preventing and managing the risks of Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (ML/TF/PF). Furthermore, participants were briefed on issues related to the obligation to request prior authorizations for certain transactions, the requirements for transmitting complete data collection files, and the credit data sharing system.

Finally, the meeting provided an opportunity for the West African Committee for Banking and Financial Organization and Standardization (CONOBAFI) to present its activities to the entire microfinance profession.