Ecobank Commits $2 Billion to Women Entrepreneurs by 2030

Ecobank Group's CEO, Jeremy Awori, has made an historic commitment of USD 2.6 billion to targeted lending by 2030 that will enhance two key sectors of Africa's economic development: women-led enterprises and agricultural value chains.

The announcement was made during the Ecobank@40 Media Conference, which took place in Lome at the end of the Group's 40th anniversary year. The funds will be allocated to women entrepreneurs through Ellevate by Ecobank program, and to agricultural-related SMEs and businesses along the value chain, USD 600 million.

Key Highlights

• Ecobank targets USD 2 billion for women entrepreneurs by 2030
• Over 110,000 women-led enterprises have already received support
• Agricultural SMEs will receive USD 600 million in dedicated financing

As part of Ellevate by Ecobank, Jeremy shared the vision of making finance more accessible to women entrepreneurs and women-owned companies in Africa. It has already helped in creating over 110,000 businesses led by women, and the current plan is to register 400,000 formal businesses led by women by 2030.

The program will also aim to develop a funding approach for as many as one million female micro-entrepreneurs, including through digital onboarding and financial inclusion. The financing will comprise unsecured and partially secured credit facilities, with development finance institution guarantee partnerships.

The programme will be especially geared towards women entrepreneurs in agribusiness, education, and health care sectors, offering increased working capital and business loans.

Commenting on the announcement, Jeremy Awori, CEO of Ecobank Group, said, “We are using the conclusion of our 40th anniversary as a strategic launchpad for Africa’s next economic chapter.” He added that Africa’s industrialisation and economic potential require greater access to capital for both agricultural businesses and women entrepreneurs.

Jeremy further stated, “By committing USD 2.0 billion to women entrepreneurs and USD 600 million to agricultural value chains, we are turning gender-smart financing and food sovereignty into the primary engines of African growth.”

Alongside its women-focused financing program, Ecobank is committing USD 600 million in outstanding loans to agriculture-focused SMEs by 2030. The initiative will cover the wider “Farm-to-Fork” ecosystem, including farmers, aggregators, processors, logistics providers, traders, and exporters.

The agricultural financing strategy will focus on climate-smart agriculture, digital payments, structured trade finance, food security, and stronger regional food markets. By supporting businesses across the agricultural value chain, the initiative aims to improve access to finance while strengthening intra-African trade.

A key element of both initiatives will be the Ecobank Single Market Trade Hub, which connects more than 60,000 businesses across Africa. The digital platform, alongside Ecobank’s pan-African payment infrastructure, is intended to help women entrepreneurs, agripreneurs, and SMEs reach regional buyers and suppliers and conduct cross-border transactions under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The strategy will also include business management, export readiness, leadership development, and sustainable agriculture training, alongside credit, digitalisation, and risk-sharing mechanisms.

For women entrepreneurs across Africa, the commitment places greater emphasis on gender-smart finance, formalisation, market access, women-led businesses, entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion as part of the continent’s wider economic transformation.