Throughout the first half of the year, outstanding loans extended by microfinance institutions active in Togo reached nearly CFA400 billion (CFA395.697 billion), up by 13.3% year-on-year. The Microfinance Directorate (DMF) of the Ministry of Economy and Finance disclosed the figure on September 20, during a meeting organized by the Professional Association of Decentralized Financial Systems (APSFD-Togo).

This growth reflects renewed public confidence in decentralized financial systems (SFD). Additionally, the number of microfinance customers increased by 8.1% compared to 2023, reaching almost 4.2 million. The total number of service points also rose slightly, 0.5%, to 625.

Despite the improvements, challenges remain. For example, over the period reviewed, there was a decline in the quality of SFD portfolios, which affects profitability. The DMF also noted structural issues such as insufficient capital and weak information systems. Regulatory authorities must tackle these issues to stabilize the sector and secure transactions.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi