An initiative of the International Bank for Industry and Commerce (BIIC) to support women entrepreneurs, “BIIC Avec Elles” will be launched this Saturday, May 21, 2026, with a 3-month deadline. 𝐞́𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. It was during a gala evening held at the Riverside St Georges venue in Cotonou. For three years, "BIIC Avec Elles" has been showcasing women who dare, take initiative, and transform. It has proven to be a truly structuring force for supporting, financing, and promoting businesses led by women or with a predominantly female workforce. Thus, 11 laureats or e-identifies for e-tar of la 3 e-cohort of 𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞 which offers financing solutions adapted to business cycles, sector specificities and project maturity.

“In Benin, the entr'reproducible and the investissimo professor of 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐮𝐧 𝐯𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐝𝐞 𝐫𝐞́𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐞́𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐞𝐭 𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 » 𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞́ 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐬𝐞̀𝐧𝐞 𝐌. 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐮 to justify the commitment of the country's leading bank. This commitment translates into a clear ambition: to strengthen access to financing; to deepen technical and strategic support; and to structure a dynamic ecosystem of women entrepreneurs, creators of value and growth. Christel Yèbé Gnundéwé, Director General of the Society for the Promotion and Support of Micro-Enterprise Development (PADME) and sponsor of the evening, praised this tool for promoting women's entrepreneurship. She urged the award recipients to manage their businesses effectively so that the bank can expand its scope of operations.

From agribusiness to construction, from healthcare to digital technology, from crafts to renewable energy, this bank, with its exclusively Beninese capital and publicly traded stock exchange, has impacted some fifty companies in three years, injecting nearly 7 billion CFA francs. This program is not just about financial support. It includes mentoring and guidance from professionals such as notaries, insurers, lawyers, and accountants. To maximize its impact on the selected companies, BIIC has partnered with strategic organizations such as the African Guarantee and Co-op Fund. Economic (FAGACE), the African Development Bank's Initiative for Women's Finance in Africa (AFAA), and the African Women's Finance Initiative (AFF). Following a sharing of experiences, the evening's guest, Nadia Adanlé, founder of Couleur Indigo, recounted her encounter with the program before awards were presented to the winners of the 3rd edition.

Any small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) (owned by a woman or with a predominantly female workforce) operating in a sector with a sustainable impact on the economy (education, health, agriculture, manufacturing, etc.) is eligible for the program. It simply needs to be up-to-date with its tax contributions and stand out from the competition through a competitive advantage or strong potential. SMEs can apply on the website: www.biic-bank.com, at a BIIC branch, or by writing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..