Coris Creates Cameroon Banking Subsidiary Ahead of Market Entry

Coris Bank International has taken another step toward entering the Cameroonian banking market after incorporating its local subsidiary, Coris Bank International Cameroun (CBI CM).

According to a legal notice reviewed by Investir au Cameroun, the new company has been established as a public limited company with a board of directors and a share capital of CFA26 billion.

Based in the Akwa district of Douala, CBI CM is authorized under its corporate charter to carry out the full range of commercial banking activities. These include taking deposits, granting loans, providing financing, issuing payment instruments, making investments, and acquiring equity stakes. The company also plans to offer Islamic banking services through a dedicated business unit.

The incorporation of the subsidiary does not mean the bank can begin operating immediately. Coris must first obtain the necessary approvals from the Central African Banking Commission (COBAC) and Cameroon’s Ministry of Finance.

Management Team Already in Place

Coris has also named the leadership team for its future Cameroonian subsidiary. Alice Dakuyo Kaboré will serve as chair of the board of directors, while Lionel Wenceslas Ouedraogo Parengmanba has been appointed chief executive officer. Ling Namou will serve as deputy chief executive officer.

The board also includes Iboudo Ablasse Wend-Gouda, Nassa Abdoul Aziz, Kouame Jean-Baptiste Patrick Ghislain, Mahamat Moustapha Masri, and Kotto Ndoumbe Samuel.

The appointments establish the bank’s governance structure ahead of regulatory approval. The latest step comes several months after Coris submitted its banking license application to Cameroon’s financial authorities, as previously reported by Investir au Cameroun.

Single Banking License Could Speed Up Expansion

Coris is preparing to enter Cameroon as CEMAC rolls out new rules designed to make cross-border expansion easier for banks already operating within the regional bloc. Since January 1, 2025, the single banking license regulation has allowed banks licensed in one CEMAC member state to expand into another, subject to COBAC approval.

Coris already operates in Chad after acquiring the local business of Société Générale. That presence gives the group an established foothold in the CEMAC region and could help facilitate its expansion into Cameroon.

The bank is also preparing for operational launch. According to information obtained by Investir au Cameroun, Coris recently held a meeting at its headquarters in Ouagadougou to discuss integrating its future Cameroonian subsidiary into Gimacpay, the region’s interoperable payment platform.

The preparations suggest the group intends to begin operations quickly once it receives regulatory approval.

A Highly Competitive Market

Once licensed, Coris Bank International Cameroun will enter one of Central Africa’s most competitive banking markets. Cameroon is the region’s largest banking hub, supported by the size of its economy, its lending activity, and its extensive banking network.

According to the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), banks in Cameroon issued CFA1.92 trillion of the CFA3.01 trillion in new loans granted across CEMAC during the fourth quarter of 2025. That represented nearly 64% of all new lending in the regional bloc, ahead of Gabon, the Republic of Congo, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, and the Central African Republic.

Coris will therefore enter a market already served by major pan-African banking groups, Moroccan bank subsidiaries, local lenders, and state-owned banks. To gain market share, the Burkinabe lender will need to compete on corporate lending, digital banking, interoperable payment services, and specialized products such as Islamic finance.

For now, Coris has established the legal and governance framework for its Cameroonian subsidiary. The next step is to secure its banking license and turn that administrative presence into a fully operational bank.

Amina Malloum