At the heart of Mining Indaba, Africa's largest mining conference, Gabonese banking group BGFIBank is asserting its ambitions in financing the continent's extractive industries. With a presence in a dozen African countries, the bank is stepping up its efforts to establish itself as a key player among mining companies, subcontractors and suppliers in a market traditionally dominated by international institutions.
This participation in Mining Indaba, which is taking place this week in Cape Town, marks another step forward in BGFIBank's strategy. Without announcing any major operations at the event, the group is gradually developing its institutional presence by joining professional associations and increasing its visibility at industry events. In early January 2026, its subsidiary in Côte d'Ivoire joined the Groupement Professionnel des Miniers de Côte d'Ivoire (GPMCI), with the aim of facilitating access to financing for local players in the mining sector.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), BGFIBank regularly participates in DRC Mining Week. At the 2025 edition, Isaac Ibuabu, Director of Retail & SME Banking at BGFIBank DRC, highlighted "the expertise developed by the bank in mining projects, based on human resources dedicated to each category of players, whether mining companies or subcontractors."
At Mining Indaba, the managing directors of the Ivorian and Congolese subsidiaries, Francesco de Musso and Kaféhé Silue, were present alongside Alain Fazili Bula, head of the corporate customer division at BGFIBank DRC. The latter participated in a panel discussion on mining finance, where he emphasised "the importance of partnerships in the development of the African mining sector. These interventions illustrate BGFIBank's desire to target key mining jurisdictions, such as the DRC and Côte d'Ivoire, as bridgeheads for its expansion.
This move is part of a broader trend among African banks. Institutions such as Ecobank, Coris Bank and AFG Bank are increasingly involved in financing the extractive sector. For example, AFG Bank launched a 100 billion CFA franc (approximately $181 million) financing line in Mali in October 2025 for mining subcontractors, and is being sought out in Cameroon for the Minim Martap bauxite mining project. These initiatives aim to support investors in the construction or expansion of mines, while also supporting smaller players.
For BGFIBank, this growth remains gradual. The group is counting on continued involvement in events such as DRC Mining Week and Mining Indaba to consolidate its position. However, in order to compete sustainably with international players, African banks will need to demonstrate their ability to increase the scale of their long-term financing.
This dynamic reflects the changing landscape of African mining, where local institutions are seeking to capture a growing share of the opportunities offered by the continent's natural resources. Mining Indaba 2026, with its thousands of participants, provides an ideal showcase for these emerging ambitions.