Bridge Bank Côte d'Ivoire plans to raise CFA67.5 billion, or about $120 million, through a public offering on the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières, as the lender seeks capital for its West Africa expansion.
The bank plans to sell 20% of its capital at an indicative price of CFA6,750 a share. The deal is expected to move through an investor interest phase from May 4 to May 15, followed by a subscription period from May 20 to May 29. Settlement is scheduled for June 15, with first trading expected on August 31, subject to approval from CREPMF.
If completed, Bridge Bank Côte d'Ivoire would become the 48th company listed on the BRVM, the regional exchange serving the 8 WAEMU countries. The deal would also add another banking stock to a market where Côte d'Ivoire-based companies remain the largest group of issuers.
Bridge Bank reported net income of CFA27.2 billion in 2025, up 19% from a year earlier. Net banking income rose 15% to CFA68 billion, while its cost-to-income ratio stood at 41.8%. The bank, founded in 2006, serves SMEs, corporates, public entities, financial institutions and retail clients.
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The listing is part of a wider push by Bridge Bank Group, backed by Yerim Sow's Teyliom Group. The group already operates in Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal, expanded into Mali in 2024, plans to enter Guinea in January 2027, and has sought approval in Burkina Faso. The IPO would give the bank capital for growth, visibility with investors and a listed share base for future expansion.
Key Takeaways
Bridge Bank's planned listing comes at a key time for the BRVM. The exchange has been trying to deepen its market with more companies, more products and more liquidity. A bank IPO of CFA67.5 billion would be one of the larger equity deals in the region and could help draw attention back to public markets as a source of long-term capital. For Bridge Bank, the listing is also a strategic move. The group has built a regional banking and financial services platform around banking, brokerage, asset management and microfinance.
It has also attracted development finance, including support linked to SME lending. That matters because SME finance remains one of the main gaps in West Africa. The risk is execution. The bank must show that growth across markets can be funded without weakening asset quality or profitability. For investors, the question is whether Bridge Bank can turn a strong Côte d'Ivoire base into a regional banking story with clear earnings growth, stable governance and regular disclosure.
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