AFG Bank $177 Million Mining Facility

AFG Bank Mali has unveiled a $177 million facility pipeline to finance mid-tier and artisanal mining operators, a first for the country’s post-transition economy. The package, denominated in CFA and USD, targets equipment leasing, ore-processing, and local-content supply chains. It complements the government’s push to formalise gold exports worth $7.2 billion (2024).

Lending spreads are projected around 400 bps below informal credit, signalling a shift toward structured collateralisation. The central bank (BCEAO) supports the initiative under its regional SME-window, while donor agencies consider co-guarantees to absorb sovereign-risk premiums.

The move positions AFG Bank within Mali’s emerging “mineral-finance corridor”, linking Bamako to Ouagadougou and Accra through harmonised compliance under the WAEMU framework. CL=F traded $86.1 and XAUUSD $2 405, sustaining exporter margins.

If macro stability holds and security disruptions remain contained, Mali’s banking-sector assets—now 36 % of GDP—could edge toward 42 % by 2026. For miners long trapped in cash cycles, the credit bridge offers formal liquidity and fiscal traceability crucial to the regional integration agenda.