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ACEP-BURKINA SA is a leading microfinance institution in Burkina Faso, recognized for its commitment to driving financial inclusion and empowering entrepreneurs through accessible and innovative financial solutions. A subsidiary of the ACEP Group, which operates across Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Cameroon, and Niger, the institution is guided by strong core values Integrity, Responsibility, Proximity, Efficiency, and Team Spirit.
Established in October 2012, ACEP Burkina has steadily expanded its footprint, now operating 12 branches across key cities including Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, Koudougou, Kaya, and Ouahigouya, with further expansion planned for the second half of 2025. Through its tailored financial products and services, the institution primarily supports very small enterprises (VSEs) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in urban and peri-urban areas, contributing to their economic growth and social development.
In recognition of its outstanding contributions to microfinance innovation and financial inclusion, ACEP-BURKINA SA was honored with dual accolades at the GBF Awards 2025 an achievement that underscores its leadership and impact in the sector.
Boston Brand Research & Media had the privilege of conducting an exclusive written interview with Dr. (HC) Ousseni KIRAKOYA, General Manager of ACEP BURKINA SA. Through this interview, we aim to explore the institution’s journey, the strategies behind its success, and its vision for advancing financial inclusion in Burkina Faso and across the African region.
Below are the questions we posed to Dr. (HC) Ousseni KIRAKOYA and his team.
Receiving these two distinctions is, above all, a collective recognition. They acknowledge the daily work of our teams who, on the ground, support thousands of entrepreneurs in their growth journey.
Beyond the pride, these awards confirm that innovation and financial inclusion are not theoretical concepts at ACEP Burkina but concrete realities experienced by our clients. Personally, I see them above all as a heightened responsibility: to keep pushing our limits and create a lasting impact on our local economies
ACEP Burkina today holds the rank of third-largest microfinance institution in the country, a position we carry with pride. Beyond rankings, our true performance indicator remains the economic impact we generate for the entrepreneurs we support. In just over ten years, we have accompanied more than 100,000 entrepreneurs and injected nearly 400 billion CFA francs into the Burkinabè economy.
Our difference rests on a strong strategic choice: trust. We opted for direct loans, without prior savings requirements, because we believe above all in the lasting relationship built with our clients.
Today, our greatest satisfaction is seeing entrepreneurs who started with financing of 200,000 or 300,000 CFA francs now accessing loans of 20 to 50 million: it is this ability to grow entrepreneurs and their families that truly defines our model.
For a long time, we watched entrepreneurs miss opportunities simply because financing timelines were too long. We decided that had to change. Where a loan could previously take up to two weeks to process, our clients can now access their financing in less than 48 hours, thanks to the deployment of our new Core Banking System.
This deep modernization of our infrastructure has allowed us to develop new solutions such as Crédit Flash and to integrate a mobile application into our offering. For us, digitalization does not replace proximity; it strengthens it. It enables our teams to dedicate more time to advising and supporting our entrepreneurs.
Our strategy is built first and foremost on proximity. We have progressively expanded our presence across the country, particularly in peri-urban areas and regional economic hubs where many entrepreneurs remain underserved by financial services.
We have also embraced an open model: we finance all income-generating activities that are not prohibited. This allows traders, artisans, and small entrepreneurs in the informal sector to access credit and grow their businesses.
Innovation at ACEP Burkina is above all a human culture. Our institution is built on women and men who are mostly young, driven by a strong team spirit and a constant drive for improvement. We encourage experimentation, critical thinking, and the emergence of new ideas. Recently, we introduced a deposit automation machine for fund collection. This is a first in the microfinance ecosystem in West Africa. We remain committed to continuous learning, alongside our clients. It is this ability to test, learn, and continuously improve that stands as one of the essential drivers of our growth
Our partnerships with international institutions are a major lever for strengthening our impact and supporting our expansion, particularly in rural areas and the agricultural sector. Some of these partners were drawn to what we do and recognized the relevance of our model. Today, they are the ones contributing to the strengthening of our capacity to act. Beyond financing, they bring us international standards, technical expertise, and a global vision that allow us to support more entrepreneurs and drive local economic development.
In Africa, when a woman starts and succeeds in business, the entire family moves forward. That is why this segment is strategic for us. We actively finance their projects and encourage them to grow their businesses sustainably.
In 2024, we organized a training program on financial management and access to credit called “Femme Entrepreneur”. Women across all ACEP cities were involved in this initiative. Today, we see women-led businesses growing and becoming true local economic drivers. We also support their well-being, particularly through awareness and screening campaigns for breast and cervical cancer, in partnership with healthcare professionals.
Our values take on their full meaning in difficult times. When the Sankaryaaré market fire broke out, many of our clients were affected. We reached out to them and restructured their repayment schedules without penalties to help them get back on their feet. For us, financial performance cannot be separated from economic solidarity.
We have a program of regular client visits, and this allows us to stay connected to their everyday realities
As I mentioned earlier, the success of our institution rests largely on its human capital. And I am particularly proud to see team members who joined in the earliest days of the institution now holding strategic positions. The commitment and resilience of this team have allowed the institution to hold steady and reach many milestones, despite the challenges encountered.
It is clear that the current context presents a real challenge for our clients and for our institution. Some areas are indeed facing serious security challenges. We have met with our clients, listened to them, and put in place mechanisms to support them, particularly regarding loan repayment schedules. On the digital front, we have launched new remote banking services to facilitate the movement of funds, and we are confident that the best is yet to come.
Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, the strategic priorities of ACEP BURKINA SA are centered on customer excellence. We want to make our clients' lives easier, empower them with greater autonomy, and we will give ourselves the means to achieve this. We plan to expand our presence across the country, with several major innovations to our value proposition. We are convinced that microfinance will play a central role in the economic transformation of Burkina Faso.
We work closely with our sister subsidiaries in Madagascar, Cameroon, and Niger through joint projects and regular staff exchanges. As part of this momentum, some team members travel to these countries for immersion programs to discover and share best practices that inform adjustments to our strategies. This collective synergy within the group strengthens our ability to respond to our clients' needs more effectively.
We were expected in Pouytenga, and that became a reality last August. We also opened in Banfora in September. And we soon plan to establish a presence in Koupéla, Tenkodogo, and Gaoua, which are areas with strong entrepreneurial potential. Our ambition remains simple: to bring financial services closer to those who create local wealth
The microfinance sector will undergo a profound transformation driven by digitalization, regulatory changes, and growing client expectations. The institutions that are able to combine technology, proximity, and responsible risk management will be the ones that succeed sustainably. ACEP Burkina is clearly positioning itself within this dynamic.
To our clients, partners, and all of our team members, we wish to express our deepest gratitude for their trust. Every milestone we reach is the result of this collaboration and mutual commitment. We reaffirm our dedication to staying close to them, to constantly innovating, and to offering solutions tailored to their needs. Their success will always be ours
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