BGFIBank Cameroon has approved a dividend payout of CFA12 billion for the 2025 financial year, according to information obtained by Investir au Cameroun following its annual general meeting held on April 10, 2026. The amount is up 20% from the CFA10 billion distributed a year earlier.
The increase reflects stronger financial performance. The Cameroonian subsidiary of the BGFI Group posted net income of CFA15 billion in 2025, up 18% year over year. In effect, the bank has chosen to return around 80% of its earnings to shareholders, a relatively high payout ratio that underscores both its profitability and the group’s effort to highlight the value of its Cameroonian operations.
The bank’s shareholder structure remains largely unchanged. BGFI Holding Corporation controls 70.69% of the capital, while the Cameroonian state holds 20%. Local private investors account for the remaining 9.31%, based on the latest available data.
Beyond the higher dividend, another development stands out: the payout comes alongside a sharp increase in capital. Following a board meeting on February 27, 2026, BGFIBank Cameroon approved a capital increase from CFA20 billion to CFA50 billion, a 150% jump. In its official statement, the bank described the move as a sign of the group’s confidence in Cameroon’s growth potential and its intention to support the subsidiary’s expansion.
For investors, the message is mixed but significant. On one hand, the bank is returning more cash thanks to rising profits. On the other, it is strengthening its capital base to fund future growth. This dual approach points to an expansion phase, though it also raises questions about how sustainably the bank can maintain high payouts while financing balance sheet growth.
So far, BGFIBank Cameroon’s performance has been driven mainly by corporate banking. The bank is now looking to expand further into retail banking, including deposit collection, payment services, and lending to individuals, small businesses, and professionals. This shift could broaden its customer base and support more stable growth in deposits and revenue, in a market where access to banking services remains uneven.
After about fifteen years in the country, the subsidiary has established itself as one of the group’s key operations in Central Africa. In an interview with Investir au Cameroun, group CEO Henri-Claude Oyima described Cameroon as “one of our main growth hubs.” He said the bank aims to position itself among the country’s leading financial institutions and become a key partner to the state as well as a reference player for businesses and individuals.
Still, beyond the growth narrative, the 2025 results raise a broader question: is BGFIBank Cameroon entering a new phase of expansion, or is it primarily signaling financial strength and returns to reinforce its market position? The higher dividend, capital increase, and renewed focus on retail banking point to a more aggressive strategy—one that will be closely watched in the coming years.
Amina Malloum
