Commercial banks in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) did not fully absorb the CFA500 billion liquidity offered by the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) during its April 14, 2026 operation.
According to results published by the regional central bank, lenders took up CFA365.2 billion, representing a subscription rate of 73%.
The increase in BEAC’s offer—from CFA400 billion at the end of March to CFA500 billion—followed several weeks of stronger demand from banks. However, the latest operation suggests that the expanded envelope exceeded current needs, pointing to more cautious demand for bank credit.
Bankers note that recourse to central bank liquidity typically rises when loan demand outpaces available cash reserves. The partial uptake therefore reflects a slowdown relative to recent weeks.
Despite recent growth, demand for liquidity remains well below the levels recorded from September 2025, when requests reached CFA650 billion in the second half of the month and climbed further to CFA700 billion and CFA800 billion in October, prompting the central bank to increase its supply.
BRM
