AFINHAB Successfully Closes 40 Billion FCFA Social Bond, Crossing the 100 Billion FCFA Mark in Social Bonds

AFINHAB, formerly CRRH-UEMOA, is the regional financial institution dedicated to refinancing housing loans across the WAEMU zone (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo). Created to allow banks to refinance mortgage loans, it plays a key role in addressing the chronic housing deficit in West Africa. According to the announcement published on July 27, 2026 in Lomé, AFINHAB successfully closed its second Social Bond, worth 40 billion FCFA. The subscription period for the "AFINHAB Social Bond 6.00% 2026-2041" — a 15-year maturity — opened on July 9, 2026 and closed on July 24, with demand significantly exceeding supply, according to the institution. This operation brings AFINHAB's cumulative social bond issuance to 100 billion FCFA. For regional savers and institutional investors, this offering provides a long-term fixed return backed by an explicit social mission. For WAEMU banks, it expands housing refinancing capacity, potentially broadening households' access to mortgage credit. The oversubscription reflects abundant regional liquidity seeking quality paper and growing interest in ESG-labeled instruments. One open question remains: the exact amount of the first social issuance is not specified, only the cumulative 100 billion FCFA figure being disclosed.