(Ecofin Agency) - The government of Côte d'Ivoire is set to finalize the recapitalization of the Banque de l'Habitat de Côte d'Ivoire (BHCI) by the end of 2024, according to a recent report by the International Monetary Fund. This process, initiated by the Council of Ministers on December 15, 2021, will see an injection of 46.4 billion FCFA into the bank.

As of the end of 2022, the Ivorian state held 86.76% of BHCI's capital directly and 6.1% indirectly through the National Investment Bank and the National Agency for Housing. The government is expected to contribute 42.8 billion FCFA, while other shareholders, including SCI Demack, SOMAVIE, NSIA-Vie, and BOAD, will provide the remaining funds. The readiness of each party to finalize this operation remains uncertain.

The recapitalization will provide BHCI with the necessary equity to continue its growth, which began in 2022. That year, the bank's net banking income surged by 47.5% to reach 5.7 billion FCFA. However, high operating expenses of 8 billion FCFA kept it in a deficit.

If this positive trend continues, BHCI will strengthen its capital base, remaining above the UEMOA's regulatory minimum of 20 billion FCFA. The government's support is part of a broader strategy to equip Côte d'Ivoire's economic sector with a specialized housing finance institution.