At Advans, technology and innovation are central to how the group strengthens SME financing in Africa and promotes inclusive growth.

In a context where financial services are rapidly evolving, microfinance institutions must continuously adapt to balance efficiency, accessibility, and proximity. At Advans, this transformation is driven by dedicated teams, both at headquarters and within its subsidiaries.

Today, more than 180 employees are working on Tech, IT, and Innovation topics across the group: over 45 in central teams and more than 130 in subsidiaries in Cameroon, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Tunisia. This collective expertise supports a dynamic portfolio of projects aimed at improving performance, enhancing customer experience, and enabling sustainable growth.

A Structured and Diverse Project Portfolio

Advans is currently managing around 120 active projects across its network, reflecting a balanced and structured approach to innovation. These initiatives cover several key areas:

– Product innovation, with the development of new financial offerings

– Improvement of existing solutions, focused on operational performance

– IT and technical projects, including infrastructures and cybersecurity

– Transformation initiatives, related to processes and organization

– Network expansion, to maintain strong local proximity

This distribution highlights a key strength of the Advans model: innovation is not limited to products, it is embedded across all operations and business functions.

Transformation Projects Driving Impact

Several flagship initiatives illustrate how Advans leverages technology and innovation to enhance its impact.

The Lending Boost program is a strategic initiative aimed at facilitating access to small loans for micro and small business (SME) clients. By simplifying the credit approval process and automating key analyses, it improves agility and enables faster responses to the needs of entrepreneurs, aligned with automated renewal processes for certain client segments.

Its first component, Micro Express, will significantly improve operational efficiency for Advans teams while delivering a better customer experience.

On the infrastructure side, the Fortinet project, to be deployed in all countries by 2026, aims to modernize and secure the company’s network. Supported by partner FOLIATEM, a security system known as a “firewall” is installed at each site to control access to services. In practice, all connections pass through this system, which authorizes or blocks usage. The entire setup is centrally managed, strengthening cybersecurity and ensuring a more reliable network across the group.

Advans is also developing financial solutions tailored to specific segments. Several initiatives focus on women entrepreneurs, including the Lady Boost project in Cameroon, as well as dedicated offerings in the Democratic Republic of Congo with Femyna, and in Ghana. These projects aim to enhance financial inclusion and support women’s economic empowerment.

Combining Technology with Proximity 

What characterizes Advans’ approach is its ability to combine technological transformation with a deep understanding of customer needs.

Technology is used as a lever to improve service quality, increase accessibility, and optimize customer relationships, while maintaining strong local presence through its branch network.

By investing in technology, innovation, and talent, Advans continues to evolve its model to provide responsible and accessible financial services to a broader population across Africa.

To learn more about the group’s digital innovations, discover the article dedicated to the Staff App. Designed for client relationship officers, it enables fast and efficient collection of customer data directly in the field during business visits.