The Bceao published its Report on the conditions of banks in the WAEMU in 2018. According to this document of
the Bceao consulted by the Journal of the Senegalese economy (Lejecos), the workforce of the banking network of
WAEMU increased by one unit compared to the end of December 2017, to stand at 127 banks at the end of
December 2018.
This situation reflects the installation of two new banks in Burkina and Mali and the closure of a
banking establishment in Benin. As for financial institutions, their workforce remained unchanged at 18
units.
As for the activity of the Union's banking system, in 2018, it was marked by a more
resources (+9.1%) than uses (7.0%), leading to a reduction in the structural deficit of
cash which stood at 3,042.2 billion at the end of 2018. “The uses of the banking system increased by
2,134.9 billion to settle at 32,660.2 billion at the end of 2018.
This increase is the result of an increase in loans (+1,837.9 billion or +9.7%) and other uses
(+297.1 billion or +2.6%).
As for banking resources, they increased by 2,465.6 billion to stand at 29,617.9 billion at
end of December 2018, due to the increase in outstanding deposits and borrowings (1,939.3 billion or 8.6%)
as well as net equity (+529.8 billion or 19.9%)”, informs the issuing institute.
“The average level of liquidity offered to banks by the issuing institution within the framework of auctions
weeks amounted to 3,117.0 billion against 3,031.7 billion in 2017, an increase of 2.81%.
The weighted average rate of the said transactions rose from 3.60% in 2017 to 3.88% in
2018”, reveals the Bceao.
On the monthly auction window, the average amount of advances granted rose from 788.8
billion in 2017 to 710.7 billion in 2018, a decline of 9.9%.
The average interest rate on this market also increased, standing at 3.98% in 2018, against 3.90% in
2017. On the EU interbank market, the volume of transactions fell and rates rose.
Indeed, the average weekly volume of transactions across all maturities stood at 276.7
billion in 2018, against 294.5 billion the previous year, a decline of 6.4%. The average interest rate
stood at 5.16% in 2018 against 4.91% in 2017.