Afriland First Bank, Cameroon’s largest lender founded by businessman Paul Fokam, held CFA523.12 billion ($897.56 million) in investment securities and securities received under repurchase agreements or purchased outright at the end of August 2026, equivalent to 62.8% of its CFA833.22billion ($1.43 billion) customer loan portfolio.

According to the bank’s monthly statement as of August 31, 2026, total assets stood at CFA2.58 trillion ($4.43 billion), with customer loans accounting for 32.3% of the balance sheet and investment securities representing 20.3%.

Securities and interbank assets hit $1.3 billion

The bank’s loan portfolio comprised CFA457.68 billion ($785.34 million) in short-term lending, representing 54.9% of total customer loans, while medium- term loans stood at CFA375.53billion ($644.38 million). Afriland First Bank also reported CFA232.33 billion ($398.66 million) in interbank operations, comprising CFA110.34 billion ($189.32 million) in term transactions and CFA121.99 billion ($209.31 million) in demand transactions.

Combined with investment securities, interbank operations brought the value of assets recorded across the two categories to CFA755.45 billion ($1.3 billion), equivalent to about 90.7% of customer loans. The figures show the weight of securities and interbank assets relative to direct customer financing, although they do not indicate whether the bank has recently shifted capital away from lending.

Customer deposits reach CFA1.57 trillion

On the funding side, Afriland First Bank reported customer credit balances of CFA1.02 trillion ($1.75 billion), largely comprising CFA938.58 billion ($1.61 billion) in demand deposits. Term deposits stood at CFA81.53 billion ($139.89 million), while passbook savings accounts amounted to CFA549.7 billion ($943.16 million). Together, customer credit balances and savings deposits reached CFA1.57 trillion ($2.69 billion), representing roughly 60.9% of the bank’s total assets. The lender also reported CFA269.74 billion ($462.78 million) in certificates of deposit.

Capital base remains smaller than customer funding

Founded in 1987 by Paul Fokam, Afriland First Bank has grown into one of the region’s leading financial institutions, operating 87 branches, 218 ATMs, and 386 electronic payment terminals across Cameroon, serving more than 705,000 customers. It continues to expand with a footprint in nine African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia.

Afriland First Bank’s share capital stood at CFA50 billion ($85.78 million), while reserves and retained earnings amounted to CFA112.66 billion ($193.29 million). Participating and bond debt stood at CFA66.85 billion ($114.69 million) at the reporting date.

The August statement provides a snapshot of Afriland First Bank’s balance sheet, but does not establish a recent trend in lending, securities investment or deposit mobilisation. Determining whether these positions have increased or declined would require comparable figures from an earlier monthly statement or the bank’s 2025 financial results.