Alios Finance Cameroon loses market lead one year after Ivorian businessman Serge-Aimé Bilé’s takeover

Alios Finance has lost its leadership position in Cameroon’s credit market, marking a sharp reversal one year after its acquisition by Credaf Group, controlled by Ivorian businessman Serge-Aimé Bilé.

According to data from the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), Société Camerounaise d’Équipement (SCE) now leads the financial institutions segment with a 41.05% market share, while Alios Finance has dropped to 25.83%.

The shift represents a major reshuffle among non-bank lenders in Central Africa, despite commercial banks accounting for 99.65% of total lending activity in the first quarter of 2026.

SCE gains ground in Cameroon market

SCE’s rise has been significant. The lender’s market share more than doubled from 19.26% in March 2025 to 41.05% in March 2026, reflecting strong growth in equipment financing and leasing services.

Founded in 1963 as a state-backed institution, SCE has evolved into a diversified lender offering consumer credit, SME financing, and leasing solutions across Cameroon.

Alios Finance market share declines sharply

Alios Finance, previously the dominant player in the segment, recorded a steep decline. Its market share fell from 41.27% a year earlier to 25.83%. The decline comes roughly one year after Credaf Group completed its acquisition of Alios Finance subsidiaries across Central and West Africa, including Cameroon, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Senegal.

Before expanding into finance through Credaf’s acquisition of Alios Finance, a leading African leasing firm with operations across West and Central Africa, Serge-Aimé Bilé built his reputation in the precast concrete industry.

A trained engineer, Bilé began his career with multinational industrial companies in Côte d’Ivoire before making his first major acquisition in late 2012: SIBM, a long-established Ivorian manufacturer of precast concrete structures for construction, roads, and electrification. He subsequently led an ambitious modernization drive, including the development of the WAEMU region’s largest precast concrete plant.

Under his leadership, SIBM’s revenue grew nearly sevenfold between 2013 and 2020, rising from about CFA 3 billion to more than CFA 20 billion, cementing its leadership position in Côte d’Ivoire and across the sub-region’s highly competitive market.

Credaf acquisition and transition impact

Credaf had outlined plans to build a pan-African financing group centered on leasing, alongside expanding digital services and strengthening partnerships.

However, the BEAC report does not specify the reasons behind the leadership change. The timing suggests the company may be undergoing a transition phase that has temporarily affected lending activity.

Cameroon credit market dynamics shift

While banks continue to dominate overall lending, the non-bank segment is becoming more competitive. Crédit Foncier du Cameroun holds a 21% market share, further intensifying competition.

The latest data underscores how quickly market leadership can shift in Cameroon’s evolving financial sector, particularly during periods of ownership change and strategic realignment.