Vers un système financier de type mixte dans l'UEMOA ?

Since Independence, formal banking institutions in West Africa have been unable to reach the majority of micro and small entrepreneurs, as well as the household sector. In addition, many of them have suffered financial troubles or failed. At the same time, cooperative savings and credit networks have emerged and developed at a rapid pace. The implementation of a new kind of financial structure with the banking sector serving the big enterprises and the mutual networks serving the micro and small businesses, resulting in a better use of domestic saving, could therefore be expected. Unfortunately, the cooperative networks are experiencing increasing difficulties as they increase in size and this scheme is now put into question. Two well-known institutions, Kafo Jiginew in Mali and FECECAM in Benin are analysed to understand the problem.