Société Générale has a strong presence and is very active in Africa. It benefits from a long history and extensive geographical coverage on the continent. The group has been present for 100 years, operating in 18 countries with a network of 1,000 branches.
More recently, Société Générale unveiled new ambitions and new directions on the continent. The group has launched a new initiative called "Grow with Africa."
Driven by the ambition to contribute collectively to Africa's sustainable development, the Société Générale group has chosen to launch this initiative, which incorporates the UN's Sustainable Development Goals on the continent around four main areas of development: infrastructure financing, financial inclusion, development of the agriculture and energy sectors, and finally, support for African SMEs.
In line with this last priority, Société Générale has decided to set up SME Houses in several West African countries. After Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Côte d'Ivoire, the group is now setting up a new structure dedicated to local SMEs in Douala, Cameroon. The SME Houses have been designed to support the development of small and medium-sized African businesses through a platform for exchange, advice, financing, and support to promote entrepreneurship on the continent.