CEMAC Single Banking Licence Enforced from January 2025
From 1 January 2025, the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) ushered in a new phase of financial integration with the enforcement of the Single Banking Licence regime, known as agrément unique. The regime was adopted during the UMAC ministerial session in Libreville on 20 December 2024 and allows banks licensed in one CEMAC member state to establish branches in others without undergoing entirely new national licensing procedures.
This reform, embodied in Regulation No. 01/24/CEMAC/UMAC/COBAC, repeals the 2000 framework and introduces a modernised system intended to facilitate cross-border banking activity within the region, which comprises Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. According to the Governor of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), Yvon Sana Bangui, the measure strengthens the regional banking network and represents a decisive step toward deeper financial integration.
Although the single banking licence mechanism existed under earlier regulations, the 2025 reform significantly reshapes its scope and operation. Expansion is now limited to branches rather than subsidiaries, reflecting a more centralised approach to regulatory oversight. The authorisation process has also been streamlined: applications begin with the host country’s Ministry of Finance before being transmitted to the Central African Banking Commission (COBAC) for approval.
The reform further introduces transitional measures, granting banks operating under the previous framework a twelve-month window to comply with the new provisions. Governance requirements have equally been tightened, with each branch required to appoint at least two directors to guarantee effective management and accountability. These changes highlight the dual aim of the reform: easing cross-border market entry while ensuring sound supervisory standards.
