Banco Central de São Tomé e Príncipe and AFRACA discuss the blue economy, collateral registries, credit and guarantees
The Banco Central de São Tomé e Príncipe met the AFRACA Secretariat in Nairobi on 18 September 2026, the closing day of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the Association of African Central Banks, hosted by the Central Bank of Kenya during its sixtieth anniversary week. Ms. Ngo B. Anny Caroll, Secretary General of the African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association, received the Governor and delegation at the Secretariat's offices at the CBK Institute of Monetary Studies.
The discussion covered financial inclusion, knowledge exchange, and access to finance for rural and productive sectors. The Governor's interest centred on the blue economy, the research on collateral registries, access to credit and the Agricultural Guarantee Scheme.
The blue economy
AFRACA's blue economy focus area facilitates access to blue finance, knowledge and partnerships to develop sustainable activities related to aquatic resources.
Collateral registry research
The Secretary General presented AFRACA's planned research on movable collateral registries. Collateral constraints remain a major barrier for farmers, SMEs and rural enterprises that lack land or other conventional security. The research will compare the status, use and effectiveness of registries across African markets, covering:
- Legal frameworks and enforcement
- Registration costs and eligible asset types
- Lender awareness
- Actual impact on lending
The findings are intended to support policy recommendations, peer learning and practical improvements in agricultural and SME finance.
Credit lines and capital mobilisation
Under the Strategic Plan 2026 to 2030, capital mobilisation, financing and fund creation is one of AFRACA's two lines of work: credit lines, financing partnerships, guarantees and investment opportunities for members. AFRACA mobilises and channels wholesale credit lines from development partners, among them BOAD, EBID, AFD and AfDB, to member financial institutions, and the proposed AFRACA Rural and Agricultural Fund would add a pan-African mechanism for the same purpose.
The Agricultural Guarantee Scheme
Guarantees absorb part of the credit risk, so that lenders can finance viable agricultural borrowers who lack conventional security. Potential target groups include smallholder farmers, agricultural SMEs, youth and women, and value chain enterprises and climate-smart investments. A scheme builds on the national guarantee mechanisms a country already has; AFRACA's role is to facilitate dialogue among the central bank, development banks, guarantee institutions, commercial lenders and development partners, and to identify where regional partnership or scale would add value. The Agricultural Guarantee Mechanism is among AFRACA's 2026 initiatives.
Follow-up
The meeting closed on the four steps proposed to each central bank: a focal point at the bank; one priority where collaboration can begin; the national institutions to connect with AFRACA; and a practical next step.
AFRACA thanks the Governor and the Banco Central de São Tomé e Príncipe delegation for their time and engagement during the Annual Meetings.
AFRACA works through six sub-regional divisions and more than 85 member institutions in 30 African countries.