Bank of Sierra Leone and AFRACA examine digital and AI tools for rural and agricultural finance
The First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone met the AFRACA Secretariat in Nairobi on 16 September 2026, during the 2026 Annual Meetings of the Association of African Central Banks. The meeting fell on the day the Central Bank of Kenya held its inaugural AI Conference as part of its sixtieth anniversary week. Ms. Ngo B. Anny Caroll, Secretary General of the African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association, received the delegation at the Secretariat's offices at the CBK Institute of Monetary Studies.
The two sides exchanged views on digitalisation, new financial technologies, training for financial institutions, and access to finance for rural communities and businesses.
Where artificial intelligence can support agricultural lenders
The Secretary General's presentation asked which digital and AI-enabled tools can deepen rural and agricultural finance while keeping the use of data and technology responsible. It identified the areas where artificial intelligence can support an agricultural lender:
- Alternative credit assessment and cash-flow forecasting
- Risk assessment using transaction, weather and satellite data
- Fraud detection and customer support
- Financial products designed around individual customers
Safeguards
The presentation listed the conditions this requires: responsible AI, data governance, digital identity and consumer protection, alongside cybersecurity and responsible digital credit. For central banks, AFRACA offers a regional platform for sharing regulatory approaches and scalable digital and AI-enabled models of agricultural finance.
AFRACA's 2026 digital initiatives
AFRACA's 2026 initiatives include Digital Agri Finance and AI, a Mini Fintech Incubation programme, and a digital platform and mobile application for the association.
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 First Deputy Governor and the Bank of Sierra Leone delegation for their time and engagement during a full AACB week.
AFRACA connects more than 85 member institutions in 30 African countries.