Burkina Faso’s leading financier, Idrissa Nassa, has marked another milestone as Coris Bank International reported a $60 million profit for the first half of 2025. The performance strengthens Nassa’s position as one of West Africa’s most influential bankers and underscores the resilience of the bank he founded nearly two decades ago.
Coris Bank, headquartered in Ouagadougou, has steadily grown into a pan-African institution, with subsidiaries in Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Togo, Benin, and Niger. The H1 2025 profit signals both the strength of the group’s diversified portfolio and its ability to navigate economic volatility across the region. The result also affirms the vision of Nassa, who has consistently advocated for building homegrown financial institutions capable of competing on an international scale.
The $60 million profit reflects higher earnings from retail and corporate lending, improved cost efficiency, and a strong contribution from digital banking services. Analysts highlight the bank’s investment in technology as a key driver, enabling it to expand financial inclusion in markets where access to banking remains limited.
Nassa, who began his career as a trader before founding Coris Bank in 2008, has long positioned the institution as a vehicle for regional development. The bank’s model combines conventional banking with targeted financing for small and medium enterprises, which remain the backbone of West Africa’s economies. The latest results suggest that this strategy is not only sustainable but increasingly profitable.
Industry observers say Coris Bank’s performance also reflects a wider shift in West African banking. As international lenders retreat or scale back, indigenous banks are filling the gap. Coris, with its footprint in both Francophone and Anglophone markets, has become one of the few regional players capable of bridging diverse economies.
Nassa himself has become a symbol of this transformation. Frequently listed among Africa’s wealthiest businessmen, his reputation extends beyond finance. He is regarded in Burkina Faso as an advocate for economic self-reliance, using Coris as proof that African banks can thrive without leaning on foreign dominance.
The first half of 2025 results place Coris Bank on track for one of its strongest annual performances to date. If the momentum continues, the bank could surpass its record 2022 profits, cementing its status as a heavyweight in Francophone Africa’s financial sector. Investors are watching closely, as the bank’s steady profitability provides rare stability in a region where political and economic turbulence often disrupts markets.
For Burkina Faso, Nassa’s success offers a powerful counter-narrative. At a time when the country has faced security and governance challenges, Coris Bank’s achievements highlight the potential of domestic enterprise to drive growth. For West Africa at large, it is a reminder that banking innovation and profitability are not confined to Lagos or Johannesburg but can also flourish in Ouagadougou.
As Coris Bank moves into the second half of the year, attention will focus on whether Nassa can maintain the momentum while navigating inflationary pressures, regulatory changes, and currency fluctuations across its markets. Regardless, the first half of 2025 has already marked another chapter in the rise of a banker who has become one of the continent’s most compelling figures in finance.
