(Business in Cameroon) - Célestin Guéla Simo, with his background in architectural engineering, rose to the helm of Afriland First Bank following a board meeting in Yaoundé on December 15, 2021. This appointment came after years of unofficially overseeing the bank’s operations, taking over from Alphonse Nafack who had led this predominantly Cameroonian-capital credit institution for nine years.

Since stepping into his new role, Simo has been unwavering in his efforts to strengthen the bank’s leadership position, a task accomplished over the years amidst competition with subsidiaries of foreign multinationals. In 2022, Afriland First Bank secured the 13th spot among Cameroon’s top 15 highest-grossing companies, making it the fifth Cameroonian company on this list, as published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). It holds the second position in the private sector, coming in just behind the fishmonger Congelcam. In 2023, the bank extended loans totaling XAF1,643 billion, marking a substantial 62% increase from the previous year, thereby reinforcing its role as the primary financier of the Cameroonian economy.