(Togo First) - From August 15 to 17, Kpalimé in southwestern Togo hosted Weekend Loft – Special Edition Credit Risk & AI. This third edition brought finance professionals, bankers, and risk management experts from several African countries. They aimed to find new ways to improve credit prevention and monitoring in a fast-changing banking environment.

A tense regional context

The choice of topic reflected real urgency. Across the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), the quality of credit portfolios worries regulators. Non-performing loans keep rising. Meanwhile, traditional credit tools — payslips, land titles, banking history — show their limits in predicting risk.

In Togo, banks maintain a solvency ratio of 12.2%, which seems stable. But the IMF flags several institutions as fragile and falling short of regulatory standards. As a result, banks grant credit cautiously, limiting finance access for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Weekend Loft emerged to address these challenges, backed by AMRAT (Association for Risk Management and Insurance of Togo).

Three days of intensive exchanges

The program featured four thematic sessions plus a collaborative workshop. It immersed participants in cutting-edge risk management tools.

On day one, experts mapped credit risk focusing on bank loans. They urged anticipation of high-risk areas and closer attention to early warning signs. That afternoon, a session on proactive credit management used case studies to show how banks can shift from reacting to problems toward structured anticipation.

Day two explored technology. A presentation on conversational agents showed how AI can track customer behavior, automate reminders, and detect subtle risk signals. Khalid Kezire, Chief Digital Officer of Bank of Africa Togo, then detailed how data from transactions, customer habits, and digital activity — including mobile money use, bill payments, and online behavior — can complement traditional scoring. This approach helps include often overlooked groups like young entrepreneurs, rural women, and informal workers.

The day ended with a collective intelligence workshop. Mixed groups brainstormed the “credit risk management system of tomorrow.” Ideas included predictive dashboards combining alternative data and regional platforms for sharing creditworthiness information.

Day three lightened the mood with a cultural visit to Château Viale and the Kpalimé waterfalls, blending inspiration with informal networking.

Experts at the helm

Khalid Yacoubou-Boukari, a certified risk management expert trained at HEC Paris and COFEB, led the event. Known for his clear teaching style, he stressed early detection and structured recovery. “The earlier a problem is identified, the easier it is to solve,” he said, highlighting a core principle of proactive credit management.

Participants hailed from Togo, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, and other countries. Their shared expertise helped compare strategies and identify common hurdles: data reliability, staff training, regulatory adaptation.

Between caution and innovation

Participants welcomed AI but acknowledged its boundaries. AI needs solid databases and strict governance. It cannot replace fundamental client selection criteria or regular credit monitoring.

Organizers urged a balance. Banks must combine classic methods — strict loan approvals, collateral checks, disciplined recovery — with digital tools to build a more resilient and inclusive system.

Khalid Yacoubou-Boukari concluded, “Beyond technical sessions, Weekend Loft created a space for informal exchanges and networking. This anchors reflection in a less institutional setting than traditional seminars.”

For attendees, the 2025 edition marked a milestone. In a region where credit risk management is now strategic, Kpalimé became the venue for a shared roadmap — blending regulatory caution with digital innovation.