Gap analysis and benchmarking of the suitability of leasing legal and operating environments in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)

Overview
Project Summary Document

TCRS 24551

Status TC Com approved

Location

Regional

Industry Sector

Financial Institutions

Notice Type

State

PSD Disclosed

25 Sep 2026

Project Description

Enquiries

Business opportunities

For business opportunities or procurement, contact the client company.

For business opportunities with EBRD (not related to procurement) contact:

Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

For state-sector projects, visit EBRD Procurement:

Tel: +44 20 7338 6794
Email: procurement@ebrd.com

General enquiries

Specific enquiries can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form.

TCRS 24551

Status TC Com approved

Location

Regional

Industry Sector

Financial Institutions

Notice Type

State

PSD Disclosed

25 Sep 2026

Project Description

Rationale

Access to capital remains one of the most significant constraints to private sector development across many SSA economies. Limited availability of long-term financing and underdeveloped capital markets slow down business growth and investment in the region. Despite the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (“SMEs”) as drivers of employment, productivity and economic development, financing gaps persist, particularly for SMEs requiring investment in equipment and productive assets. Traditional bank financing remains the predominant source of finance, but SMEs frequently face challenges in accessing credit from traditional institutions due to conservative lending requirements, limited credit information and perceived credit risk. Consequently, many viable businesses, such as those seeking to acquire equipment, vehicles or machinery to boost productivity, remain underserved by traditional lending channels.

The leasing sector can address many of these constraints and represents an important financing mechanism across a wide range of sectors. By focusing on the underlying asset rather than relying on traditional collateral, leasing enables businesses to access machinery, vehicles, equipment and technology that they would otherwise not be able to acquire, supporting growth and productivity.

Leasing can be particularly effective in supporting SMEs that may lack sufficient collateral or credit history to access traditional bank lending, thereby providing an alternative source of finance. Through capital investment and improved access to productive assets, leasing contributes to economic development and promotes a more inclusive and competitive market by reaching underserved companies.

Leasing has become a well-established part of the financial sector and an important alternative to traditional bank financing in a number of markets. However, leasing markets across SSA remain at varying stages of development and are often constrained by legal, regulatory and operational challenges. The Bank has a long track record of supporting non-bank financial institutions (“NBFIs”), including the leasing sector across its Countries of Operations (“COOs”) through a combination of direct investments and technical cooperation. More specifically, the Bank deploys around EUR 400-500 million of financing to NBFIs each year, of which a substantial amount is channelled to leasing companies, with active clients in more than 20 markets.

The proposed market assessment seeks to provide leasing market stakeholders (“Benficiary”) with a framework to benchmark the legal, regulatory and operating environments of EBRD’s SSA COOs against other relevant leasing markets, illustrating both successful reform experiences and common challenges. It will identify market constraints and reform opportunities affecting the capacity of leasing providers to serve SMEs, as well as measures that can strengthen market infrastructure, improve access to finance and support sustainable sector growth.

By providing recommendations on how to close the legal and operating gaps in the respective local leasing markets, the assignment will guide the leasing associations' advocacy and educational work both towards the legislator and towards the leasing companies. Ultimately, this will help the leasing companies expand their operations with the private sector (thereby reducing the reliance on state contracts) and finance a broader range of productive assets (beyond vehicles). Addressing the unmet demand for equipment leasing from the private sector will enable leasing companies to grow their on-balance sheet leasing operations and will therefore unlock investment opportunities for EBRD.

TC Services

TC Services shall include the delivery of a comprehensive assessment of the leasing sectors in the Target Countries of Operation [(1) Nigeria, (2) Kenya, (3) Côte d'Ivoire, (4) Benin and (5) Senegal] and a comparative benchmarking assessment against relevant Benchmark Countries at different stages of market development: Uganda, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Africa and the UK for common law Target Countries, and Kazakhstan, Mexico, Tunisia and France for civil law OHADA Target Countries.

The assignment will also cover Ghana once it becomes an EBRD Country of Operation, subject to project implementation timelines and relevant internal approvals. The TC shall include the following components:

• A gap analysis and recommendations for each of the Target Countries of Operation;
• A presentation of the gaps identified relative to more mature markets and recommendations to improve the efficiency and attractiveness of the leasing market in each of the Target Countries of Operation;
• A benchmarking assessment of the Target Countries of Operation against the Benchmark Countries;
• Capacity building workshop(s) in SSA (Kenya/Nigeria).

Procurement Enquiries

Any competitive selections for business opportunities relating to this project will be published on the EBRD's website: Consultancy Procurement Opportunities.

General enquiries

EBRD project enquiries not related to procurement:
Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

The AIP sets out how the EBRD discloses information and consults with its stakeholders so as to promote better awareness and understanding of its strategies, policies and operations following its entry into force on 1 January 2025. Please visit the Access to Information Policy page to find out what information is available from the EBRD website.

Specific requests for information can be made using the Information Request form.

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)

If efforts to address environmental, social or public disclosure concerns with the Client or the Bank are unsuccessful (e.g. through the Client’s Project-level grievance mechanism or through direct engagement with Bank management), individuals and organisations may seek to address their concerns through the EBRD’s Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM).

IPAM independently reviews Project issues that are believed to have caused (or to be likely to cause) harm. The purpose of the Mechanism is: to support dialogue between Project stakeholders to resolve environmental, social and public disclosure issues; to determine whether the Bank has complied with its Environmental and Social Policy 2024 or Project-specific provisions of its Access to Information Policy; and where applicable, to address any existing non-compliance with these policies, while preventing future non-compliance by the Bank.

Please visit the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism page to find out more about IPAM and its mandate; how to submit a Request for review; or contact IPAM via email ipam@ebrd.com to get guidance and more information on IPAM and how to submit a request.

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Gap analysis and benchmarking of the suitability of leasing legal and operating environments in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)

Project Description

Enquiries

Business opportunities

General enquiries

Project Description

Procurement Enquiries

General enquiries

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)