Table of Contents
Vista Group, the financial services company under American-Burkinabe banker Simon Tiemtoré’s Lilium Capital, has signed two financing agreements worth a combined $34.8 million with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to expand access to credit for small and mid-sized businesses in Guinea and Sierra Leone.
The deals include €20 million ($23.2 million) for Vista Gui and €10 million ($11.6 million) for Vista Bank Sierra Leone. The funding, backed by the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+), is aimed at widening access to credit for small businesses and mid-sized firms.
The signing took place in Washington, attended by Tiemtoré, EIB Vice President Ambroise Fayolle, and Marjeta Jager, deputy director-general at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships.
Support for women, youth, and agriculture
Under the plan, at least 70 percent of the financing will go toward agricultural value chains, while 30 percent will support women-led or women-serving businesses in line with the 2X Challenge criteria. Half of the total loans will target youth-led or youth-inclusive enterprises.
The initiative supports the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy and complements two Team Europe programs — the Green and Blue Economy in Guinea and the Green Pact in Sierra Leone. In Guinea, Vista Gui will participate in the TRANSFORM program, which helps 100 high-potential agribusinesses increase productivity and access financing.
In Sierra Leone, the Salone Access to Finance program will launch a grant facility to encourage agricultural lending to micro and small businesses, including those served by Vista Bank.
Building sustainable banking capacity
A technical assistance component will help strengthen the banks’ agricultural lending capabilities and promote gender-responsive financial products. It will also align their environmental and social practices with EIB sustainability standards and introduce local enterprises to EU-aligned sustainability certifications.
Vista Group Chairman Simon Tiemtoré said the partnership represents a “major step forward” in the group’s goal to empower African entrepreneurs, especially those in agriculture. “With support from the EIB and the EU, we can expand access to long-term financing that creates jobs and strengthens communities,” he said.
EIB Vice President Ambroise Fayolle added that the collaboration will help local lenders extend financing to farmers and small businesses. “This is about creating opportunities where they’re most needed,” he said.
Vista’s expansion across Africa and Europe
Vista, a subsidiary of Lilium Group LLC, offers loans, insurance, payments, trade finance, and tailored products for small businesses and women entrepreneurs.
Tiemtoré, who founded Lithium has become a leading figure in African finance, previously held senior roles at Afreximbank, Morgan Stanley, PwC, and Skadden Arps, has over 18 years of experience in global finance.
Since taking control of Vista in 2015, Tiemtoré has led several acquisitions, including Société Générale Burkina Faso in July. Early this year the group also received approval from France’s ACPR to launch Vista Bank France, connecting African businesses with European trade and capital markets.
