Question 1

What is ACEP Diourbel?

Accepted Answer

ACEP Diourbel (Alliance de Crédit et d'Epargne pour la Production Diourbel) is a regional credit union operating as part of the ACEP Senegal network. As one of 11 affiliated credit unions (mutuelles) within the UM-ACEP network, ACEP Diourbel serves the Diourbel region of Senegal.

This microfinance institution specializes in providing financial services to micro-entrepreneurs, small agricultural producers, and individuals traditionally excluded from formal banking circuits. ACEP Diourbel operates under a mutual savings and credit model, where members are both owners and beneficiaries of the institution.

Question 2

When was ACEP Diourbel founded?

Accepted Answer

ACEP Diourbel is part of the broader ACEP Senegal organization, which was originally established in 1986 as a USAID-funded project to combat food insecurity in Senegal's groundnut basin. The project began in Kaolack, capital of the groundnut-producing region.

In 1990, ACEP transferred its headquarters to Dakar and extended its network to four additional regions, including Diourbel. In 1994, the organization transformed from a project into a formal credit union structure and received official recognition as a Caisse Mutuelle d'Epargne et de Crédit (Mutual Savings and Credit Union).

ACEP Diourbel emerged as one of the regional credit unions within this network structure following this institutional transformation.

Question 3

Where is ACEP Diourbel headquartered?

Accepted Answer

ACEP Diourbel maintains its headquarters in the Marché Central (Central Market) area of Diourbel, in the Diourbel region of Senegal. The branch can be reached at +221 33 971 21 57.

While operating independently as a regional credit union, ACEP Diourbel is connected to the national ACEP Senegal network, whose headquarters is located on Avenue Bourguiba x Boulevard Dial Diop in Dakar.

Question 4

Where does ACEP Diourbel operate?

Accepted Answer

ACEP Diourbel operates primarily in the Diourbel region of Senegal, serving both urban and rural populations. The Diourbel region is centrally located in Senegal and forms part of the country's agricultural heartland.

The institution serves communities through its main branch in Diourbel city and participates in the broader ACEP network's reach across 14 regions of Senegal. Through the ACEP FEKKISILA program, the institution also maintains a network of proximity agents who reach remote areas to provide basic financial services where physical branches are not present.

Question 5

What services does ACEP Diourbel offer?

Accepted Answer

ACEP Diourbel provides a comprehensive range of microfinance services tailored to micro and small enterprises:

Credit Products: The institution offers TPE (Très Petite Entreprise) credit for loans under 15 million FCFA, designed specifically for micro-entrepreneurs and small businesses. It also provides agricultural loans with flexible repayment schedules adapted to farming cycles, SME financing packages, and market guarantees (caution de marché).

Savings Products: Members can access current accounts (compte courant) that include share capital, special savings accounts with interest rates up to 6% net of tax, term deposit accounts, and project savings plans including products like Yokku Ba Yeg Ko, Taxaw Temm, JëmKanam, and Terral.

Digital Services: ACEP Diourbel provides access to the SAMA ACEP mobile application, Bank-to-Wallet services compatible with Orange Money and Wave, SMS banking, transfer services via RIB, and USSD code access (#144#8123#).

Transfer Services: The institution partners with major money transfer operators including Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, SmallWorld, and Orange Money.

Additional Services: Members benefit from the VISA Koom-Koom prepaid card for ATM withdrawals and merchant payments, along with participation in government and partner-funded programs including DER-FJ, PADEF-EJ, PALAM, PROMISE, and AJESUD.

Question 6

What makes ACEP Diourbel unique?

Accepted Answer

ACEP Diourbel stands out through its cooperative ownership model where approximately 320,000 members across the ACEP network collectively own the institution. Profits are reinvested into capital rather than distributed to external shareholders, enabling continuous improvement of services.

The institution demonstrates exceptional commitment to rural financial inclusion through mobile credit officers equipped with off-road motorcycles who reach even the most remote communities. This geographical proximity model strengthens trust with populations unfamiliar with financial services.

ACEP Diourbel maintains strong support for agricultural value chains, financing all actors from small producers to processing industries. The flexible repayment schedules are specifically adapted to agricultural cycles, recognizing the seasonal nature of farming income.

Gender inclusion is a priority, with dedicated products for women entrepreneurs including simplified collateral requirements that accept any type of equipment regardless of value. The institution recently received €10 million financing from Proparco to increase women's lending from 30% to 45% of portfolio volume by 2026.

Question 7

What type of financial institution is ACEP Diourbel?

Accepted Answer

ACEP Diourbel is a Caisse Mutuelle d'Epargne et de Crédit (Mutual Savings and Credit Union), a decentralized financial system (système financier décentralisé or SFD) regulated under West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) microfinance regulations.

As an affiliated credit union within the UM-ACEP (Union des Mutuelles ACEP) network, it operates under the supervision of Senegal's Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). This structure allows ACEP Diourbel to maintain regional autonomy while benefiting from the technical coordination and support of the national ACEP Senegal headquarters.

The mutual structure means that clients become "sociétaires" (member-owners) upon opening accounts, giving them ownership rights and participation in governance through general assemblies and elected representatives in administrative and management bodies.

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About ACEP Diourbel in Senegal