Banks in Chad

The Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) provides the regional framework for banking in Chad. BEAC is the central bank and oversees payment systems, while COBAC supervises banks and regulated payment institutions prudentially. The Ministère des Finances, du Budget, de l'Économie, du Plan et de la Coopération Internationale is the national authority. GIMAC supports interbank payment services, and FOGADAC provides deposit protection for eligible deposits held with COBAC-supervised banks in CEMAC. Deposit protection does not automatically cover every claim, and limits and exclusions apply. Banks reported by BEAC for the third quarter of 2025 include BSIC Tchad, Commercial Bank Tchad, Coris Bank International Tchad, Ecobank Tchad, Orabank Tchad, UBA Tchad, Banque Commerciale du Chari, Banque de l'Habitat du Tchad, Attijari bank Tchad and Banque Agricole et Commerciale. Most are universal banks. Banque de l'Habitat du Tchad focuses on housing finance, while Banque Agricole et Commerciale serves agricultural and commercial financing needs. The list should be checked against current licensing information because a complete current national list is not always published locally. A current account or cheque account supports payments, withdrawals and, where agreed, an overdraft. A savings account holds liquid savings. A dépôt à terme, or DAT, locks money for a contractually agreed amount and period with an agreed interest rate. Joint, indivisible, business and institutional accounts have different signing and access arrangements. Account charges, minimum balances and interest depend on the bank's tariff and account contract; there is no general rule that every account is free. A natural or legal person domiciled in CEMAC who does not have a deposit account can invoke the right to an account by choosing a qualifying institution. The bank must provide a written refusal, although it does not generally have to state a reason. The right can also apply when a person is subject to a banking or judicial prohibition. A written account agreement is required. Banks normally verify identity and address using a valid official identity document with a photograph and signature. A legal entity may need its articles of association, RCCM registration, NIF, information on authorised signatories and beneficial-owner information. Local bank requirements can add documents: Attijari bank Tchad gives examples such as a national identity card or passport, proof of income and a residence plan, while Orabank Tchad lists two photographs, identity documents and proof of residence. A foreign-currency account may require identity and address evidence, proof of the source of foreign currency and, where relevant, proof of non-resident status. Opening a foreign-currency account must be reported within 30 days under BEAC rules. Payments can use cash, cheques, bank transfers, cards or mobile money. SYGMA processes large-value transfers that become final and irreversible when the required cover is available. SYSTAC handles mass retail clearing. CIP records account, payment-instrument and payment incidents, including matters that can lead to a cheque ban. GIMACPAY supports card, mobile and transfer services, including mobile-to-mobile transfers, mobile-to-bank and bank-to-mobile transfers, merchant payments, code-based cash withdrawals and international incoming transfers. A business may provide payment services commercially only with the required authorisation; unlicensed providers are prohibited. International transfers follow CEMAC foreign-exchange rules. Banks may issue debit, prepaid and, depending on the institution, international cards. Cards can support point-of-sale payments, online or telephone payments, ATM withdrawals and balance or transaction checks. Availability, network coverage, limits and fees depend on the contract and bank. Mobile money is a formal payment account under the CEMAC framework and is not the same as a bank deposit. Since 1 January 2024, a SIM identified with a national identification number can trigger automatic mobile-money account opening under Chad's finance rules. Merchants must make mobile-money payment availability visible, and a 0.1% transfer or withdrawal levy applies under the cited rules. In 2025, electronic payment of taxes, duties and charges through bank or mobile platforms became obligatory under the Ministry of Finance's stated system. Financial inclusion data for 2024 indicated that about 21% of adults had a bank or mobile-money account, making mobile money a major access channel. Banks also provide applications, internet banking and USSD services, depending on the institution. Outside N'Djaména, branch and ATM availability depends strongly on the bank and region. Banks must publish effective interest rates, banking conditions and service prices under CEMAC Regulation 04/19. Service procedures therefore differ by provider. For example, Orabank Tchad states that a complete application can be handled the same day, written confirmation can follow within 48 hours, counter service is targeted at a maximum of 30 minutes and remote or ATM services are available around the clock except during maintenance or when an ATM is empty. Complaints should first be sent to the relevant bank; a central banking ombudsman was not established in the reviewed sources. Banks apply customer identification and anti-money-laundering controls. COBAC rules address internal control, information-technology risk, liquidity and business continuity, while BEAC monitors payment security and availability. Customers should keep identity and account details current, protect their PIN and one-time passwords, check receipts and statements, and report an unauthorised transaction to the bank immediately. Banking services and financing are distinct from investment advice and debt advice; those questions require a separate assessment of the service being sought.