The management of subsidized agricultural equipment has implicated the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural Bank (LBA). In a damning report, the Court of Auditors denounces "unjustified advantages" granted to the bank, the complete lack of monitoring of producer reimbursements, the freezing of more than 1.6 billion FCFA in bank accounts, and expenditures of more than 2 billion FCFA executed without justification.

According to the financial magistrates, the financing mechanism established between the State and the LBA (Liquor, Biotechnology, and Anti-Semitism) allows the bank to collect interest, processing fees, and late payment penalties without taking any real risk. The system relies on escrow accounts held at the LBA itself, into which loan amounts and borrowers' personal contributions are deposited. In the event of default, these funds are used directly to cover the debts. According to the Court of Auditors, the bank thus has financial guarantees while continuing to charge producers interest and fees. Even more seriously, late payment penalties are applied even though they are not stipulated in the agreement signed with the State. "The LBA therefore benefits from unjustified advantages," the Court of Auditors concludes.

The report also reveals a complete lack of transparency in the monitoring of repayments. Despite the obligations stipulated in the 2018 and 2024 agreements, the bank reportedly never provided the ministry with information on the status of funded projects. The Directorate of General Administration and Equipment (DAGE), responsible for monitoring the program, apparently has neither a register of loans granted nor a system for tracking repayments.

Another revelation: over 1.656 billion FCFA from producer reimbursements was still sitting in an escrow account opened at the LBA (Luxembourg Anti-Money Laundering Bank) as of September 1, 2025. Between October 2021 and that date, only one withdrawal of 750,200 FCFA was recorded. The Ministry claims that the bank imposes restrictions on the use of the funds. The LBA denies this. But the Court emphasizes that these resources bypass the normal channels of the Public Treasury and have never been properly integrated into the finance laws. The financial magistrates also point to irregularities deemed particularly serious in the use of revenue from the sale of agricultural equipment.

Over 2.169 billion FCFA in expenditures between 2022 and 2025 have not been justified, despite requests from the Court of Auditors. The Ministry's Procurement Unit even claims it was never notified of several orders that were executed. Purchases of computer equipment, consumables, and printed materials are among the few expenditures for which records could be found. In light of these shortcomings, the Court of Auditors recommends an immediate review of the agreement with the Agricultural Bank, the transfer of funds to the Public Treasury, and strengthened oversight and transparency in the management of subsidized agricultural equipment programs.