It consists of:

• regulated institutions (banks and financial institutions),
• microfinance institutions (MFIs).

These rates:

• are approved by the Central Bank,
• cannot be amended by the BIC itself,
• may be reviewed annually by the BEAC,
• must be published on the BIC’s website,
• and communicated via a widely circulated newspaper within the CEMAC zone as well as through the BIC CEMAC’s regional offices.

Understanding priced products

The BIC CEMAC offers two core products:

• Credit report with score
• The score report on its own

In the current price list:

• Only the credit report with a score is charged for;
• the score report alone is not charged for separately, as it is included in the full credit report.

In practice, the product for which a fee is actually charged is therefore: the credit report with a credit score.

The structure of the package: the annual fee

Each institution – whether a bank, financial institution or MFI – pays an annual fee, the amount of which depends on its category:

• Regulated institutions (banks and financial institutions) pay a higher annual flat-rate fee,
• MFIs benefit from a reduced fee to take account of their size and
• their social role.

What this annual fee covers. This fee entitles you to:

• 12,000 annual credit report enquiries including credit scores,
• equivalent to 1,000 enquiries per month (approximate),
• access to BIC platforms,
• technical support,
• changes required by regulations,
• and the continuous provision of data.

Use cases – Understanding the package

If an MFI accesses 8,400 reports in a year, it remains entirely within
its package: no additional charges.

If a bank accesses 15,000 reports, it exceeds its limit by 3,000 reports: it will pay 3,000 × the unit price of a credit report with a score.

Beyond the package: consultations not included in the package

Once the 12,000 consultations included in the annual fee have been used up, each additional consultation is charged on a per-consultation basis, at the following rates:

• Regulated institutions: 984 CFA francs per report
• Microfinance institutions: 394 CFA francs per report

Use case – Exceeding the budget during the year

An MFI exceeds its quota as early as June.
In September (third-quarter invoice), it will receive:

• the quarterly subscription invoice,
• an adjustment invoice covering consultations not included in the package since June.

A bank exceeds its quota in November. When the final quarterly statement is issued, it will receive:

• the final instalment of the licence fee,
• a final adjustment invoice for the total amount of the overrun.

How are institutions billed?

Billing is designed to be simple and predictable, whilst allowing for
regular monitoring of usage levels.

Facturation trimestrielle (mode privilégié)

Although the fee is payable annually, it is invoiced on a quarterly basis in order to
facilitate:

• budget monitoring,
• commitment management,
• internal control.

Thus, every quarter, the institution receives:

• ¼ of the annual fee,
• an adjustment invoice, only if the annual threshold of 12,000 visits has been exceeded at this stage.

Possible alternative methods

At the request of the institutions, invoicing may also be:

• half-yearly,
• twice-monthly,
• or monthly.

However, the recommended model remains the quarterly model, in line with
current practice in the region.

How to pay?

Payment is made upon presentation of the invoice, using the methods specified in the regulations:

• bank transfer to the BIC CEMAC account,
• or payment by cheque.

The payment terms applied are those in force within the CEMAC zone, which are generally:

• 15 days after receipt of the invoice,
• unless otherwise specified by certain institutions.

Operational summary – At a glance

Item: Description
Invoiced product: Credit report with score
Annual package: 12,000 reports per year
Contribution (data submission): Free of charge and mandatory
Invoicing: Quarterly (recommended)
Overage: Billed per unit at the applicable rate
Payment methods: Bank transfer or cheque
Payment terms: ~15 days after receipt of invoice

Conclusion

This pricing structure, regulated by the BEAC and applied uniformly by all
credit institutions within the CEMAC, ensures:

• regional harmonisation of practices,
• accessibility for MFIs,
• complete transparency,
• and budgetary predictability for all participating institutions.

It reflects a simple principle:

• Contributing data is free, but accessing the analyses incurs a charge,
• with a generous annual subscription package and a clear overage policy.