At launch of GIMAC Card, honour of staff: SW governor hails Ntarinkon Credit Union’s giant role in financial inclusion.

This was during a twin event in Buea, which also featured the award of Labour Medals to mertitorious staff of the institution. The ceremony, held at the NtaCCUL Mile 17 Buea branch, was presided over by the Governor of the South West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai. 

The event witnessed a large turnout of government officials, members of NtaCCUL, and partners, to celebrate the strides made by one the leading microfinance institutions in CEMAC. 

The Coard chair of the institution, Barrister Miranda Bih, described the event as a living proof of NtaCCUL’s evolution from a small ‘njangi’ group to Cameroon’s leading microfinance institution.

"Human capital is the greatest resource"

In his address, Governor Okalia Bilai said he was honoured to preside over both the inauguration of the GIMAC Card service and the recognition of meritorious workers. The Governor commended NtaCCUL’s management for rewarding staff, noting that performance “cannot be achieved without devoted personnel who make an effort on a daily basis”.   

Addressing the management of NtaCCUL, he said it was reassuring to observe the positive spirit amongst the staff, stressing that the competence and performance of human resources was the greatest asset capable of producing performance and transforming investments into positive results. 

He linked NtaCCUL’s growth to government policy, stating: “The Government of Cameroon considers the finance sector as a top priority, which is why it has been constantly opening up the sector for competition, to ensure the creation of more jobs and to fight poverty at all levels of the society”. 

In this light, Governor Okalia Bilai described NtaCCUL as “a living example of private institutions that have taken advantage of this government policy, citing its collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, to increase agricultural output and improve the wellbeing of Cameroonians. 

He highlighted NtaCCUL’s rapid growth, reflected in the number of branches spread across the nation, number of members and active accounts, modern infrastructures, mobile App services, visa card services and the GIMAC card service, which is an inter-operable regional debit or prepaid bank card issued by financial institutions across the CEMAC zone.

While congratulating NtaCCUL for the innovation, he urged management to continue to protect the savings of members and clients, insisting that “savings remain a key source of income for our development”, reassuring the institution of the government's support. 

Board Chair celebrates growth from five members in 1972 to 120,000 today

Speaking earlier in her welcome remarks, Barrister Miranda Bih, the Board chair of NtaCCUL, said the institution had achieved much from its humble beginnings with just five members in 1972 to its present status as a microfinance institution with over 120,000 members. 

The institution, she said, now holds savings of over 66 billion FCFA and disburses over 52 billion FCFA in loans annually with 18 branches across seven of Cameroon’s 10 Regions. She traced NtaCCUL’s digital journey, noting that in 2018 the institution introduced the Visa Card, a mobile app, and a USSD platform for members without internet.  

GIMAC Card gateway to convenience, security… 

“Today is a historic event for us... This GIMAC Card represents much more than a payment instrument. It is a gateway to convenience, security, innovation, and opportunity. It enables our members to withdraw cash, make purchases, pay for services electronically, and access funds with greater ease across Cameroon through the GIMAC network," she explained.

Addressing staff of the institution, she urged them not to rest on their laurels, but to continue working hard to take NtaCCUL to the zenith. She also announced a promotion for account opening and reminded the public that “NtaCCUL is the only microfinance institution that offers 6% interest on savings”. 

Barrister Bih said the launch of the GIMAC card reflects NtaCCUL’s commitment to embracing digital technology, while remaining faithful to the cooperative principles upon which NtaCCUL has been built for over 54 years. 

“We are demonstrating that cooperative institutions can lead in innovation, while remaining deeply rooted in community values. NtaCCUL places special interest in women in the villages, ‘buyam sellams’ and all business persons," she said. 

Enter NtaCCUL General Manager 

Speaking to journalists, the General Manager, Divine Ade Muma, said the GIMAC Card was created to solve the challenge of long queues at the counter. 

“We have had challenges serving our members at the counter. So, to address that, we first introduced a mobile app. We also introduced a USSD platform, so that members in areas without internet access can still be served,” he disclosed.

Addressing security concerns, Ade Muma stressed that accounts attached to the GIMAC card were secured such that even if the card gets lost, it cannot be used by anyone else. He added that management is “working on making the card usable in foreign countries” as part of NtaCCUL’s international expansion plans. 

With the GIMAC Card now operational, NtaCCUL says it is positioning itself to better serve its growing membership and contribute to Cameroon’s digital and financial inclusion agenda.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3848 of Wednesday July 15, 2026