Author: Albert Savana

The Cameroonian banking sector is in turmoil. In a confidential letter addressed to the Minister of Finance, a copy of which Financial Afrik obtained, the Central African Banking Commission (COBAC) sounds the alarm on the “high risks of crisis” caused by the actions of the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations du Cameroun (CDEC). According to...

The Bank of Africa (BOA) Mali, a member of the Moroccan banking group BMCE Bank, significantly increased its profit at the end of the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, announced the leaders of this banking institution based in Bamako. Based on the activity report for the third quarter of...

The profit of Bank Of Africa (BOA) Burkina Faso, a subsidiary of the Moroccan banking group BMCE Bank, recorded a 28% decrease at the end of the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, announced the leaders of this banking institution based in Ouagadougou. According to the activity report established by...

The profit of the International Bank for Trade and Industry of Ivory Coast (BICICI), controlled 67.49% by the consortium National Investment Bank (BNI), National Social Security Fund (CNPS), General Retirement Fund for State Employees (IPS-CGRAE) and Deposits and Consignments Fund of Ivory Coast (CDC-CI), recorded a significant increase of 51% in the third quarter of...

At the end of the first half of 2025, the after-tax profit of TotalEnergies Marketing Senegal, a subsidiary of the multinational TotalEnergies, decreased by 20% compared to the same period in 2024, announced the leaders of this company based in Dakar. This profit amounted to 3.058 billion CFA francs (5.504 million dollars) compared to 3.840...

At the end of a simultaneous auction of Treasury Bills (BAT) with a maturity of 364 days and Treasury Bonds (OAT) with maturities of 3, 5, and 7 years conducted on November 5, 2025, the Burkinabe Public Treasury raised an amount of 32.999 billion CFA francs (59.398 million dollars) on the West African Monetary Union...

“The profit of Bank Of Africa (BOA) Benin, a subsidiary of the BMCE Bank group, recorded a slight increase of 0.75% at the end of the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, announced the leaders of this banking institution based in Cotonou. According to the activity report established by the...

The State of Guinea-Bissau, through its Public Treasury, raised on November 3, 2025, on the financial market of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), an amount of 15 billion CFA francs (27 million dollars) through a simultaneous auction of Treasury Bills (BAT) with a maturity of 351 days and Treasury Bonds (OAT) with...

For nearly thirty years, Pankaj Oswal has embodied a true symbol of perseverance and tenacity: an entrepreneur who has built a multi-billion dollar empire from scratch, covering the mining, energy, and industry sectors across three continents. Today, this industrialist proud of his Indian origins is passing on this legacy to his daughters, Vasundhara and Riddhi Oswal, as the family opens a new chapter in its history dedicated to the energy transition of the African continent. The Bet on Africa’s Untapped Potential Pankaj Oswal’s entrepreneurial journey is marked by bold bets and unwavering resilience. At a time when few international investors…

The profit of the Sonatel Group (National Telecommunications Company of Senegal), which includes subsidiaries in Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Sierra Leone, increased by 8% in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, announced the leaders of this telecommunications company based in Dakar, Senegal. This profit amounted to 311 billion CFA...

At the end of a simultaneous issuance of Treasury Bills (BAT) with a maturity of 364 days and Treasury Bonds (OAT) with maturities of 3, 5, and 7 years carried out on Thursday, October 30, 2025, the Burkinabe Public Treasury raised an amount of 16.762 billion CFA francs (30.172 million dollars) on the West African...

AMEN BANK, the second largest private bank in Tunisia, saw a 5.2% increase in its net banking income (NBI) at the end of the first nine months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, announced the leaders of this banking institution based in Tunis. This NBI stood at 443.219 million dinars (150.694 million...

To finance the budget of the State of Mali, the Public Treasury of this country managed to obtain on October 29, 2025, on the financial market of the West African Monetary Union (UMOA), an amount of 30.059 billion CFA francs (54.106 million dollars) through a simultaneous auction of Treasury Bills (BAT) with a maturity of...

The cumulative turnover of the chemical company ALKIMIA, specialized in the production of Sodium Tripolyphosphate, recorded a slight decrease of 4.20% at the end of the first nine months of 2025 compared to the same period of the 2024 fiscal year, announced the leaders of this company based in Tunis. This cumulative turnover indeed decreased...

Contrary to previous simultaneous public securities issuances, the one organized by Côte d’Ivoire on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 regarding treasury bills (BAT) with a maturity of 53 days and treasury bonds (OAT) of 3.5 and 7 years organized on the financial market of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UMOA), was characterized by its...

In the hours following the announcement of the results of the Ivorian presidential election of 2025, one number dominated television screens and newspaper columns: 50.10%. This, we were told, was the turnout rate. Immediately, some commentators saw it as proof of electoral demobilization, comparing this percentage to the 53.90% of 2020. However, this superficial reading does not tell the reality of the election. Behind this percentage hides a fundamental data: the actual number of voters. In 2020, 3,269,813 voters went to the polls. In 2025, there are 4,292,474, more than a million additional Ivorians. Never in the history of Côte…

In a rapidly changing mining sector, AFG Bank Mali is taking the lead. By launching the Local Content Champion Program (LCCP) on October 27, 2025, in Bamako, the bank affirms its ambition: to bring forth a new generation of competitive and structured local companies. Seydou Coulibaly, Deputy General Manager in charge of operations, discusses the foundations of this strategic program, the internal synergies it mobilizes, and the long-term vision of a banking actor firmly committed to Mali’s economic sovereignty. Mr. Coulibaly, why is AFG Bank Mali launching the Local Content Champion Program (LCCP)? The LCCP was born out of a…

In 2026, Senegal will allocate around **5,490 billion CFA francs** – or **almost 10 billion dollars** – to the payment of the **debt service** (principal and interest). This unprecedented amount is **more than double** what was forecasted in the budget when **Macky Sall** left office, confirming a **structural drift** in public finances. According to the **2026 budget bill**, **almost 70% of the State’s revenue** will be absorbed by debt repayment alone. In other words, for every 100 francs of income, 70 will go to creditors – a scenario that leaves **very little room for investments and social spending**. “Since 2024,…

In a context of liquidity scarcity and strong volatility of global prices, Ecobank Côte d’Ivoire has set up a fund of 300 billion CFA francs (approximately 457 million euros) to finance the 2025-2026 coffee-cocoa campaign. This line of credit, one of the largest in the national banking sector, targets exporters, processors, and cooperatives accredited by the Coffee-Cocoa Council (CCC). Structured support for the sector Accredited companies will be able to access loans for the purchase, storage, processing, and transportation of beans. The bank will assess the financial strength, export experience, and guarantees offered by each beneficiary to avoid failures seen…

The net banking income (NBI) of Banque de Tunisie, a private universal bank established in 1884, recorded a slight increase of 1.90% at the end of the first nine months of the 2025 fiscal year compared to the same period of the 2024 fiscal year, announced the leaders of this banking institution based in Tunis....

After being spun off from BNP Paribas in 2023, the Banque Internationale pour le Commerce et l’Industrie de la Côte d’Ivoire (BICICI) is now bringing joy to its new shareholders — CNPS and CGRAE — thanks to regular and upward returns. According to a research note from the brokerage firm FGI, the former BNP subsidiary...

The State of Guinea-Bissau raised on October 21, 2025, on the West African Monetary Union (UMOA) financial market, an amount of 15 billion CFA francs (27 million dollars) through a simultaneous auction of Treasury Bills (BAT) with a maturity of 363 days and Treasury Bonds (OAT) with a maturity of 3 years. The issuer had...

“In the second quarter of 2025, Benin’s merchandise exports decreased by 20.2% compared to the first quarter of 2025, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Demography (INStaD). According to this institution, during the period under review, cotton (excluding linters), not carded or combed (-18.1 percentage points), oilseeds and fruits, n.e.s. (not...

S&P Global Ratings has announced that it has placed Madagascar’s sovereign rating (‘B-/B’) on CreditWatch with negative implications, while lowering its Transfer and Convertibility (T&C) assessment from ‘B’ to ‘B-‘. This decision follows the military takeover, which occurred after several weeks of anti-government protests that led to the departure of President Andry Rajoelina. The agency...

At the end of its meeting on October 9, 2025, the Board of Directors of Arab Tunisian Bank (ATB), a Tunisian bank founded on June 30, 1982, through the integration of the Tunisian branch of Arab Bank and the contribution of Tunisian individuals, decided to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to be held on...

At the end of a simultaneous issuance of Treasury assimilable bills (BAT) with a maturity of 364 days and Treasury assimilable bonds (OAT) with a maturity of 3 years, Senegal raised an amount of 33 billion CFA francs (59.4 million dollars) on the West African Monetary Union (UMOA) financial market on Friday, October 17, 2025....

A few weeks before the COP and under the leadership of its president, Donald Trump, a self-proclaimed neo-conservative and climate skeptic, Washington disarms green finance. Banks, majors, funds: a major setback with negative consequences on the GDP of African and Global South countries. On October 16, the Federal Reserve repealed guidelines requiring large banks to...

Interpellated by a journalist from 2STV about the recent downgrade of Senegal’s rating, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva chose clarity over political correctness. “I do not comment on the decisions of rating agencies,” she first reminded, before praising “the courage of the Senegalese authorities” for bringing to light a debt that was previously hidden. “They deserve credit for revealing a serious problem of false declaration. It took time to measure the extent of it and find the way forward. But today, the situation is clear,” she said. The head of the IMF confirmed that following this clarification, Dakar officially requested…

On October 15, 2025, on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent delivered a clear statement: the Bretton Woods institutions must return to their “core missions” and move away from “peripheral issues” such as climate or gender. Under the guise of efficiency and budget discipline, the representative...

The public treasury of Mali raised, on October 10, 2025, an amount of 28.786 billion CFA francs on the regional financial market, through a simultaneous issuance of treasury bills and bonds. The issued securities – T-Bills at 364 days and Treasury Bonds at 3 and 5 years – have respective average yields of 7.67%, 9.32%...