Author: Albert Savana

The gold reserves of the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) increased by 511.491 million dinars (179.021 million dollars) as of December 20, 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, according to data from the biweekly accounting situation of this issuing institution based in Tunis. These gold reserves stood at 1.634 billion dinars compared to...

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 and 5 years organized on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 on the financial market of the West African Monetary Union (UMOA), the State of Mali, through its Public Treasury, raised an...

The January 2026 election marks a structural transformation of the political landscape in Benin. While the presidential movement has adapted to the requirements of the new Electoral Code through strategic mergers, the radical opposition has isolated itself in a fatal manner, choosing to ignore the alliance mechanisms provided by the law. Benin has just reached a decisive stage in the consolidation of its institutional environment. Far from the tensions of the past, the 2026 legislative elections took place in a remarkably serene atmosphere, confirmed by the consistent reports of the African Union (AU) mission and the platform of civil society…

The January 2026 election marks a structural transformation of the political landscape in Benin. While the presidential movement has adapted to the requirements of the new Electoral Code through strategic mergers, the radical opposition has isolated itself in a fatal manner, choosing to ignore the alliance mechanisms provided by law. Benin has just reached a decisive stage in the consolidation of its institutional environment. Far from the tensions of the past, the 2026 legislative elections took place in a remarkably serene atmosphere, confirmed by the consistent reports of the African Union (AU) mission and the platform of civil society organizations…

The outstanding bank credit in the Kingdom of Morocco increased by 6.2% at the end of November 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, according to Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM), the Central Bank of Morocco. This outstanding amount stood at 1,191.8 billion dirhams (131.098 million dollars) compared to 1,122 billion dirhams (123.475 million dollars) at...

At the end of December 2025, consumer prices in Senegal increased by 2.8% compared to the same period in 2024, according to data from the National Agency of Statistics and Demography (ANSD) based in Dakar. “The evolution of consumer prices mainly results from the increase in prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages (+4.5%), restaurant and...

Abidjan, January 13, 2026 – The Arab Coordination Group (ACG) and the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) have launched a new structured phase of their partnership in Abidjan, aiming to scale up co-financing, mobilize private capital, and accelerate the economic transformation of the continent. Gathered at the AfDB headquarters, the leaders of both institutions held...

At the end of the first half of 2025, the turnover of the Société Industrielle d’Appareillage et de Matériels Electriques (SIAME), specialized in the manufacturing and commercialization of electric energy meters and modular circuit breakers, recorded a slight increase of 2.25% compared to the same period in 2024, as announced by the leaders of this...

The trade balance deficit of Senegal deteriorated sharply by 281.9 billion CFA francs (507.420 million dollars) in November 2025 compared to the previous month, according to data from the National Agency of Statistics and Demography (ANSD) based in Dakar. This deficit stood at -389.7 billion CFA francs (-701.460 million dollars) in November 2025 compared to...

In the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadéra was declared the winner of the presidential election on December 28, 2025 in the first round, securing a third consecutive term, now extended to seven years following the constitutional revision adopted by referendum in 2023. This reform removed the limit on two presidential terms and changed the term...

The Castel Group is currently going through a governance crisis, already widely exposed in the media. However, this situation does not affect neither the financial strength, nor the industrial commitment, nor the operational activities of the group, a major player in the agri-food and wine sector in France and internationally. As a leading family-owned and...

The State of Côte d’Ivoire raised 320.765 billion CFA francs (approximately 577.38 million USD) on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 on the financial market of the West African Economic and Monetary Union, confirming the sustained appetite of investors for Ivorian securities. This fundraising, carried out through the UMOA-Titres market, is part of the financing of the...

Leaders of the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM) have unveiled the new compositions of the BRVM Prestige and BRVM 30 indices as part of their annual and quarterly reviews of these key market benchmarks. BRVM Prestige: Stricter Standards, Selective Entry Regarding the BRVM Prestige index, BRVM management states in Notice No. 001-2026/BRVM/DG that “through...

The latest public debt situation report for Cameroon, as of end-September 2025, highlights the growing prominence of AFG Bank Cameroun in managing the State’s domestic liabilities. Through a series of debt assignment transactions, the bank founded by Ivorian businessman Bernard Koné Dossongui has emerged as a key player in clearing arrears owed by the central...

In his in-depth analysis, finance expert Seydina Alioune Ndiaye argues that Senegal’s public debt situation has reached a critical point where a well-organized debt restructuring is no longer optional but urgent to avoid a disorderly default and severe liquidity crisis. Ndiaye highlights that Senegal faces huge refinancing pressures, with an estimated 30 % of GDP needing to be refinanced and around FCFA 6,075 billion required in 2026 alone. This heavy burden, driven by rising debt servicing costs and persistent budget deficits, has severely constrained the state’s fiscal space, leaving little room for essential public investment.He warns that the current trajectory—marked…

In a statement released on December 29, 2025, the Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development (acting), Fuh Calistus Gentry, openly acknowledged a staggering gap between Cameroon’s officially declared gold exports and international trade statistics. The figure is damning: 15 tons of gold have gone missing. The government’s counterweight to this abyss? 22 kilograms. The...

The Africa Energy Investment Corporation (AEICORP) has announced the receipt of a capital contribution exceeding USD 20 million from Côte d’Ivoire, representing an initial tranche of the country’s committed participation in the capitalization of the Africa Energy Bank (AEB). This significant contribution follows earlier capital injections by Nigeria, Angola, and Ghana, underscoring the growing collective...

From Dakar to the world’s luxury capitals, from strategic marketing to committed entrepreneurship, Victorine Sarr embodies this new generation of African executives who transform their international trajectory into high-impact projects. Founder and CEO of Lyvv Cosmetics, she is now part of the entrepreneurs selected to participate in “Les Nouveaux Boss”, the TV5Monde show that highlights the talents shaping the African economy of tomorrow. This selection, organized in Cotonou, brings together several profiles of entrepreneurs from the continent, with Claude Borna as a recognized figure in the African creative and entrepreneurial ecosystem serving as a judge. For Senegal, this participation resonates…

Separating emotion from capital On December 22, 2025, on a Canal+ set, the image is striking. Marcel Desailly, former captain of the French national team, 1998 World Cup champion, double winner of the Champions League, collapses in tears. The harsh truth is revealed: nearly 2 million euros in debt, suffocating tax pressure, dried-up media revenues, loneliness exacerbated by divorce. What is even more troubling is that the French football icon admits to having lost several million euros in investments made in Africa, particularly in Ghana and, more indirectly, in Senegal. He, who believed to have generated nearly 100 million euros…

The presidential elections held yesterday in Guinea took place in a generally peaceful atmosphere, marked by a strong mobilization of voters and the absence of major incidents, according to the initial observations collected across the country. From the opening of the polling stations, a significant turnout was observed in several regions of the country, both in the capital and in the interior areas. Voters cast their ballots calmly, under the supervision of electoral officials and security forces deployed for the occasion. No significant disruptions were reported throughout the day. The voting operations took place in accordance with the planned provisions,…

The Board of Directors of BOA-NIGER, meeting on December 18, 2025, informs the market and its shareholders that it anticipates, for the year 2025, a significant decrease in the bank’s net profit, exceeding 50% compared to the previous year, announced the managers of this bank based in Niamey on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. <<The difficult...

The International Bank of Cameroon for Savings and Credit (BICEC) has a new CEO. Meeting on December 23, 2025, the board of directors of the bank approved the appointment of Mohamed Simporé as the head of the bank. He succeeds Outman Roqdi, who has been in office since April 2021. At the end of his...

The mining week ending December 28, 2025 is marked by an end-of-year atmosphere heavy with questions. The traditional holiday truce did not calm the markets: it rather crystallized doubts about inflation, the trajectory of interest rates, and geopolitical vulnerabilities. In this climate, gold once again emerges as the ultimate safe haven asset, while industrial metals evolve more heterogeneously, depending on the economic situation and stocks. Over the week, the yellow metal appreciated by 3.7%, reaching a record of $4,546.37 per ounce (1 ounce = 31.1 g). “When investors fear inflation, crises, or future lower interest rates, gold naturally becomes a…

At the end of September 2025, premiums issued by the Tunisian Insurance and Reinsurance Company (STAR) recorded an 8.2% increase compared to the same period in 2024, announced the leaders of this company based in Tunis. These premiums amounted to 356.804 million dinars (121.313 million dollars) compared to 329.796 million dinars (112.130 million dollars) at...

The long-term external debt service recorded a 22.2% increase in 2024 compared to 2023, according to data from the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) based in Tunis. According to this issuing institute, this service peaked at 14.371 billion dinars (4.886 billion dollars) in 2024, of which 11.402 billion dinars (3.876 billion dollars) or 79.3% was...

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 and 5 years, the Senegalese Treasury collected on Friday, December 19, 2025, on the financial market of the West African Monetary Union (UEMOA) an amount of 21.919 billion CFA francs...

The showdown between the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations du Cameroun (Cdec) and banking institutions reveals a major legal tension: the ambiguous coexistence of national law and CEMAC community standards. Beyond the numbers, this dispute raises questions about financial governance and the stability of the regional banking system. Analysis… On May 29, 2024 in Yaoundé, Richard Evina Obam, Director General of Cdec, and Pierre Emmanuel Nkoa Ayissi, National Director of Beac, signed a minutes of meeting formalizing the transfer of the sum of 3.9 billion CFA francs from Beac to an account opened by Cdec in its books. The transferred…

International prices of the main raw materials, excluding oil, exported by the countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) declined in October 2025, according to data from the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) based in Dakar. The services of this issuing institution noted a decrease in prices for coffee (-13.8%),...

In London, the African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional window of the African Development Bank Group, has reached a historic milestone. At the end of the 17th replenishment of its resources (ADF-17), it mobilized a record amount of $11 billion from 43 partners, despite an international context marked by tightening public finances and a contraction...

The decision by the Dangote group to recruit nearly 2,000 Indian workers for its mega-refinery in Lekki, combined with the collective dismissal of around 1,000 Nigerian engineers at the end of September, has reignited a recurring but rarely posed debate in Nigeria in such stark terms: that of labor productivity, labor market flexibility, and the...