Author: benberga@yahoo.fr

The Cameroonian government has embarked on a new stage in structuring and capturing revenues from semi-mechanized artisanal mining. A joint mission involving the Ministry of Finance (MINFI), the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Technological Development (MINMIDT), and the National Mining Company (SONAMINES) is currently deployed in the regions of East and Adamaoua to collect the...

On May 25, 2026, the Rwandan Ministry of Economy and Finance revealed that the previous week, the financial rating agency S&P Global Ratings had confirmed the maintenance of Rwanda’s sovereign rating at “B+/B”, with a stable outlook. S&P Global Ratings explains its rating by “the resilience of the Rwandan economy, supported by strong growth, strategic investments, and prudent management of public finances, in an international environment still marked by geopolitical tensions and rising energy prices.” Indeed, the agency states that “Rwanda’s economic performance remains robust, with growth estimated at 9.3% in 2025, compared to 7.2% in 2024.” This progress is…

In a tender notice published on its website on May 25, 2026, the Central Bank of Central African States (BEAC) indicates that it is “launching a main liquidity injection operation on the money market” for an amount of 500 billion CFA francs (around 885 million USD). This operation is conducted at variable rates, with a fixed call rate of 4.75%. It takes effect on May 28, 2026 and matures on June 4, 2026. After several irregular banking requests in recent times, this new offer confirms the central bank’s return to a level of intervention that we are used to seeing.…

According to an information note published on its website on May 22, 2026, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a branch of the World Bank Group dedicated to the private sector, will provide $10 million to Coris Bank International Chad (CBI Chad), a local subsidiary of Coris Holding, a banking group founded in Burkina Faso. The IFC publication reveals that this operation will take the form of a five-year senior loan. Half of this loan, $5 million, will be directly funded by the IFC, while other financial partners will complement the funding with a syndicated loan. According to the IFC document,…

According to the 2026-2028 restructuring plan project of the Ministry of Water and Energy, the State plans to mobilize nearly 150 billion CFA francs (approximately 270 million USD) from a pool of local banks. This operation aims to refinance a portion of the company’s short-term debt. The chosen scheme involves converting existing cash credits, estimated...

Fitch Ratings, the American financial rating agency, confirmed on May 22, 2026, Gabon’s sovereign rating at “CCC-” for long-term foreign currency debt. As for the local currency rating, it is also maintained at “CC”, indicating persistent financial vulnerabilities. According to Fitch Ratings, “this status quo reflects strong budget pressures and high financing constraints.” The agency...

In a press release issued on May 21, 2026, the French mining group Eramet announced that it invested nearly 560 billion CFA francs (approximately 994 million USD) in 2025 compared to 494 billion CFA francs (approximately 877 million USD) in 2024. This represents a 13.4% year-on-year increase. These economic benefits are, among other things, the...

In Gabon, the budgetary optimism at the beginning of the year has collided with macroeconomic reality. The amending finance law for 2026, adopted in the Council of Ministers on May 22, 2026, revises the expected growth to 4%, down from the initially announced 6.5%. This 2.5-point adjustment goes beyond a simple technical adjustment. It confirms the reservations expressed earlier in the year by international financial institutions about the robustness of the initial projections. Contrary to popular belief, it is reported that oil is not the cause of this revision. Oil production is now expected to increase by 3.1% in 2026.…

In its public debt outlook note for Cameroon released on May 15, 2026, the Autonomous Amortization Fund (CAA) estimates the amount of Committed But Undisbursed Balances (SEND) to be XAF 5,044.6 billion (approximately USD 9 billion) as of March 31, 2026. This includes budget support amounting to XAF 246.3 billion (approximately USD 438 million). On an annual basis, these balances show a decrease of 5.2%, compared to a quarterly increase of 4.4%, while on a monthly basis, a slight increase of 0.2% is observed. The CAA document also indicates that excluding budget support, XAF 4,798.3 billion (approximately USD 8.5 billion)…

According to the monthly economic outlook on Cameroon’s public debt released on May 15, 2026 by the Autonomous Amortization Fund (CAA), “as of March 31, 2026, the total outstanding public debt of Cameroon stood at 15.416 trillion CFA francs (approximately USD 27.5 billion), representing a notable increase of 6% compared to the same period in...

In Cameroon, the trade balance deficit reached 2,145.2 billion CFA francs in 2025 (approximately 3.8 billion USD), compared to 1,747.3 billion CFA francs (3.1 billion USD) in 2024. This represents an increase of 22.8% on an annual basis. This information was revealed by the Autonomous Amortization Fund (CAA) in its recent monthly report on Cameroon’s public debt as of March 31, 2026, released on May 15, 2026. According to the body responsible for managing Cameroon’s public debt, “This underperformance is explained by a 5.2% decrease in exports, representing an absolute decrease of 168.1 billion CFA francs (approximately 300 million USD).”…

After the creation of the Cameroonian Electricity Company (Socadel) by presidential decree on May 4, 2026, following the purchase of 51% of Energy Cameroon’s (Eneo) assets for 78 billion CFA francs (nearly 140 million USD), the total debt of the latter is estimated at nearly 800 billion CFA francs (around 1.5 billion USD). In addition...

According to the restructuring plan developed in March 2026 by the Cameroonian Ministry of Water and Energy (Minee), the project to buy out Globeleq’s stakes in the thermal power plants of Kribi and Dibamba should mark a new phase of reform in the Cameroonian electricity sector. At the heart of the matter is the expected...

On May 11, 2026, during his appearance before Parliament to present the draft state budget for the 2026/2027 fiscal year, Rwandan Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Yusuf Murangwa, announced that for this period, the government expects a budget of an estimated 7.796.3 billion Rwandan francs (Frw), approximately 5.4 billion USD. This represents an increase...

In Gabon, out of 188 industrial companies identified, 137 are led by expatriates, compared to 51 by Gabonese nationals. This represents 73% of these companies being managed by this type of leaders. The information was revealed on May 12, 2026, during the presentation of the results of the national survey on the Gabonese industrial sector in the presence of the Vice President of the government, Herman Immongault. This initiative was launched in 2024 with the support of the African Development Bank (AfDB). It was led by the Ministry of Industry and Local Transformation. Upon analysis, the data made public on…

The renationalization of the electricity distribution opens a decisive sequence for the Cameroonian economy. During the handover at the head of the Cameroonian Electricity Company (SOCADEL), the Minister of Water and Energy (MINEE), Gaston Eloundou Essomba, set a clear, demanding, and measurable roadmap for the Director General, Oumarou Hamandjoda, over 100 days. According to the...

On May 9, 2026, Gabonese MPs rejected the bill known as the “Minko bill”, named after the Minister of Economy, Thierry Minko, who introduced it to the National Assembly. This bill sets certain rules regarding credit activity in the banking and microfinance sectors. The aim of this text is to strengthen the legal framework of...

On May 6, 2026, the Cameroonian government terminated the contracts of the Tunisian company Soroubat and the Chinese company China State Construction Engineering on two road construction sites totaling 76 billion CFA francs (around 135 million USD). According to official sources, these terminations followed the observation by the Ministry of Public Works of inactivity and...

Of the 372 billion CFA francs (approximately 665 million USD) needed to realize the Kribi refinery project, led by Cameroun Secured Tank Farm & Refinery (CSTAR), the National Hydrocarbons Company (SNH) has already mobilized 120 billion CFA francs (nearly 215 million USD). This represents 32% of the total amount to be disbursed for this industrial project, with the balance of 252 billion CFA francs (around 450 million USD) expected from other project shareholders, including Ariana Energy and Tradex S.A. SNH’s contribution is part of an agreement signed on May 5, 2026 in Yaoundé between SNH, CSTAR, and BGFIBank, the latter…

Since May 4, 2026, Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, has hosted a major strategic meeting of the Commonwealth dedicated to fighting corruption in Africa. At least 25 countries are discussing concrete solutions to curb a costly scourge for African economies. This conference brought together over 200 participants, including public officials, experts, and civil society actors from Commonwealth member states. The meeting was presided over by the Minister Delegate to the Presidency, Rose Mbah Acha. She represented the Cameroonian head of state, Paul Biya, at the opening of the proceedings. The central theme focused on “the use of artificial intelligence in…

The withdrawal of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), formalized in April 2026, marks a strategic turning point for the global oil market. Abu Dhabi, which joined the organization in 1967, will officially leave on May 1, 2026, along with OPEC+, which includes Russia. Upon analysis, this...

In a press release issued on April 23, 2026, the Governor of the Central African States Bank (BEAC), Yvon Sana Bangui, announced a gradual increase in the repatriation rate of export revenues from extractive companies operating in the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC). According to the document, “previously set at 35%, the...

Facing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and ongoing disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, the Rwandan private sector is accelerating its reflection on diversifying its sources of supply of petroleum products. Although the country does not directly depend on this strategic maritime corridor, through which about 20% of the world’s fuel transits, the instability...

From official sources at the Cameroonian Ministry of Finance, since the beginning of April 2026, the State of Cameroon now controls 83.68% of the capital of the local subsidiary of Société Générale by acquiring 58.08% held by the parent company, for a total amount of 129 billion CFA francs (approximately 230.5 million USD) all taxes...

Cameroon has launched a transformative reform of its educational system with the 2024-2028 National Plan for Inclusive Education (PNEI), endowed with a total budget of 100 billion CFA francs (approximately 179 million USD). Validated at the end of 2024 and recently implemented on the ground, this program aims to reduce the school exclusion of learners with disabilities. It is part of a strategy to strengthen human capital, seen as a key lever for long-term growth. A significant budget commitment The financial effort made by the state sends a strong signal in a context of strong mobilization of public resources. In…

In a correspondence dated April 14, 2026, the Ministry of Infrastructure instructed the finance directors of all public institutions to ensure that at least 30% of all newly acquired vehicles are electric. According to this letter, “this directive is part of the government’s efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, particularly oil and diesel, as well as to decrease greenhouse gas emissions.” Specifically, the goal is to reduce emissions by 38% by 2030, with vehicles contributing to about 12% of national emissions. In line with this, the government had already implemented the promotion of electric mobility in public transportation. In…

Cameroon is moving towards the adoption of a budgetary adjustment, the ninth, as a result of the surge in oil prices caused by persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Indeed, while attending the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, the Cameroonian Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motazé, acknowledged...

Since April 20, 2026, Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon, has been hosting a consultation on the finalization of a draft mining code applicable to all six countries of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC). Organized by the CEMAC Commission, this meeting is engaged in a strategic overhaul of its mining framework. Officials from the Ministries of Mines of these countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad) and parliamentarians, joined by the Central African States Bank (BEAC), the Financial Market Supervisory Commission (Cosumaf), the Central African Securities Exchange (BVMAC) and the Sub-Regional Institute…

Rwanda has reached a new milestone in its debt strategy. On April 14, 2026, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning announced the conclusion of a blended financing of 366 billion Rwandan francs (Frw), approximately USD 250.5 million, supported by the World Bank. This operation includes a commercial loan with a 15-year maturity and a six-year grace period. It is at the core of the government’s strategy to reduce the cost of debt while preserving the sustainability of public debt. According to authorities, this arrangement reflects a cautious and proactive approach to sovereign debt management. Rwanda intends to prioritize blended…

The foreign exchange reserves of the countries of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) recently experienced a decrease without impacting its external stability. This information is contained in a report from the Cameroonian Ministry of Finance (Minfi) focusing on the economic fallout of the Iran-Israel-US conflict. In this document released on April 20, 2026, the Minfi notes that “as of October 31, 2025, these reserves reached 6.203 billion CFA francs (approximately 11.12 billion USD). This is a decrease of 146 billion CFA francs (approximately 262 million USD) on an annual basis and 1.133 billion CFA francs (approximately…