Author: benberga@yahoo.fr

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…

The Rwandan Parliament approved, on April 13, 2026, a series of laws authorizing the ratification of loans totaling more than 628 billion Rwandan francs (Frw), or approximately 430 million USD. These funds aim to accelerate the structural transformation of Rwanda’s economy. The mobilized resources will mainly be used for the development of the energy sector, the creation of inclusive jobs, and the improvement of transportation and tourism infrastructure. They are part of the government’s strategy for sustainable growth and upgrading of public services. According to Kabera Godfrey, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in charge…

The latest report on the control of the Trading Room of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), released in early April 2026, paints a mixed picture of financial management in 2025. In this central unit responsible for implementing monetary policy and managing the foreign exchange reserves of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central...

On April 10, 2026, the Autonomous Port of Douala (PAD) and Douala Terre-Port sealed a historic Public-Private Partnership (PPP). This 126.3 billion CFA francs (227 million USD) project aims to fully modernize the regional terminal of the Boscam dock. Fully carried by the private partner through a 30-year concession, this project demonstrates investor confidence. Indeed,...

The Central African Republic (CAR) authorities have called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for an additional deadline in the implementation of its economic program, which is theoretically supposed to end in June 2026, just two months after the official request. According to the official report published by the Central African government, the request was made on April 17, 2026 by the Central African Minister of Finance, Hervé Ndoba, during bilateral discussions held on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the Bretton Woods institution and the World Bank in Washington. During this meeting, the Central African government official highlighted…

At 73%, or 365.2 billion XAF (approximately 655.5 million USD), commercial banks operating in the six countries of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) subscribed to the liquidity offer of 500 billion XAF (897.7 million USD) proposed on April 14, 2026 by the Central Bank of Central African States (BEAC). This information...

Cameroon is embarking on a major project to modernize the Douala-Bangui road corridor, a strategic axis of nearly 800 kilometers on its territory, essential for trade with the Central African Republic and, more broadly, for the economic integration of Central Africa. According to the Cameroonian Ministry of Public Works, the state is seeking nearly 890 billion CFA francs (approximately $1.6 billion USD) to finance the complete rehabilitation of this infrastructure. Designed as a structuring program, the project aims to reduce operating costs for transporters, shorten travel times, and improve road safety. It also aims to open up the localities it…

During a meeting held on April 14, 2026 in Malabo, the banking institutions operating in Equatorial Guinea presented their proposals to the government to facilitate access to the 1,000 social housing units planned in the city of La Paz, the country’s new capital. Around the Vice President of the Republic, Nguema Obiang Mangue, the country’s financial institutions, the National Commission for the Allocation and Control of Land Use in Djibloho, led by Prime Minister Manuel Osa Nsue, the supervisory company TEAM, and other departments involved, attended the presentation of the banks on the various alternatives adapted to the economic capacity…

The high-level meeting organized on April 15, 2026 in Yola, in the Nigerian state of Adamawa, marks a strategic advancement for the facilitation of economic exchanges between Cameroon and Nigeria. By bringing together the main road transport unions of both countries, this meeting opens concrete opportunities to improve the flow of people and goods on one of the busiest commercial corridors in Central and West Africa. Led by the Groupement des Transporteurs Terrestres du Cameroun (GTTC) and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), the initiative follows the strategic partnership signed in October 2024 in Tangier. It has received…

“It’s really ‘putting your foot in it’.” On April 15, 2026, a few hours after his arrival in Cameroon for a four-day visit, Pope Leon XIV called on Cameroonian authorities to “dare to examine their conscience”. But above all, the sovereign pontiff invites them to “break the chains of corruption”. The successor of the Apostle Peter, on whom Christ had founded his church, expressed himself at the Unity Palace (the name of the presidential palace in Cameroon) in front of the head of state, Paul Biya, who had just welcomed him in a speech and the accredited diplomatic corps in…

In an external audit report conducted at the National Social Security Institute (INSESO) of Equatorial Guinea, the Deloitte firm reveals, for 2025, “financial irregularities of considerable magnitude”. They concern in particular over 7 billion CFA francs (nearly 13 million USD) of alleged irregular or misappropriated expenses, triggering an official government investigation. The information was made...