Author: Contribution

By Mr. Raphaël Nkolwoudou Afane Doctor of Law, Legal Tech Specialist and Legal Ops Officer In Africa, mobile phones are more than just communication tools: they have become the digital wallets of hundreds of millions of people. With over a billion active mobile money accounts since the advent of MPesa in Kenya – by Safaricom,...

For decades, the economic history of Africa has been characterized by a repetitive scenario: exporting raw materials, importing finished products, leading to a constant imbalance in the trade balance. In collaboration with public authorities, Afreximbank and its industrialization partner Arise IIP are contributing to the development of industrial zones that promote the flow of value-added products that transform Africa’s contribution to international trade. The development of these industrial zones is based on the availability of raw materials and the significant technological advancements that the African continent can leverage to accelerate its industrial transformation and create a different economic experience. One…

By Thierno Seydou Nourou SY, Banker, Founder of Nourou Financial Consulting (NFC) Dakar- Senegal. Senegal is going through a complex economic period, characterized by high public debt (nearly 110% of GDP), persistent twin deficits (Budget deficit forecasted at 7.1% of GDP in 2025 and current account deficit between 12% and 14% in 2025), and eroded partner confidence. Yet paradoxically, the country has considerable assets: natural resources (oil, gas, minerals), a young population, a dynamic diaspora, and ambitious vision plans (SND 2025-2029, Vision 2050). The central question is not one of lack of vision, but one of financing and execution means.In…

By Yasmine Aboubacar Sedikhe SY* A continent in motion, elites out of sync? Africa is going through a phase of transformation of an intensity rarely seen in its contemporary history. Data from the African Development Bank (AfDB, African Economic Outlook 2024) indicates that six of the ten fastest-growing economies in 2024 are African. At the same time, demographic projections from the United Nations (World Population Prospects 2022, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs) predict a continent that will have nearly 2.5 billion inhabitants by 2050, with around 60% being under the age of 25. This dynamic creates an…

Dr. Laëtitia MAKITA-NGADI, Founder & CEO SEMEN AFRICA Consulting, Initiator of the Summit on Investments in Health Systems in Africa (SISSA) Within the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), the high number of medical evacuations abroad is no longer just a symptom of fragility: it now embodies a true financial hemorrhage and a revealer of systemic dependence. Member states, already weakened by chronic budget deficits and debt sometimes exceeding 70% of the annual GDP, a threshold set by Regulation No. 12/07-UEAC-186-CM-15, see their foreign exchange reserves evaporate to cover external care. This currency drain is not just a budget…

By Thierno Seydou Nourou Sy, Banker, President and Founder of Nourou Financial Consulting (NFC) Dakar-Senegal The new partnership between the State and BOAD paves the way for a strategic valuation of public assets, requiring careful and rigorous implementation. The recent signing of a memorandum of understanding between the State of Senegal and the West African Development Bank (BOAD) for the creation of the Senegal Asset Valuation Fund (FOVAS) marks an ambitious step. This mechanism, aimed at harnessing the economic potential of public infrastructure to generate new financing, is a commendable initiative. However, its success will depend on a thorough analysis…

By Raphael NKOLWOUDOU AFANE, PhD in Law & Legal Ops Officer Africa is winning the battle of digital transformation, but it risks losing the one for cybersecurity. With a rapidly growing mobile penetration rate, financial innovation revolutionizing banking services, and a dynamic fintech ecosystem, the continent is skipping technological stages at a frantic pace. However, this dazzling success is severely compromised by a silent and omnipresent threat: cybercrime. The recent report Check Point 2025 African Perspectives on Cyber Security delivers a stark assessment: African organizations face an average of more than 3,000 attacks per week, with peaks exceeding 4,200 in…

A vital issue for African citizens, businesses, and institutions By Dr. Mohamed H’Midouche, former International Senior Official – expert in Governance and Development. The digital transformation of Africa is now one of the major drivers of economic and social modernization of the continent. The rise of mobile money, fintech, e-government, educational and healthcare platforms, and digital administration has profoundly changed behaviors and stimulated growth. This technological revolution opens up a wide range of opportunities: financial inclusion, innovation, transparency, productivity, and improved public services. But this dynamic digital ecosystem simultaneously amplifies the exposure to cyber threats. Cybercriminals, better organized, more agile,…

Gora DIOP, a graduate of IEDES at SORBONNE. The objective of this theme is to present the gains as well as the challenges of coordinating monetary policy. However, initially, it seems appropriate to revisit inflation, or more precisely its origins, effects, and the policies often implemented to counter it. The goal is to show that inflation can have external origins, as a necessary condition for coordinating monetary policies is the existence of externalities. It will be referred to as imported inflation. Indeed, a major advantage that can result from countries’ willingness to coordinate their policies is that cooperation can allow…

By M. Morel SYLLA Cultural diplomat, Director of the PMC Consulting Cabinet, President of the Maraguiri Association, Technical Partner of the KANIA SOLY Festival At a time when the global map of influences is being redrawn, culture is once again becoming an instrument of sovereignty and a strategic asset now rivaling technologies, data, and finance. The central question is no longer “who produces the content?”, but “who imposes the narrative?”. The Guinean case shows that a country with intact symbolic capital can transform its intangible heritage into a lever for negotiation, attractiveness, and international competitiveness. The narrative as a new…

Absolutely avoid default or turn crisis into opportunity By Doudou Ka, former Minister of Economy of Senegal A moment of national truth Senegal is going through an unprecedented crisis: cash flow tensions, collapse of eurobonds, institutional uncertainties, lack of financing agreement with the IMF… The risk of default is no longer theoretical, it is real! But a crisis is not a condemnation. It can become a historic turning point if faced with courage, clarity, and unity. In 1998, Malaysia, hit hard by the Asian crisis, avoided default thanks to a sovereign, coherent, and courageous strategy. This choice of leadership restored…

By Raphael NKOLWOUDOU AFANE, Doctor of Law & Legal Ops Officer. What if our pan-African dream of a unified digital market evaporated with every power outage? While digital experts gather in Conakry for the Transform Africa 2025 summit, a stubborn reality persists: harmonizing continental rules on an electrical grid that knows only disorder is impossible. The latency of digital services, the scourge that turns a simple online transaction into an obstacle course, is just the visible symptom of a deeper issue – energy precarity. Yet, in a continent bathed in sunshine 300 days a year, it is inconceivable that photovoltaics,…

by Dr. Maxime Houinato, Socio-Economist and UN Women Regional Director for West and Central Africa The African Union’s permanent membership in the G20, alongside South Africa, marks a milestone for the continent. It offers a new platform to influence global decisions and align them with Africa’s priorities. The value of this representation will be measured by tangible results for women and girls — particularly in West and Central Africa, where women drive economic resilience, social cohesion, and innovation. The G20 influences more than 80 percent of global GDP and most of international trade. Its agenda on finance, climate action, digital…

By El Hadji Abdoulaye Seck, Economist-researcher at the École nationale d’administration publique du Québec. The following lines do not concern the entirety of Senegal’s public administration debt, but rather the illegal portion contracted in violation of the laws and regulations in force.Since the publication of the Court of Auditors report in February 2025, revealing debt agreements concluded outside the framework set by Organic Law No. 2020-07 of February 26, 2020 on public finance laws and Decree No. 2020-978 of April 23, 2020 on the general regulation of public accounting, the country has been facing a series of turbulences: a decrease…

By Pr Amath NDIAYE – Economist, FASEG-UCAD As Senegal’s public finances face increasing pressures, the question of an orderly debt restructuring becomes unavoidable. With an estimated debt-to-GDP ratio ranging between 118% and 132%, and a gross financing need of 5,715.5 billion CFA francs in 2025, the country is at a decisive turning point: continue borrowing at prohibitive conditions or restructure its debt to restore confidence. A vicious cycle of refinancing Senegal is stuck in a logic of permanent refinancing. Each new loan taken out to meet previous obligations increases the debt stock due to the additional interests it generates. Debt…

By Mamadou Ismaïla KONATÉ Former Minister of Justice of Mali. Five years after the coup d’état of August 18, 2020, Mali is sinking into unprecedented chaos. Rampant poverty, risk of famine, depleted public finances, territories handed over to jihadist groups, stifled freedoms, instrumentalized justice: the observation is relentless. In an open letter, Mamadou Ismaïla Konaté, former Minister of Justice, calls for the resignation of President Assimi Goïta and paves the way for a truly democratic, ethical transition under the control of the Malian people. This initiative, subject to the signature of all citizens for thirty days, sounds the alarm: silence…

By Prof. Amath Ndiaye – Economist, FASEG-UCAD Zimbabwe, the ninth largest gold producer in Africa with nearly 47 tons per year, demonstrates a simple but essential economic truth: mining wealth does not guarantee the value of a currency. In 2008, Zimbabwe experienced one of the worst hyperinflations in contemporary history, wiping out household savings and ruining businesses. Zimbabwean banknotes worth billions of dollars had no real value, forcing the population to resort to the US dollar, which became the country’s de facto currency. Faced with this uncontrolled dollarization, the government attempted to restore its monetary sovereignty. In 2022, it introduced…

By Mamadou Ismaïla KONATÉLawyer at the Court – Bars of Mali and ParisFormer Minister of Justice This text complements and updates the previous analysis dedicated to CMA-CGM’s decision. It takes into account the position announced on November 6, 2025 by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, which suspended its transport services to and from Mali. This development confirms the seriousness of the country’s logistical and economic challenges and highlights the urgent need for a coordinated response between public and private actors to ensure the continuity of trade. I. A double alert for a landlocked country On November 4, 2025, CMA-CGM announced the…

By Mamadou Ismaïla KONATÉLawyer at the Court – Bars of Mali and ParisFormer Minister of Justice. Following an announcement of temporary suspension of its road services to Mali, the CMA-CGM group, a global giant in maritime transport, ultimately chose the path of dialogue and continuity. Between security imperatives, fuel shortages, and contractual requirements, the episode highlights the logistical fragility of a landlocked country and the shared responsibility between public and private actors to keep trade alive. A lesson both legal and strategic on the dependence of African states on their supply corridors. I. An announcement that raised doubts On November…

By Pr Amath Ndiaye – Economist, FASEG-UCAD France has neither oil, nor gas, nor gold, nor uranium, nor lithium, nor cocoa, nor iron. Yet, it guarantees the CFA franc. This apparent paradox raises questions: how can a country without natural resources support the currency of African countries that are rich in them? The answer lies not in mines, but in trust and economic solidity. GOLD NO LONGER BACKS CURRENCIES SINCE 1971 Until 1971, the Bretton Woods system linked the value of currencies to the US dollar, which was itself convertible into gold. But since President Richard Nixon’s decision to end…

By Mr. Raphael NKOLWOUDOU AFANE, PhD in Law, Legal Ops Officer and Amateur Musician (Les RELAXES du Barreau de Paris) In October 2025, the agreement between Universal Music Group (UMG), the largest music major, and UDIO, a generative AI platform specializing in music creation, is much more than a simple technological partnership. It represents a paradigm shift from the conflictual model that prevailed until then between rights holders and AI developers. While recent years have seen a proliferation of lawsuits for alleged infringement (notably cases against Stability AI, Anthropic, or complaints filed by UMG itself against Anthropic), this agreement inaugurates…

By Mandaw Kanji, PCA of the IFAGE Institute Because claims represent more than 80% of an insurance company’s commitments, they constitute the core of its operations. Their rigorous management is a major imperative for any insurance company concerned with operating in accordance with regulations. From the occurrence of a claim to its closure, including its handling, assessment, settlement, and any recourse, all these different steps must be rigorously taken care of by the claims services. The procedures manual implemented should define their objectives, management rules, and risks involved. For all these reasons, precautions should be taken in: – the opening…

By Hella Ben YoussefConsultant in public policy, migration policy, gender, and female leadershipVice-President of the International Socialist Women for the North-South Mediterranean region. On October 31, 2025, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution no. 2797, which recognizes that the autonomy plan presented by Morocco constitutes the most realistic and credible basis for a lasting political solution to the Western Sahara conflict. A text that rekindles hope, but also redefines regional balances. In Rabat, the official reaction was measured and responsible. King Mohammed VI spoke of a “fraternal dialogue” with Algeria, opening the door to a possible warming of relations.…

By Dr. Mohamed H’Midouche, Executive Vice President of the African Diplomatic Academy & Honorary Consul of Cape Verde in Morocco. On Wednesday, October 22, 2025, in Rabat, Morocco proudly celebrated its U-20 world champions, who achieved a historic feat at the 2025 World Cup in Chile. Upon their return to the country, the young Lions of the Atlas were welcomed with exceptional popular jubilation: thousands of Moroccans from all regions gathered along Mohammed V Avenue in the capital to greet their heroes. The highlight was the royal reception at the Rabat Palace, hosted by His Majesty King Mohammed VI and…

By Prof. Amath Ndiaye – Economist, FASEG-UCAD I am saddened by the incompetence of the Malian junta in the face of the advance of jihadist groups. The country is literally cut in two, and Bamako is suffocating as supply routes are closing. Today we can see the price of a serious strategic mistake: that of self-proclaimed revolutionary leaders, more concerned about their political survival than the future of Mali. By rejecting the forces of Barkhane and those of the UN, they claimed to be restoring national sovereignty; in reality, they were seeking to consolidate fragile power. Operation Barkhane, launched in…

By Pape Demba Thiam, former World Bank executive. Contrary to popular belief, more ideological than operational schools, the market economy is absolutely not incompatible with strategic planning, which is at the core of state interventions. Etymologically, a true economist cannot simply measure, report, or passively describe what is happening in their environment, to then just pull out universal recipes from a formatted toolbox and use them like a robotic bureaucrat. A true economist must be ambitious, ingenious, and enterprising, as they seek to identify risks and constraints, to intervene and transform their environment, including by creating appropriate and effective concepts,…

By Christian Kazumba, expert in sub-Saharan private sector development. On average, public debt in Africa represents between 60 and 65% of GDP. While this percentage has doubled over the past fifteen years, it is significantly lower than the European Union average, as well as what is observed in France, Italy, Spain, Japan, or the United States. Furthermore, this ratio remains lower than the 70% limit imposed by the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) on all its member countries. A quick and certainly too hasty analysis of these few figures could lead us to conclude that the continent’s debt…

By: Mr. Raphael Nkolwoudou Afane, Doctor of Law, Legal Ops Officer. Cameroon, often referred to as “Africa in miniature”, presents a striking paradox: exceptional human, cultural, and natural wealth, but a governance system that seems stuck in the quicksand of inefficiency and corruption. The potholed roads of Douala, power outages and uncollected garbage in Yaoundé, Kafkaesque administrative delays, opaque public tenders, and clientelist appointments are not just anecdotes: they are symptoms of a state struggling to reinvent itself. Following the recent presidential elections, the country once again finds itself facing its old demons: electoral disputes, weakened institutions, a struggling economy,…

By Pr Amath Ndiaye, FASEG-UCAD. The announcement of a 5% GDP growth rate for 2026 may seem encouraging, especially in an uncertain global context and budgetary austerity. However, in reality, this figure, although commendable on a macroeconomic level, is largely insufficient to address Senegal’s most pressing challenge: youth employment. growth too weak to absorb the youth According to recent data from ANSD, Senegal’s active population stands at nearly 11.7 million people, with 4.9 million employed. The employment-growth elasticity, which measures the ability of growth to generate jobs, is estimated at 0.6. In other words, each percentage point of GDP growth…

By Dr El Hadji Amadou Niang,Doctor in international law, former senior official of the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations Secretariat,former Ambassador of Senegal, International Executive Consultant. Africa, the cradle of humanity, finds itself today at the dawn of a truly historic turning point. In a world shaken by economic storms, social fractures, climate emergencies, technological leaps, and profound geopolitical upheavals, our continent is moving forward — propelled by the ancestral wisdom of its peoples, the power of their memories, and the promise of a destiny to shape.As old models collapse and global balances are redrawn, Africa faces…