Author: Dominique Mabika

The insurance sector in Uganda recorded a strong performance in the first half of 2025, driven by both expanded coverage and increased market activity. According to figures released by the Insurance Regulatory Authority of Uganda (IRA), gross written premiums grew by 8.78%, reaching 1,060 billion UGX (approximately 286.5 million USD) as of June 30, 2025,...

Britam Holdings, the leading insurer listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange in terms of market capitalization, is preparing for a new phase of expansion across the African continent. Faced with a competitive domestic market and still low insurance penetration in Africa, the group intends to take advantage of these growth opportunities to diversify and increase...

The Chinese group Sailun inaugurated on September 10th a tire manufacturing plant in Egypt, worth 48 billion Egyptian pounds (approximately one billion dollars). Located within the integrated industrial zone of Sokhna, in the Suez Canal region, this facility covers 350,000 square meters and represents one of the largest Chinese industrial investments in the country. The...

The Ivorian insurance market is entering a new phase of modernization. During a meeting held last week with the CEOs of insurance companies, the president of the Association of Insurance Companies of Côte d’Ivoire, Mamadou GK Koné, presented three major digital projects focused on health insurance and automobile insurance. These two branches alone generate 60%...

The Banque de Financement des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises (BFPME) has published its financial statements for the year 2024, revealing a still concerning situation despite a partial reduction in losses. Total commitments amount to 437.9 million Tunisian dinars (131.4 million euros) compared to 435.6 million dinars (approximately 130.7 million euros) in 2023, thus recording a...

ZB Financial Holdings has released its unaudited interim financial results for the half-year ended June 30, 2025, reporting strong growth despite persistent challenges in the global economy. The group recorded a profit after tax of $16.6 million USD (0.428 billion ZWG), compared to $7.4 million USD (0.192 billion ZWG) for the same period in 2024,...

The Japanese rating agency Rating and Investment Information (R&I) has revised the outlook for Tunisian sovereign debt from “negative” to “stable”, while maintaining its rating at B-. This recognition of the progress made by the country in terms of macroeconomic stabilization, according to Tunisian authorities. Several key factors led to this decision, including the reduction...

The Cameroonian bank CCA Bank is preparing to take a major step in its development by opening up internationally for the first time. On August 25, 2025, a delegation of its executives was received in Ndjamena by the Chadian Minister of State in charge of Finance, Budget, Economy, Plan, and International Cooperation, Tahir Hamid Nguilin....

The Tunisian subsidiary of the Attijariwafa group announced a net profit of 116.2 million Tunisian dinars (MDT) for the first half of 2025 (approximately €34.9 million). The bank recorded a net banking income (NBI) of 356.4 MDT (approximately €107.0 million), an increase of 2% compared to the same period in 2024. Operating revenues amounted to...

The board of directors of Chanas Assurances, a subsidiary of the National Hydrocarbons Company (SNH), announced during an extraordinary session held on August 20, 2025 in Douala, the appointment of Bibiane Francine Mbia as interim CEO. This decision comes as part of a strategic reorganization aimed at revitalizing the company, following the departure of Henri...

In the framework of its strategic plan, the Financial Market Council has engaged in enhanced collaboration with the Order of Chartered Accountants of Tunisia. The initiative aims to strengthen transparency, governance of financial institutions, and investor protection. As such, the two parties held a meeting on August 22, 2025, with a common goal: to improve...

ZB Financial Holdings has announced its intention to intensify the development of its life insurance activities in Southern Africa and beyond. This strategy is based on an already established presence in several countries, including Tanzania where the company is licensed, and in Botswana through its stake in P&C Reinsurance. Driven by its subsidiary ZB Life...

In an effort to secure a strategic investment, the Japanese giant Sumitomo Corporation has been granted a 10-year political risk insurance policy to protect its major commitment in Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia (STE). This project, considered the largest foreign direct investment (FDI) in Ethiopia to date, now benefits from a crucial safety net for its development....

Egypt and Turkey want to give a new impetus to their economic relationship with a clear goal: to increase the volume of trade to $15 billion within five years. This announcement was at the center of a bilateral meeting between the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdel Aaty, and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan,...

A major advancement for the Kenyan healthcare system has just been achieved. The Ministry of Health and representatives of insurance companies have reached a collaboration agreement during a high-level meeting held on August 18, 2025. This agreement aims to expand access to quality healthcare through a complementarity between the basic coverage provided by the Social...

The question of energy subsidies, a recurring issue in African public finances, is making a loud comeback. Originally designed to make gasoline, electricity, or gas affordable, these aids have become an unsustainable burden, draining national budgets and leaving no room to invest in education, health, or infrastructure. Should they be maintained as a safety net, reformed to target them more precisely, or abolished at the risk of fueling unrest? The positions are clear-cut. Supporters of removal denounce a windfall that mainly benefits the middle and upper classes, far from the vulnerable households it claims to protect. Defenders, on the other…

On the occasion of the sixty-second anniversary of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Bank Al-Maghrib has issued a prestigious commemorative silver coin with a face value of 250 dirhams (approximately 23 euros). This special release, unveiled on August 21 in a statement from the financial institution, pays numismatic tribute to the greatness of the Sovereign....