Author: Dominique Mabika

Briter Intelligence, a research and data analysis company, released its “Africa Investment Report 2025” on January 20, 2026, providing an in-depth analysis of venture capital funding, sector dynamics, and investor behavior across the continent. In 2025, the total funding reported for African companies amounted to $3.8 billion, a 32% increase from the previous year, with...

Wave, a player in financial inclusion in Africa, officially launched its virtual payment card integrated into the Wave application on Friday, January 23 in Dakar. Developed in partnership with Visa and Ecobank Senegal, this new solution aims to expand access to digital payments and strengthen financial inclusion in Senegal, as well as across the African continent.

Wave, a player in financial inclusion in Africa, officially launched on Friday, January 23 in Dakar its virtual payment card integrated into the Wave application, in partnership with Visa and Ecobank Senegal. This initiative is part of the common ambition of the three partners to democratize access to digital payments and strengthen financial inclusion in...

The Tunisian Insurance and Reinsurance Company (STAR) closed the year 2025 on a generally positive note, marked by an increase in its commercial activity. At the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, the public insurer recorded issued premiums of 483.985 million dinars (approximately 160 million dollars), up 12.2% compared to the same period in...

The insurance sector in Uganda is expected to maintain its growth momentum in 2026, driven by increased public awareness and strengthened policyholder confidence, according to the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA). In the first nine months of 2025, the sector’s total revenue increased by 13% to around 1,570 billion UGX (approximately $454 million), compared to 1,390...

The National Social Security Fund (CNAS) announced on Wednesday, January 21, the official launch of an electronic card dedicated to access to medication for the poor and those without social coverage. This initiative represents a step forward in strengthening the social protection system in Algeria. This card is aimed at a specific category of citizens:...

The Italian energy group Eni announced on Thursday, January 22, the signing of an agreement with SOCAR, the national oil company of the Republic of Azerbaijan, for the sale of a 10% stake in the offshore Baleine project off the coast of Ivory Coast. This operation is part of Eni’s upstream portfolio optimization strategy, aiming...

Attijari Bank has released its activity indicators for the year 2025, showing a generally moderate increase in its main aggregates. According to data released on January 21, the Net Banking Income (NBI) of the bank amounted to 709.5 million Tunisian dinars (234 million dollars), marking a slight increase of 0.2% compared to the end of...

Algeria is moving towards a significant expansion of its agricultural insurance system to include natural disasters related to climate change. The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Fisheries announced that work is underway to adapt and modernize existing insurance products, with the aim of providing more comprehensive coverage against increasing climate risks. This announcement was...

The Egyptian Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation announced that Egypt has mobilized $9.5 billion in concessional financing from bilateral and multilateral partners for the period 2023-2026. These resources are part of the National Structural Reform Program, aimed at strengthening macroeconomic stability, enhancing market competitiveness, and improving the business environment, according to a...

El Amana Takaful has officially announced the change of its commercial name. Since January 1, 2026, the company operates under the name “Al Baraka Assurances”. This decision, made following its General Assembly held on November 28, 2025, is part of its strategic integration within the Al Baraka Group, which has become the majority shareholder of...

Algeria’s national insurance market maintained solid growth momentum over the first nine months of 2025. According to data released by the Conseil national des assurances (CNA), total sector output reached 142.9 billion Algerian dinars between January and September 2025 (approximately USD 1.06 billion), marking a 7.3% increase compared with the same period in 2024. The...

Remittances sent home by Egyptians living abroad recorded a sharp acceleration in 2025, reaffirming their central role in financing the national economy. According to a statement released on Monday, January 5, by the Central Bank of Egypt, these financial inflows increased by 42.5% over the first eleven months of the year, reaching approximately $37.5 billion,...

In the DRC, $58 million USD were paid out in compensations to victims in 2024, compared to $2 million USD in 2018, according to data released on December 27, 2025 by the Insurance Regulatory and Control Authority (ARCA). According to the 2023-2024 report on the state of the insurance market, compensations only amounted to $2 million in 2018. In 2024, out of a volume of $377 million in premiums and contracts subscribed, $58 million were actually paid out to victims, “evidence that the compensation mechanism is now working,” said Alain Kaninda Ngalula, CEO of ARCA. This progress, he also explained,…

under the auspices of the National Payment Committee (CMN), the Professional Association of Banks and Financial Institutions of Senegal (APBEF), and the Interbank Payment Group (GIM-UMOA), the first edition of the National Payment Salon was held on December 10 and 11 in Dakar. Under the theme: “Digital payments and financial inclusion: Issue of monetary sovereignty in West Africa”, this meeting brought together banks, fintechs, payment operators, regulators, public institutions, and the general public. Several actors also showcased their solutions at the stands. On this occasion, Financial Afrik met with the exhibitors to better understand their activities and gather their impressions.

With more than 53% of the population now covered, compared to only 10% ten years ago, and more than 70% of women among the insured, mainly in rural areas, Senegal continues to progress towards universal health coverage. The country aims to reach 75% coverage by 2029 to ensure equitable access to care across the entire...

The first edition of the National Electronic Payment Fair opened on Wednesday, December 5 in Dakar, under the theme: “Digital Payments and Financial Inclusion: A Challenge for Monetary Sovereignty in West Africa.” Organized jointly by the National Electronic Payment Committee (CMN), the Professional Association of Banks and Financial Institutions of Senegal (APBEF) and the Interbank...

The Moroccan leader in insurance continues its ascent. Under the leadership of Boubker Jaï, Chairman and CEO of the Group, Wafa Assurance has reported a consolidated revenue of 10.919 billion dirhams — equivalent to $1.2 billion — for the first nine months of 2025, an increase of 7.6%. This symbolic milestone confirms the Group’s growth,...

Caarama Assurance, a subsidiary of CAAR and a player in personal insurance in Algeria, continues its technological shift. Its general manager, Mounir Ghernouti, announced on December 2 in Algiers that online claims declaration will be fully operational and accessible to all policyholders from 2026. “This digital solution was designed to offer simplicity, speed, and transparency...

A decision explained by strong growth and a significant decrease in inflation The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), meeting on December 3, 2025, decided to maintain the current direction of its monetary policy. The main key interest rate at which the central bank refinances banking institutions remains at 3.25%, while the marginal lending facility interest rate remains at 5.25%, a level in effect since June 16, 2025. The reserve requirement ratio applicable to banks in the Union is also maintained at 3%. These decisions are based on the analysis of recent economic conditions:…

The Agency for the Development and Supervision of Small and Medium Enterprises (ADEPME) launched a workshop for media professionals on Tuesday, November 18th in Dakar. This meeting aims to present the institution, its 2025-2029 strategy, its missions, and the impact results recorded in recent years. Discussions focused on several areas: raising awareness about the challenges...

The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), the only Sharia-compliant multilateral insurance company and a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group, and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen their collaboration in support of trade and investments between Arab and African countries. The...

In a new report dated November 10, 2025, the international rating agency AM Best highlights that the results of the National Insurance Company (SAA), the public insurer, are mainly driven by strong investment income. It confirms its financial strength rating at “B” (Satisfactory) and the long-term issuer credit rating at “bb+” (Satisfactory), both with stable...

The National Savings and Insurance Fund (CNEP-Bank) and Cash Assurances have signed a strategic partnership aimed at promoting the marketing of insurance products related to real estate risks. The objective is to strengthen the protection of real estate assets, facilitate access to insurance services, and support financial inclusion, in line with the national strategy to...

Vicenne, a Moroccan company specializing in medical equipment and technological solutions for the healthcare sector in Morocco and French-speaking Africa, achieved a consolidated turnover of 696 million dirhams (approximately 75.2 million USD) in the first nine months of 2025, up 25% from the 557 million dirhams (approximately 60.2 million USD) recorded in the same period...

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a $310 million financing for FirstRand Bank, a subsidiary fully owned by the FirstRand Group. This support aims to expand access to credit for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in South Africa, with a particular focus on businesses owned or led by women and those active...

The Moroccan insurance and reinsurance sector continues its recovery momentum, initiated in 2024. According to data published by the Insurance and Social Welfare Supervisory Authority (ACAPS), the market recorded a total revenue of 37.7 billion dirhams (approximately 4.07 billion dollars) in the first half of 2025, an increase of 7.7% year-on-year. Direct insurance premiums increased...

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced a new investment of $40 million in Infinity, an Egyptian company specializing in renewable energy. This investment aims to support projects by Infinity Power, a subsidiary of the group, which is currently developing nearly 3 gigawatts of renewable capacity in several key markets across the...

Egypt is preparing to issue a new offer of sovereign sukuk worth 200 billion Egyptian pounds (approximately $4.1 billion) by the end of 2025, announced the Ministry of Finance responsible for fiscal policies. This initiative is part of the government’s strategy to diversify public financing sources and stimulate private sector participation in the national economy....

The Rwandan government aims to facilitate access to financing for farmers, cooperatives, and SMEs engaged in green agriculture. This initiative is part of the fifth strategic plan for agricultural transformation, launched in December 2024, which aims to strengthen food systems, promote inclusive growth, and increase resilience to climate change, according to the Ministry of Agriculture...