Author: ISSOUF KAMAGATE

The losses incurred by the Bank of Ghana in its gold acquisitions have reached a critical level, amounting to $1.7 billion for the year 2025 alone according to a report published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). These figures reveal that the financial impact of the “Domestic Gold Purchase” program, operated through GoldBod, far exceeds the initial estimates disclosed. Indeed, the IMF’s country report No. 26/213 on Ghana (reference document for the 2026 Article IV consultation), published on August 4, demonstrates that the initially rumored $214 million loss was only a tiny portion of the actual deficit borne by the…

While the African creative industry traditionally suffers from a chronic lack of structured financing and institutional investors struggle to engage massively in this sector, a strong signal is sent by regional markets. Fleur Tchibota, known for leading the financial communication of leading institutions such as Afreximbank and Africa 50, is making a strategic shift by fully investing in the cinema ecosystem through the project “The Director’s TV”, presented on Tuesday, August 4 in Abidjan. This 90-minute historical and social drama, anchored in 1980s Ivory Coast and built around a television set disrupting the social dynamics of a popular neighborhood, illustrates…

The Egyptian investment funds market confirmed its momentum in the second quarter of 2026. According to the quarterly report published on July 28, 2026 by the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), the net asset value of the sector increased by 14.7% during the period, reaching 470.9 billion Egyptian pounds (approx. $9.3 billion) at the end of June 2026, compared to 410.69 billion pounds at the end of March. The quarterly increase amounts to around 60.2 billion pounds, or nearly $1.2 billion. This dynamic is accompanied by a structural expansion marked by the registration of 15 new vehicles, bringing the total number…

LafargeHolcim Côte d’Ivoire is entering a new chapter in its institutional history. The Ivorian subsidiary of the Holcim group has officially announced the appointment of Mohamed Kharraki as the new Managing Director. In office since August 1, 2026, he succeeds Rachid Yousry, who had been in the position since June 2021. An industrial engineer graduate...

Economic cooperation between Ivory Coast and China reached a new milestone in 2025. The total volume of trade between the two countries reached 4,272 billion CFA francs, or $7.42 billion, an increase of 46.9% compared to 2024. This figure was announced on July 31, 2026 by Wu Jie, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Ivory Coast, during the 2026 annual assembly of the Chamber of Commerce of Chinese Companies in Ivory Coast (CCECI), held in Abidjan. During his speech, the diplomat highlighted several projects carried out by Chinese companies who are members of the CCECI, and then handed…

Facing persistent tensions in the international oil market, the Ivorian government has implemented a new adjustment of fuel prices at the pump, effective since August 1, 2026. According to the statement from the General Directorate of Hydrocarbons, the price of unleaded gasoline now stands at 905 CFA francs per liter (up from 875 CFA francs,...

The Ministry of Digital Transition and Digitalization aims to increase the share of the digital sector in the national gross domestic product (GDP) from 8% to 16%. This ambition is based on two flagship programs launched on Wednesday, July 30: Ivoire Tech Next 15 and Ivoire Tech Scale Up. This objective is part of the ministry’s 2026-2038 plan. Ivoire Tech Scale Up is a national initiative aimed at identifying, supporting, and propelling the strongest Ivorian technological SMEs to help them scale up and become national leaders in the digital sector. Ivoire Tech Next 15, also a national initiative, aims to…

Côte d’Ivoire and Botswana signed a cooperation agreement in the mining and energy sectors on Thursday, July 30 in Gaborone. The agreement was signed by the Ivorian Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, and the Botswana Minister responsible for Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Joy Kenewendo. This is the first cooperation agreement concluded between the two countries in these areas. The agreement covers several aspects, including geological research, exploration, the diamond industry, gold resources, critical minerals, governance, training, and institutional cooperation. Ivorian authorities indicate that it should help support the country’s ambitions in the mining sector, drawing from Botswana’s…

A major strategic partnership. The consortium formed by Italian company Eni and French company TotalEnergies officially announced on Tuesday, July 28, its final investment decision (FID) for the development of the Cypriot gas field Cronos. This significant project will allow natural gas to be transported directly to Egyptian infrastructure for processing, before being liquefied at...

Ivorian cocoa producers are entering a new stage of their activity by positioning themselves in industrial processing. Gathered within the CADESA cooperative, more than 4,000 farmers have launched the construction of their own processing unit in San Pedro. Estimated at 9.84 billion CFA francs (15 million euros) and carried by CADESA Processing SA, the project is expected to be completed within 24 months. The plant will have an initial capacity of 15,000 tons per year, expandable to 30,000 tons. It is expected to create 110 direct jobs and 250 indirect jobs. The project was officialized on July 23, 2026 during…

The Ivorian oil industry is reaching a new milestone with the official transfer of operations of the Espoir field (block CI-26) to Petroci Holding, which was formalized on Friday, July 24, 2026 at the General Directorate of Hydrocarbons. As of midnight on the same date, the national company took over from the Canadian company CNR to become the operator of this strategic permit, previously operated by a consortium consisting of CNR (outgoing operator), Tullow Oil, and Petroci Holding. Under the chairmanship of Alpha Yaya Ouattara, representing the Director General of Hydrocarbons, the ceremony brought together key figures in the case:…

The Ivorian government ratified a loan agreement of 30 billion CFA francs concluded with the West African Development Bank (BOAD). The announcement was made on July 22, 2026, following the Council of Ministers by government spokesperson Amadou Coulibaly. This funding is intended for the co-financing of the development and asphalting project of the Yabayo-Buyo road axis, which is 60 kilometers long in the southwest of the country. According to Ivorian authorities, this project is part of the infrastructure modernization policy. It aims to improve the mobility of the population and facilitate the evacuation of local agricultural production. The improvement of…

Airports of Morocco, the Moroccan public establishment responsible for the management, operation, and development of airport platforms in Morocco, announced on Thursday, July 23, the deployment of the “Pax Check” system, which allows passengers to exclusively use their smartphone to go through the various airport steps. With this system, travelers no longer have to present...

According to the SIIPS 2025 report, Nigeria is the only country to have reached the maturity stage thanks to its NIBSS Instant Payment system. A dozen other countries are at an advanced level among the 33 national systems and 4 regional systems listed. This was indicated by Sabine Mensah, Deputy Managing Director of the AfricaNenda...

Commercial banks in Nigeria deposited 4.74 trillion naira with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) mechanism on Monday, July 20, representing a 14.24% increase from the previous session’s 4.15 trillion naira. This increase occurred in a context of abundant liquidity in the financial system. The increased use of SDF indicates that banks preferred to place their excess cash with the central bank on a day-to-day basis rather than lending it in the interbank market. This mechanism allows institutions to earn interest on their excess liquidity. According to the Financial Markets Dealers Association (FMDA), liquidity…

Minister of Planning and Development, Souleymane Diarrassouba, presented the main macroeconomic indicators of Ivory Coast, as part of the “Government’s rendez-vous” forum organized on July 20, 2026 by the Government Information and Communication Center (CICG). According to the minister, the Ivorian economy recorded an average growth rate of 8.1% between 2012 and 2019, before slowing down to 0.7% in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He indicated that it then stabilized at an average of 6.5% over the period 2021-2025. Souleymane Diarrassouba also stated that GDP per capita increased from 1,546.9 US dollars in 2012 to 3,148.2 US dollars in…

Senegal takes over the rotating presidency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Following the 69th ordinary session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government, held on Sunday, July 19 in Sierra Leone, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye was elected to lead the sub-regional organization. He succeeds Sierra Leonean Julius Maada Bio, who was previously serving as the President of the Conference of Heads of State and Government. “I am happy to pass the baton to my younger brother, His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye,” said the outgoing president during the ceremony. Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s assumption of…

The legal battle between GN Savings and Loans and the Bank of Ghana (BoG) has seen a new development with the Supreme Court’s decision to grant a stay of execution against the Court of Appeal’s ruling ordering the restoration of the financial institution’s operating license. As a result, the execution of the Court of Appeal’s...

The Senegalese political and diplomatic landscape is expecting a first this Friday, July 17, 2026. Former president Macky Sall announced on his social media accounts on Tuesday 14 that he will make a brief visit to Dakar to meet with his successor, Bassirou Diomaye Faye. According to Macky Sall, this meeting will focus on his approach towards the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations. The former head of state also indicated that this trip will be of short duration. However, he announced a soon return to Dakar to meet more broadly with his supporters and sympathizers. This visit comes…

On July 11, 2026, the Minister of Planning and Development, Souleymane Diarrassouba, and Ahunna Eziakonwa, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), formalized the strengthening of their cooperation. During the African Economic Conference, this meeting allowed for the discussion of a common roadmap aimed at mobilizing the necessary resources and accelerating the structural reforms planned within the framework of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2026-2030. In a context marked by the contraction of official development assistance and concessional financing, both parties emphasized the need to diversify sources…

African Risk Capacity Limited (ARC Ltd.), a parametric insurer dedicated to development in Africa, officially announced on Tuesday, July 14, the appointment of David Maslo as Executive Director. With over twenty years of experience in the insurance sector, Mr. Maslo is recognized for his work in institutional transformation and innovation in climate risk financing, in...

On July 10, 2026, during an inter-ministerial forum dedicated to critical minerals in Abidjan, the Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly, unveiled the Integrated Policy for Mineral Resources and Energy (PIRME). For the period 2026-2040, this roadmap, aimed at establishing a performing extractive industry, will require an investment of 38,000 billion CFA francs (around 63 billion USD). According to the minister, this transformation must be part of a dynamic of enhanced regional cooperation, essential for building interconnected value chains on a continental scale. This meeting, organized by the African Development Bank (AfDB), brought together around thirty African…

To enable Ivory Coast to access the category of upper middle-income countries, Ousmane Diagana, Vice President of the World Bank for West and Central Africa, recommends a targeted strategy. According to him, the country must focus its efforts on key growth sectors such as energy, agriculture, and digital technology, while strengthening human capital through investments...

Ivory Coast marked a turning point on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 during the first day of the Consultative Group meeting for the financing of its National Development Plan (NDP) 2026-2030. Gathered in Abidjan under the chairmanship of Vice-President Tiémoko Meyliet Koné, representing President Alassane Ouattara, development partners expressed renewed confidence in the Ivorian economy. The announced financing intentions reached a total amount of 47,820 billion CFA francs (80 billion US dollars), nearly four times the initial target set at 11,138.2 billion CFA francs (20.3 billion US dollars). The meeting brought together more than 3,000 participants from 49 countries. This financial…

Bridge Bank Group Côte d’Ivoire (BBGCI) announced on Monday, July 6 in Abidjan, its listing on the Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM). According to Myriam Ouattara, CEO of Bridge Securities, the lead arranger of the operation, this involves the sale of 20% of the bank’s capital, representing 10 million shares offered at a unit price of...

The Ivorian political landscape is witnessing a new development. Moïse Lida Kouassi, former Minister of Defense under Laurent Gbagbo, regained his freedom under judicial supervision on Monday, July 6, 2026, after more than ten months of detention. The information was relayed by sources close to the African People’s Party – Ivory Coast (PPA-CI), a political party of which he is an influential member. His release comes as the former minister, a prominent figure in the post-electoral crisis of 2010-2011, is facing health issues requiring special care. Cyberactivist Ibrahim Zigui, close to the PPA-CI, also benefited from temporary release on the…

On July 3, 2026, Ivory Coast inaugurated its Ferké Solar photovoltaic solar power plant in the north of the country. Developed by PFO Energies, the project was completed in 13 months with an investment of 41 billion CFA francs. With an installed capacity of 52 megawatts-peak (MWc), this infrastructure is among the solar power plants...

Endeavour Mining claims to have contributed 1,710 billion CFA francs (approximately $2.85 billion) to the Ivorian economy between 2021 and 2025. This report was presented on June 29, 2026 in Abidjan by Laetitia Gadegbeku-Ouattara, Vice President of Public Affairs and Country Director of the group, during a ceremony attended by representatives of the State. Public...

Egypt plans to increase the share of the private sector to 59% of the total volume of national investments for the fiscal year 2027. This direction was announced on June 29, 2026 in Cairo, during the launch of the economic impact study of L’Oréal Egypt. On this occasion, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Ahmed Rostom, outlined the main points of a strategic plan aimed at strengthening the private sector’s contribution to the national economy. This policy is part of an effort to create a more attractive environment for business and investments. The Egyptian authorities particularly highlight the development…

The Ivorian diaspora contributes to the national economy with over 900 billion CFA francs (over 1.5 billion dollars) per year, according to government statistics. An amount higher than official development assistance. Facing the diaspora on June 26 and 27, 2026 in Paris, the Minister of Planning and Development, Souleymane Diarrassouba, expressed the government’s wish to further direct this financial capacity towards productive investment, in line with the priorities of the 2026-2030 National Development Plan (NDP). The government’s policy in favor of the Ivorian diaspora is based on three axes. The first concerns the establishment of financial instruments aimed at mobilizing…