Author: ISSOUF KAMAGATE

The Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations of Ivory Coast (CDC-CI) is entering a new chapter in its institutional history with the official appointment of Mr. Sidy CISSÉ as General Manager. As a former Deputy Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, the new leader is taking the reins of a strategic institution with the primary...

Officially announced on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at the Abidjan Exhibition Center during the 10th edition of the National Cocoa and Chocolate Days (JNCC) by Bruno Nabagné Koné, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Production, the cocoa farmgate price is set at 1,200 CFA per kilogram for the main campaign 2026-2027, while that of...

In Abidjan, mobile payment has taken off in most businesses, gradually becoming an essential daily reflex for many users. However, this digital transition still faces stubborn resistance, especially in transportation where two habits are at odds. Indeed, in the Ivorian capital, drivers of Vehicles for Hire with Driver (VTC) have made these electronic transactions their primary means of daily payment. This widespread adoption meets a fundamental business requirement where every minute counts. As explained by a driver in the field: “Out of 100 clients I transport, 90% make their payment through Wave, which suits us and allows us to refuel…

On the occasion of the publication of its financial results for the first half of 2026 on August 25, the mining company Gold Fields reminded, during a roundtable with the press, that it is still awaiting an official response from the Ghanaian government. The mining giant submitted an early renewal request for its five leases...

In order to improve urban mobility and accelerate travel within the Ivorian economic capital, the government is preparing to launch the construction of the sixth bridge in Abidjan. Estimated at around 200 billion CFA francs (305 million euros), this project will be carried out by the Concessionaire Company of the Riviera-Marcory bridge (SOCOPRIM), which already operates the Henri-Konan-Bédié bridge. The infrastructure will be built as part of a public-private partnership (PPP) and will consist of two main sections: Abatta-Koumassi and Koumassi-Port-Bouët, with a total length of about 1.5 km. The operation will not be limited to crossing the Ébrié lagoon:…

The Minister of Environment and Ecological Transition, Abou Bamba, wants to make the fight against illegal gold mining a major issue for the protection of land, environmental sovereignty, and stability of the continent. He officially launched, this Thursday, August 27, the African Coalition against land degradation and environmental pollution caused by illegal artisanal and small-scale gold mining. The launch took place on the sidelines of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17 of the UNCCD), in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The Coalition aims to strengthen cross-border cooperation and information sharing; harmonize…

The pan-African Ventures Platform II Fund has secured a commitment of up to $8 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the institution announced on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. This commitment marks EBRD’s first participation in a venture capital fund operating in sub-Saharan Africa. A fund built to support startups on the continent Founded in 2016 in Lagos by Kola Aina, Ventures Platform positions itself as a fund specializing in very early-stage funding rounds – from “discovery” stage (seed) to series A. The company claims to have already supported over 90 pan-African startups, several of which have…

The Rabat-New Delhi axis is strengthening. Meeting on August 24, 2026 in Rabat for the 7th session of the Morocco-India Joint Commission, the two countries have confirmed the level of around $4 billion in bilateral trade in 2025-2026, while outlining an ambitious trajectory: to double this volume over the next five years, thanks to the intensification of industrial joint ventures and mutual investments. Co-chaired by Omar Hejira, Secretary of State to the Minister of Industry and Trade, in charge of Foreign Trade, and Jitin Prasada, Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry, Electronics and Information Technology, this meeting consolidates a rapidly…

Continental Reinsurance has reached a key milestone in its expansion in East Africa by obtaining approval from the National Bank of Rwanda, the central bank. Operational since August 10, 2026 under the name Continental Reinsurance® Limited, this representative office in Kigali reflects the pan-African reinsurer’s commitment to solidify its presence in the Rwandan market. This establishment aims to optimize local coordination with insurers, brokers, and professionals in the Rwandan sector. By complementing the technical and underwriting capabilities already present in the region, the office allows teams to get closer to their partners to provide them with tailored support and increased…

Ghana recorded approximately $2.61 billion in investments spread across 253 projects in the year 2025. This performance was officially announced by the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, on August 21, 2026, during the presentation of the 2025 Investment Annual Report of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) in Accra. These financial flows demonstrate that the country continues to attract significant strategic interest from international investors, despite a global climate marked by persistent economic uncertainties and a widespread decline in investments in many regions of the world. According to the Bank of Ghana, these results…

The Niger reaches a decisive milestone in its energy sector with the signing of the agreement for the construction of the future Dosso refinery in the southwest of the country, about 140 kilometers from the capital Niamey. Initialled on August 15, 2026 by Bakary Yaou Sangaré, chairman of the negotiation committee, and Benjamin Day Marc, CEO of Zimar Group and High Tech, in the presence of Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, this agreement covers the design, financing, construction, operation, and transfer of a conventional refinery with a capacity of 100,000 barrels per day, coupled with a large-scale petrochemical complex.…

The Cocoa Marketing Company (Ghana) Limited (CMC), a subsidiary of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), launched on August 20, 2026 in Tema, an operational model operating 24 hours a day. Declined in three pillars – “Offload 24”, “Load 24” and “Export 24” – the device extends beyond the usual hours the reception of beans from approved buying companies, the supply of local processing factories, and the preparation of export shipments – inspection, loading, sealing, documentation – now aligned with the actual schedules of ships and port operations. “The world does not stop at 4 or 5 pm, and neither does…

The budget deficit of Morocco stood at 48.2 billion dirhams (≈ 5.19 billion USD) at the end of July 2026, compared to 53.7 billion dirhams (≈ 5.79 billion USD*) at the same period in 2025, according to the monthly bulletin of public finance statistics from the Treasury General of the Kingdom (TGR). The balance thus...

On his first visit to the industrial zone of Abou Zenima in the South Sinai governorate, Industry Minister Khaled Hashem inspected the Sinai Manganese Company foundry on August 16, 2026, the first and largest producer of manganese ore in Egypt. The state-owned company, which currently has an annual production capacity of 18,000 tons of ferromanganese...

The Ivory Coast-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (ICCIG) expressed, in a statement published on August 12, 2026, by its secretariat, its deep concern about the use of cocoa substitutes and industrial reformulations that reduce the proportion of cocoa in certain products marketed as chocolate. The two largest cocoa producers in the world believe that these practices raise...

Dangote’s refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, plays a central role in the efforts of West African energy regulators to create a regional benchmark and trading platform for refined petroleum products. The stated goal is to give the region an increased role in shaping fuel prices, as announced by the Nigerian regulator...

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...