Author: Rodrigue Fénélon Massala

Aliko Dangote, CEO of Dangote Industries Limited, met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss ways to enhance trade and investment between Canada and Africa. According to the Dangote Group, the discussions focused on opportunities to deepen economic cooperation between Canada and African countries, as well as developing partnerships to support industrialization, innovation, and...

The results published by CCEI Bank GE for the 2025 financial year reflect a clear improvement in its financial performance. Net profit increased from 1.55 billion to 4.336 billion CFA francs, in a context marked by the continuation of the restructuring initiated since the nationalization of the bank in 2021. By Rodrigue Fénelon Massala Following...

The Buenassa refinery has received a non-repayable grant of $3,385,000 from the U.S. Agency for Trade and Development (USTDA). For the first time, the U.S. government is providing direct support to a crucial mining project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a clear geopolitical harmonization perspective. By Rodrigue Fenelon Massala This is a step that Kinshasa already qualifies as historic. Buenassa, the bearer of an ambitious copper and cobalt refinery project in Lualaba, Democratic Republic of Congo, has received official approval for a non-repayable grant of $3,385,000 from USTDA to finance its pre-feasibility study (PFS). The information was made…

The six officially declared candidates to succeed António Guterres participated in a public debate at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday, July 23, 2026. Organized before the General Assembly, this exchange is part of the process of selecting the next Secretary-General. Broadcast live, the event aimed to present the visions of the contenders before the opening of a new phase of consultations at the Security Council, whose members will have to come to a consensus before transmitting a name to the General Assembly for approval. Gathered at the UN headquarters, the six candidates answered questions from member…

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Industry Promotion Fund (FPI) have initiated a new phase of their strategy to clean up the portfolio of claims of this public institution, estimated at nearly 808 billion Congolese francs (CDF), equivalent to approximately 350 million US dollars. The objective is to restore the...

The African tour of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov ended in Bujumbura, Burundi, after stops in Ethiopia, Niger, and Mozambique. Officially focused on strengthening bilateral relations between Moscow and several African states, this diplomatic sequence also illustrates Russia’s desire to expand its political presence on the continent, particularly in the Great Lakes region. The choice...

Claude Owona, originally from Cameroon, has been appointed Regional Industry Director for the Financial Institutions Group (FIG) in Central and West Africa by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. Graduated in accounting and finance from Audencia Business School (France) and holding an MBA from Ohio State University (USA), Claude...

Claude Owona, hailing from Cameroon, has been appointed as the Regional Industry Director for the Financial Institutions Group (FIG) in Central and West Africa by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. A graduate in accounting and finance from Audencia Business School (France) and holding an MBA from Ohio State...

Claude Owona, originally from Cameroon, has been appointed Regional Industry Director for the Financial Institutions Group (FIG) in Central and West Africa by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. A graduate in accounting and finance from Audencia Business School (France) and holder of an MBA from Ohio State University...

Claude Owona, originally from Cameroon, has been appointed Regional Industry Director for the Financial Institutions Group (FIG) in Central and West Africa by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. A graduate in accounting and finance from Audencia Business School (France) and holder of an MBA from Ohio State University...

Claude Owona, originally from Cameroon, has been appointed Regional Industry Director for the Financial Institutions Group (FIG) in Central and West Africa by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. With a degree in accounting and finance from Audencia Business School (France) and an MBA from Ohio State University (USA),...

By Rodrigue Fenelon Massala South Africa is initiating a significant change in its migration policy towards the continent. By publishing a new list of African countries benefiting from a visa exemption, Pretoria aims to facilitate the movement of nationals from 32 states and reaffirm its commitment to African integration. However, this initiative comes at a...

African Rainbow Capital (ARC), the investment company founded by South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe, was facing a $195 million complaint filed by the American group Pula in relation to a graphite mining project in Tanzania. The dispute revolves around an alleged breach of a confidentiality agreement signed in 2019 between Pula Group and African Rainbow...

The asylum request of Ephrem Yalike-Ngonzo, a Central African journalist who exposed the propaganda system of the Wagner group in the Central African Republic (CAR), has been rejected by the French authorities. The Platform for the Protection of Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) announced on Thursday, July 9, that they have filed an appeal against this decision, which they consider contrary to France’s commitments. According to PPLAAF, Ephrem Yalike-Ngonzo was allowed to come to France in 2024 after an intervention by President Emmanuel Macron, as he faced threats in the Central African Republic. The rejection of his asylum request would now…

By Rodrigue Fénelon Massala, senior reporter When an African state today wishes to create or relaunch a national airline, one name almost systematically comes up at the table: Ethiopian Airlines. The continent’s leading carrier no longer just transports passengers; it now exports an industrial model. In Togo with ASKY Airlines, in Malawi with Malawi Airlines,...

The industrial group of Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote is taking a new step in its strategy to integrate the fertilizer value chain in Africa. The company has obtained an operating permit for a potash deposit in Congo-Brazzaville, with estimated reserves of nearly 350 million tons. Securing the upstream of the fertilizer sector This acquisition is part of the Dangote group’s desire to secure its supply of raw materials for fertilizer production, a sector that has become strategic for the continent’s food security. Already the owner of one of Africa’s largest fertilizer plants in Nigeria, the group is looking to strengthen…

Rodrigue Fenelon Massala For many years, public debt has been steadily increasing in many African countries. Senegal, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, and Zambia are facing growing financing needs, increasing budget constraints, and difficult negotiations with their creditors. In this context, debt restructuring appears as a necessary remedy to prevent insolvency, in other words, default. However, the experience of several countries shows that International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance programs, aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability, can sometimes lead to a cycle of financial dependence. Indeed, it should be noted that over the past two decades, many African countries have increased their…

Botswana and Namibia, in a resolutely pan-African dynamic, have just reached a major milestone in their economic cooperation with the conclusion of an agreement for the construction of a refinery estimated at $4 billion. This structuring project aims to strengthen the energy capacities of both countries, while accelerating their industrialization and stimulating job creation on...

On the occasion of the celebration of Africa Day set on May 25th, the date of the creation of the OAU, the President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, announced a historic measure aimed at strengthening African integration. In his official speech delivered on May 25th, on the eve of the opening of the...

King Mohammed VI of Morocco has granted a royal pardon to several Senegalese supporters who were convicted following the incidents that occurred during the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) between Morocco and Senegal. This decision, announced a few days before Aid El Adha (Tabaski festival), comes after several weeks of diplomatic tensions and calls for calm between the two countries. By Rodrigue Fenelon Massala The CAN final, held in Rabat on January 18, 2026, was marked by violent clashes in the stands and around the stadium after an extremely tense match between the Lions of the…

In its latest report on the DRC, the World Bank delivers a harsh indictment against Congolese state-owned enterprises. Massive losses, politicized governance, deteriorating infrastructure, and increasing indebtedness: the institution believes that SNEL, REGIDESO, and several mining companies are permanently weakening public finances and hindering the country’s economic potential. By Rodrigue Fenelon Massala In its report...

Kinshasa, May 11, 2026 — Veron Mosengo, candidate for the presidency of the Congolese Football Association (FECOFA), presented the main lines of his governance project during a meeting with the media and several stakeholders in Congolese football. In front of club leaders, former players, coaches, and observers of the national football scene, he outlined his...

By a ruling of the South African Constitutional Court, the parliamentary opposition against the Phala Phala report has been overturned, thus opening the possibility of impeachment against President Ramaphosa. If this process goes through to completion, he would be the third president in history, after Mbeki and Zuma, not to finish his last term. In...

During the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Washington, discussions between the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) and representatives of restructuring funds did not lead to a compromise. Despite several working sessions and frank exchanges between the parties, no common ground could be found on the terms...

The Democratic Republic of Congo has obtained a partially favorable arbitral decision in the dispute with the Australian company AVZ Minerals regarding the Manono lithium project, located in the Tanganyika province. The Manono deposit is considered one of the largest in the world for lithium, a strategic metal used in the production of electric batteries....

After a sequence marked by uncertainty and speculation, Veron Mosengo-Omba finally officially announced his candidacy for the presidency of the Congolese Football Federation (Fecofa) on Tuesday evening, putting an end to several hours of waiting in the Congolese football world. By Rodrigue Fenelon Massala A prominent figure in African football and former executive director of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), he had been raising expectations for several weeks about a possible entry into the race. His candidacy is seen as likely to bring a new dynamic to the federation, particularly in terms of governance and structural development. Speaking at…

Facing a multidimensional crisis that continues to worsen, Sudan is now at a decisive turning point in its history. Armed conflicts, economic collapse, major humanitarian crisis, and political paralysis make up an alarming picture. In this context, an important initiative recently emerged in Berlin, where the contact group on Sudan and the SICG (Sudanese International Civilian Group), representing Sudanese civil society, brought together various actors on February 16 to coordinate efforts towards a sustainable crisis resolution. By Rodrigue Fénelon Massala, Special Envoy to Berlin A deep and complex crisis Since the escalation of violence between rival armed forces, Sudan has…

Following the dismissal of Alain Lungungu for mismanagement within the Financing Execution Unit for Fragile States (CFEF), Djena Bassiala is now serving as interim director. Under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance, the CFEF team aims to give a new direction to the institution. This appointment comes at a time marked by the suspension...

The meeting on April 1, 2026 between Félix Tshisekedi and Tamim ben Hamad Al Thani takes place in a particularly tense geopolitical context, marked by escalating tensions between Iran and a coalition led by the United States and Israel. Far from a simple protocol meeting, this discussion reflects a convergence of strategic interests between Kinshasa and Doha, at the crossroads of security, diplomatic, and economic issues. Presented also as a gesture of solidarity, the visit of the Congolese head of state aims to express the support of the Democratic Republic of Congo to Qatar, perceived as a collateral victim of…

Organized on the sidelines of the ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States) summit held from March 27 to 29, 2026 in Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), the Business Summit brought together public officials, business leaders, investors, and representatives of international institutions to discuss economic cooperation among member countries. During this meeting, Gabon Day presented the country’s economic priorities. President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema outlined the Gabonese authorities’ focus on investment, economic diversification, and structural transformation. In his speech, the Gabonese head of state emphasized the conditions deemed necessary for the country’s attractiveness: institutional stability, transparency, improvement of infrastructure, and support…