Author: The Editorial Staff

Despite a long-standing presence and close ties with local markets, French groups are seeing their positions in Africa erode. However, the dynamism of the continent offers significant growth opportunities, a potential highlighted during the Africa Forward summit. Several companies are strengthening their positions in Africa, such as Orange, Engie, Limagrain, and GBH. 23 billion euros in investments announced, bilateral contracts with Kenya, thousands of business leaders gathered in Nairobi: on May 11 and 12, 2026, the Africa Forward summit underscored the strategic role of Africa for the French economy. More than 5,000 French companies are established in Africa, where they…

The financial rating agency Bloomfield Investment Corporation has downgraded the outlook of Senegal’s sovereign rating from stable to negative, while maintaining its long-term rating at BBB+, now placed under close surveillance. This decision, announced on May 26 in Abidjan, comes in a context of strong institutional tension following the dismissal of the Prime Minister by...

Brazzaville, Tuesday 26 May 2026 Editorial Africa Day: Investing in Youth, Water, and Energy to Transform the Continent The celebration of Africa Day, held on May 25 on the sidelines of the African Development Bank Group’s Annual Meetings in Brazzaville, saw a strong plea for accelerated investments in youth, women, as well as water and energy infrastructure. Speaking on this occasion, Sidi Ould Tah emphasized that sustainable transformation of the continent cannot be achieved without a massive mobilization in support of its youth and essential infrastructure. The leader stressed that no country can succeed in isolation, and no continent can…

The giant of construction materials officially changes its identity. Gathered at the General Assembly on May 22, 2026, the shareholders of Holcim Morocco approved the transition from LafargeHolcim Morocco to Holcim Morocco. Beyond a simple rebranding, this evolution reflects the strategic alignment of the Moroccan subsidiary with the international Holcim group and supports the new ambitions of the construction sector in Morocco. A new chapter begins for Holcim Morocco. The group’s shareholders officially approved the change of corporate name from LafargeHolcim Morocco to Holcim Morocco. This decision, adopted at the mixed General Assembly on May 22, 2026, is part of…

Royal Air Maroc announces the temporary suspension of several international routes departing from Casablanca, Tangier, and Marrakech, in a context of a sharp increase in jet fuel prices due to tensions in the Middle East and a slowdown in demand on certain routes. Affected routes include Casablanca-Bangui, Casablanca-Brazzaville, Casablanca-Kinshasa, Casablanca-Douala, Casablanca-Yaoundé, and Casablanca-Libreville, as well...

A delegation from the Central Bank of Libya, led by Governor Naji Mohammed Issa, received officials from Numisma Bank in Tripoli. Numisma Bank is an American bank specialized in secure monetary solutions, currency operations, and compliance services for central banks and international financial institutions. Based in the United States and regulated by US authorities, Numisma...

The implementation of the Simandou 2040 Program continues to reach new milestones in the Guinean industrial sector. The Republic of Guinea and Chalco Guinea Company signed agreements on Thursday, May 22, 2026, for the construction of an alumina refinery in Boffa. This partnership was sealed under the auspices of the Minister Director of the Presidency’s Cabinet, Djiba DIAKITÉ, President of the Simandou Strategic Committee, in the presence of the Minister Secretary General of the Presidency, General Amara CAMARA, Presidential advisors, and members of the Strategic Committee. This project, considered strategic in the national policy of local transformation of mineral resources,…

On the sidelines of the fourth edition of the Oil Days in Casablanca (May 20-23, 2026), Martin Boguikouma, General Manager of the Gabon Ports and Harbors Office (OPRAG), detailed the country’s new port ambition, based on logistical modernization, digitalization, and the development of smart ports to support the country’s oil and mining boom. The Gabonese official emphasized that OPRAG, now a true national port authority, currently oversees several strategic concessions operated with international partners in containerized, mining, and oil activities. In Libreville and Port-Gentil, port infrastructures already support flows related to manganese, offshore hydrocarbons, and regional trade. But Gabon now…

Regional integration: AfDB launches its “Integrate Africa Forum” in BrazzavilleThe African Development Bank Group is organizing, on May 28, 2026 in Brazzaville, the first Forum on integration in Africa called “Integrate Africa Forum”. Under the theme “Made in Africa, Marketed in Africa”, this meeting aims to accelerate the implementation of the AfCFTA and regional value chains. The President of the AfDB Group, Sidi Ould Tah, is expected to defend a vision of industrialization driven by intra-African trade. Brazzaville aims to transform the Congo Basin into a global strategic assetOn the sidelines of the African Development Bank Annual Meetings, the Republic…

Present at the 4th edition of the Oil Days organized in Casablanca (May 20-23, 2026), Seynabou Dia Sall, CEO of Global Mind Consulting and Organizer of the Forum, reflects on the issues of attractiveness, governance and economic sovereignty in the oil sector in Africa. In this interview with Financial Afrik, she urges African countries to move beyond dependency logics and to invest heavily in training, data mastery, and the creation of continental champions capable of carrying a true African energy strategy. Interview by Ismael Sy, Casablanca Can you introduce Global Mind Consulting and discuss the issues of this 4th edition…

At the end of its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on May 18, 2026, the Central Bank of Mauritania (BCM) chose to take control of the monetary front. By raising its key rate by 50 basis points, from 6% to 6.5%, the institution led by Mohamed Lemine Dhehabi sends a clear signal: price stability is...

In the face of the resurgence of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, health authorities and international partners are accelerating the mobilization of financial, logistical, and medical resources to contain the spread of the epidemic. Ebola, one of the deadliest viruses in the world, causes severe hemorrhagic fevers with a high mortality rate in the absence of rapid care. The current resurgence is concerning due to the risks of transmission in several provinces in the East of the country and cross-border movements in the Great Lakes region. An international emergency financial support According to the latest…

TThe ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) and Afriland First Bank Côte d’Ivoire S.A. signed a loan agreement on May 20, 2026, at the Bank’s headquarters in Lomé, Togo, for an amount of ten billion (10,000,000,000) FCFA to strengthen private sector financing and accelerate economic transformation in Côte d’Ivoire. The facility will support the growing short- and medium-term financing needs of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and mid-sized companies operating in strategic sectors such as health, education, agro-industry, manufacturing, trade, construction, services, and technology. By improving access to tailored financing solutions, the partnership seeks to unlock productive capacity,…

[Advertorial] Strategically located in the heart of the Atlantic, Gran Canaria is just a few hours’ flight from many countries in North and West Africa. Its air connectivity with cities like Casablanca, Marrakech, Dakar, or Nouakchott, combined with modern healthcare infrastructure and a safe and stable environment, has made the island one of the most attractive emerging destinations for international medical and wellness tourism. Thanks to a privileged climate year-round and a growing offer of multilingual services, Gran Canaria offers a unique combination of medical excellence, recovery, and quality of life. A global ecosystem of health and well-being Gran Canaria…

As soon as the Africa Forward summit organized in Kenya on May 11 and 12 closed its doors, Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic staff is already working on the tour that the French Head of State will undertake in West Africa at the end of October and the beginning of November. This final trip to the continent...

On May 14 and 15, 2026, Kigali hosted the 2026 edition of the Africa CEO Forum, the main meeting of the African private sector dedicated to financing the continent’s economies, investment, and African structural transformations. In a context of increasing competition between African countries to attract international capital, the Senegalese delegation displayed a particularly active...

This partnership builds on Ecobank Group’s recent commitment of $3 billion USD to trade financing, to strengthen the industrialization and economic integration of the continent The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and Ecobank Group announced today the signing of an agreement aimed at enhancing the economic integration of the continent and reducing the trade finance gap in Africa. This agreement aims to expand African businesses’ access to trade and financing opportunities, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), women-led businesses, and young entrepreneurs. This agreement establishes a strategic framework to support the implementation of the…

Kigali, May 18, 2025 – The 13th edition of the Africa CEO Forum, organized by Jeune Afrique Media Group and co-organized with IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, concluded this Friday in Kigali, Rwanda, after two days of high-level exchanges bringing together over 2,800 public and private leaders from more than 77 countries. The challenge is clear: to enable the continent to move from a collection of still too dispersed markets to a truly integrated economic power, capable of developing world-class companies, mobilizing its own capital, and having a greater impact on new international value chains. Under the…

Headliners expected in Brazzaville Four days before the opening of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group, Brazzaville is preparing to welcome an impressive cast of financial decision-makers, ministers, bankers, diplomats, and heads of international institutions. An overview of the most anticipated personalities. The host country also intends to take advantage of the Meetings to send a signal to international markets. The Republic of Congo has indeed made a remarkable return to international capital markets. On May 20, 2026, Brazzaville announced the successful issuance of a $850 million international bond due in 2036, with a 9.5% coupon,…

The Republic of Congo is making a notable comeback on the international capital markets. Brazzaville announced on May 20, 2026, the success of an international bond issue of $850 million due in 2036, with a coupon of 9.5%, in an operation that confirms the country’s repositioning among the most closely followed sovereign issuers in Central...

By Ismaël Sy, Casablanca. Under the theme “How to strengthen the attractiveness of African hydrocarbons?”, the 4th edition of Oil Days aims to open a strategic debate on the necessary conditions to reposition Africa as a competitive energy destination in a rapidly changing global context. Between regulatory reforms, technological innovation, natural gas valorization, local content, and energy transition, this new edition brings together experts, investors, and decision-makers around the levers capable of transforming African resources into engines of growth, sovereignty, and industrialization of the continent. This morning of May 20, 2026, in the dim light of the Royal Hideaway in…

ease. Lomé, May 19, 2026 – Gathered at an Ordinary General Meeting (AGM) and Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) in Lomé, the shareholders of the Regional Mortgage Refinancing Fund of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (CRRH-UEMOA) approved the accounts for the year 2025, marked by historic performances. They also adopted major strategic resolutions, confirming the institution’s role as an architect of innovative financial solutions for housing in the Union. A governance strengthened by historic financial results The Ordinary General Meeting, chaired by Mr. Thierry TANOH, Chairman of the Board of Directors, unreservedly approved the financial statements for the year…

Brazzaville prepares to welcome African finance Five days before the official start of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), Brazzaville is gradually gearing up for one of the largest economic and financial events on the continent. Scheduled from May 25 to 30 at the International Conference Center in Kintélé, the event will bring together heads of state, finance ministers, central bank governors, investors, multilateral institutions, regional banks, private sector actors, and representatives of African civil society. This edition comes at a time marked by pressure on African public finances, the challenges of mobilizing continental savings,…

The secondary market for WAEMU public securities is showing impressive dynamics in 2026. According to data from UMOA-Titres covering the week of May 11 to 15, 2026, the total volume traded reached nearly 160 billion CFA francs in just one week, while cumulative transactions since the beginning of the year now exceed 3,377 billion CFA...

The Nigerian and Ghanaian stock markets have shown the best performances in Africa since the beginning of the year, according to data compiled by AfricanFinancials.com and Financial Afrik. The NGX-Industrial index of Nigeria has increased by 69.96%, just ahead of Ghana’s GSE-Composite at 69.59%. The NGX-AllShare completes the top three with a rise of 45.05%,...

Anas Sefrioui’s African investment refocusing is taking shape. With the sale of his last cement plant in France, the Moroccan businessman is gradually turning the page on Europe to strengthen his presence on the African continent. This operation marks a new stage in the development strategy of Ciments de l’Afrique (CIMAF), which has become one...

Seven months before the 2026 Francophonie Summit, scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2026 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the battle for the leadership of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) has entered its most political phase. Officially, the candidacies were closed on May 15. Now, the games of influence are truly beginning. Three women dominate diplomatic conversations: Louise Mushikiwabo, current Secretary General of the OIF, candidate for a third term supported by Kigali; Juliana Lumumba, personally supported by President Félix Tshisekedi; and Dr Coumba Ba, supported by Nouakchott as an alternative compromise between the two major African blocs. The…

Brazzaville is ready … With 6 days to go before the general meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB), preparations are well underway. During a recent council of ministers, the Minister of Economy, Planning, Statistics and Prospective, Ludovic Ngatsé, reassured on the progress of the work. The meetings will bring together the 61st Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank as well as the 52nd Annual Meeting of the African Development Fund around the theme: “Changing Africa’s development financing on a large scale in a fragmented world.” These Assemblies will be the first led by Sidi Ould Tah since his…

In two decades, Moncef Belkhayat has transformed his small business into a firm with a consolidated turnover of 605 million euros. Anatomy of a cash machine. Exactly twenty-one years ago, Moncef Belkhayat took over an undistinguished small business. Today, H&S Group has a consolidated revenue of 605 million euros. With about twenty assets, nine successive...

Nairobi, May 15, 2026 – On the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi on May 11 and 12, France, through the French Development Agency (AFD), signed five agreements with the Kenyan government, reaffirming their strategic partnership in the areas of renewable energy, digital connectivity, water management, and education. These agreements, totaling approximately 170 million euros, were concluded during two ceremonies: on May 10 at State House, in the presence of Presidents Emmanuel Macron and William Ruto, and on May 13 at the National Treasury, in the presence of the Minister Delegate in charge of International Partnership, H.E.…