Author: The Editorial Staff

Featured in Financial Afrik issue 125. Besides their status as former heads of state or current presidents, what do Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, Faure Gnassingbé, Patrice Talon, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, Georges Weah, Alassane Ouattara, Alpha Condé, Ibrahim Traoré, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, and Brice Oligui Nguema have in common? They have all flown on Mahamadou Bonkoungou’s...

S&P Global Ratings upgraded Nigeria’s outlook from stable to positive on November 14, 2025, while confirming the sovereign rating at ‘B-/B’. The agency highlights the impact of reforms initiated since 2023: exchange rate liberalization, subsidy removal, increasing tax revenues, gradual rise in oil production, and the commissioning of the Dangote refinery. Growth is now expected...

S&P Global Ratings reaffirmed Rwanda’s sovereign rating at ‘B+/B’ on November 14, 2025, with a stable outlook. The agency applauds the resilience of a low-income economy driven by robust growth – averaging 7.3% over 2025-2028 – and a debt structure that is still largely concessional, with nearly 80% coming from bilateral and multilateral lenders. At...

S&P Global Ratings maintains Ivory Coast’s sovereign rating of ‘BB/B’ with a stable outlook, confirmed on November 14, 2025. President Alassane Ouattara’s re-election for a fourth term, in a context of weakened opposition, ensures continuity of economic policy focused on public investment, industrialization, and upgrading agricultural and extractive value chains. The country benefits from a...

S&P Global Ratings downgraded Senegal’s long-term foreign currency sovereign rating to ‘CCC+’ on November 14, 2025, from ‘B-‘ previously, while maintaining the local currency rating at ‘B-‘. The agency also placed the country under CreditWatch developing, reflecting a fragile situation and limited visibility on short-term refinancing capacity. With public debt at 119% of GDP at...

The Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) published, on November 13, 2025, the updated list of institutions authorized to offer Instant Payment (PI) services to the public through the Instant Payment System (SPI). This publication marks a new step in the operationalization of the financial inclusion and modernization of payments strategy in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA). The PI-SPI network, designed to ensure real-time transmission of interbank retail payments, now includes more than 70 approved actors in the eight countries of the Union. These actors include both commercial banks, electronic money institutions, and microfinance institutions. The…

Bridge Bank Group Côte d’Ivoire (BBGCI) is preparing its listing on the Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM) of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA). Contacted by Financial Afrik, Yerim Sow, founder of the bank, confirmed the information. The operation, currently being structured, comes at a time when we are witnessing strategic adjustments of banking...

The strength of the banking system largely relies on the level of capital required of credit institutions. In Africa, regulators are gradually increasing thresholds to strengthen financial resilience, attract institutional investors, and reduce systemic risk. A comparative analysis of the latest regulatory requirements shows significant variations between regions and countries, with levels expressed here in...

“This eurobond is a strategic gain in terms of financial management” Appointed in January 2025, Christian Yoka, Minister of Finance, Budget, and Public Portfolio of the Republic of Congo, has just successfully led the country’s first international market outing in twenty years. Congo has raised $670 million in a context where many African states still struggle to access it. Driven by restored macroeconomic trajectory and affirmed budget discipline, he details for Financial Afrik the logic behind this strategic operation and the prospects for cleaning up Congolese debt. Minister, it has been twenty years since Congo last entered the international financial…

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, November 7, 2025 — Rawbank, a leading bank in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been designated as the “Safest Bank in the DRC” by Global Finance Magazine in its 2025 edition of the World’s Safest Banks ranking. In this ranking, Rawbank also ranks 3rd among the safest banks in the African continent. Rawbank is currently the only financial institution in the country with an international rating. This distinction confirms the strength of Rawbank, the quality of its governance, and the trust of its clients and partners. An international recognition of Rawbank’s resilience and performance…

The HPS group is about to reach a new technological milestone with the imminent launch of Agentic AI (also known as Agentic Commerce), an intelligent assistance solution designed to automate and optimize high value-added tasks. The goal is to provide companies with a digital co-pilot capable, among other things, of facilitating payment operations and streamlining...

Kinshasa, November 7, 2025 – Rawbank confirms its status as a pillar of the Congolese financial system and a continental reference. The New York magazine Global Finance, considered one of the most demanding global barometers of banking stability, has just awarded the Congolese institution the title of “Safest Bank in the Democratic Republic of Congo”...

In a highly anticipated political day, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko mobilized thousands of supporters at the Léopold Sédar Senghor stadium on Novembre 8, 2025. Facing an energized crowd, he vigorously denounced the financial management of previous governments. “Anyone who denies hidden debt should go to prison,” he declared, reminding that the existence of these unaccounted...

As of November 7, 2025, 1,526 Malian containers were stranded at the Port of Dakar, according to information published by Maliweb.net. Their evacuation to Mali is paralyzed by the strict application, by Malian authorities, of the ban on oversized and non-compliant heavy trucks, in accordance with regulation n°14/2005/CM/UEMOA on axle loads that came into effect...

S&P Global Ratings revised Uganda’s sovereign rating outlook to “positive” from “stable” on November 7, 2025, while confirming its long-term rating at B-/B. The rating agency applauds the superior growth momentum compared to similar economies, as well as the expected ramp-up of major oil projects by the end of 2026. The transfer and convertibility rating...

In a report dated October 2025, Fitch Ratings estimates that the “very significant” budget deficit projected by Gabon for 2026 will make it difficult to reach an agreement with the IMF. In its analysis, the agency deems unrealistic the ambitions of public spending, particularly the increase of 570% in investments and a projected deficit of...

Interview with Abou Bacry Ly, President of GDM-AGRICONCEPT and member of the High Council of Investment Interview by Mayo Sow, Nouakchott. “I have decided to return to Mauritania and invest with my own funds.” With this confident statement, Abou Bacry Ly, President of GDM-AGRICONCEPT and member of the High Council of Investment, summarizes a strategic and personal choice: to transform Mauritanian agriculture through innovation, agro-ecology, and local private investment. On the sidelines of Les Rencontres Africa, an event organized in Nouakchott in partnership with Financial Afrik, he, who has worked throughout his career between Africa and Europe, serving major modernization…

Abidjan Terminal, the concessionaire of the first container terminal at the Port of Abidjan, received on November 2, 2025, two new quay cranes (STS – Ship To Shore), intended to strengthen and modernize its handling equipment fleet, bringing the total number of quay cranes owned by Abidjan Terminal to seven (7). Financed to the tune of 14.6 billion CFA francs, these two latest generation cranes have a reach of over 47 meters and a lifting capacity of over 65 tons, allowing them to efficiently handle vessels berthing at its quays. Equipped with an OCR system for the automatic identification of…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded a two-week mission in Dakar on November 6, 2025, in the perspective of a new financing agreement with Senegal. Led by Edward Gemayel, the delegation assessed the progress made by the authorities in debt management and budget transparency, as the country seeks to move on from the hidden debt...

The countdown has begun for African financial institutions. The deadline for the mandatory adoption of the ISO 20022 standard as part of the SWIFT CBPR+ program is approaching, with a deadline now less than three weeks away. This international standard modernizes the exchange of financial messages by providing richer and standardized data, essential for interoperability,...

It’s a turning point for the Guinean mining industry. Just three months after its creation, Nimba Mining Company (NMC), the first 100% national mining company, made its first shipment of 200,000 tonnes of high-quality bauxite from the port of Kamsar this morning. This rapid launch confirms the country’s desire to take control of the valorization...

The Republic of Congo is making its comeback on international financial markets after nearly 20 years of absence, raising $670 million through a new eurobond at 9.875% maturing in November 2032. The repayment will be made in five equal tranches between 2028 and 2032. This market operation, led by Citigroup and rated CCC+ by Fitch...

Djibouti took a major political step on November 2 by adopting a constitutional reform removing the age limit to run for presidential election. This provision, set at 75 years since 2010, had so far prevented President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh — 77 years old — from seeking a new term in April 2026. The amendment, adopted...

As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, the climate crisis – more than ever – is at the heart of global concerns. Financial Afrik asked Erick Maville, President of Santé en Entreprise (SEE Association) specializing in advocacy, policy development, and management of CSR and innovation programs in health, what should be the contribution of the African private sector to the main development goals (SDGs.) The international NGO SEE Association, which he founded in 2011, commissioned the first CSR & Health 2024 barometer, the second edition of which will be presented at the 4th edition of the FORAS…

“In the third quarter of 2025, the profit of NSIA Bank Côte d’Ivoire, a member of the financial group of the same name, recorded a 6% increase compared to the same period of the 2024 fiscal year, announced the leaders of this banking institution based in Abidjan. This profit amounted to 25.037 billion CFA francs...

BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau, November 3, 2025 – Chevron is entering the offshore exploration sector in Guinea-Bissau through two blocks in the MSGBC basin. Chevron Guinea Bissau Exploration I, Ltda., a 100% Chevron subsidiary, will be the operator of offshore blocks 5B (Carapau exploration permit) and 6B (Peixe Espada exploration permit), with a 90% interest in each block. Petroguin, the country’s national oil company, holds the remaining 10%. The operation has received all required regulatory approvals. “Chevron is pleased to open a new chapter with Guinea-Bissau, in line with its exploration strategy to enhance its overall portfolio of high-quality concessions,” said Liz…

The Central African Financial Market Supervisory Commission (COSUMAF) has approved the introduction to the stock exchange of BGFI Holding Corporation, the parent company of the Gabonese banking group BGFIBank, according to a statement released on November 3. This approval comes two weeks after the decision of the Libreville Commercial Court, which dismissed a group of...

Abidjan, October 30, 2025 — The process of modernizing the regional financial market of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UMOA) is taking a new step. The Board of Directors of the Central Securities Depository/Clearing Bank (DC/BR), meeting on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 in Abidjan under the chairmanship of Mr. Faman Touré, approved the regulatory provisions endorsing the transition from a settlement-delivery cycle of T+3 to T+2. The effective implementation of this reform is scheduled for next December. This decision, authorized by the Financial Markets Authority of UMOA (AMF-UMOA), marks a major evolution towards a more modern and efficient…

Gold: ~ 4,000 USD/oz (≈4,000). Zinc: ~ 3,055 USD/ton (~3,054). Iron ore: ~ 105 USD/ton. Aluminum: ~ 2,892 USD/ton (~2,892). Copper: ~ 5,0878 USD/lb. Lithium: ~ 80,550 CNY/ton (~11,000 USD/ton). The Malian government has revoked over 90 mining exploration permits, including those held by subsidiaries of international companies, citing non-compliance with new legal requirements. The...

Senegal is taking a new step in realizing its national strategy for sustainable and inclusive housing. The National Bank for Economic Development (BNDE) and the Social Housing Fund (FHS) signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday, October 31, marking the operational implementation of the Green Fund for Social Housing, an innovative financial mechanism aimed at supporting the ecological transition of the housing sector. The signing ceremony, presided over by Momath Talla Ndao, Secretary of State for Housing, took place in Dakar in the presence of Mamadou Faye, CEO of BNDE, and Ibrahima Diop, administrator of FHS. This agreement, through a…