Author: The Editorial Staff

The NSIA Group is opening a new chapter in the organization of its banking activities. Starting from September 1, 2026, Beninese banker Benito Fado will take the helm of NSIA Bank Côte d’Ivoire, succeeding Léonce Yacé, whose mandate at the head of the Ivorian subsidiary expires on August 31. This transition goes beyond a simple...

Eight months after its grand launch, the AES Bank has still not disbursed its first financing. Inaugurated on December 23, 2025 in Bamako by the heads of state of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, the Confederation Bank for Investment and Development (BCID-AES) was presented as the financial arm of the Confederation. Endowed with an initial...

The new wave of fuel price increases in Francophone Africa does not affect UEMOA and CEMAC uniformly. Behind the same external shock – the rise in oil prices and supply costs following tensions around the Strait of Hormuz – are increasingly difficult budgetary trade-offs. Because between the international price of petroleum products and the price actually paid at the pump, someone has to settle the difference. When it’s not the motorist, it’s usually the state, through direct or implicit subsidies. This bill is precisely what explains the increases observed in 2026. Fuel subsidies prevent, totally or partially, the increase in…

Loceni Compaoré, Ouagadougou. Experts had announced it since the beginning of the Iranian crisis. Fuel prices were going to increase. While some countries had increased fuel prices at the beginning of the crisis, others, especially those in the UEMOA, had resisted due to the principle of paying weeks in advance before being refueled. They had...

Somdia has signed an agreement to sell its stake in the Société Sucrière du Cameroun (SOSUCAM) to a consortium of five Cameroonian investors and industrialists. The takeover project includes a multi-year investment program of 210 million euros, approximately 138 billion CFA francs, aimed at modernizing the production facilities and increasing the agricultural capacities of the...

The National Microfinance Fund (FONAMIF) and the Public Markets Fund (CDMP SA), a subsidiary of CDC Senegal, have concluded a framework agreement for a refinancing line of 2 billion FCFA for microfinance institutions. The operation is part of the deployment of the Pact for Universal Financial Inclusion (PACTIFU), which aims to mobilize more than 683 billion FCFA between 2025 and 2029. The financing of microfinance institutions in Senegal benefits from a new mechanism. The National Microfinance Fund (FONAMIF) and the Public Markets Fund (CDMP SA), a subsidiary of the Deposits and Consignments Fund (CDC Senegal), signed a framework agreement on…

Driven by the generalization of Mandatory Health Insurance (AMO), Akdital has established itself as the leader in private healthcare in Morocco. Recently, the group announced the entry of Arab Invest into the capital of its international holding company. A closer look at the behemoth of the Casablanca stock exchange. A soldier in the service of...

Change at the helm of the West African Economic and Monetary Union Interbank Monetization Group (GIM-UEMOA). Mignan Coulibaly is stepping down as CEO after more than six years at the helm of the institution, which he has been leading since March 2020. He is being replaced on an interim basis by Ahmed Al Moustapha Cissé,...

Nouakchott, August 11, 2026 — 1 USD = 40 MRU – Mauritania significantly revises its budget for the year 2026 upwards. The Amending Finance Law (LFR), developed in July, sets the state’s expenses at 140.34 billion ouguiyas (MRU), approximately 3.51 billion USD, compared to 132.18 billion MRU (3.30 billion USD) in the initial budget. This...

Conakry, August 10, 2026 – Guinea and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have reached an agreement at the staff level for the establishment of a new 41-month economic and financial program, supported by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). Subject to approval by the IMF management and Board of Directors, expected in September 2026, the program...

Continental Reinsurance Holdings Limited has opened its public offer on the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE), a transaction of 2.13 billion pula, approximately 156.1 million dollars. Following the operation, the group aims to become the first reinsurer listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange. The offer consists of shares offered at a unit price of 1 pula...

Senegal has reached a new milestone in reducing its dependence on poultry imports. FONSTAB and BNDE inaugurated, on August 7, 2026 in Taïba Ndiaye, in the department of Tivaouane, the industrial unit for hatching egg production of AVVITE-X SARL. With a total investment of 969 million CFA francs, the project is financed 50% by FONSTAB, 40% by BNDE, and 10% by the promoter. The stakes are high: Senegal still imports nearly 90% of its hatching egg needs, with an estimated bill of 20 billion CFA francs per year. The unit will start with 5,500 female and 850 male breeders and…

The Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP) group has definitively closed one of the most sensitive legal cases in its history in Europe. The French-speaking Court of First Instance in Brussels has approved a settlement agreement between BCP, its subsidiary Banque Chaabi du Maroc (BCDM), and the Belgian federal prosecutor, putting an end to a case opened...

Cotonou, August 7, 2026 – The international rating agency Moody’s has upgraded Benin’s long-term sovereign rating from “B1” to “Ba3”, with a stable outlook, reinforcing the country in the “BB/Ba” category of sovereign ratings. This improvement comes in a context marked by sustained economic growth and a gradual consolidation of public finances. According to Moody’s, the Beninese economy grew by 8.1% in 2025, its highest level since 1990. The agency anticipates a GDP growth between 6.5% and 7% per year until 2030, supported notably by investment, industrialization, and the development of local raw material processing. The agency also highlights the…

By Ismael Sy, Casablanca The Moroccan banking sector confirms its strength at the end of the first half of 2026. Driven by a sustained recovery in economic activity, an increase in credit demand, and an improvement in income, the main banks of the Kingdom are showing increased financial performance, reinforcing their role as a driver...

Nairobi, Kenya – August 6, 2026 – S&P Global Ratings confirmed that Shelter Afrique Development Bank’s (ShafDB) sustainable finance framework fully complies with the principles for green bonds, social bonds, and sustainable bonds set by the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA). S&P Global Ratings also announced the official publication of ShafDB’s sustainable finance framework and corresponding Second Party Opinion (SPO). This validation comes ahead of the Bank’s planned issuance of bonds in FCFA for West Africa and multi-currency bonds for East Africa, aimed at enhancing financing to address the growing housing deficit in Africa. The sustainable finance framework, developed with…

CGF BOURSE and its asset management subsidiary, CGF GESTION, announce several strategic appointments. Gabriel Lopes takes over as Chairman of the Board of CGF BOURSE, while Ndeye Khady Diack is promoted to Managing Director of CGF GESTION. In Côte d’Ivoire, Cheickna Sibi becomes interim Country Director of CGF GESTION. The financial group CGF is opening...

The Presidency of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania announced on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, the appointment of Sidi Ahmed Ould Raïss as the president of the National Regulatory Council (NRC). He succeeds Ahmed Ould Mohamedou, who held this position since June 2022. The National Regulatory Council is the governing body of the Regulatory Authority, responsible...

On the sidelines of the 4th edition of Mali’s digital week, Mah Bintou Coulibaly spoke with Financial Afrik. The director of Wave Mobile Money Mali reflects on the rapid rise of the little blue penguin and the assessment of Wave’s participation in the digital week. Why is Wave supporting the Digital Week? Present in Mali since 2021, Wave affirms its desire to support digital development. After our participation in the third edition, it was obvious for us to take part in this 4th edition, which has become a key event at the regional level. The Digital Week provides a platform…

The ECOWAS Investment and Development Bank (EBID) and Coris Holding signed a financing agreement of 80 million euros on July 30, 2026 at the BIDC headquarters in Lomé (Togolese Republic) to strengthen financing for the productive sector in West Africa. The agreement was signed by Dr George Agyekum Donkor, President of EBID and its Board of Directors, and Mr. Diakarya Ouattara, CEO of Coris Holding, in the presence of senior officials from both institutions. This financing will allow Coris Holding to support projects and activities along the food, energy, and agricultural value chains, thus contributing to the sustainable economic development…

The sight of nearly 60,000 young migrants storming Ceuta will remain one of the most striking images of this year 2026. More than just a migratory news item, more than a border incident between Morocco and Spain, this human tide tells the contradictions of a world where capital flows at the speed of light while...

Former Malian Prime Minister Moussa Mara regained his freedom on Saturday, August 1, 2026, after serving a one-year prison sentence. The information was confirmed by a representative of his party, Yelema (The Change), as well as a judicial source. He had been held at the Central House of Arrest in Koulikoro, about sixty kilometers from Bamako, since his arrest. As Prime Minister from April 2014 to January 2015 under the regime of Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, Moussa Mara was arrested on August 1, 2025. He was charged for statements published on the social network X on July 4, 2025, in which…

Accra (Ghana), July 29, 2026 – The regional high-level conference on governance, critical minerals, and conflicts in Africa concluded today by calling for a new continental approach to governance of Africa’s critical minerals. It places democratic governance, accountability, industrialization, peace consolidation, and citizen participation at the heart of the continent’s response to the growing global demand for strategic mineral resources. Organized by Open Society Foundations, this three-day conference brought together senior government officials, representatives of the African Union and Regional Economic Communities, parliamentarians, civil society organizations, traditional leaders, mining communities, academics, development partners, philanthropic organizations, and private sector actors to…

The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (BIDC) and the government of Bauchi State officially signed a financing agreement of $91.63 million on July 29, 2026 in Lomé, aimed at the construction and completion of 24 strategic road projects and infrastructure. Beyond the financial amount, the operation reflects a broader ambition: to enhance territorial connectivity, open up production areas, facilitate trade, and support more inclusive growth in northeastern Nigeria. The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (BIDC) and the government of Bauchi State in the Federal Republic of Nigeria have taken a new step in their cooperation with the signing…

Knighted in the Legion of Honor in France on March 24, 2018, 76-year-old Nigerian businessman Ronald Chagoury, a close associate of Emmanuel Macron, was once again honored in the promotion of July 14 by being elevated to the rank of officer. As the French President is set to visit Nigeria again in early November as...

By Félix NZALÉ In a continent marked by increasing investments and the sophistication of legal operations, law firms play a leading role. Here is Financial Afrik’s ranking based on a compilation of professional opinions. The Financial Afrik ranking cannot claim to be exhaustive but offers a clear indicator of the dominant players in advisory services...

The WE! Fund, the impact investment vehicle of the Sovereign Strategic Investment Fund (FONSIS), continues its deployment in Senegalese SMEs. On July 28, 2026, the fund signed two investment agreements totaling 800 million CFA francs in favor of Dakar Dialysis and BERCA, two companies operating in health and recycling. This new operation is part of...

For the past few days, viral messages have claimed that Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Gambia have “rejected” the Eco common currency project. After verifying the ECOWAS statements, official declarations, and positions of the concerned states, this claim is false. In reality, these three countries are among the historical members of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ), created precisely to prepare for the introduction of the Eco. This zone includes Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. For over twenty-five years, they have been working to meet the convergence criteria leading to a common currency. The confusion dates back to…

Gabon makes its return to the international bond markets with a $920 million Eurobond issuance, marking one of the largest African sovereign transactions of the year 2026. The issuance, which was heavily oversubscribed, reflects the renewed confidence of international investors in the Gabonese signature and the country’s economic prospects. In this operation, AFG Capital Ltd...

After a first semester marked by a cautious recovery in fundraising, the African private equity market continues to show sustained activity, mainly around private debt, agriculture, financial services, and fund of funds. International investors remain present, while African fund managers strengthen their role in capital mobilization. An overview of the main deals announced in recent...