Author: The Editorial Staff

After the takeover of SAAR Benin, now known as Nobila Assurance, the new player in the Benin insurance market has big dreams. Despite the historically narrow and underpenetrated market, its leaders aim to make it a reference company that meets the challenges of the time, with promising prospects. Exclusive interview. Interview by Daniel Djagoué What is Nobila Assurance’s vision today and how does the company intend to strengthen its position in the Beninese market? With the majority stake acquisition in SAAR Benin, now Nobila Assurances, businessman Salif Ouédraogo envisions turning it into a high-performing citizen company to reposition in the…

The Minister of State, Minister of Economy, Finance, Debt and Participation, in charge of fighting against the high cost of living, Henri-Claude Oyima, also Vice-President of the Government ad interim, presented the structuring orientations of the 2026 budget as well as the strict rules that will now frame public management. In front of Government members, administrative officials, and public partners, he recalled that the directives of the President of the Republic, General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, impose on the executive a profound transformation based on discipline, performance, and the restoration of economic sovereignty. Adopted unanimously by the National Assembly and…

The Regional Mortgage Refinancing Fund of the UEMOA (CRRH-UEMOA) held its last Commitment Committee meeting today, bringing the amount of refinancing authorized in 2025 to 60 billion CFA francs for nine (09) banks in the Union based in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Togo. The total amount of support granted by the institution since its creation now reaches 440 billion CFA francs. This performance, made possible by the mobilization of long-term resources on financial markets and from development partners, marks a decisive acceleration in the implementation of the 2023-2027 strategic plan. 2025 was marked by a major advancement…

Atlantic Re (formerly the Central Reinsurance Company of Morocco) continues its continental repositioning with the appointment of Ibrahima Ndoye as Central Director in charge of West and Central Africa. Based in Abidjan, his mission will be to accelerate the reinsurer’s presence on the Atlantic coast of the continent, a strategic axis where the group aims...

Saham Bank has obtained its first international rating: Moody’s Ratings has assigned it a Ba1 rating, with a stable outlook, praising the strength of its financial fundamentals and the transformation initiated under the ownership of the Saham Group. The agency highlights a strong profitability, high capitalization, and a sound governance, supported by a prudent risk...

Abidjan, December 1, 2025. Atlantic Group has just reached a decisive milestone in its strategy of diversification and industrial growth. The Ivorian conglomerate has officially finalized the acquisition of Barrick’s interests in the Tongon gold mine, following the obtaining of all required regulatory authorizations. This operation marks Atlantic Group’s entry into the gold sector and...

Abidjan • Accra • Antananarivo • Dakar • Paris – December 2, 2025. Investors & Partners (I&P) announces that it has successfully closed the first closing of €41 million for its new vehicle I&P Africa Entrepreneurs 3 (IPAE 3) fund, confirming the renewed confidence of its historical partners: European Investment Bank (EIB), BOAD, Bpifrance, and...

In November 2025, the Port of Pointe-Noire received the award for best transit traffic in integrating sub-regional economies for the year 2024 during the 9th edition of the African Ports Awards organized on the sidelines of the 45th Annual Council of the Association of West and Central African Ports Management (AGPAOC). This award confirms the attractiveness of the Port of Pointe-Noire for the sub-region thanks to the continuous investments that Congo Terminal makes in the container terminal. “Congo Terminal has already invested over 350 million euros in Phase 1 at the Pointe-Noire container terminal in infrastructure development, acquisition of state-of-the-art…

The international law firm Ashurst inaugurates its first office on the African continent, in Casablanca, marking a new milestone in its African strategy. Led by Ouns Lemseffer, partner and Head of Morocco operations, the establishment is supported by a top-tier team composed of Meriem Komiha, Youssef Tork (senior associates), and Yasmine Hitane. More recruitments will...

The Nigerien military regime announced on Sunday evening the placing of uranium extracted by the Société des mines de l’Aïr (Somaïr) on the international market, de facto acknowledging the loss of operational control of the site by Orano. This decision comes six months after the nationalization of Somaïr by Niamey, declared in June 2025, which removed the French giant’s 63.4% stake in favor of full control by the Nigerien state, which was previously a shareholder at 36.6%. This rupture marks a decisive turning point in a mining partnership that began over half a century ago in the north of the…

d of the 47th Annual Meeting of the Association of African Central Banks (ABCA), held from November 23 to 28, 2025 in Yaoundé, the governors of the continent’s central banks appointed Yvon Sana Bangui, Governor of the Bank of Central African States, as president of the organization. This appointment comes in a context of strengthening...

According to an investigation published by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) on November 24, 2025, Libyan businessman Abdelhakim Baayo – the first declared candidate for the 2021 presidential election – is suspected of using money from Alhammra Company Spain S.L., a subsidiary of the Libyan sovereign fund (Libyan Investment Authority, LIA), to...

In Morocco, the latest General Census of Population and Housing reveals a real demographic shift: 148,152 foreign residents in 2024, compared to 84,000 in 2014, representing a +76.4% increase in ten years. Morocco, long a country of emigration, has become a major destination for migration on the continent, with a spectacular reconfiguration of the nationalities...

On November 26, 2025, Nouakchott hosted the Franco-Mauritanian Economic Forum, a high-level meeting bringing together public officials, investors, and private sector support institutions from both countries. Alongside Nicolas Forissier, French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Attractiveness, were Mohamed Khaled, Mauritanian Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Dr. Tah Ahmed Meouloud, Director of the Agency for the Promotion of Investments in Mauritania (APIM), and Gérald Petit, Country Director of Business France in Mauritania. In their respective interventions, the officials emphasized the strength of an economic relationship based on trust, mutual respect, and the desire to accelerate investments. Addressing Mauritanian and French…

Two days after the overthrow of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló by the military high command, the political transition is accelerating in Guinea-Bissau. On Friday, November 28, the President of the Transition, General Horta N’Tam, appointed by decree Ilídio Vieira Té – former Minister of Finance of the ousted regime – as Prime Minister. He will...

Afreximbank has finalized its second issuance of Samurai bonds, raising 81.8 billion yen (approximately $527 million) through two tranches, Regular and Retail, an operation larger than the one carried out in 2024 and confirming the gradual anchoring of the pan-African bank in the Japanese bond market. The Regular tranche, of 45.8 billion yen over three years, was structured following a series of meetings with investors on the sidelines of TICAD9, including roadshows in several Japanese cities and a pre-maturity survey process; in a context where markets anticipated an increase in the Bank of Japan’s rates, demand focused on short maturities.…

The Africa Investment Forum (AIF) Market Days 2025, held from November 26 to 28 in Rabat under the high patronage of King Mohammed VI, marked a decisive turning point for mobilizing capital in favor of Africa. More than 2,000 delegates and 1,800 seats occupied in boardrooms confirmed the platform’s gathering power led by the African...

Singapore, a city-state of 5.9 million inhabitants, is set to reach 63.5 billion USD in Life premiums by 2030, according to GlobalData. Alone, this tiny territory weighs almost as much as the entire African insurance market – a continent of 1.4 billion inhabitants that barely totals 80 to 85 billion USD in premiums across all...

With its successful bond issuance of 40.999 billion CFA francs on November 26, 2025, Mali confirms its ability to mobilize resources in a regional market that has become more selective. But behind this technical success lies a less flattering reality: investors are demanding a higher price from Bamako than its highest-rated UMOA neighbors. The yields...

The recent revision of Senegal’s national accounts base continues to fuel the debate on the country’s budget trajectory. According to Oxford Economics, while this rebasing undoubtedly improves the statistical appearance of the fiscal position, it does not dispel the structural concerns related to debt sustainability. Based on provisional data published by the ANSD, the debt/GDP ratio now stands at around 110%, compared to the 130% previously mentioned by the IMF. This mechanical decrease visually eases the government, engaged in a delicate period of political and financial adjustment. However, the fundamentals remain unchanged. “This improves the outlook, but does not change…

Dakar, November 25, 2025 – GCR Ratings has confirmed the long-term issuer rating of the African Solidarity Fund (ASF) at AAA(WU) on its regional scale, with a stable outlook. The short-term rating is maintained at A1+(WU). This decision confirms the financial and institutional strength of the Fund, in a context marked by rising sovereign risks...

The Council of Ministers of the UEMOA, meeting in extraordinary session on November 25, 2025, appointed Kossi TENOU as head of the Financial Markets Authority of the UEMOA (AMF-UMOA). He succeeds Badanam PATOKI, who was appointed Minister of Economy and Strategic Monitoring of the Togolese Republic on October 8, 2025. The AMF-UMOA acknowledges “the commitment...

Lomé, November 25, 2025. The Regional Mortgage Refinancing Company of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (CRRH-UEMOA) announces the entry of three new subsidiaries of the Coris Group into its capital: Coris Bank International Benin, Coris Bank International Togo, and Coris Bank International Senegal. These new participations bring the total number of Coris Group subsidiaries present in the shareholding of CRRH-UEMOA to five, alongside Coris Bank International SA in Burkina Faso and Coris Bank International Ivory Coast, already shareholders since 2016. With these new participations, the Coris Group represents 3.5% of the capital of CRRH-UEMOA and becomes the 6th…

The independent candidate Fernando Dias da Costa claimed on November 24, 2025, to have a lead in the first round of the presidential election held on November 23, based on internal reports transmitted by his representatives. This claim comes in a heavy electoral suspense where the authorities in charge of the election have not published...

With a meteoric growth, Kapital Assurances is now established as one of the most structured firms in the Senegalese market in terms of consulting and engineering for industrial and institutional risks. In the span of one year, its activity has multiplied by five, bringing its portfolio under management to nearly 8 billion FCFA. This increase in power is based on demanding technical organization and a proven ability to handle complex risks, especially in reinsurance. The arrival of Majdi Yassine on the Board of Directors marks a strategic turning point. With over twenty years of experience in large risks – including…

The 4th edition of the President’s Roundtable of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) was held on November 24, 2025 in Accra with a clearly stated ambition: to put West Africa back at the center of global value chains, no longer just as a supplier of raw materials, but as a region capable of turning its agricultural wealth into economic power. The panel, broadcast on various television channels, began with an address by EBID President George Agyekum Donkor, reaffirming the role of the institution and its commitment to supporting the West African agro-industrial sector. The region is a…

Senegal is taking a major step in its financial optimization strategy with the creation of the Senegal Asset Valorization Fund (FOVAS), formalized on November 23, 2025 in Lome through a protocol agreement with the West African Development Bank (BOAD). This new instrument aims to transform the management of public infrastructure into a true driver of...

The results of an assessment on Togo’s capacity to monitor and report on the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) were presented on November 20, 2025 in Lomé by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), a specialized agency of the African Union. In the end, the overall score was 47.5/100. “This is...

“It is necessary for the world to become more African and for Africa to become more international!” As Africa and Europe redefine the contours of an economic partnership challenged by geopolitical tensions and industrial reconfigurations, two major voices from the private sector share their vision. Baidy Agne, President of the Senegalese Employers’ Confederation and newly elected head of Business Africa, and Benoît Chervalier, investment banker, Vice-President Africa of MEDEF International and President of the Africa network of Business Europe, exchange their perspectives on the continent’s priorities: economic sovereignty, empowerment of local actors, value chain relocation, financing, and the structuring role…

Nouakchott, November 19, 2025 – El Amana Bank (BEA) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, have signed a $30 million senior financing agreement aimed at strengthening the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Mauritania. Special attention will be given to businesses owned or led by women. This operation marks an important step in the consolidation of BEA as a major national player in inclusive finance, while reaffirming its commitment to sustainable and high-impact economic development. At least 20% of the financing line will be specifically dedicated to female-owned businesses, demonstrating…