Author: The Editorial Staff

Visitors from all African countries, except Libya and Somalia, as well as most Caribbean countries, can now enter Kenya without a visa or electronic travel authorization after the official removal of entry requirements. This means that citizens from these regions no longer need authorization, lengthy forms, or visa fees to travel to this East African country. “As part of efforts to support open sky policies and tourism growth, a key proposal is to grant exemptions from E-visas to all African countries, except Somalia and Libya, for security reasons,” a government statement reads. This decision now allows visitors from all of…

The Central Bank of Somalia (CBS) announced on Sunday, July 13, the official launch of the licensing process for Takaful service providers, marking a decisive step in structuring an insurance sector compliant with Sharia law. This initiative follows the adoption of the new national Takaful law in May 2025. Until now, operators have been operating...

Sahara Energy Resource Limited has successfully closed an unsecured and committed $225 million revolving credit facility (RCF) to strengthen its financial flexibility, support its international expansion, and endorse its sustainability strategy. The oversubscribed transaction demonstrates the renewed confidence of financial partners in Sahara’s business model and strategic vision, focused on responsible energy management, as stated...

As Cameroonians prepare to elect their new president on October 12, 2025, economically, after a slowdown in its growth, between 3.2% and 3.6% in 2022 and 2023, Cameroon is experiencing a slight rebound estimated at 3.5% due to domestic consumption, agricultural exports, and infrastructure development. In 2025, international financial institutions, notably the International Monetary Fund...

A high-level meeting on regional security opened on July 10, 2025 in Abidjan, bringing together the coastal countries of West Africa around the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and State Strengthening (IDPS). Organized under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), this meeting aims to lay the groundwork for a common strategy to address...

Facing the accelerating digital transformation of the insurance sector, the Insurance Regulatory Authority of Kenya (IRA) has issued new guidelines to regulate the management of cyber risks. In a cybersecurity guidance note, the IRA warns of an increasing exposure to cyber threats and data breaches, urging industry players to adopt stronger measures. The document, which...

Standard Chartered recorded a loss of $217 million from the sale of its operations in Angola, Zimbabwe, and Sierra Leone. The London-based banking group states that this loss resulting from the sale of the three subsidiaries is largely due to fluctuations in exchange rates, with the Zimbabwean business being the most affected. “The net loss...

Ecobank Nigeria has made an early repayment of 50% of its $300 million senior eurobond, with an interest rate of 7.125% and maturing in February 2026. This partial payment reflects, according to the bank, a strong liquidity position and increased financial resilience. In a statement released on July 12, 2025, the bank indicated that this...

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) strengthened its presence in the foreign exchange market by injecting $1.4 billion in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest data from the country’s economic program review by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This amount already exceeds the total for the entire year of 2023, highlighting the central...

For the fiscal year 2024, shareholders of the Société Africaine de Plantation d’Hévéas (SAPH), specialized in the production and processing of natural rubber in the form of compact granules and centrifuged latex, will receive a gross total dividend of 9.405 billion CFA francs (17 million dollars) on July 17, 2025, announced the leaders of this...

Global Mind Consulting has been awarded the Best Public Relations Consulting Firm in Africa at the 12th edition of ASCOM – The Aces of Communication and Marketing, held in Abidjan on July 10, 2025. This prestigious award was presented to Seynabou DIA SALL, Founder and CEO of the firm, by H.E. El Hadji Daouda NIANG, Ambassador of Senegal to Côte d’Ivoire, and Mr. Michel Russel LOHORE, president-founder of ASCOM. A strategic award in a changing sector Under the theme “Talents, major drivers of performance,” this edition of ASCOM comes at a time of strong economic growth in Africa, where communication…

Industrial production in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) slowed down in May 2025, recording a decrease of 4.8 percentage points compared to April 2025, according to data from the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) based in Dakar. These data indicate an annual growth rate of 7.9% in industrial production after...

It is now official. Cameroonian President Paul Biya, in power for over 42 years, will run for an eighth term at the helm of the country. The announcement was made on Sunday, July 13, 2025, via a post on the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the head of state. At 92 years old, Paul Biya intends to extend his rule, already one of the longest in the world. He claims to be responding to “urgent calls” from the ten regions of Cameroon and the diaspora. To justify his choice, the nonagenarian states that he wants to “ensure the security…

Former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari passed away on February 13 at the age of 82. The announcement was made by his former spokesperson. A military man turned statesman, authoritarian turned elected president, he left a lasting impact on Nigerian politics for over four decades, leaving behind a mixed legacy and a country still in search of stability. From coup leader to statesman Born in 1942 in the state of Katsina, in northern Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari was the 23rd child of a traditional Fulani chief. Orphaned at the age of four, he was early on introduced to discipline and rigor, which…

Former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari passed away on February 13 at the age of 82. The announcement was made by his former spokesperson. A military man turned statesman, authoritarian turned elected president, he marked Nigerian politics for over four decades, leaving a mixed legacy and a country still in search of stability. From coup leader to statesman Born in 1942 in the state of Katsina, in northern Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari was the 23rd child of a traditional Fulani chief. Orphaned at the age of four, he was early on introduced to rigor and discipline, which he further developed at the…

By Meissa Lo, Financial Expert, International Market Finance Consultant, Founder of the Millenium African Institute Nations and Democracy think tank, Member of the French Society of Financial Analysts (SFAF). An unprecedented concentration of religious holidays between December of N-1 and July of N, what economic risks for households? By observing economic cycles and future data, we can see a succession of holidays within a few months: a rare phenomenon, occurring almost every 33 years. Between December of year N-1 and July of year N, Senegal will experience, repeatedly between 2026 and 2029 or beyond, an unprecedented concentration of major religious…

“Our priority today is to restore the human connection” As CEO of Sunu Bank Togo since January 2024, Bénito Fado shares, in this extensive interview with Financial Afrik, his analysis of the Togolese banking sector. The leader also addresses several other key points including the crisis the bank experienced earlier this year, the outlook and challenges of the former Banque Populaire de l’Epargne et du Crédit. What is your analysis of the Togolese banking sector since joining SUNU Bank Togo? The Togolese banking sector is one of the most dynamic in the sub-region. There is intense competition, particularly due to…

SUNU Assurances Nigeria PLC has unveiled its forecast for the period ending on September 30, 2025. The company expects a strong growth in its activity, with a significant increase in its gross premiums, but anticipates a decrease in its net profitability. According to the published estimates, gross premiums issued are expected to reach 14.57 billion...

The construction of the High Grand Falls dam, with a cost of 337 billion Kenyan shillings (approximately $2.61 billion), has been halted, announced the Kenyan Ministry of Finance. It is a hydroelectric power plant planned on the Tana River, the country’s largest river, harnessing the energy of the Kibuka Falls. The High Grand dam was...

On July 11, 2025, the day before the deadline set by Cameroonian electoral law, President Paul Biya convened the electoral body by decree for the presidential election scheduled for Sunday, October 12, 2025. The announcement was made on the airwaves of the National Radio and Television Office (CRTV). Following this decree, and according to electoral...

The AFMA group continues its growth strategy in the Moroccan insurance market by taking full control of the company SAFE ASSUR SARL. The operation, which involves the acquisition of the remaining 49% of shares, now allows AFMA to hold the entirety of the company’s capital and voting rights. This takeover was announced in a statement...

The Malian government seized over a ton of gold, valued at $117.2 million USD, belonging to the Canadian mining giant Barrick Gold Corporation. According to the company based in Toronto, army helicopters landed without warning on Thursday, July 10, at the Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex site to carry out this seizure. This latest operation marks a...

The works of the second annual ordinary session of the council of ministers of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (Umoa) were launched at the national headquarters of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) by Ivorian Adama Coulibaly, president of the institution, this Friday, July 11 in Lomé. The meeting takes place in “an international context marked by rising uncertainties, notably fueled by commercial and geopolitical tensions, as well as the persistence of security challenges in our region,” said the Minister of Finance and Budget of Côte d’Ivoire. “Within our zone, economic activity has nevertheless remained dynamic.…

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) banking group, following its semi-annual review held at its global headquarters in Lagos, announced new initiatives aimed at consolidating its position as a leading banking player on the African continent and beyond. Through this operation, UBA intends to accelerate its expansion strategy in key markets on the continent and...

Abidjan is hosting, since Thursday, July 10, a high-level workshop focused on mastering the complete cycle of green, social, and sustainable (GSS) bonds. Organized jointly by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and the Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM), the event is part of a partnership initiated in April 2024. Speaking about West African countries, Olola...

The Cameroonian government will seek the local banking system for a loan of 250 billion CFA francs (446 million USD) with the guarantee of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). This is what has been planned in the amending budget that the State is preparing to submit to the deputies, to modify the 2025 State budget...

From July 7 to 8, 2025, Libreville hosted the Gabon Economic Forum, a high-level meeting initiated by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, bringing together public and private stakeholders to chart a path for a new development model that is ambitious, inclusive, and sustainable. This strategic forum focused on three major areas: enhancing priority sectors, local resource transformation, and a profound reform of public finances. Participants formulated concrete and bold recommendations to build a resilient and competitive economy. Key proposed measures include: – Adoption of a structured sectoral strategy around agriculture, forests, mining, digital, and tourism; – Economic transparency through…

Brazzaville, July 8, 2025 – Mr. Thierno-Habib Hann, Managing Director of the Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB), carried out an official mission in the Republic of Congo on July 7 and 8, 2025, under the high patronage of His Excellency Denis Sassou N’Guesso, President of the Republic and one of the founding fathers of the pan-African institution. Received in audience by the Head of State, Mr. Hann received reaffirmed support for Shelter Afrique’s mission. President Sassou N’Guesso praised the strategic role of the Bank in the development of the continent and encouraged the continuation of its efforts in favor of…

Flutterwave, a pan-African fintech giant, has just obtained approval from the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), allowing it to offer all of its services in Senegal, thus consolidating its presence in West Africa. With this license, Flutterwave is now able to provide its full range of digital payment solutions, including collection services, mobile...

The Middle East and Africa (MEA) are among the most dynamic emerging markets in the insurance sector in 2024, according to the report “Global Insurance in 2025: A Riskier and More Fragmented Global Order” published by the Swiss Re Institute (SRI). The region has stood out with above-average growth, contrasting with the slowdown observed in...