Author: The Editorial Staff

Egyptian fintech company Blnk has reached a new milestone. The company specialized in point of sale financing (POS financing) announced on June 8 a combined raise of $37.1 million, consisting of $12.5 million in equity and $24.6 million in local debt financing. The Series A funding round was led by Algebra Ventures, with participation from the SANAD Fund for MSME, Endeavor Catalyst, and Emirates International Investment Company (EIIC). On the debt side, several Egyptian financial institutions participated in the operation, including Suez Canal Bank, Bank Albaraka, National Bank of Egypt, Corplease, Globalcorp, and BM Lease. Founded in 2021, Blnk aims…

The global market for maritime insurance, cargo transport, and logistics entered a paradoxical phase in 2026. On one hand, insurance premiums continue to decline due to increased competition among insurers and the arrival of new capacities. On the other hand, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East abruptly revive the risk of war on strategic maritime...

The President of the Republic, Romuald Wadagni, continues to structure his presidential apparatus. By decree No. 2026-340 of June 1, 2026, he appointed Nicolas Simel Ndiaye as coordinator of the Presidential Strategic Support Office (BASE-PR), a new entity placed under the direct authority of the head of state. This appointment comes the day after the official creation of the Strategic Support Office, as stipulated by decree No. 2026-339. The structure is part of the governance framework put in place since Romuald Wadagni’s inauguration on May 24, with the ambition to accelerate the implementation of government reforms and priority projects. According…

Kadotien Alassane Soro, Country Head of Yango Ivory Coast and Regional Head for Francophone Africa, spoke with Financial Afrik on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum 2026 held last May. From the evolution of Yango beyond mobility to the rise of Yango Tech, including artificial intelligence, logistics, and digital regulation issues, he decrypts the transformations reshaping the African digital economy. Mr. Soro believes that Francophone Africa currently has the necessary conditions to become one of the main drivers of technological innovation on the continent, provided that market integration and regulatory framework harmonization are accelerated. Yango first made a name…

Buy the rumor, sell the news MARKET EDITORIAL African markets are entering the second semester with a mix of optimism and selectivity. Behind the spectacular performances displayed by several stock exchanges, a deeper reality emerges: Africa is gradually rediscovering the virtues of market financing. With a 63% increase since the beginning of the year, Ghana...

Since June 5, Rabat has been hosting the 5th Summit of Africanity dedicated to African female leadership. Over fifty prominent personalities representing twenty nationalities have responded to the call of the Africanity Trophy Foundation (FTA), ICESCO, and their media partner Financial Afrik. Beyond academic and diplomatic exchanges, this meeting illustrates the rise of a parallel African diplomacy driven by intellectual, economic, cultural, and associative networks. A diplomacy of bridges rather than borders, of which Nassrallah Belkhayate appears today as one of the most consistent promoters. Through the Africanity Foundation, he has managed to bring together diplomats, academics, entrepreneurs, politicians, and…

For a long time a spectator of the revolution of 100% mobile banks, Attijariwafa Bank is trying to take the lead. With the launch of “Simple”, presented on May 25, 2026 as Morocco’s first true neobank, the group chaired by Mohamed El Kettani seeks not so much to create a new bank (in a field...

On the occasion of the 2026 edition of the Africa CEO Forum, Kamel Koné, Deputy General Manager of HYDRODRILL SA and President of GESPETROGAZ-CI, shares his analysis of the challenges and opportunities that come with the growth of the African oil sector. Local content, access to financing, skills development of national companies, and cooperation between continent actors: he advocates for greater integration of African companies to better capture the value generated by the continent’s energy resources. Interview by Daniel DJAGOUE In a context of revitalization of the oil sector in Côte d’Ivoire, how do you evaluate the positioning of local…

In Dakar, Senegal has just opened a new chapter in its financial governance. The first Financial Mediation and Education Forum, organized on June 4 and 5, 2026 by the Observatory of the Quality of Financial Services (OQSF), brings together for the first time the entire financial ecosystem around an issue that has become strategic: restoring and consolidating trust in a financial system undergoing significant changes. In a context marked by the growing importance of mobile money, fintechs, banking digitization, and new financial services, these forums aim to reposition financial mediation not just as a simple mechanism for resolving disputes, but…

During the 2026 edition of the Africa CEO Forum, held on May 14 and 15 in Kigali, Abdou Diop, Managing Partner of Forvis Mazars, gave an interview to Financial Afrik. Governance of family businesses, financing of African champions, regional integration, risk management, and evolution of leadership on the continent: he provides his analysis of the main challenges that African companies must overcome to successfully scale up and establish themselves sustainably in regional and international markets. As an advisor to African multinationals, you observe from the inside the breaking points in growth trajectories. Beyond capital and market access, what governance and…

What if one of the most underestimated barriers to the continent’s growth was not the lack of projects, ambition, or even capital, but the low capacity to absorb shocks? This is the argument put forward in the white paper “Unlocking Africa’s Growth Potential: The Strategic Role of Insurance and Reinsurance”, published on the occasion of the 2026 Africa CEO Forum in Kigali. The report suggests considering insurance and reinsurance not just as technical products reserved for financial actors, but as instruments of economic stability, budget protection, and long-term capital mobilization. The observation is simple: an economy that does not know…

“‎This fund is used to do what is not said,” said Laurent Gbagbo during his presidency By Loceni Compaoré, Ouagadougou Almost all countries in the world have provided for political funds (sovereign funds) in their public financial architecture to allow the top officials of sovereign institutions to be shielded from certain constraints. Debates on the...

Riga. From West Africa to the shores of the Baltic Sea, the Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM) continues to set an example. Invited by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to its 35th Annual Meeting and Business Forum, the CEO of BRVM, Edoh Kossi Amenounve, presented on June 5, 2026 in Riga the unique experience...

10 months later, the question remains unanswered. On August 15, 2025, South African bank Nedbank announced the sale of its entire 21.22% stake in Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) to Bosquet Investments, the investment vehicle of Cameroonian financier Alain Francis Nkontchou. After obtaining the required regulatory approvals, including those from the UMOA Banking Commission, the transaction is now effective. The transaction amount: $100 million. At first glance, it may seem like just a change in shareholders within the leading pan-African banking group. In reality, this transaction raises a much more fundamental question: Is Ecobank really worth less than $500 million? By…

Present in Africa for half a century, Airbus intends to strengthen its industrial and human footprint on a continent where air transport is experiencing one of the highest growth rates in the world. Between industrial investments, skills development, and fleet expansion, the European group sees Africa as a long-term strategic market. This year, Airbus is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its first delivery on the African continent. In 1975, South African Airways received an A300, marking the beginning of a presence gradually transformed into a true industrial and service ecosystem. “We are very pleased with this milestone in Airbus’ history.…

According to information gathered by Financial Afrik from several reliable sources close to the Senegalese banking market, Société Générale Senegal recorded a net profit of over 40 billion FCFA for the year 2025. This is unprecedented in the history of this institution led by Ivorian Harold COFFI. The performance, with an increase of over 32%...

“Sovereign spreads propel Senegal into the category of Venezuela and Lebanon” Senegal is entering a decisive June, notes Oxford Economics in a report dated June 4, 2026. Behind two “modest” international bond maturities lies a much more fundamental question: can the country still convince the markets that it has control over its financial trajectory? On...

Just days before the start of the 2026 World Cup, the trading floors of Wall Street have turned into prediction offices. After Goldman Sachs, several financial institutions and predictive markets have delivered their scenarios. One constant is clear: Africa remains underrated, despite the spectacular progress of Morocco and the consistency of Senegal. According to Goldman...

Gathered on June 3, 2026 in Lomé, the shareholders of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) approved the return of dividends after three years of interruption. The group will distribute $40 million for the 2025 financial year, rewarding historical results marked by a record pre-tax profit of $801 million, up 21%, and revenues of $2.45 billion (+17%)....

Harvest Asset Management announces that it has exceeded the one billion euros mark in assets under management, with over 748 billion CFA francs as of the end of March 2026. This performance confirms its position as a leader in asset management in the CEMAC zone. The growth reflects the increasing confidence placed by institutional investors,...

TotalEnergies Marketing Côte d’Ivoire maintains its shareholder remuneration policy. At the ordinary general meeting held on May 21, 2026, shareholders of the Ivorian subsidiary of the French energy group approved the distribution of a total gross dividend of 10 billion FCFA (18 million dollars) for the 2025 financial year. With 62.96 million shares making up...

Bank credit to the non-financial sector grew by 8.1% in April 2026, up from 6.3% the previous month, according to the recent bulletin of monetary statistics from Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM). The Moroccan banking system continues to show overall strength, supported by a steady increase in credit activity. According to the latest data from Bank Al-Maghrib...

The latest African Economic Outlook 2026 report from the African Development Bank (AfDB) recognizes Morocco as one of the most developed financial markets on the continent. With a market capitalization representing 47.1% of GDP, the Kingdom confirms the depth and maturity of its financial ecosystem, in a African context still marked by illiquid markets and...

The formation of the new Senegalese government led by Ahmadou Al Aminou Lô opens a new political and economic sequence for Senegal. Composed of 30 ministers, this government team marks a phase of strategic reorganization of the executive power, in a context of high social expectations, regional geopolitical shifts, and economic repositioning of the country. One of the most closely watched decisions is the reappointment of Cheikh Diba, former Minister of Finance and Budget in the first government led by Ousmane Sonko. Now heading the Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Planning, Cheikh Diba inherits an expanded portfolio considered central to…

Baraka Kabemba’s appointment at the helm of Gécamines at the beginning of 2026 marks the opening of a new phase in the history of this strategic company for the economy of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a context of high global demand for copper and cobalt, this new governance is entrusted with the mission...

By Locéni Compaoré, Ouagadougou In Burkina Faso, the launch of state-owned companies with mixed participation, majority public participation or entirely owned by the state is widespread, such as the creation of the RPP (Revolution progressiste et populaire) itself, which celebrated its first year of proclamation on April 1, 2026. Today, the state wants to reclaim...

Organized during the BAL Finals week, the event brought together leaders from sports, finance, public policy, technology, and investment to explore how inclusive digital infrastructure can support the next generation of African entrepreneurs and leaders. Kigali, Rwanda, May 29, 2026: Wave Mobile Money reaffirmed its commitment to youth opportunities, digital innovation, and financial inclusion at the BAL Business Brunch in Kigali, a high-level meeting held during the BAL Finals week under the theme “Youth, Innovation, and Financial Inclusion: Building the Next Generation of African Leaders.” The event brought together key players from sports, finance, public policy, technology, and investment for…

Elected on April 12th, the new president of Benin, Romuald Wadagni, continues to assemble his teams. After appointing his government and key members of his cabinet, he has now surrounded himself with the services of Fiacre Vidjingninou at the Marina, the presidential palace, to handle his communication. A journalist and a Ph.D. in military sociology,...

” My continent is a question mark on the world map.” This masterful formula by Tchicaya U Tam’si, a monument of Negro-African literature in French, resonated with particular intensity in the packed hall of the Kintélé Congress Palace. Evoked by the President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, and then reiterated by the Congolese Prime Minister, it gave these 2026 annual Assemblies a scope that far exceeds the institutional framework. It sums up the African paradox: that of a continent abundantly endowed with resources, but still insufficiently in control of their economic transformation for the benefit…

The Senegalese capital is preparing to become, from 24 to 26 2026, the hub of debates on regional economy with the holding of the International Forum of Economic Press of West Africa (FIPE-UEMOA). Placed under the high patronage of the President of the UEMOA Commission, this event aims to bring together media, public decision-makers, financial institutions, investors, and private sector actors around a common goal: to reflect on the paths to sustainable economic transformation of West Africa. The chosen theme, “Innovating for the economic future of West Africa,” sets the tone for a meeting presented as strategic for the sub-region.…