Author: The Editorial Staff

Guinea launched the construction of the Chalco alumina refinery on the Lisso-Demougala site, located just over 40 kilometers from Boffa, on Saturday, June 13, 2026. The ceremony was co-chaired by General Amara Camara, Secretary General of the Presidency, and Djiba Diakité, Chairman of the Strategic Committee of Simandou, in the presence of government representatives, industrial partners, and local communities. According to information provided during the event, the project represents an estimated investment of one billion dollars and plans for a production capacity of 1.2 million tons of alumina per year. This unit adds to the refinery projects led by SPIC…

When he receives the call informing him that he has won the Yidan Prize 2025 for education development, Mamadou Amadou Ly is in Oxford. On the other end of the line, the announcement is historic: for the first time since the creation of this award in 2017, an African is honored by what is often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Education.” As the Executive Director of the NGO Associates in Research and Education for Development (ARED), Mamadou Amadou Ly becomes the first Senegalese and the first African to receive this international award presented by the Yidan Foundation, a…

Facing the tightening conditions for accessing bank credit and the magnitude of financing needs in African economies, investment funds are gradually emerging as one of the most credible instruments to support the continent’s transformation ambitions. It is in this perspective that the second edition of the Dakar Business Connect (DBC) Forum was held on June 13, 2026 in Dakar, organized by the economic magazine “Le Marché” around the theme: “Investment funds in Senegal: a vector of public financing and a catalyst for entrepreneurship?”. Bringing together more than 320 participants from the banking, insurance, financial, entrepreneurial, academic, and institutional sectors, this…

By Christine Holzbauer, in Paris A high-tension summit in the midst of an international crisis opens in Évian this Monday. While Paris highlights the involvement of key partners like Kenya and talks about the re-convergence of wealthy countries in favor of global growth, for non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the math doesn’t add up. In a series...

Madagascar/France. According to our information, the subsidiary of Amarante Internationale in Madagascar had its contract with the State suddenly cancelled at the end of May. Since January 2020, the French company specializing in airport security was managing five airports in the Great Island, a contract that also included a comprehensive training plan for ground staff....

Former Communications Director of the West African Development Bank (BOAD), Serge Bouah, launches The West Office (TWO), a pan-African platform connecting public institutions, local authorities, businesses, and a pool of senior African experts. “The initiative aims to highlight the experience accumulated by former senior executives, consultants, business leaders, and sector specialists to meet the growing expertise needs of African states and organizations,” explains Mr. Bouah. Positioned as the first B2G and B2B platform dedicated to African senior expertise, The West Office aims to provide quick access to what it calls the “institutional memory” of the region. The model is based…

Convicted by the Australian Federal Court, mining giant Fortescue must pay the largest compensation ever awarded in favor of an indigenous people: 108 million US dollars. This historic ruling provides a critical analysis for African states, whose regulatory frameworks in the face of international operators sometimes lack enforceability. An Australian ruling that will go down in history On May 12, 2026, a historic decision by the Australian Federal Court sent a strong signal to the global extractive industry regarding the legal weight of the rights of local communities. The court sentenced mining giant Fortescue, led by its billionaire founder Andrew…

The 2026 Annual Meetings of Afreximbank, scheduled to take place from June 21 to 24 in El Alamein, Egypt, will ultimately not be held. According to information gathered by Financial Afrik, Egyptian authorities have decided to cancel all major continental events planned in the resort town, citing the health risks associated with the Ebola epidemic...

NAB Consulting announces the completion of a structured financing, co-arranged with Coris Bank Niger, of 250 million euros for the benefit of the State of Niger, obtained from Afreximbank This structured financing of 250 million euros granted by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), for the benefit of the State of Niger through the Ministry of...

During the General Assemblies of Shelter Africa Development Bank held from June 9 to 11 in Rabat, Lionel Zinsou, Chairman of the institution’s Board of Directors, granted an interview to Financial Afrik. This was an opportunity to discuss the bank’s ambitions following its transformation, the challenge of housing finance in Africa, and the specific role of Morocco, “a continental reference in housing policy and social housing finance.” What are your impressions after these three-day assemblies? Listen, these were three very enriching days because we were in a country, Morocco, which has great experience in this field. There were visits to…

At its annual meetings on June 9 and 10, 2026, Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) in Rabat unveiled much more than a new institutional identity. The organization, established in 1981 to address the housing financing deficit in Africa, is undergoing a fundamental transformation that could permanently alter the urban financing landscape on the continent. By officially becoming a multilateral development bank, the institution is expanding its mandate, strengthening its resource mobilization capabilities, and positioning itself as a player in African urban development. This transformation is significant. For over four decades, Shelter Afrique primarily operated as a financier of real estate…

The Regional Mortgage Refinancing Fund of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (CRRH-UEMOA) is changing its identity and will now be known as AFINHAB. The announcement was made by its general director, Yedau Ogoundélé, on June 11, on the sidelines of the BOAD Development Days, marking a new stage in the evolution of this...

By Rodrigue Fenelon Massala In Equatorial Guinea, authorities have obtained a significant revision of the cost of several infrastructure projects entrusted to Sogea-Satom. Following a technical audit carried out by an international firm mandated by the State, the amount of work remaining to be done has been reduced from 35 billion to 19 billion FCFA,...

In Senegal, the Regional Customs Directorate of the South (DRS) confirms its strategic role in the economic and territorial security of the country. Following a six-day tour of the main customs units in the southern zone, the Director General of Customs praised, on Tuesday, June 9, remarkable results marked by an increase in tax revenues and an intensification of the fight against illicit trafficking. This field mission covered the customs offices of Ziguinchor, Séléty, Kalifourou, Sénoba, and Vélingara, as well as the subdivisions of Ziguinchor and Kolda, which oversee a total of 19 customs units deployed in a highly strategic…

Africa is gradually reshaping its financial landscape. In Lagos, Nigeria, on Thursday, June 4, 2026, the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) announced that it had finalized a record-breaking syndicated loan of $2 billion, the largest fundraising in its history. Initially set at $1.6 billion, the operation was increased by $400 million due to strong demand from international banks, reflecting growing confidence in African infrastructure. The announcement, made from the headquarters of the pan-African institution, highlights a structural shift in global capital flows to Africa: Asian banks are now emerging as major players in financing the continent, alongside traditional European and Gulf…

In parallel with the General Assemblies of Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) held in Rabat on June 9th, Senegal has taken a new step in its policy of social and sustainable housing. The Social Housing Fund (FHS) and the Rwandan group ADHI International have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the realization of a pilot project of 1,000 integrated, affordable and EDGE-certified homes, for a total estimated investment of 39 billion CFA francs. This large-scale partnership is in perfect line with the country’s new strategic roadmap, the “Vision Senegal 2050”, initiated by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Bassirou…

At a time when African languages are receiving increasing attention in public policies, educational systems, and inclusion strategies, Alassane Ba, former leader of Shelter Afrique, former senior official of the African Development Bank, and former Acting CEO of Africa50, contributes to this linguistic valorization effort with the publication of a unique work: Specialized French-Pulaar Banking/Finance Lexicon. More than just a terminological collection, this work is a methodical attempt to translate some of the most sophisticated concepts of modern economics, accounting, banking, and financial markets into an African language. The author, a seasoned investment banker with thirty-seven years of experience, former…

Breaking News. Burkina Faso has just successfully completed one of the most significant financial operations in its recent history. According to information obtained by Financial Afrik, the first tranche of the Diaspora Bond launched on May 6, 2026, recorded 151.5 billion CFA francs in subscriptions at its closure on June 6, surpassing the initial target...

As part of a $150 million contract secured in a joint venture with AD Ports Group, the Congolese company is preparing to build the future container terminal in Pointe-Noire. It is both a consecration and a challenge. MBTP, one of the most active construction groups in the sub-region, has been selected as part of a consortium awarded a maritime works and surface development contract valued at approximately $150 million for the construction of the new Noatum Ports container terminal in Pointe-Noire. The contracts were signed on May 7, 2026 in Brazzaville, in the presence of the Congolese Prime Minister, Anatole…

By Ismael Sy, Rabat. The 45th Annual General Meeting of the Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) opens on June 9, 2206 in Rabat, under the sign of a challenge that has become central to African economies: financing the accelerated urbanization of the continent. The opening ceremony is attended by Nadia Fettah Alaoui, the Chairman of...

Simandou 2040 and President Doumbouya’s Vision for Guinean Youth At the closing of the fifth edition of the Guinea Entrepreneurship and Employment Fair (SADEN) on June 5, 2026, the Minister Director of the Presidency, Mr. Djiba Diakité, delivered a powerful message: Guinea’s true wealth is its men and women—long before its minerals. For three days, Conakry vibrated to the rhythm of SADEN—the Guinea Entrepreneurship and Employment Fair, in its 5th edition. Entrepreneurs from all corners of the country, committed institutions, technical and financial partners, and above all: a determined, creative youth ready to build. It was in this context that…

For the fiscal year 2025, shareholders of Coris Bank International (CBI) will receive a net total dividend of 28.8 billion XOF (52 million USD) on June 19, 2026, as announced by the leaders of this banking institution based in Ouagadougou. Compared to the 32 million shares that make up the Bank’s share capital, the net...

The secondary market for UEMOA public securities experienced an exceptional week from June 1st to 5th, 2026. Exchanges reached 159.5 billion CFA francs, up 224% from the previous week, while the number of transactions surged by 150% to 75 operations. The number of active participants increased by 89% and the number of instruments traded by...

The Inter-African Institute for Insurance and Business Management (IFAGE) and the College of Insurance Kenya (COI), based in Nairobi, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 6, 2026 in Cairo, dedicating the creation of a pan-African network for insurance education. Bringing together IFAGE for West and Central Africa, particularly the CIMA zone, and COI for East Africa, this partnership is part of a common vision: to promote insurance education rooted in African realities, open to innovation, and resolutely focused on professional excellence. The collaboration between the two institutions will focus on the development of joint academic programs, student and…

While Africa displays one of the fastest demographic growth rates in the world, social protection remains the Achilles’ heel of the continent’s development. According to a comprehensive study published in June 2026 by the FINACTU Group, a consulting firm specializing in financial and social sectors in Africa, less than 15% of Africans currently benefit from...

ks before the presidential election on October 25, 2025, President Alassane Ouattara announced a historic farmgate price of 2,800 CFA francs per kilogram for the 2025-2026 cocoa campaign. Presented as a victory for producers, this decision would, however, precipitate the sector into one of the most serious marketing crises in its recent history. This is...

In a report entitled “Cocoa Sector in Côte d’Ivoire: Anatomy of a Crisis (2012-2026)”, published in June 2026, AfroInvest provides a detailed analysis of the mechanisms that led Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s leading cocoa producer, from the euphoria of record prices to an unprecedented marketing crisis. Signed by Marcelin Dev and based on data from...

Bank Of Africa Niger’s stock is among the best performing bank stocks on the BRVM in recent months. In just six months, the stock has gained nearly 40%, highlighting investors’ persistent appetite for banking stocks in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA). However, this surge in stock price contrasts with the operational difficulties...

The stock market of the Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM) closed the week of June 5, 2026 on a decidedly positive note. The three main indices all rose, with the BRVM Composite gaining 2.75% to 437.24 points, the BRVM 30 advancing by 2.92% to 205.37 points, and the BRVM Prestige by 2.94% to 170.97 points. This...

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…