West African economies, CFA franc, commodities, and reforms.
Markets
AfDB approves €73.27m for Equatorial Guinea to cut 23.5% youth joblessness, build polytechnics, and back 500 firms. With Brent (ICE: LCOc1) near USD 88 and debt at 42% of GDP, success could shift a petro-state toward inclusive growth.
Markets
International tribunal halts Niger uranium sale, freezing 1,000t worth USD 270m. Orano (EPA:ORA) claims rights, uranium spot hovers USD 92/lb (CME:UX). Niger 2031 Eurobond yields 11.8%, while CCJ, KAP, PDN, URA traders eye tighter supply and higher risk premiums.
Markets
Ghana’s tourism earned GH¢15.42bn (≈USD1.1bn) from 901,448 arrivals, avg spend USD1,200/visitor. Revenue rivals cocoa (LSE:HOTC) & oil, easing FX strain (GHS/USD=X) and Eurobond risk (LSE:GHANA31) but depends on policy to sustain yield.
Markets
Standard Chartered (LSE:STAN), SocGen (EPA:GLE) and BNP Paribas (EPA:BNP) are retreating from Africa as costs rise and margins shrink. Equity (NSE:EQTY), KCB (NSE:KCB) and Access Bank (NGX:ACCESSCORP) are expanding, reshaping credit flows and investor dynamics.
Markets
Standard Chartered (LSE:STAN), Société Générale (EPA:GLE), and BNP Paribas (EPA:BNP) are scaling back in Africa. Rising costs and shrinking margins push exits, while Equity (NSE:EQTY), KCB (NSE:KCB), and Access Bank (NGX:ACCESSCORP) expand, redefining market dynamics for investors.
Markets
Barrick Gold (NYSE: GOLD; TSX: ABX) faces a Malian clampdown that froze 600k oz of output worth USD 1.4bn, pulling shares near USD 18.86. Arbitration at ICSID looms, but sovereign defiance adds risk as bullion (XAUUSD) trades above USD 2,400 and peers like Newmont (NYSE: NEM) outperform.
Markets
Afriland Bank and a Gagan Gupta-linked firm are eyeing Cameroon’s 1+ bn tonne bauxite reserves, blending finance and infrastructure to challenge Guinea’s 90m+ tonne exports. Success could reshape Africa’s aluminium future; failure risks another stalled mining dream.
Markets
Alios Finance’s CFA 9 bn raise signals nonbank finance’s growing role in Cameroon. As sovereign yields top 10% and credit access lags at 19%, the firm’s bet on leasing and SME lending could redefine CEMAC’s financial future—or expose systemic fragility.
Policy & Economy
Douala Port’s 150th anniversary ambition—an extra $2B in CEMAC trade by 2030—signals Cameroon’s bid to become a regional logistics hub. Yet high sovereign yields, corridor bottlenecks, and rising competition cast doubt on execution and investor appetite.
Policy & Economy
EXIM’s $100M guarantee for Côte d’Ivoire’s digital sector, executed via Cybastion, signals U.S. intent to de-risk African tech finance. Yet its modest scale versus $100B needs raises doubts over whether it’s a catalyst for scale or just geopolitical signaling.
Policy & Economy
Nigeria’s CBN cuts rates 50bps to 27%, its first since 2020. With inflation at 28% and Eurobond yields near 9%, the move signals a cautious pivot to growth. Will banks like ZENITHBANK, GTCO, and ACCESSCORP pass it on—or will FX fragility erase the gains?
Markets
Angola eyes 17.5m carats by 2027, a $600m-carat Luele mine, and Pensana’s (LSE: PRE) 20–40ktpa rare earths (~5% global share). With Lobito Corridor aiming 1.5mtpa copper flows, sovereign Eurobonds (8.25% 2029, ~12% yield) could tighten if execution delivers.