• ECOWAS rejects Guinea-Bissau junta’s transition timetable

• Bloc demands political prisoners freed, inclusive transition government

• ECOWAS threatens targeted sanctions, deploys defence chiefs delegation

West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, has taken a tougher line against Guinea-Bissau’s ruling junta, rejecting outright the “transition timetable” announced by the interim authorities.

In a communiqué issued on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, after its 68th summit of heads of state and government, the regional body called for the immediate release of all political prisoners and their inclusion in the political process. It also urged the launch of a short transition led by an inclusive government.

That government would be responsible for constitutional, legal and political reforms and for organising credible, transparent and inclusive elections.

The Authority of Heads of State and Government also instructed the ECOWAS Commission to fully support the transition, including by strengthening the capacity of the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau, the statement said.

To continue discussions, the Authority ordered the immediate deployment of a delegation from the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff to the country to hold talks with military leaders.

The bloc said it would impose targeted sanctions on individuals or groups obstructing a return to constitutional order through an inclusive process. Possible measures include asset freezes, restrictions on commercial transactions and travel bans within the ECOWAS region for junta members and their relatives. No further details were provided.

Following the coup, the military installed army chief General Horta N’Tam as interim president and head of a military command tasked with restoring national security and public order for a one-year period.

ECOWAS said elections held on Nov. 23, 2025, were judged free, transparent and peaceful by its election observation mission and by other international observers, including the African Union.

The Authority called on the African Union and other international partners to support implementation of the decisions.

Lydie Mobio

• French journalist Christophe Gleizes files cassation appeal against Algeria conviction

• Appeal challenges seven-year sentence for terrorism-related charges

• Case fuels press freedom concerns and France-Algeria diplomatic tensions

French sports journalist Christophe Gleizes has filed an appeal in cassation in Algeria after being convicted of glorifying terrorism and possessing publications deemed harmful to national interests, his lawyers said on Sunday, Dec. 14.

Gleizes’ legal team, comprising Algerian lawyer Amirouche Bakouri and French lawyer Emmanuel Daoud, confirmed that the appeal was lodged following a Dec. 3 ruling by the Tizi-Ouzou Court of Appeal, which upheld his seven-year prison sentence.

The move comes amid growing diplomatic tensions. Gleizes, a contributor to So Foot and Society magazines, was arrested in May 2024 in the Kabylie region while reporting on Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie (JSK). Algerian authorities said the case stemmed from exchanges with individuals linked to the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK), which the Algerian government has designated a terrorist organization.

His conviction and the upholding of the sentence have raised concerns over press freedom and judicial practices in Algeria. Media freedom group Reporters Without Borders described the appeal court’s decision as “aberrant.”

The appeal comes as France presses for the release of its citizen. President Emmanuel Macron, in comments reported last week by Le Parisien, called the verdict “excessive” and “unjust” and said he would work to secure the journalist’s swift return. Relatives of the 36-year-old journalist are also seeking a presidential pardon.

Gleizes was initially sentenced in late June, a ruling that was later confirmed on appeal.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou

• Sovereign Metals signs collaboration agreement with World Bank’s IFC

• IFC may finance Malawi Kasiya rutile, graphite project, costing $665 million

• Project studies ongoing; mine could generate $640 million annual revenue

Australian mining company Sovereign Metals said on Tuesday, Dec. 16, that it had signed a collaboration agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which could finance the development of the Kasiya rutile and graphite project in Malawi.

The IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, may support the project through several financing structures, according to Sovereign. Based on an updated pre-feasibility study (PFS) released in 2025, construction of the Kasiya mine would require an initial investment of $665 million. The IFC could participate as lead lender, act as mandated co-arranger for the project’s debt financing, or take a cornerstone position in debt or equity.

The two parties have up to three years to negotiate a financing agreement under one of these options. The IFC will also provide technical support to ensure that the project complies with its environmental, social, and governance standards.

“We are incredibly pleased to get IFC involved at this stage, as this will support our DFS and ESIA efforts to be aligned with IFC's Environmental and Social Performance Standards, seeking to make the Kasiya Project DFS not just feasible but also bankable,” Sovereign chief executive Frank Eagar said. “Having IFC's support validates Kasiya's exceptional quality and strategic importance and takes us one step closer to project execution.”

The IFC’s interest comes as Sovereign is carrying out environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA) alongside a definitive feasibility study (DFS). The results, expected next year, should provide further details on capital requirements, production levels, and projected revenues.

The PFS published in January 2025 estimates that the mine could produce an annual average of 222,000 tonnes of rutile and 233,000 tonnes of graphite over a 25-year lifespan. Average annual revenues are projected at $640 million, the study shows.

Sovereign has already partnered with Anglo-Australian mining group Rio Tinto on the project. Rio Tinto is the company’s largest shareholder, with an 18.45% stake, and is among the potential financiers for the construction of the Kasiya mine.

Emiliano Tossou

• Government reviews higher education reforms at 2025 conference

• Authorities push for more professional and market-driven training

• Youth unemployment stands at about 8.1% amid rising graduate numbers

In Burkina Faso, the 2025 session of the Conference of Presidents, Rectors, and Directors General of Higher Education and Research Institutions was held on Friday, December 12, at Norbert Zongo University. The statutory meeting, chaired by the Minister of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation, Adjima Thiombiano, focused on assessing ongoing reforms in the sector.

At the center of the discussions, the Director General of Higher Education, Roger Lanou, called on public and private institutions to strengthen professional and skills-based programs in order to produce graduates who can be immediately absorbed by the labor market. The objective is to reduce the persistent gap between graduate profiles and employer needs.

One of the key priorities highlighted was the reform of incubation systems. Following pilot phases conducted notably in Bagré and Samandéni, the authorities plan to roll out these structures across all higher education institutions. The goal is to promote student entrepreneurship and provide stronger support for innovative projects emerging from universities. “Starting from the next academic year, all higher education and research institutions must have their own incubation centers,” the minister said.

These adjustments are intended to address a structural mismatch between training supply and labor market needs, which is regularly identified as a major constraint on graduate employability. Available data show a significant number of graduates whose skills remain poorly utilized in the economy, contributing to higher unemployment among educated youth compared with those with lower levels of education.

This policy direction comes as professional integration remains a major challenge for young graduates. According to the World Bank, the unemployment rate among people aged 15–24 stood at about 8.1% in 2024. At the same time, demographic pressure continues to intensify, with more than 200,000 young people entering the labor market each year, while the formal sector struggles to absorb them.

Official statistics also indicate that about 12,772 national graduates were recorded in 2024, highlighting the steady rise in the number of qualified young people seeking opportunities in both the public and private sectors. This trend underscores the urgency of aligning higher education more closely with the country’s economic realities.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou

• Government publishes the joint Mines–Finance circular needed to restart exports

• Miners faced weeks of delays despite the embargo being lifted in mid-October

• First shipments are expected only at the end of the month due to lengthy procedures

Cobalt exports from the Democratic Republic of Congo can now resume following the release of a joint circular from the Ministries of Mines and Finance on December 2, 2025. The document sets out the practical rules for export operations. Until its publication, shipments had remained blocked despite the formal end of the export embargo on October 15.

Mining companies had grown increasingly frustrated with the delays. On November 25, John Woto, deputy managing director of Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM), questioned the holdup during the mining session of the Makutano Forum, noting that the sector had been told to wait for the joint ministerial order without clarity on its timing or its purpose.

In response, Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba said exports should have restarted during the week of November 24–30. He explained that the delay stemmed from the need to update the export procedures manual to reflect directives from the Authority for the Regulation and Control of Strategic Mineral Substances (Arecoms), including new advance-payment requirements for certain fees.

According to the minister, technical teams from the Mines and Finance ministries had to align their systems to apply the new framework. He said a full-scale test run involving all services took place the previous week and that, in his view, exports could resume immediately after the circular was signed.

The document released today was signed on November 26 by the Mines Minister. According to a member of the Chamber of Mines at the Federation of Congolese Enterprises (FEC), the Finance Minister’s signature was the final element needed.

With the circular now published, cobalt exports can resume. However, the first ton is not expected to leave the country until the end of the month because export procedures take several weeks.

Pierre Mukoko, Bankable

• Government grants official recognition to the new sector-wide organization

• Interprofession aims to improve production, quality, traceability, and farmer support

• Coffee-cocoa exports brought in CFA4,354 billion for Côte d’Ivoire in 2024

The government of Côte d’Ivoire has formally recognized the new Agricultural Interprofessional Organization for the coffee-cocoa sector, approving a decree on December 3, 2025 during a Council of Ministers meeting.

The interprofession was created at a constitutive general assembly on August 19, 2025 in Yamoussoukro. It brings together representatives from across the value chain and completes a process launched in February 2024.

The Coffee-Cocoa Council says the new structure will support a more integrated approach to production, quality control, traceability, and long-term sustainability. It is also expected to strengthen training, commercial negotiations, and support systems for farmers, while giving the sector greater visibility internationally.

With its official status, the interprofession becomes a central tool for regulation, coordination, and dialogue in a sector that plays a key role in the national economy. According to the government, the decree aligns with Ordinance No. 2011-473 of December 21, 2011 on Agricultural Interprofessional Organizations and aims to strengthen the performance of the coffee-cocoa sector and increase farmer income.

Data from the General Directorate of Customs show that Côte d’Ivoire earned about CFA4,354 billion ($7.73 billion) in 2024 from exports of cocoa and processed products such as paste, butter, powder, and chocolate.

The cocoa sector was also the country’s second-largest source of export duties and taxes in 2024, after petroleum products. The state collected CFA462.2 billion ($821.2 million) from cocoa and processed cocoa exports that year, according to customs data.

Stéphanas Assocle

• Company to invest about $378 million globally over two years

• Africa to receive 94 % of funding, targeting seven key markets

• Spending focuses on jobs, training, AI tools, and new infrastructure

CCI Global, one of Africa’s leading call-center operators, plans to invest about $378 million over the next two years to expand its operations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

According to data shared with Bloomberg, 94 % of this amount — about $355.3 million — will be invested in Africa, compared with 5 % in the Middle East and 1 % in Europe. The African markets targeted include South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ghana, Botswana, and Egypt.

“This distribution reflects CCI Global’s continued focus on Africa as the heart of its operations, while deepening its presence in Europe and the Middle East to support global clients more seamlessly,” said the Dubai-based group.

More than half of the company’s planned investment will go toward workforce expansion, training, and development across all regions. Another 38 % will be dedicated to integrating artificial intelligence, automation, and other advanced customer-experience technologies, while 10 % will be used to open new offices and upgrade infrastructure.

CCI Global is one of the largest business-process outsourcing (BPO) and customer-experience service providers on the continent. The group employs about 15,000 people and serves more than 80 companies across telecommunications, media, mobile technology, financial services, hospitality, and healthcare.

Customer-service outsourcing by global companies could create up to 1.5 million new call-center jobs in Africa by 2030, according to a report released in August by CCI Global and consulting firm Everest Group. About 85 % of global companies are actively considering Africa for customer-service outsourcing, with strong interest in South Africa, Kenya, and Egypt.

Walid Kéfi

• Parliament adopts CFA335.2 billion budget for 2026 transport programs

• Road transport receives the largest share, followed by air and rail projects

• Funding supports ongoing upgrades to roads, rail, airports, and urban mobility

The Senegalese Ministry of Land and Air Transport will have a budget of CFA335.2 billion (about $595.4 million) for the 2026 fiscal year to support modernization and performance in the sector. The project was adopted on Monday, December 1, 2025, by the National Assembly following a presentation by Minister Yankhoba Diémé (photo).

“This budget reflects the ambition to modernize infrastructure, improve citizens’ mobility, and strengthen the security and competitiveness of transport in Senegal,” according to the Parliament’s X account.

The budget is structured around four programs. The first, focused on management, coordination, and administrative oversight, will receive CFA1.6 billion. The second, dedicated to developing and modernizing the rail network and transport systems, will receive CFA44 billion. Road transport development and modernization account for the largest share, at CFA215.2 billion, reflecting the strategic importance of the national road network. Air transport development is allocated CFA74.3 billion to strengthen capacity and competitiveness.

L’Assemblée nationale a adopté, ce lundi 1ᵉʳ décembre, le budget 2026 du Ministère des Transports terrestres et aériens. Le ministre de tutelle, Yankhoba Diémé, a présenté et défendu devant la représentation nationale un budget global de 335 234 538 370 FCFA, destiné à soutenir… pic.twitter.com/kc8LeoGc8z

— Assemblée nationale du Sénégal (@assembleesn) December 2, 2025

In recent years, Senegal has undertaken a broad effort to modernize its transport infrastructure. Special attention has been given to upgrading rail lines linking interior regions. The government has also invested in modernizing roads, ports, and airports to strengthen national integration.

The launch of the Regional Express Train (TER), linking Dakar to Blaise-Diagne International Airport, illustrates this ambition, as does the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), operational since 2023 and connecting the city center to the suburbs across 23 stations. Additional efforts include maritime cabotage initiatives and the gradual development of a truly multimodal transport system.

Ingrid Haffiny (intern)

• Ethiopia adopts “Digital Ethiopia 2030” to guide digital transformation
  

• Strategy targets infrastructure, connectivity, innovation, and public service digitization
  

• Plan aims to attract investment and boost economic modernization efforts

Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers adopted the “Digital Ethiopia 2030” strategy on Saturday, according to the Ethiopian News Agency. The document sets national priorities for accelerating the country’s digital transformation over the next five years and replaces the “Digital Ethiopia 2025” plan that ends this year.

The agency said the strategy aims to create more opportunities for the population, strengthen technological capabilities, expand key infrastructure, improve governance and drive economic development.

The roadmap builds on recent efforts to digitize public services, modernize the economy and advance digital inclusion. It focuses on several priority areas: developing digital infrastructure, improving connectivity, strengthening cybersecurity, supporting tech innovation and entrepreneurship, and transforming public services.

For Addis Ababa, the strategy is both a driver of domestic modernization and a tool for attracting international investment. The government hopes to draw more capital into telecoms, digital services and emerging tech industries while improving the efficiency of public services and administrative transparency.

Adoni Conrad Quenum

• 16 of Nigeria’s 36 banks have met new capital requirements by Nov. 2025
  

• Recapitalization aims to boost sector strength before March 2026 deadline
  

• Banks must raise capital up to 500B naira based on license category

By late November 2025, 16 of Nigeria's 36 banks have already met or exceeded new capital requirements, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Olayemi Cardoso said on Friday.

Cardoso disclosed the information during the 60th bankers' dinner organized by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN). Banks that have met the required threshold include Access Bank, Zenith Bank, GTBank, Wema Bank, Jaiz Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Premium Trust Bank, Providus Bank, Lotus Bank and Greenwich Merchant Bank.

According to Cardoso, 27 banks have raised funds through public offers and capital increases. Several other institutions are at an advanced stage in the process.

"With just four months to the conclusion of the recapitalisation exercise, I am pleased to report that the process is firmly on track. Several banks have already met the new capital thresholds, while others are advancing steadily and are well positioned to comfortably meet the March 31, 2026 deadline," the governor said.

The recapitalization program was announced in November 2023 and formalized in CBN directives published on March 28, 2024. It requires each bank category to hold capital proportional to its operational scope. International commercial banks must raise their capital from 50 billion to 500 billion naira. National commercial banks must increase from 25 billion to 200 billion naira. Regional commercial banks must reach a minimum capital of 50 billion naira, up from 10 billion previously. For non-interest banks, the thresholds are set at 20 billion naira for national licenses and 10 billion for regional licenses.

Nigeria previously conducted a major banking sector recapitalization in 2004. At the time, the central bank raised capital levels from 2 billion to 10 billion naira for regional banks, to 25 billion for national banks and to 50 billion for international banks. That reform led to sector consolidation, reducing the number of banks from 89 to 25. It also created larger institutions capable of withstanding economic shocks and financing bigger operations.

The recapitalization launched in 2024 pursues the same objectives: to strengthen capital bases, improve balance sheet soundness, facilitate banks' international expansion and support more stable economic growth.

Chamberline Moko