• Morocco’s Nador West Med port set to begin operations by end of 2026
• Facility to handle 35M tons annually; operated by Marsa Maroc and CMA CGM
• Project aims to boost investment, development in Nador region

The Nador West Med port complex in Morocco could begin operations by the end of 2026. The project was initially scheduled to open in 2027, according to local media reports citing Equipment and Water Minister Nizar Baraka during his presentation of the 2026 ministry budget.

“The port is ready. We are now moving into the operational phase with leading international partners,” the reports said. The project was built by a consortium made up of Morocco’s SGTM, Luxembourg-based JDN, and Turkey’s STFA.

The facility is expected to be operated jointly by Marsa Maroc and CMA CGM. It will include a terminal with 1,440 meters of berth and a depth of 18 meters, split between a 900-meter container section and a 540-meter general cargo section. The site covers 60 hectares and will eventually be equipped with eight ship-to-shore cranes, 24 rubber-tyred gantry cranes, and four mobile cranes.

Once fully operational, Nador West Med will be able to handle 25 million tons of hydrocarbons, 7 million tons of dry bulk, and 3 million tons of general cargo each year. Authorities say the complex will help narrow regional economic gaps and support development in the city of Nador, particularly by attracting foreign investment.

Henoc Dossa

For more than twenty years, Simandou has been presented as a project with the potential to boost Guinea's economic development significantly. As iron ore production gets underway, the government in Conakry must guarantee that the resulting revenues are effectively channeled toward poverty reduction and addressing inequality.

Guinea officially began mining operations at Simandou on Tuesday, November 11, developing one of the world’s largest undeveloped iron ore reserves. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that the project could boost Guinea’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 26 percent by 2030 and double the value of the country's mineral exports.

These bold forecasts reflect how much the government in Conakry is counting on Simandou to transform the economy and bring prosperity, as shown by the ambitious "Simandou 2040" development program. While the revenue windfall from this resource could set a new course for one of the world’s poorest nations, disciplined management of funds will be essential for any genuine progress.

Corruption Report Dampens Enthusiasm

Excitement over the launch has been tempered by persistent concerns about Guinea's mineral governance, highlighted the day before the ceremony. In a report quoted by local media on Sunday, the National Transition Council (CNT) noted that a 100-million-dollar "entry ticket" fee paid by the Chinese steel group BAOWU to join the project has still not appeared in the public accounts.

These bold forecasts reflect how much the government in Conakry is counting on Simandou to transform the economy and bring prosperity, as shown by the ambitious "Simandou 2040" development program. 

"As part of efforts to boost administrative revenue collection, the CNT reiterates its call for the actual recovery of funds from BAOWU’s entry ticket into the Simandou project, estimated at 864 billion Guinean francs, and urges the relevant departments to ensure its regularization and transfer to the Public Treasury," stated the CNT’s Planning, Financial Affairs, and Budgetary Control Commission.

Bauxite Precedent Raises Red Flags

With Simandou, Guinea aims to disrupt the global hierarchy of iron producers. Conakry is targeting the premium market segment, as Simandou’s high-grade ore, grading 65 percent iron, could position the country as a key supplier for the low-carbon steel industry. Guinean Mines Minister Bouna Sylla said this unique characteristic would allow the country to secure "high prices" for Simandou iron.

Simandou is not Guinea’s first mineral resource of global importance. The country already hosts the world’s largest bauxite reserves, a potential that has recently made Guinea the world’s top exporter of the aluminum-producing ore. According to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the bauxite sector accounted for 44 percent of mineral exports in 2022, while the mining sector overall contributed 20 percent to GDP, 17 percent to state revenue, and 6.5 percent of total employment.

Issues seen in the bauxite sector are likely to resurface in the Simandou revenue cycle. They include favoritism in fiscal annexes of key agreements, manipulation of export volumes and quality, mispricing through transfer pricing, collusion between mining companies and tax authorities to reduce tax adjustments, and political interference in tax audits.

However, bauxite exploitation has not yet brought major improvements to Guinea’s economic development. Despite average annual GDP growth exceeding 5.1 percent between 2019 and 2023, the poverty rate rose by seven percentage points during the same period, pushing an additional 1.8 million people into poverty.

A 2023 report on corruption in the Guinean mining sector, published by local civil society organizations, detailed numerous corruption risks undermining both the collection and management of mining revenues. Issues seen in the bauxite sector are likely to resurface in the Simandou revenue cycle. They include favoritism in fiscal annexes of key agreements, manipulation of export volumes and quality, mispricing through transfer pricing, collusion between mining companies and tax authorities to reduce tax adjustments, and political interference in tax audits.

These findings suggest that the structural weaknesses already visible in the bauxite sector could easily reappear with Simandou iron if deep reforms to mineral governance are not undertaken. In terms of transparency, authorities have yet to publish the agreement signed between the state and the companies involved in the Simandou project, 75 percent of which are Chinese-owned. The expected rise in public revenue without institutional reform does not guarantee better living conditions for the population. Instead, it risks entrenching predatory practices, fueling resource misallocation, and trapping Guinea in a new resource curse cycle where mineral abundance breeds economic fragility rather than development.

Charting a Path to Inclusive Growth

To avoid repeating past mistakes, Guinea has stated its intention to embed Simandou within a broader economic transformation strategy. This is the main ambition of the "Simandou 2040" program, presented by authorities as a national emergence plan designed to move beyond simple mineral extraction. The strategy aims for inclusive development that leverages natural resources while focusing on sustainable economic diversification.

International financial institutions, however, view this ambition with caution. The IMF believes Simandou can drive growth only if revenues are strategically reinvested. Its simulations show that using resources equivalent to 3 percent of GDP for public investment could accelerate non-mining growth, reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio more rapidly, and support employment.

Built around 122 projects and 36 reforms grouped under five pillars: agriculture and food industry, education, infrastructure and technology, the economy, and health, Simandou 2040 seeks to prevent the dissipation of mining revenues by channeling part of the proceeds toward productive sectors, human capital investment, and infrastructure capable of generating jobs and reducing poverty.

International financial institutions, however, view this ambition with caution. The IMF believes Simandou can drive growth only if revenues are strategically reinvested. Its simulations show that using resources equivalent to 3 percent of GDP for public investment could accelerate non-mining growth, reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio more rapidly, and support employment. The Fund warns that without targeted policy action, the project’s social impact would remain limited. Macroeconomic models suggest Simandou would lower the poverty rate by only 0.6 percentage points and could even increase inequality.

The World Bank offers a complementary perspective. It estimates that Simandou could raise Guinea’s revenue-to-GDP ratio to 17.3 percent by 2030, up from 12.8 percent in 2023, provided reforms are strengthened. Yet even that figure would remain below the 20 percent convergence target of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The Bank suggests that Simandou’s transformative effect will depend less on the ore itself than on the state’s capacity to convert mining income into productivity gains and job creation.

For all Guineans to benefit from the project’s expected returns, Conakry must ensure impeccable governance, transparent and disciplined revenue management, and investments that respond to the population’s real needs, especially in employment and basic infrastructure

Ultimately, the message emerging from both the Simandou 2040 program and the warnings of international institutions is clear. For all Guineans to benefit from the project’s expected returns, Conakry must ensure impeccable governance, transparent and disciplined revenue management, and investments that respond to the population’s real needs, especially in employment and basic infrastructure. Without such rigor, an influx of foreign currency could deepen the same imbalances seen during the bauxite boom, heighten social tensions, and reinforce dependence on a volatile resource rent instead of building the diversified economy the authorities aspire to create.

Emiliano Tossou

• Rwanda and Tanzania are linking their national payment systems—TIPS and RSWITCH—through a bilateral pilot.
• Sending money from Tanzania to Rwanda costs an average of 44.27% in Q1 2025, according to the World Bank—nearly seven times the global average of 6.49%.
• The initiative supports the EAC Cross-Border Payment System Masterplan and aims to reduce transaction costs and boost financial inclusion.

Rwanda and Tanzania have commenced bilateral discussions on technical modalities to link their national retail payment systems switches, in a move set to revolutionize cross-border money transfers across East Africa.

The initiative, which moved into its technical implementation phase at a high-level meeting in Kigali from November 10-14, will connect Tanzania's Instant Payment System (TIPS) with Rwanda's National Payment Switch (RSWITCH). Once operational, the linkage will allow individuals and businesses in both countries to send and receive money between bank accounts and mobile money wallets seamlessly and in real time.

"This preparatory work marks a pivotal milestone in our regional payment system integration agenda, moving us closer to a single regional instant payment ecosystem that will facilitate secure, affordable, and real-time transactions across borders," said Eng. Daniel Murenzi, EAC Principal Information Technology Officer.

Fabian Ladislaus Kasole, Assistant Manager, Oversight and Policy, at the National Payments Directorate of the Bank of Tanzania, reaffirmed the collective commitment. "As a region, we remain committed to establishing a robust technical and operational framework that will ensure the successful interlinking of our national retail payment systems, ultimately enhancing cross-border payment efficiency and financial inclusion across the region."

The integration of Tanzania's TIPS and Rwanda's RSWITCH forms the core of a strategic Proof of Concept pilot. This pilot is designed to demonstrate the technical and operational feasibility of a direct, functional cross-border payment switch within the EAC. The bilateral Tanzania-Rwanda model serves as a pioneering model for future expansion to all EAC Partner States.

The ongoing technical preparations for the interlinking represent the first tangible implementation of the EAC Cross-Border Payment System Masterplan and directly support the aspirations of the EAC Heads of State for deeper regional financial integration.

Staggering remittance costs across the region underscore the urgency of this integration. According to the World Bank’s Remittance Prices Worldwide data, as of Q1 2025, it cost an average of 44.27% of the amount sent to transfer money from Tanzania to Rwanda—a figure that dwarfs the global average of 6.49%. Such exorbitant fees not only burden individuals and small businesses but also hinder regional trade, financial inclusion, and economic mobility. By enabling direct, real-time transfers, the TIPS–RSWITCH linkage is expected to facilitate affordable cross-border transfers within the region.

Hikmatu Bilali

• Cameroon's parliament has been called to ratify a January 2025 aviation agreement that positions the country as Qatar Airways' first direct CEMAC destination.
• Currently, Cameroon-Doha flights require connections via Rwanda, Ivory Coast, or Morocco; ratification will grant unlimited traffic rights for direct commercial services.
• The agreement challenges Ethiopian Airlines' dominance across Central Africa and could transform Camair-Co into a regional feeder airline for Qatar Airways' expanding network.

Cameroon is racing toward a landmark aviation milestone as its parliament prepares to ratify a bilateral air services agreement that would position the country as Qatar Airways' first direct destination in the CEMAC region, ending longtime reliance on circuitous connections and challenging Ethiopian Airlines' dominance over Central African routes to the Middle East and Asia.

The Cameroonian government has accelerated parliamentary procedures to ratify the January 2025 air services agreement, according to Investir au Cameroun. The bill, submitted for approval, signals Doha's strategic push to capture a market long underserved by direct links to the Gulf. The agreement, signed in January 2025 by Transport Minister Jean Ernest Masséna Ngallé Bibehe and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Thani, establishes unlimited, unrestricted traffic rights for passenger and cargo flights between the two territories.

The ratification would revolutionize travel patterns from Cameroon and neighboring states. Presently, passengers flying from Douala or Yaoundé to Doha must navigate complex, multi-stop itineraries via Kigali with code-sharing arrangements with RwandAir, via Abidjan with Air Côte d'Ivoire, or via Casablanca with Royal Air Maroc. The situation is even more acute for Gabonese travelers. Libreville-Doha connections currently rely entirely on Royal Air Maroc, leveraging Morocco's visa facilitation agreements with Gabon. This workaround underscores the absence of direct Gulf carriers in the sub-region.

Should the law pass, Cameroon would gain its first-ever direct air link to the Middle East and Asia, instantly becoming a competitive alternative to Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport. Ethiopian Airlines has long monopolized Central Africa's eastward connections, capturing premium business and diplomatic traffic. Qatar Airways' entry via Douala would disrupt this dominance, offering travelers seamless connections through Doha's Hamad International Airport – a central hub for Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas.

opportunities ahead

The agreement also opens the door for Camair-Co's evolution from a domestic operator to a regional player. During the January 2025 signing ceremony, executives from both carriers discussed opportunities for commercial and technical cooperation. While no formal partnership has been announced, industry sources suggest Qatar Airways could leverage Camair-Co's regional network and Douala's geographic advantages to feed traffic from the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, and Equatorial Guinea – all CEMAC members lacking direct Gulf connections.

The move aligns with Qatar Airways' aggressive African expansion strategy. The carrier currently serves 31 cities across the continent, offering either direct flights or connections via Doha that link African markets to one another and to the world. The Cameroonian route would fill a critical gap in its Central African portfolio, which currently only includes Kinshasa (DRC) as a direct destination in the broader region.

For cash-strapped Cameroon, the stakes extend beyond connectivity.

The government sees Qatar Airways' arrival as a revenue booster, with increased airport taxes, tourism potential, and enhanced cargo capacity for agricultural exports to Gulf and Asian markets. With parliamentary ratification imminent, Yaoundé is poised to become Doha's premier gateway to CEMAC. This strategic pivot could redraw Central Africa's aviation map and loosen Ethiopian Airlines' grip on the region's most lucrative eastward corridors.

Idriss Linge

• Agreement covers annual imports worth about £700,000 ($922,000)
• Deal aims to improve sheep and goat breeds and boost meat production
• Kenya’s goat and sheep meat output rose sharply between 2022 and 2024

Kenya has finalized a trade agreement to import sheep and goat genetic material—including embryos, live breeders, and gametes—from the United Kingdom. The announcement was made on November 10 in a statement issued by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which estimated the annual value of the imports at about £700,000 ($922,000).

The United Kingdom, recognized as a global leader in animal genetics, is known for its sheep breeds such as Suffolk, British Friesland, and East Friesian, which are valued for their resilience and high performance in reproduction, milk, and meat production.

Nairobi’s decision to source genetic material from the UK reflects its goal to improve the quality and productivity of its sheep and goat herds through genetic enhancement. It also signals an effort to strengthen the country’s small livestock sector to meet growing domestic and export demand for meat.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), goat meat production increased by 74.4% to 97,436 tons between 2022 and 2024, while sheep meat output rose by 43.54% to 56,527 tons over the same period. On the export side, data from the Trade Map platform show that Kenya’s exports of sheep and goat meat more than doubled in five years, from 12,508 tons in 2020 to 25,186 tons in 2024.

The challenge for Kenya will also be to improve the replenishment capacity of its herds. KNBS data indicate that the country’s livestock population in 2024 included about 38.42 million goats and 26.21 million sheep.

• Nigeria launches upgraded NgREN to connect higher education institutions
• New platform supports online learning, research, and digital services
• Full national rollout planned by 2026 under digital education strategy

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education recently announced the rollout of an upgraded version of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) and its integration with the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) platform.

Officials said the initiative aims to boost digital connectivity, research collaboration, and innovation across the country’s higher education system.

Education Minister Alausa said the new NgREN will serve as a national high-speed education network, linking universities, research institutes, polytechnics, and colleges of education through a shared digital platform. The system will support online learning, cloud computing, plagiarism detection, digital libraries, research services, high-performance computing, and institutional analytics.

Digital Transformation Goals

The minister said the pilot phase will begin in 2025 in selected universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country’s geopolitical zones. Nigeria plans to connect all higher education institutions by 2026.

This initiative is part of a broader digital transformation drive for Nigeria’s education sector. For instance, on October 30, Alausa unveiled a national program to distribute tablets in all public schools to make digital education universal by 2027. In September, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) signed an agreement with U.S. firm Digital Learning Network (DLN) to supply digital devices to nearly 47 million students and teachers nationwide.

Isaac K. Kassouwi

• Tarkwa gold output drops 5% to 122,900 oz in Q3 2025, Gold Fields reports
• Decline due to lower ore processing volumes from pit and stockpiles
• 2025 output forecast at 488,000 oz, down from 537,000 oz in 2024
  

Tarkwa, one of Ghana’s largest gold mines, produced 122,900 ounces of gold in the third quarter of 2025. The mine’s South African operator, Gold Fields, said in a report released on Nov. 5 that output was down 5% from the 128,900 ounces recorded a year earlier.

Lower Ore Processing Cited for Decline

The weaker result extends a downward trend in production since the start of the year. In the first half of 2025, Tarkwa delivered 232,900 ounces, compared with 247,700 ounces in 2024.

The lower output mainly reflects a year-on-year drop in ore processed. Gold Fields said the mine processed 2.27 million tonnes (Mt) of ore from the open pit at a grade of 1.32 grams per ton (g/t) and 1.55 Mt from stockpiles at 0.79 g/t. In the same quarter of 2024, the figures were 3.01 Mt at 1.23 g/t from the pit and 0.73 Mt at 0.78 g/t from stockpiles.

Lower Guidance for Ghanaian Operations

Gold Fields gave no fourth-quarter forecast but expects annual output of about 488,000 ounces at Tarkwa for 2025, down from 537,000 ounces in 2024.

The company also runs the Damang mine in Ghana, where output is expected to fall as mining winds down this year. Production at Damang is forecast at 85,000 ounces in 2025, compared with 135,000 ounces last year.

Aurel Sèdjro Houenou

Cape Verde is recognized as one of Africa's leaders in energy regulation, particularly in the management of its electricity sector. However, the nation faces challenges in integrating renewable energy into its existing grid and must contend with climate vulnerability that poses a significant threat to its critical infrastructure.

Cape Verde and Portugal have signed a debt-conversion deal to finance the expansion of the Palmarejo solar power plant in Praia, the capital.

The agreement, announced on Nov. 4, will convert about $7.3 million of Cape Verde’s $152 million debt to Portugal into investments for renewable energy projects.

The project will nearly double the plant’s capacity, from 4.4 MW to almost 10 MW,  and reflects a growing trend of green-finance partnerships between creditor nations and African countries seeking to accelerate their energy transition.

Debt-for-Nature Swaps Power Green Finance

The approach builds on the “debt-for-nature” swaps that emerged in the 1980s, allowing developing nations to trade portions of their debt for local investments in conservation.

The World Bank defines such mechanisms as the exchange of external debt for local-currency payments used to fund environmental projects. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) notes that modern debt conversions also channel debt-relief savings into climate and renewable-energy initiatives.

African Adoption of Debt Swaps

Several African countries have already used debt conversions for environmental or climate purposes.

In 2015, the Seychelles converted $21.6 million of external debt, with support from The Nature Conservancy, to finance marine protection efforts. In 2023, Kenya began talks with the UK on a debt-for-nature swap for reforestation, according to Bloomberg. Zambia has also worked with the World Bank on a partial debt swap to strengthen its climate resilience.

Cape Verde still depends largely on imported fossil fuels. According to IRENA data published in July 2024, renewable energy supplied only 20% of the country’s primary energy in 2021.

The agreement with Portugal supports the government’s goal, detailed in a 2024 European Investment Bank report, to generate at least 50% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Expanding the Palmarejo plant marks a concrete step toward that target.

Scalability and Risks

The World Bank says debt conversions can ease fiscal pressure on indebted countries while funding climate projects with measurable results. A 2024 note from the institution explained that the mechanism promotes local climate investment without worsening public debt.

Yet the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) reported in February 2025 that such operations account for less than 1% of global climate finance. Their impact remains limited, depending on how much debt is converted, funding transparency, and effective project oversight.

The IMF, in a December 2022 analysis, added that debt swaps can strengthen the climate resilience of vulnerable countries if supported by sound governance and shared monitoring of expenditures.

Abdel-Latif Boureima

• Guinea’s SOGUIPAH secures $3M loan from BIG to revive operations
• Funds to restart production, improve logistics, and support farmer payments
• Loan supports 2025-2030 plan to expand palm oil and rubber processing
  

The Guinean Oil Palm and Rubber Company (SOGUIPAH) has obtained a 30 billion Guinean Franc ($3 million) loan from the Islamic Bank of Guinea (BIG).  The financing agreement, signed on Nov. 5 as part of a strategic partnership backed by the Ministry of Agriculture, aims to revive the state company’s agricultural and industrial operations.

Financing Agricultural and Financial Overhaul

Officials said the funds will help SOGUIPAH restart production, resume raw material purchases, and improve logistics. The deal with BIG also seeks to establish a sustainable financing model to guarantee regular payments to farmers and transport partners, while improving financial transparency and governance.

“This agreement represents a key step in the recovery and modernization of SOGUIPAH’s industrial, agricultural, and commercial activities. It fully aligns with the national policy to revitalize the agricultural and agro-industrial sector championed by President Mamadi Doumbouya,” the Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement.

Strategic Expansion Underway

The new financing coincides with SOGUIPAH’s 2025-2030 strategic plan, launched in May. The plan includes building a 6-ton-per-hour palm oil production unit and upgrading its soap production facilities to boost competitiveness in local and regional markets.

In its rubber division, the company plans to commission a 6-ton-per-hour natural rubber processing plant by the end of 2025. Construction began in 2024, and the plant will expand SOGUIPAH’s production capacity. Natural rubber is Guinea’s fourth-largest agricultural export, after cashew nuts, frozen fish, and cocoa. Data from TradeMap shows that exports of the raw material brought in $36.1 million in revenue in 2024.

Stéphanas Assocle

• Aminata Ndiaye Niang named CEO of Orange Madagascar, effective Nov. 1, 2025
• Niang brings leadership experience from Sonatel, OMEA, and Orange subsidiaries
• Orange targets subscriber growth, financial inclusion, and expanded rural coverage

Senegalese executive Aminata Ndiaye Niang has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Orange Madagascar, effective Nov. 1, 2025. She succeeds Frédéric Debord.

Orange said on Nov. 6 that Niang will lead the company with its executive team to drive digital and financial inclusion and strengthen its role as an innovative, people-focused operator supporting Madagascar’s development.

Experienced Digital Leader Takes Helm

Orange said Niang will bring extensive experience in digital innovation and transformation. For the past three years, she has served as Deputy CEO of Sonatel Group and Zone Director for Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA). From December 2018 to November 2025, she has also sat on the boards of Orange DRC, Orange Sierra Leone, and Orange Link.

Between December 2018 and January 2023, Niang was Vice President for Marketing, Digital, and Customer Experience at OMEA. She said she led the consolidation of marketing, digital, and customer experience teams across 18 countries, representing 135 million customers and more than €6 billion in revenue.

From February 2013 to August 2018, she held successive roles at Sonatel, including Director of Marketing, Director of Marketing and Orange Money, and Director of Marketing, Orange Money, and Digital. She also served on the board of Jumia between July 2020 and November 2025. Niang is a graduate of the École Polytechnique de Paris and the École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications.

Focus on Subscriber Growth and Network Coverage

Orange Madagascar’s goal of expanding digital and financial inclusion includes growing its base for mobile, internet, and Orange Money services. The operator reported 3.7 million subscribers at the end of September 2025. Rival Telma had 10.2 million as of June, while no recent data is available for Airtel. DataReportal estimates total mobile subscriptions in Madagascar at 18.2 million.

Orange is also pursuing network expansion. In January 2023, it signed a deal with Canada’s NuRAN Wireless to deploy 500 rural telecom sites, and in December 2023, secured a €30 million global license. By January 2024, the company aimed to cover 90% of the population by year-end.

Isaac K. Kassouwi