• Côte d’Ivoire opens $235M cocoa complex, doubling Transcao’s capacity to 100,000 tons.• Site includes storage and training center to boost local processing.• Aims to raise value-added production and cut foreign dominance.  On Thursday, June 26, Côte d’Ivoire’s Vice President Tiémoko Koné inaugurated a new industrial complex for state-owned company Transcao CI....

• Burkina Faso to tax interest on new WAEMU bonds from Aug 1, 2025, excluding its own.• Ends unregulated tax exemption causing state revenue losses. Burkina Faso will begin taxing interest earned on new bond issues in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) starting August 1, 2025. This measure is detailed in a circular signed by Minister of Economy and Finance Aboubakar...

Madagascar began celebrations two weeks ago to mark the 65th anniversary of its independence from France. These festivities, which culminated on June 26, National Day, with a military parade, hold even greater symbolic weight this year. With the expected return in August of three Sakalava skulls and the recent visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, the island nation has effectively normalized...

The Houphouët-Boigny National Polytechnic Institute (INPHB), established in 1996 through the merger of several schools, is now considered Côte d’Ivoire’s leading educational institution. Despite past challenges, the institute is undergoing significant changes under Director General Moussa Kader Diaby to expand its international presence. In an exclusive interview with Ecofin Agency, Diaby...

• Perseus begins building the Nyanzaga gold mine, targeting first production in 2027.• The project will deliver 2 million ounces of gold over 11 years.• Construction is fully funded with company resources. On June 25, Perseus Mining officially launched construction of its Nyanzaga gold project in Tanzania. The announcement came via the company’s official X (formerly Twitter) account. The...

• Bannerman aims to secure Final Investment Decision (FID) for Etango uranium project by end-2025.• Company raises $55 million through institutional share placement to fund early works.• Etango could supply over 52 million pounds of uranium over 15 years Bannerman Energy announced on June 26 that it has secured commitments from institutional investors to raise A$85 million...

Helium One Confirms Major Reserves in Tanzania as Global Demand Surges • Independent report confirms large helium reserves in Helium One’s Itumbula permit.• Phased development planned with pilot drilling to begin in Tanzania’s Rukwa Basin.• Company eyes long-term potential amid booming global helium demand. On June 25, Helium One announced it had received an independent Competent...

• Gabon raises CFA119.91 billion via a multi-tranche bond issued on the Bvmac.• Investors now show renewed confidence amid post-election stability.• Funds to finance major state infrastructure, including a new Administrative City. Gabon successfully raised CFA119.91 billion ($214 million) through its latest bond issuance, surpassing the initial target of CFA85 billion. The operation,...

• Somalia launches “Centennial Vision 2060” to become a peaceful, inclusive, middle-income nation.• President Mohamud urges national unity to overcome conflict, poverty, and climate threats.• UN and IMF see signs of resilience despite fragile conditions and economic hardship. On June 23, 2025, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud launched the Centennial Vision 2060 (CV2060), a...

• Gates Foundation commits $1.6 billion over five years to Gavi.• Bill Gates warns of rising child deaths due to foreign aid cuts.• Funding comes as Gavi faces reduced support from key donors, including the U.S. On Tuesday, June 24, 2025, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a five-year, $1.6 billion commitment to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The funding aims to expand...