Cote d’Ivoire’s Privatization Committee just launched a call to tender for a council that will lead the disengagement process of the State in the Banque de l’habitat de Cote d’Ivoire (BHCI), local media revealed. The State hereby wants to forego its 55.9% stake in the lender which specializes in property loans. On September 22, 2016, the Ivorian Privatization Committee denied the...

ASX-listed Resolute Mining has reported new high-grade gold intercepts from an ongoing extension drilling program at its Syama mine, in Mali. The firm told its shareholders that a completely new zone of mineralisation had been identified south of the Syama deposit and the new zone appeared to be separate from the main Syama orebody, minningweekly.com reported. Resolute’s CEO and MD, John...

Ecobank has announced the roll-out of its new mobile banking solution for the end of 2016, across the 33 sub-Saharan African countries where it operates. The solution - Masterpass “QR” - is already used in Nigeria, the group’s largest market. “The solution will enable millions of micro, small and medium enterprises across Africa to begin accepting fast and secure digital payments,” the...

In Algiers, the Anti-Locust Committee for the West African Region (CLCPRO in French) just announced the creation of a $6 million regional fund to control the locust threat. This sum will be mobilized by various member-states of the committee. “Launching this regional fund will help better control locust activity by allowing the various interventions mechanisms to take action at the right...

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued an order suspending all dividend payment by MTN to its shareholders for Q3 2016 from its Nigerian subsidiary. The order concerns four commercial partner banks of MTN Nigeria: Standard Chartered Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Diamond Bank and Citi Bank. The decision comes amid an investigation on MTN Nigeria undertaken by the senate which said the firm has...

In Egypt, Eni plans to add 80Mmcfpd of gas from its Nooros concession to the national grid by the end of November 2016. According to a source with the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), the total gas production from Nooros is set to increase from 850Mmcfpd to 930Mmcfpd by the end of November. This is to occur after the drilling of a number of development wells and adding them to the...

U.S. government through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) will provide Niger $437 million (253.5 billion CFA francs) over five years to finance projects in agriculture, animal husbandry and boost employment under Compact program. Niger’s parliament voted last Monday a law to approve the agreement signed by its government and U.S.’ on July 29, 2016 in Washington, via the MCC....

The President of Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos (photo), is currently facing Court inquiry regarding the appointed of his daughter as the chief executive of state oil firm, Sonangol. The Angolan Supreme court according to Reuters was acting in response to a case filed by 14 Angolan lawyers, accusing the president of favoritism and violation of the Angolan probity law. Isabel dos Santos was...

In Gabon, Oil workers are expected to call off an industrial action at Maurel and Prom's Onal field today, after an agreement was reached to restore sacked personnel. According to the agreement, the oil workers' union will end their strike action and resume work from 6 a.m. local time on Wednesday. The strike, which began on October 17, 2016 was as a result of workers who were dismissed for...

Royal Dutch Shell has recommenced the export of crude oil from the Forcados terminal in Niger Delta following its restoration, the Nigerian government revealed. “The Shell Director, Mr. Andrew Brown (photo), informed the President of the resumption of oil exportation through the Forcados terminal following its restoration. Brown commended the anti-corruption posture of the Buhari...