It’s a common scene in any Lomé (Togo) market, but it’s telling. A customer hands a 10,000 CFA franc note to a vendor to buy 1,650 francs worth of tomatoes. The vendor sighs, rummages through a knot in her loincloth, then disappears to beg a neighbor for change. Minutes later, she returns with crumpled 500 franc notes and two complimentary sachets of water to make up the difference. This...

• Kinshasa signs LOI with Huawei to explore digital education projects• Plans cover smart classrooms, e-learning platforms, and an innovation lab• Report says progress in digital education remains slow and fragmented The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has signed a letter of intent with Chinese technology company Huawei to strengthen cooperation in digital education. Marie-Thérèse...

• EXIM Bank approves $66m guarantee to fund a national data center in Côte d’Ivoire• U.S. company Cybastion to provide equipment under EXIM’s China-focused program• Project to boost secure data hosting and support digital growth in the country The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) has approved a $66 million guarantee to finance the construction of a national...

• S&P raises Kenya’s sovereign rating from B- to B with a stable outlook• $900m Eurobond buyback and stronger reserves reduce liquidity risks• Economy expected to grow 5.6% in 2025, above official forecasts Standard & Poor’s (S&P) upgraded Kenya’s long-term sovereign credit rating from B- to B, assigning a stable outlook in a statement released on August 22. The agency said the...

Governor André Wameso told Bloomberg he will prioritise restoring credibility to the Congolese franc and reversing decades of dollarisation during his term. The Central Bank of Congo sold fifty million United States dollars on 18 August 2025 to calm foreign exchange markets and signal a shift from passive management. An IMF 2024 consultation found that approximately eighty-five to ninety...

The disarmament and demobilisation programme launched in August 2025 is projected to cost between 50 and 100 million dollars, a heavy burden for the Central African Republic. Economic forecasts hinge on sustained calm; the IMF expects growth to rise from 1.9 percent in 2024 to 3 percent in 2025 if violence stays low. The presidential, legislative and local elections scheduled for 28 December...

South Africa chose eleven private freight rail operators from twenty-five applicants to break Transnet's monopoly. New entrants may add twenty million tonnes yearly and attract one hundred billion rand of private investment within ten years. First private trains are expected in the second half of 2026 after final contracts and safety certificates are secured. South Africa picked 11 private...

The Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny (INP-HB) has reached a new milestone in academic recognition at the African level. According to the 2025 edition of the Top University Rank (TUR), produced by Research Analytics International, the Yamoussoukro-based institution now sits at 27th place on the continent, up from 36th last year. It also maintains its position as the...

Burundi’s decision to pilot renminbi settlement for Chinese imports is a neat headline and a helpful starting point for a wider African debate. Bujumbura has allowed a small cohort of importers to pay suppliers in yuan, a targeted fix for chronic FX tightness and costly dollar conversions. The impulse is understandable: a thin reserve cushion and a long struggle with currency pressures make any...

The cabinet has approved preparations for a debut USD 1.5B Eurobond before June 2026 to fund key infrastructure projects. Investors await details on timing and arrangers. Citi and Standard Bank could be leading contenders for the issuance. While the bond’s coupon will be key, successful issuance may boost the DRC’s market credibility. Fueled by one of the strongest macroeconomic...