Ivory Coast courts will try Fidelis Finance and four executives for alleged breach of banking secrecy, a first in the UEMOA zone. The case stems from the cancellation of a CFA7.7 billion ($11.7 million) real estate transaction involving Ivorian contractor SOGETRA. The proceedings threaten Fidelis Finance’s plan to obtain a full banking license from the BCEAO. Fidelis Finance...

Extreme heat and dust reduce solar panel efficiency by 15% to more than 60% across sub-Saharan Africa. Module surface temperatures often exceed 70°C, sharply lowering voltage and energy conversion rates. Researchers urge manufacturers to adopt region-specific solar design and maintenance standards. Solar power generation systems suffer significant efficiency losses across...

Saint-Louis faces disruptions in 6 kg butane cylinder supply due to the absence of local storage and distribution infrastructure. Delivery delays from Dakar have stretched from a few days to two to three weeks, affecting household cooking fuel availability. The government plans a 400 km national gas pipeline to transport offshore production, including Greater Tortue Ahmeyim gas, to...

GoCab secured $45 million in funding, including $15 million equity and $30 million debt, to expand in West Africa and emerging markets. The company plans to finance nearly 10,000 vehicles over two years, including electric vehicles, targeting taxi drivers and delivery workers. GoCab generates $17 million in annual recurring revenue and operates in five countries...

Africa loses about $15 billion annually by exporting most of its crude oil without local refining. The continent exports about 70% of its crude oil and 45% of its natural gas due to limited processing capacity. Africa spends more than $120 billion a year importing refined petroleum products and hydrocarbon-related services. Africa loses about $15 billion in value...

Côte d’Ivoire approved a $152 million loan to fund the first phase of its digital acceleration project. The project targets broadband expansion, digital public services, and skills development, with a focus on youth and women. Internet penetration remains limited despite wide network coverage, creating gaps in access to digital public services. The Ivorian government...

Ghana introduced a new railway master plan to reduce road congestion and lower logistics costs. Authorities plan to rely heavily on public-private partnerships to mobilize billions of dollars in investment. The program prioritizes freight transport for minerals and agricultural output to support competitiveness. Ghana has placed rail transport back at the core of its...

FirstBank DRC launched FirstMonie to lift digital products to 30% of total revenue. The app allows remote account opening in under five minutes and supports multiple mobile money networks. The bank plans to deploy 100,000 agents nationwide by 2029 to support adoption. FirstBank DRC, a subsidiary of First Bank of Nigeria Holdings, launched its new digital banking application,...

Ivanhoe Electric plans to continue and accelerate copper and nickel exploration at the Samapleu-Grata project in 2026. The partners will launch a 4,500-meter diamond drilling campaign across about 20 strategic targets starting in February. The project shows potential to produce nickel and copper concentrates over a mine life of more than 16 years, according to a 2024...

Côte d’Ivoire plans total investment of CFA114,838.5 billion ($206.5 billion) under its 2026–2030 development plan. The private sector should fund 70.2% of total investment, while the public sector should provide 29.8%. The government projects average economic growth of 7.2% between 2026 and 2030. The Ivorian government unveiled the framework of the 2026–2030 National...