JCR affirms Afreximbank at A-/stable; CCXI keeps AAA/stable rating Bank’s strong capital base and steady profits highlighted by Asian agencies Fitch and Moody’s cite sovereign risks, weaker funding, and PCS concerns After China’s CCXI confirmed Afreximbank’s AAA/stable rating at the end of August 2025, Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) has also reaffirmed the bank’s...

Two lithium mines, Goulamina and Bougouni, raise transfer pricing concerns Sales tied to foreign parent companies risk lowering taxable revenues Authorities tighten scrutiny to ensure Mali captures fair share of lithium With the launch of the Goulamina lithium mine in 2024 and Bougouni in 2025, Mali is increasingly exposed to transfer pricing practices in its mining sector....

Law sets prison sentences of 2–5 years and fines for same-sex relations Foreign offenders face harsher penalties, including expulsion on repeat offense Reform also updates nationality rules, marriage age, and civil majority to 18 Burkina Faso’s Transitional Legislative Assembly has passed a law criminalizing homosexuality, making it punishable by two to five years in prison...

Morocco to launch 5G in Nov., starting in 8 cities and airports. Operators commit to 45% coverage by 2026, 85% by 2030. Move positions Morocco as digital hub, supporting smart cities. Morocco will roll out commercial 5G services in November, the National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) said Sept. 2, marking a major milestone in the country’s digital transformation...

Tanzania to build 1,400 towers by 2027 to boost rural Internet. First 626 sites live by June 2026, linked to national backbone. The project aims to cut digital divide and drive ICT-led economy. Tanzania plans to deploy 1,400 new telecom towers by 2027 to extend network coverage to underserved rural areas, the state-owned Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation (TTCL) said. The...

Ivory Coast partners with French rugby club Stade Français Paris to attract 5 million tourists by 2025. The "Sublime Côte d'Ivoire" logo will feature on team jerseys, aiming to create economic synergies. This follows a trend of African nations using sports partnerships for tourism and diplomatic influence. Ivory Coast has signed a three-season partnership with French rugby side...

Indus Towers to expand into Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia, leveraging Airtel and cost-efficient tower solutions. Entry challenges IHS, Helios, and ATC, boosting competition and lowering operator leasing costs. Africa’s tower market to grow 4.63% CAGR by 2030, creating major opportunities for Indus. Indus Towers Limited, India’s telecom tower infrastructure provider, a 50%...

WAMU banks face rising NPLs despite credit growth; average provisioning of 61.8% falls short of international standards. Gross NPLs hit CFA3.442T (8.8% ratio); significant disparities exist, with Niger and Guinea-Bissau at high risk. Declining NPL coverage (61.8%) raises concerns about banking sector stability, especially in fragile states. Banks within the West African Monetary...

• Tunisia plans 52% aquaculture growth to 35,000 tons by 2030.• Investments in sector nearly doubled in 2025 vs 2024.• Aquaculture aims to ease strain on overfished wild stocks. Tunisia plans to boost aquaculture production by 52% to 35,000 tons by 2030, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report. The initiative aims to ease pressure on wild fish stocks and support rising...

• Tunisia partners with China to boost student training, jobs• Huawei-led programs target AI, renewables, healthcare• Youth jobless rate at 39.2% highlights urgency of reforms Tunisia is leveraging its partnership with China to expand opportunities for students and boost job creation, as the North African nation struggles with a youth unemployment rate nearing 40%. Speaking at the...