The French group Banque populaire Caisse d'épargne (BPCE) is preparing to launch a digital bank, in Algeria, via its subsidiary Natixis Algeria. The information was given last April 6 on cBanque. This new bank will be elaborated on the model of Fidor Bank, bought in July 2016 by the French group. It will namely include a mobile banking service and a community platform on which...

The Zambian government launched a request for quotation (RfQ) of solar plant projects (100 MW). According to the RfQ’s requirements, the projects submitted by the interested companies should have a capacity of at least 20 MW. The place to host the plants should be near one of the national grid’s substations. In addition, each company could submit two different projects. At first, a...

In Senegal, peanut processors purchased 245, 000 tons of peanut since the oilseed marketing campaign was launched on December 1, 2017, Le Soleil reports. According to Papa Abdoulaye Seck, the agriculture minister, CFA59 billion has already been paid for these purchases and about CFA17-18 billion remains to be paid to private storage operators. Acknowledging the actors’ efforts,...

During the 2017-18 season, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) will be the world’s largest wheat importer. This was revealed by the US Department of Agriculture in its report on global grain trade market, published yesterday April 10. According to the organization, SSA’s purchases should increase to 26 million tons this season from 22.2 million tons in 2016/2017. An increase by about 17.4% that remains...

Roxgold achieved a quarterly record for the first time at its Yaramoko gold mine in Burkina Faso. Indeed, during Q1, 2018, the mine produced 40, 452 oz of gold. This feat, beyond the company’s expectation guidance, was made possible thanks to the processing of 71, 576 tons of ores, an 8% increase compared to the plant’s nominal capacity. “We are delighted with the continued strong...

In South Africa, poverty rate could drop by half its current level to reach  4 million people by 2030 if the country pursues political, economic and social reforms. This was revealed in a report published yesterday April 10 by World Bank. According to the institution, the country could reduce poverty by elaborating anti-graft policies, tuition-free universities, and reforms in the mining...

Serge Nawej, an international business lawyer specializing in Africa, has embarked on an astronomical feat in his country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo: making the National Commission of Young Entrepreneurs of the Congo a mega-company. His project: to co-ordinate more than 30,000 young Congolese entrepreneurs to collectively benefit from the tremendous business potential of their country....

The Egyptian government will increase its funds directed to food subsidy system during the 2018-19 fiscal year which begins in July. According to Reuters which mentioned official documents, the amount granted is expected to grow by 5% to EGP86 billion (around $4.8 billion) from EGP82.17 billion (about $4.6 billion). Nevertheless, this increase contrasts with the subsidy cuts...

Morocco will issue its first bonds on Islamic market this year, Bloomberg reports today April 10. According to Hicham Talby, head of the finance ministry’s treasury department, the country plans to issue four dirham-denominated sovereign sukuk. While the first issuance would take much time than envisaged due to the implementation of a legal framework for the operation,...

Egypt could set a logistic center in West Africa to boost exports, the trade minister Tarek Kabil (photo) announced last April 4. Speaking on the sidelines of the Egyptian-Lebanese partnership aiming at boosting both countries’ trade across Africa, Tarek Kabil notified that this new facility could be implemented either in Ghana or Côte d'Ivoire. According to the official’s comments...