African markets and business updates

CEMAC banks requested CFA903.9 billion in liquidity from the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) at its September 15, 2026 weekly refinancing operation, a 12% increase in one week that pushed demand further above the central bank’s CFA800 billion offer. The gap between bids and available liquidity reached CFA103.9 billion, resulting in a subscription rate of 112.9%, according to results published by the BEAC. The increase stands out compared with the previous two operations in September. On September 1, credit institutions requested CFA806.1 billion against the same CFA800 billion offer, for a subscription rate of 100.76%.…

The Global Beverage Can Circularity Alliance publishes the second year of its worldwide recycling study, with aluminium cans outperforming glass and PET bottles across major markets. New York, 22 September 2026 – Aluminum beverage cans are collected and recycled at a higher rate than any other major drinks container format worldwide, according to new figures […] The Global Beverage Can Circularity Alliance publishes the second year of its worldwide recycling study, with aluminium cans outperforming glass and PET bottles across major markets.…

Cameroon Airports (ADC) has shortlisted six companies and consortiums for renovation work on the passenger terminal at Douala International Airport, narrowing the competition before a restricted international tender determines who will secure the contract. The shortlist, published in a statement signed September 15, 2026, by ADC’s managing director, covers the building component of the RAP-AID project. The selected candidates are Jet Contractors SA; China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. (CHEC); the Yahweh Jireh Construction/SAMCO/VACC Technical Ltd.…

General Bank of Cameroon (GBC) recorded a CFA111.21 billion decline in customer deposits in August 2026, while its debt to banks and financial institutions rose by nearly the same amount, significantly changing the structure of its funding within a single month. Customer deposits fell 10.6% to CFA934.31 billion at the end of August from CFA1.046 trillion at the end of July, according to calculations based on the bank’s published monthly statements. Over the same period, amounts owed to banks and financial institutions increased by CFA112.83 billion to CFA196.01 billion from CFA83.18 billion, a 135.6% increase.…

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has transferred part of the repayment risk on its sovereign exposure to Cameroon to two other multilateral lenders, with $509 million, or about CFA293 billion, covered under risk-sharing agreements as of June 30, 2026. Of that amount, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) covers $275 million, while the Asian Development Bank (ADB) covers $234 million, according to the AfDB’s interim financial statements filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The $509 million is neither a new loan to Cameroon nor additional financing made available to the government.…

Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, has said leaders make decisions about how to allocate their time based on the issues and responsibilities they consider most important.

The highway has recorded 870,598 vehicles since July 2022, just 25% of the 3.48 million projected. Toll revenue reached CFA4.42 billion, or 60.1% of the CFA7.36 billion expected over the period. Cameroon and the private operator are discussing changes to a 30-year PPP built on traffic assumptions that have not materialized. Traffic on Cameroon’s Kribi-Lolabé Highway has reached just 25% of the level projected under its public-private partnership, leaving toll revenue well below expectations and increasing pressure to revise the financial and operating terms of the 30-year contract.…

Last week's article flagged the gap between having a mobile money account and actually being included in the financial system. This week, two threads pull on that gap: what the banks’ own answer to fintech dominance has delivered, and what a wallet buys someone once they have one. 22 septembre 2026 Hello , Welcome back to Francophone Weekly by TechCabal , your weekly deep dive into the tech ecosystem across French-speaking Africa. For readers who want to understand Francophone Africa beyond headlines—through markets, startups, and systems. New editions of the newsletter will land directly in your inbox every Tuesday at 12 PM WAT. By default, this newsletter is in French.…

Raenest, a global money management platform for people and businesses in emerging markets, has launched Stablecoin Vault, a new offering that allows eligible users to earn up to 7% variable annual percentage yield (APY) on USDC and USDT while managing their stablecoin and fiat balances from a single platform. The launch comes as stablecoins gain […]

Safaricom has officially surpassed the one-million mark in fixed internet subscriptions, cementing its status as Kenya’s dominant broadband provider as competition and demand for high-speed connectivity continue to rise. Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) shows the operator reached 1.025 million fixed data and internet subscriptions by the end of June, giving it […]