First Independent Mena Newspaper
Tunisia was flagged among four other African nations by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for prolonged delays in completing their mandatory Article IV consultations. The other African nations are: Sudan, Eritrea, Liberia, and Senegal, among 13 member states globally. Article IV consultations are annual economic assessments conducted by IMF staff to evaluate a country’s macroeconomic […]
African startups achieved a two-year funding record in July 2025, raising $550 million across 61 deals worth at least $100,000 each, with Morocco emerging as a notable contributor outside the traditional “Big Four” markets. The exceptional performance was driven primarily by two Kenyan energy giants: d.light securing $300 million and Sun King raising $156 million. […]
The Arab Monetary Fund has forecast Libya’s economy to expand by 14.3% in 2025, before moderating to 5.9% the following year, contingent on improved domestic stability and stronger investor confidence. In its latest Arab Economic Outlook report released this week, the Fund attributed the robust growth outlook to the hydrocarbons sector, which provides over 95% […]
Africa’s long-fragmented cross-border payment systems may be on the cusp of transformation, driven by emerging alternatives to Western-dominated networks like SWIFT. The launch of BRICS Pay — a decentralized platform aiming to settle transactions in local currencies — signals a broader push to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar and challenge the geopolitical sway it […]
Lower-income countries are paying private creditors nearly three times more than they repay China, according to new research by UK-based advocacy group Debt Justice, challenging dominant narratives around global debt. Between 2020 and 2025, 39% of the $354 billion in external debt repayments from 88 low-income countries and small island states will go to private […]
Morocco’s tax revenues rose by 19.1% in the first half of 2025, reaching 186.34 billion dirhams (MMDH), driven primarily by corporate income tax (IS) receipts, which soared 34.7% to 55.98 MMDH. This increase is largely attributed to payments linked to the 2024 fiscal year, the reference year for provisional installments. The rise comes despite a […]
South African Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has sharply criticized the 30% tariffs imposed by the U.S. on South African exports, calling them a symptom of a “declining empire” lashing out in desperation. “The danger with the US imposing the 30% tariffs is that it is the kicking of a declining empire,” Mantashe told industry […]
Finance and economy ministers from the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) have agreed to fast-track the launch of a new regional financial institution aimed at bolstering economic sovereignty and reducing dependence on external donors, following their exit from regional bloc Ecowas. In a recent meeting in Niamey, officials from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger reached […]
Misjudged risk assessments and persistent financial bias are costing African countries a staggering $75 billion annually in inflated borrowing costs and lost revenues, according to the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC). AFC President Samaila Zubairu described the misperception as a “prejudice premium,” arguing that Africa’s default rates are “really, really exaggerated.” Research by Moody’s Ratings supports […]
Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has raised the red flag following revelations of $2.1 billion in suspicious cryptocurrency transactions across West Africa in 2024, according to a study by the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA). SEC Director-General, Emomotimi Agama, speaking at the recent West Africa Compliance Summit in Cape […]