First Independent Mena Newspaper
Despite mounting global economic uncertainties, East Africa remains on a steady growth path, driven by investments in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and digital innovation. According to a recent Deloitte’s 2025 East Africa Economic Outlook, the region is set to be the fastest-growing on the continent, even as high inflation, rising debt, and currency volatility pose significant […]
Egypt recorded its highest-ever monthly inflow of U.S. dollars in July 2025, reaching a staggering $8.5 billion, as announced by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. This figure, which excludes volatile “hot money” investments, reflects robust economic confidence and includes a notable contribution from remittances—Egyptians working abroad sent over $3.6 billion in July alone. The surge in […]
In a strategic move to reduce global reliance on the U.S. dollar, China has welcomed six new financial institutions from Africa, the Gulf, and Central Asia into its Cross-border Interbank Payment System (CIPS). The expansion, announced during a ceremony in Shanghai, brings direct participation in the yuan-based payment network to 174 institutions, as China steps […]
Kenya is set to become East Africa’s largest economy by 2025, overtaking Ethiopia, according to new projections from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF forecasts Kenya’s GDP will reach $132 billion, surpassing Ethiopia’s projected $117 billion. This shift is driven by divergent economic strategies. Ethiopia’s decision to devalue its currency, the birr, by over […]
Experts at a recent 57th Conference of African Ministers of Finance emphasized the need for African governments to prioritize local currencies for trade and transactions. Hanan Morsy, chief economist of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, highlighted that reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar would protect Africa’s economies from external financial shocks. Africa’s use of […]
A recent report by Sputnik Africa claiming that the use of the Russian ruble for trade between Russia and Africa has more than doubled since 2022 is challenged by other sources that report a sharp dip in the share of ruble payments from 23.7% in mid-2022 to 12.7% in mid-2023. Russian ruble usage in international […]
Junta leaders in the coup-hit West African countries have recently made headlines when they pushed for the ditching of the West African franc (CFA), a colonial-era legacy, though the desire to change the currency seems to not be uniform yet among the three juntas. Since the coup in Niger in July last year, fissures within […]
Emerging and frontier markets in Africa now have a reason for cautious optimism in 2024 following a recent announcement by The Federal Reserve (Fed) signaling possible cuts of up to 75 basis points in the coming year. New forecasts from central bank officials showed a turn from the hawkish rate environment Fed Chairman Jerome Powell […]
Home to the second most crypto-currency holders in the world, Africa is in urgent need for greater consumer protection and regulation of the crypto industry, experts say, which has been highlighted by the collapse of the world’s third largest crypto exchange FTX and subsequent plunge in the prices of major crypto assets, most notably Bitcoin. […]
Hundreds of Ghanaians took to the streets of the capital Accra on Saturday (5 November) demanding the resignation of President Nana Akufo-Addo whom they blame the government’s poor handling of the ongoing economic crisis that has seen fuel and food costs spiral to record levels. After once promising a “Ghana without aid,” last week Akufo-Addo […]