Initially, the deal was with Atlas Metals, a British mining group, but it was later canceled. Managem Group, owned by pan-African private equity fund Al Mada, announced on January 8, 2025, that it had finalized the sale of Compagnie minière d'Oumejrane (CMO) to Purple Hedge Resources Morocco. Purple Hedge Resources Morocco is a private company based in Morocco and a full subsidiary of Purple...

Canadian firm Allied Gold operates the Sadiola gold mine in Mali and received a new 10-year mining permit in 2024. The company also owns a nearby deposit which is expected to boost its production in the country. On January 7, Allied Gold signed an agreement with the Malian government to develop a new gold mine called Korali-Sud, located close to the Sadiola mine. The plant at Sadiola will...

Orezone Gold operates the Bomboré gold mine in Burkina Faso. In 2024, the Canadian firm expected the mine to deliver between 110,000 and 125,000 ounces. The Bomboré gold mine in Mali has produced 118,746 ounces of ore in 2024. Orezone Gold, the mine’s Canadian owner, disclosed the figure on January 7, saying the project met its expectations. Bomboré’s achievement is attributable to a...

Since 2021, Benin has been subjected to several terrorist attacks attributed to jihadist groups, like many other countries in the West African sub-region. On January 8, 28 soldiers were killed in an attack in northern Benin, according to multiple media sources. The West African country has been facing terrorist attacks since the end of 2021, primarily attributed to jihadist groups operating...

The Seychelles passport is the most powerful in Africa for international travel this year, according to the 2025 ranking of the world’s most powerful passports published by Henley & Partners, a British consultancy specializing in citizenship and residence. This passport from the Indian Ocean island nation ranks 25th globally and allows visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 156 destinations....

For the second year in a row, funding raised by African startups has declined. East Africa remains the continent's leading region for attracting such investments. In 2024, African startups raised $2.2 billion in equity, debt, and grants (excluding bond issuances), according to data released on January 6 by Africa: The Big Deal, a database tracking investments over $100,000. This...

Rawbank, the leading bank in the Democratic Republic of Congo, conducts its second issuance of negotiable debt securities (commercial paper), amounting to USD 10 million. This issuance is targeted at a local mining operator in the Katanga region. Arranged by Rawbank’s trading desk, this operation reaffirms the bank’s role as a key player in financial innovation in the DRC while meeting the...

The report highlights that the ongoing rate cuts by major central banks should keep driving up gold and silver prices amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties. Gold and silver prices are projected to rise in 2025, while platinum group metals (PGMs) may not follow a consistent trend due to differing industrial demand, according to Heraeus Precious Metals in a December 2024...

Due to oversupply, cobalt prices fell by 50% in the past two years. CMOC has significantly contributed to the excessive supply. The Chinese firm runs two major copper-cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central Africa. CMOC produced 114,165 tonnes of cobalt in 2024, against 55,526 tonnes in 2023 (more than double). The Chinese company disclosed the figure on January 6, 2025....

The U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has approved a $150 million loan for Australian graphite mine owner Syrah Resources. However, the ongoing political crisis in Mozambique has halted the mine's operations, blocking part of this funding. On January 7, 2025, Syrah Resources announced that it cannot access future disbursements of the $150 million DFC loan while its operations...