Iron

Palace Intrigues
Omar-Denis Junior Bongo, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Félix Tshisekedi

Intrigues big and small: Every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

CongoDenis Sassou-Nguesso's children scope out Libreville ahead of Omar-Denis Junior Bongo wedding

GabonBrice Clotaire Oligui Nguema and Emmanuel Macron dine with figures from football, business and culture

DRCKinshasa elite gather for exclusive reception

DRC
Government studies proposal to tighten mining sector oversight

Kinshasa is studying what could be the first reform of the mining code since 2018. The proposal aims to reinforce the role of the state, tighten the granting of licences and fight illicit exploitation. It also emphasises companies' responsibilities towards local populations.

Guinea
Baowu Winning Consortium Simandou strikes deal with staff in Conakry

Following negotiations that lasted almost a month in the Guinean capital, the Chinese-Singaporean consortium is set to increase its employees' pay as of July.

The New Guard
Benin, Zambia, Cameroon

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

BeninMahuna Akplogan, Romuald Wadagni's ‘data scientist'

ZambiaSolomon Ngoma, a well-connected figure and Washington's champion

CameroonCédric Ketchanga, from minerals to the oil trade

Angola, Zimbabwe
Businessman Pedro Soco's regional commodity push from Luanda to Harare

Based in Cape Town, the Angolan entrepreneur wants to expand his logistics trading activities in minerals and hydrocarbons in Zimbabwe, where he has been in talks with the authorities. As in Angola, he is offering public partners pre-financing in exchange for a portion of their future production.

Guinea, Sierra Leone
Game over for billionaire Beny Steinmetz's BSGR African venture

Beny Steinmetz Global Resources, named after the Franco-Israeli tycoon who founded it, was quietly wound up in late 2025. Whilst the group, which had faced a string of legal setbacks, had already withdrawn from Guinea, the fate of its operations in neighbouring Sierra Leone remains uncertain.

Central Africa
Bank of Central African States ends talks on restoration funds

After six years of negotiations, the BEAC and foreign operators have been unable to reach an agreement on the terms for repatriating funds for the rehabilitation of mining and oil sites in the CFA franc zone.

Algeria
PwC scrutinises Algerian bosses

The British audit and consulting giant has conducted a survey of business leaders active in Algeria. Its main findings will be published on 28 April with a presentation to several ministers.

Central African Republic
Former François Bozizé adviser makes comeback to the mining scene

The Indo-Pakistani businessman Saifee Durbar, previously deputy foreign minister under the ex-head of state, has for the past year been seeking investors for two iron ore mining projects.

Cameroon
Yaoundé plays for time over the opening of a Ukrainian embassy

Officially announced in 2024, the plan to establish a permanent Ukrainian diplomatic representation in Cameroon, in order to counter the Russian presence there, is not making much headway. And this despite the efforts made by Zelensky's administration.

Morocco
Businessman Sébastien de Montessus puts final seal on Luc Gérard Nyafé's mining career in the kingdom

Led by the former French CEO of Endeavour Mining, the Emirates-based Ayrad Group is to take over the reins of Compagnie Minière de Touissit, run until 2024 by the Belgian-Congolese entrepreneur, former ambassador-at-large for Félix Tshisekedi.

Guinea
Confusion surrounds Mamadi Doumbouya's mining summit

The Guinean authorities extended invitations for the first Simandou Mining Summit in November but the details still remain unclear. What's more, Conakry has not yet chosen the event service providers.

Cameroon
ICC Paris ruling pushed to end of year in Mbalam-Nabeba iron ore dispute

Expected in March, the decision regarding the mining project straddling Cameroon and Congo has been postponed again until the end of the year due to new information provided by Yaoundé.

Guinea
Rio Tinto in court over Conakry park dispute

Accused by a subcontractor of failing to comply with public procurement rules on an urban park construction site, the Anglo-Australian giant is being forced to defend itself before the CRIEF court for the suppression of economic and financial offences.