Congo
US fund Lilium Capital prepares billion-dollar investment in Congo

West Africa
Two Vista Bank mainstays exit group

The pan-African banking group has just lost two of its mainstays: Stéphane Ouédraogo and Thierry Hott. Ouédraogo and Hott are both well-connected in the sub-region, and had shared their contacts with Vista Bank.

Burkina Faso
Boungou gold mine far from recovery

The mine bought by Simon Tiemtoré's Canadian company Lilium Mining in 2023 has ground to a halt because of ongoing militant attacks on fuel deliveries.

Palace Intrigues
Emmanuel Macron, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Dan Gertler, Faustin-Archange Touadéra

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

FranceMacron's new ‘Mr Africa' to start in January

GabonOmer Laviv, Dan Gertler's go-between with Oligui Nguema

Central African RepublicRussian deputy defence minister misses Touadéra on Bangui stopover

LibyaParis embassy diplomat chastised by Quai d'Orsay

Burkina Faso
Endeavour's sale of gold mines to Simon Tiemtoré marred by tax debt

For the past two years, Burkina Faso customs have been demanding more than €90m for the Boungou and Wahgnion mines, which Endeavour Mining has sold to Simon Tiemtoré of Lilium Capital without disclosing the debt.

Congo
SocGen extends Brazzaville's right of pre-emption over SG Congo sale to 17 July

The Société Générale is eager to ease tensions over the sale of its Congolese subsidiary SG Congo to Vista Bank, owned by the Burkinabe banker Simon Tiemtore, and has given Brazzaville until 17 July to exercise its right of pre-emption over its 93.

Congo
Congo and Equatorial Guinea oppose Vista takeover of Société Générale subsidiaries

Société Générale announced on 8 June that it was selling its Congolese and Equatorial Guinean subsidies to the Burkina Faso company Vista Group. But Brazzaville has already said it will preempt the sale and Malabo may follow suit.