BCEAO extends deadline for UEMOA instant payment platform connection
via Abidjan.net11 min read
The Central Bank of West African States BCEAO has extended the deadline for financial institutions to connect to the Interoperable Instant Payment System Platform PI-SPI within the West African Economic and Monetary Union UEMOA. Banks, electronic money institutions, and payment institutions now have until September 30, 2026, to integrate their services. Microfinance institutions supervised by the UMOA Banking Commission have an extended deadline until June 30, 2027. This decision, announced on June 24, 2026, aims to ensure a successful integration for all involved parties and maintain high service quality for the regional infrastructure. As of June 24, 2026, eighty participants were already connected, providing instant payment services to millions. An additional seventy-four institutions are currently conducting real-time tests before officially launching their services to the public. The BCEAO emphasizes its technical teams remain available to support participants, reaffirming its commitment to useful and inclusive financial innovation, and aiming to strengthen PI-SPI's achievements to foster a modern, fast, and accessible payment ecosystem across the Union. The PI-SPI platform, launched on September 30, 2025, is crucial for modernizing payment systems in the UEMOA region, designed to offer accessible, secure, and interoperable instant payment services among financial actors, thereby accelerating financial inclusion and digitalizing transactions.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Abidjan.net.
Special Olympics C么te d'Ivoire is advancing its presence in African decision-making bodies with the candidacy of athlete leader Fabiola N茅n茅 for the Regional Athlete Leadership Council RALC 2027. This follows the election of its Executive Director, Eric Nelson Monnet, to the African Leadership Council ALC as the representative for French-speaking West Africa. Fabiola N茅n茅's candidacy reflects C么te d'Ivoire's commitment to strengthening its influence within Special Olympics Africa. Through N茅n茅, the Ivorian program seeks to advocate for athletes with intellectual disabilities and promote a more inclusive vision of sports leadership. N茅n茅 is an engaged athlete known for her involvement in community initiatives and promoting inclusion through sport. Her dedication to empowering athletes, fostering their autonomy, and ensuring their participation in decision-making processes makes her a credible candidate to represent the region's athletes. As a RALC 2027 candidate, she champions an approach that places athletes at the core of the movement's governance, aiming to evolve their role from beneficiaries to influential agents of change. N茅n茅 states, "Every athlete has a voice, an experience, and a capacity to contribute to building a more inclusive world." Over the coming months, she will present her project and proposals to various Special Olympics programs in the sub-region, advocating for participatory, representative, and forward-looking leadership to address challenges faced by a
Must ReadC么te d'Ivoire has successfully concluded its economic and financial program with the International Monetary Fund IMF, according to a statement from the Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Budget on June 24, 2026. This achievement follows the sixth and final review of the program. Ivorian authorities reported that all set objectives were met, demonstrating the country's strong macroeconomic fundamentals and effective reforms. A debt sustainability analysis by the IMF and the World Bank now classifies C么te d'Ivoire as having a "low" risk of debt distress for both external and total public debt, making it the only Sub-Saharan African country to currently hold this classification. The Ministry attributes this reclassification to improved debt capacity through stronger macroeconomic and institutional indicators, proactive public debt management, and a more favorable debt dynamic supported by fiscal consolidation and increased public revenue. This marks a significant turning point for the Ivorian economy, as the country had been categorized as having a "moderate" risk of debt distress since reaching the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries HIPC Initiative completion point in 2012. The move to a "low" risk level indicates that debt sustainability thresholds are not exceeded and reflects increased resilience of public finances to external shocks. This performance is seen by international financial institutions as a result of rigorous public finance management, strengthened fiscal discipline
On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, C么te d'Ivoire's Vice President, Ti茅moko Meyliet KON脡, held separate meetings with the Ambassadors of Algeria, S.E.M. Idriss BOUASSILA, and Mauritania, S.E.M. Mohamed Abdallahi Ould KHATTRA, at the Presidential Palace. The diplomats, who are concluding their missions in C么te d'Ivoire, paid their farewell visits to the Vice President. Following their discussions, both ambassadors expressed profound gratitude to President Alassane OUATTARA, the Republic's institutions, the government, and the Ivorian people for the support received during their tenures and for the country's welcoming hospitality. They also commended C么te d'Ivoire's achievements under President OUATTARA's leadership. Ambassador BOUASSILA of Algeria, who was honored with the rank of Commander of the National Order of the Republic of C么te d'Ivoire, reviewed the excellent bilateral relations with the Vice President. They discussed strengthening cooperation in areas such as training, health, industrial processing, and particularly the energy sector, noting promising prospects. Ambassador KHATTRA of Mauritania praised C么te d'Ivoire as a development model, attributing its success to President OUATTARA's governance, which has positioned it as a leader in Africa. He also highlighted C么te d'Ivoire's hospitality and the successful integration of the Mauritanian community, a result of the shared commitment of both Ivorian and Mauritanian heads of state.