CEMAC Banking Watch: BEAC reports CEMAC banks’ non-performing loan ratio fell to 15.4% at end-June 2026, down from 17.4% a year earlier, though the regulator notes the ratio can drop if lending grows faster than problem loans. Digital Payments Oversight: COBAC is scrutinising how customer funds move through payment providers and aggregators in the expanding mobile money market, focusing on transaction routes and safeguarding risks, with no new rules announced yet. Energy & Investment Pipeline: Hitachi Construction Machinery Europe is reshaping its dealer network across Northwest and Central West Africa, appointing MDA as authorised dealer for construction equipment including Equatorial Guinea, while Movicortes expands coverage. Regional Trade & Industry: A new analysis argues CEMAC’s intra-African trade remains weak—only 3% of trade volume—citing low productive capacity, limited movement of people and goods, and logistics gaps. Oil Sector Dealmaking: Mermaid Maritime says it has set up a Nigeria subsea services JV, following similar ventures including Equatorial Guinea, aimed at meeting local content and contracting requirements. Diplomacy & Integration: Angola’s President João Lourenço is set to travel to Egypt for AUDA-NEPAD and AU coordination meetings tied to Agenda 2063 execution. Business Forum Calendar: Cameroon and Indonesia will hold a second business forum in Yaounde in October, targeting partnerships in agriculture, manufacturing, transport and industrial development. Regional Leadership Push: African states at the UN General Assembly renewed calls for greater representation in global institutions and more control over natural resources.