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The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) has approved a Murabaha Financing of EUR 8 million for the Senegalese bank Banque Islamique du Sénégal (BIS). The Murabaha facility is expected to support around 1,000 jobs within the private sector, including companies in food and distribution. The swift disbursement of this financing by ITFC has enabled local private companies to procure urgent food staples, and support national response efforts to ensure food security.

Over the past two decades sub-Saharan Africa has made considerable economic progress, as extreme poverty levels have declined by one third; life expectancy has increased by a fifth; and real per capita income has grown by about 50 percent on average. Still sub-Saharan Africa is only half-way to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. To achieve its goals, sub-Saharan Africa will need financing.

Focusing on "African financial inclusion in the digital era", this event is a continuation of a similar summit held in Tunisia in March 2019. The event in Dakar will address the topics of Islamic finance, financial technology and economic empowerment. Panel discussions will focus on the next generation of fintech and the outlook of Africa, the social impact of fintech and the challenges Islamic finance faces in the era of fintech. Workshop sessions include analysing big data in Islamic banking and understanding how digital payments can support sustainable development. This event is jointly organized by the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and the International Islamic Finance Training Institute (IIFTI).

The Africa Fintech Network will take part in "The African Islamic FinTech Summit (SAIFI)" as a Community Partner. The event takes place at the Radisson Blu Plaza, Dakar (Senegal) on the 29th & 30th of November. The summit will host the POC and the launching of innovative FinTech Solutions and will include Keynote Sessions and Regulatory discussions between Government Agencies, Financial Institutions and Startups. In addition, a certified training session on "Compliance and Anti-Money Laundering (AML)" will be organised and facilitated by international experts from West African Financial institutions.

Islamic banking is gaining a strong footing in Africa with the launch of Islamic banking windows of Coris Bank International in Mali, Senegal, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire. The official launch of Coris Bank Baraka Senegal took place in the presence of the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) representatives, the Minister of Budget of Senegal, the Deputy CEO of Coris Bank International group and the CEO of Coris Bank International Senegal. The Minister of Budget of Senegal showed appreciation to Coris banking group for launching the Islamic window. ICD as a technical advisor facilitated the launch of Islamic windows in Senegal, Benin and Mali. Further, Coris Bank International and ICD are collaborating together to launch one more Islamic window in Côte d’Ivoire by end of June, 2018.

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and Coris Bank International have entered into a Joint Strategic Collaboration to establish Islamic windows. ICD is assisting Coris Bank International’s subsidiaries in launching four dedicated Islamic windows in Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Senegal and Benin. The advisory agreement was signed by the CEO of ICD, Mr. Khaled Al Aboodi and Mr. Idrissa Nassa, CEO and Chairman of Coris Bank International. Mr. Nassa stated that the signature of this advisory agreement with ICD aims to achieve the bank's objectives. The current strategy of the group is to implement an Islamic Window in all its banking network. In midterm the group aspires to create sharia compliant subsidiaries.

The Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) have organised a regional consultation workshop on the Sukuk Model Law Project. Partner of the workshop was the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). The workshop was held at the BCEAO headquarters in Dakar, Senegal from 23-24 January 2017. The objective of the Project is to create a model Sukuk law and guidelines that leverage global best practises for creating a legal framework for Sukuk issuance and regulation. Subsequent regional consultations are planned for South East Asia, Central Asia and the MENA regions. IRTI Director General, Prof. Mohamed Azmi Omar, said the workshop reaffirmed the importance of Sukuk as an emerging instrument of resource mobilisation.

According to law firm Hogan Lovells, the launch of Sukuk bonds by three West African governments will open up a vast financing channel for the region. Hogan Lovells advised the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) as lead arranger on the issuance of three sovereign Sukuks in West Africa. These include Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and the Republic of Togo. The Sukuks were listed on the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM), Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Altogether with the debut issuances for Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire, the combined listing value was CFA 766 billion. Imran Mufti, who led the Hogan Lovells’ team, said the landmark Sukuk bonds will enhance the development of Islamic finance in West Africa.

Senegal raised FCFA200bn (around $341m) from a sukuk that raised FCFA50bn more than originally planned. Sukuk Etat du Senegal offers 6% a year profit margin, paid half yearly with a two-year grace period. The asset is backed by shares in the Léopold Sedar Senghor international airport. Senegal was the first country in the West African Economic and Monetary Union’s (WAEMU) to issue sukuk, with a debt deal worth FCFA100bn back in June 2014. Ivory Coast aims to raise FCFA150bn as part of a two tranche FCFA300bn sukuk program set up last year. The transaction is expected to deliver a yield of 6.5% and have a tenor of seven years. Meantime, Togo also aims to raise FCFA150bn through a 10-year sukuk offering a 6.5% yield.

#Senegal has upsized its second sale of sovereign sukuk, with #Ivory Coast and #Togo expected to close their own deals in coming days. Senegal issued a debut sukuk in 2014 and returned to the market in July with a 10-year deal paying a 6% profit rate backed by assets from Dakar's international airport. Senegal's sukuk raised a total of 200 billion CFA francs ($341.5 million) from an initial plan for 150 billion CFA francs. Ivory Coast is completing a sale of 150 billion CFA franc worth of 7-year sukuk, while Togo aims to raise 150 billion CFA francs from its debut sukuk, which has a 10-year maturity and 6.5% yield. Niger has also signed up for a sukuk programme to raise 150 billion CFA francs in two phases, although a timing has yet to be determined.

Le Sénégal a lancé cette semaine son deuxième emprunt obligataire sous la forme de sukuk. L’opération consiste en la levée de 150 milliards de F CFA (228,6 millions d’euros), à travers l’émission de 15 millions de parts d’une valeur nominale de 10 000 F CFA, sur le marché financier de l’Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine (UEMOA). La période de souscription de cette levée de fonds s’étend sur un mois (du 20 au 19 juillet). Elle offre une marge annuelle de profit de 6 % avec une maturité de 10 ans.

Le 4e Forum international sur la finance islamique s’est tenu les 2 et 3 juin à Dakar sous le thème: La finance islamique au service du Plan Sénégal émergent (PSE). Ministre Abdoul Aziz Tall a dit que les finances islamiques constituent une solution idéale pour accompagner le processus de réalisation des projets structurants du PSE. Le ministre cite entre autres secteurs prioritaires, l’agriculture, les infrastructures, l’accès des petites et moyennes entreprises (PME), les services sociaux de base.
Selon Mohammed Moustapha Bintubé de la Jaiz Bank le Sénégal constitue un terreau fertile pour l’émergence d’une finance islamique forte.

La Finance Islamique, c’est plus de $2.000 ms et 35% de taux de croissance. Une manne financière qui doit être saisie par le gouvernement du Sénégal pour le financement du Plan Sénégal émergent (Pse). Oulimata Diop, Directrice de la Monnaie et du Crédit au Ministère de l’Economie des Finances, a dit l'financement du Pse qui doit être pris en charge par le secteur privé à hauteur de 60%, c’est pourquoi le gouvernement compte mettre en place des stratégies pour capter l’investissement Islamique.

When Senegal issued a 100bn CFA franc ($168m) sovereign Islamic bond in June 2014, it beat economic giants Nigeria and South Africa to market and began a race to create a hub for Islamic finance in Africa. Senegalese officials are optimistic about the country's prospects. There is an Islamic bank in Senegal, the Banque Islamique du Sénégal. Alioune N'Diaye, the finance ministry's director for money and credit, also emphasized the good relationship with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). With a gradual readjustment of tax and other laws to be able to accommodate sharia-compliant financial instruments and growing ties with Gulf states, Senegal could become a prime destination for Arab investors who are looking for higher returns on their money.

L'Etat du Sénégal a été retenu par un jury composé de banquiers, de journalistes, de professeurs d’universités, de spécialistes de la Finance islamique, à l'issue d'une table ronde, mi-janvier 2015 à Kuala Lumpur, en Malaisie. La réunion de janvier dernier en Malaisie vient de décerner un satisfecit à l'Etat du Sénégal. Après son émission obligataire islamique sur le marché international d'un montant de 100 milliards de f CFA (premier du genre au sud du Sahara), menée par la BIS (Banque islamique du Sénégal) et arrangée par Citibank Dubaï et ICD, la signature du portefeuille de l'Etat prend ainsi de la voilure auprès des investisseurs et prêteurs "halal".

Turkey's Bank Asya said it was selling its 40 percent stake in Senegal-based Tamweel Africa Holding for 31.8 million euros ($37.7 million). Asya is selling the stake in Tamweel, which promotes Islamic finance in sub-Saharan Africa, to the Saudi-based Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD). The bank obtains 41.3 million lira profit through this sale and expects an positive impact on first quarter profitability, Cengiz Onder, Bank Asya's head of investor relations said. Besides, Bank Asya has laid off 1,708 staff and closed 80 branches, out of the 5,074 staff and 281 branches it had at the end of 2013.

Le cabinet d’avocats d’affaires international Clifford Chance conseille la République du Sénégal sur sa première émission de Sukuk de 100 milliards de francs CFA (environ 200 millions de dollars US). Il s’agit de la première émission souveraine de Sukuk importante réalisée en Afrique. Le Sukuk a été structuré sous forme d’Ijara. La République du Sénégal a accordé un usufruit de 99 ans sur certains de ses actifs et a décidé de les louer en retour pour effectuer des paiements de loyers aux investisseurs. L’opération a été garantie par la République du Sénégal. Les arrangeurs de cette opération sont la Société islamique pour le développement du secteur privé et Citi.

The Islamic Development Bank has launched a programme to release $180 million in financing to six African countries for renewable energy projects. The new initiative, called Renewable Energy for Poverty Reduction, will target projects over the next three years to improve access to electricity in Africa's rural areas. Around $125 million have been committed by the bank and initial talks with potential partners such as the OPEC Fund for International Development have started to secure the rest. The initiative will focus on West Africa and projects in Burkina Faso have already been approved. Projects such as mini-grids and rooftop solar systems for Mali, Senegal, Niger and Nigeria are likely to follow and a sixth African country not yet determined.

Le directeur général de la Banque islamique du Sénégal (BIS), Babacar Ndoye, soutient que la finance islamique est assez efficace pour financer les grands projets des Etats. Les autorités ont, à travers les sukuk, un instrument capable de satisfaire les besoins de financement des infrastructures et du développement, selon M. Ndoye. Le Sénégal, pays majoritairement musulman, peut aussi mobiliser beaucoup d’argent par "la zakat". Babacar Ndoye estime que les possibilités pour le monde musulman de lutter contre la pauvreté et de se développer, au moyen de la zakat, sont extraordinaires. Appliquée à la banque, la "zakat" peut même créer des emplois, a-t-il assuré. Pour toutes ces raisons, la finance islamique et la finance classique doivent être considérées comme deux entités complémentaires.

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IDB), and the government of Senegal and have announced the African state’s plan to relaunch a XOF 100 billion ($200 million) sukuk project next year. Amadou Ba, Senegal’s minister of economy and finance, has reaffirmed the interest of his government of Senegal to diversify its financing instruments. This project is the beginning of an ambitious program which could lead to the financing of innovative infrastructure and energy projects through sukuk issuances. This project is the first of its kind in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and aims to promote Islamic finance as an alternative instrument to finance the economies of the member states of the union.