Analysis and Opinion Archives

Afreximbank and the Fitch Downgrade: The Stakes Are Bigger Than a Credit Rating

05th June 2025, Fitch Ratings downgraded the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to BBB-, one notch above junk status, and placed it on a negative outlook. For many casual observers, this may seem like just another technical adjustment in the complex world of credit ratings. But the implications of this move—both for Afreximbank and for Africa’s […]

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Why Lending Money to Friends and Family Is Often a Bad Idea

Analysis and Opinion, Borrowing, Investing, Personal Finance

In December 2024, while scrolling through Facebook, I came across a post by a young Gambian woman living in the diaspora—let’s call her “Mato” for privacy’s sake. Mato publicly declared her 2025 resolution: she would no longer lend money to friends or family. After extending sizeable loans throughout 2024, many of which went unpaid and

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Lending to Friends and Family: A Poll Reveals the Hidden Strain on Relationships

Analysis and Opinion, Borrowing, Investing, Personal Finance

Lending money to friends and family is common worldwide, often motivated by goodwill and a desire to help loved ones in need. However, while the intention behind such loans is usually positive, the reality can be far more complicated. A recent poll to understand whether lending money to friends and family impacts relationships has revealed

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Decentralized Power Generation in Rural Electrification in Africa

Analysis and Opinion

Think about a time when your electricity went out. As you sat in the dark, maybe you wondered how long it would be before you could power up your computer again. Or perhaps you considered what you could make for dinner that didn’t require cooking. Many people in Africa don’t need to imagine such a

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Financial inclusion numbers in emerging markets, and the road ahead

Analysis and Opinion

By Joerg Hansen, CEO of Caiz Development GmbH When we talk about financial inclusion, what we’re discussing is the ability to provide global access to financial services like credit, loans, insurance, and even something as simple as a bank account. It might seem simple, but according to the World Bank, 1.4 billion people in the

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The Difference Between World-Class Construction Companies and the Rest

Analysis and Opinion

When looking for a construction company to build, say a modernization project here in the Gambia, many factors go into deciding which one will be right. Experience and expertise can make all the difference in quality workmanship and timely completion of projects without any delays or stressful moments throughout. In addition to getting peace of

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Four Possible Digital Tax Evasion in The Gambia

Analysis and Opinion, Gambia, Taxation

With the emergence of e-commerce, most individuals and businesses now use digital platforms to buy and sell products and services. The Gambia is not an exception, especially with a growing young population in the digital age. However, the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) has little or no means to track online business transactions for possible tax

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Where Investors put their monies in The Gambia

Analysis and Opinion, Investing, Personal Finance

On 25th November 2021, out of curiosity on where people are putting their investments in The Gambia, I posted a quick survey on LinkedIn to have a view on the investment opportunities for Retail Investors. By the way, this post is for educational purposes and not financial/investment advice. Opinions herein are mine and feedback taken

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Forex Trading in Gambia – Guide to Start Online

Analysis and Opinion

Back in 2015, Dalasi, the national currency of Gambia was experiencing its worst depreciation in history, against many major currencies such as the Euro and the American dollar. The situation has changed as of 2016 when the forex rules and the market determination of the national currency’s exchange rate loosened. This development along with other

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Exploring the Benefits of Private Equity

Analysis and Opinion, Finance, Small Business

What is Private Equity? Private equity is usually long-term finance provided in return for an equity stake in potentially high-growth unquoted companies. Most people don’t understand the benefits of private equity to their businesses. Many know private equity firms as organizations that want to purchase your business only to divide it into pieces before selling

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