The integration agreement, structured under the auspices of the African Import-Export Bank (Afreximbank) and the African Union, requires the technical connection of all commercial banks and credit institutions in the CEMAC zone by the end of 2026. The operational implementation of the agreement will enable economic agents to conduct cross-border transactions in local currencies, eliminating the automatic use of the US dollar or euro to facilitate trade flows within the single market.

The deployment of digital clearing infrastructure modifies the billing circuits of companies in the sub-region. The technical teams of the central bank of Bangui are preparing the parameterization of software interfaces to link the banking platforms of the franc zone to the continental network. Yvon Sana Bangui, governor of the BEAC, argues that the direct clearing mechanism will reduce the processing time for transfer orders and secure the financial operations of SMEs engaged in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The elimination of second-tier banking intermediaries outside the continent will reduce transaction costs for commercial banks and fintechs, which will have an instant settlement tool to cover interbank exchange risks.

The membership of the Central African central bank expands the geographical base of the clearing platform, consolidating the anchoring of the system in the Francophone space. The PAPSS network now unifies 28 African countries and centralizes the connectivity of 16 national payment switches, over 190 commercial banks, and a portfolio of over 250 financial institutions. The integration of the CEMAC zone follows the lead of the Bank of Algeria, which was integrated in August 2025 as the 18th central bank in the system. The expansion of the user base offers a sovereign alternative to stabilize the foreign exchange reserves of member states, while optimizing the global liquidity of regional monetary markets in the face of exogenous shocks.


Asaba

Tags: commerce africain cemap banques centrales marche unique zone franc afreximbank union africaine compensation numérique zone de libre-échange fintechs