The West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), comprising eight member states including Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo, recorded an economic growth rate of 6.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2025, according to the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO).
The figure marks a slight slowdown from the 7 per cent growth registered in the first quarter of the year, Governor Jean-Claude Kassi Brou stated at the opening of the BCEAO’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting in Dakar. Despite this moderation, the BCEAO projects that overall growth for 2025 will remain at 6.3 per cent, in line with 2024 levels.
Growth across the bloc has been underpinned by strong domestic demand and sustained dynamism in oil, gas, and agriculture. These sectors continue to provide a buffer against external economic pressures and contribute to regional resilience. Agriculture in particular remains central, not only to food security but also to intra-regional trade and livelihoods. Oil and gas developments in member states such as Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal are also seen as key drivers of industrial expansion and public revenue mobilisation.
Inflationary pressures, which had been a challenge across the continent in previous years, eased further in the second quarter. Regional inflation declined to 0.6 per cent, supported by improved availability of local food produce, reduced costs of imported foodstuffs, and falling pump prices for fuel in some UEMOA countries. According to the BCEAO, this stability has enhanced purchasing power for households while safeguarding the competitiveness of local enterprises.
External accounts also showed improvement in the first half of 2025. However, the BCEAO cautioned that the bloc remains vulnerable to global uncertainties, including fluctuations in commodity prices and potential shifts in international trade relations. These factors may affect the terms of trade and could introduce volatility to an otherwise stable macroeconomic environment.
The performance of UEMOA economies is part of a broader continental narrative where African regions are diversifying growth drivers while managing structural vulnerabilities. West Africa’s resilience reflects not only sectoral dynamism but also the importance of regional monetary cooperation through the BCEAO. In this regard, UEMOA’s model of integration continues to attract interest across Africa as countries seek frameworks that balance stability with development priorities.
As 2025 progresses, the challenge for UEMOA lies in consolidating gains, reducing external risks, and ensuring that the benefits of growth are broadly distributed across its populations. The trajectory of inflation, global trade dynamics, and energy sector performance will remain decisive in shaping outcomes for the remainder of the year.
