BCEAO Keeps Rates Unchanged Despite Risks to Price Stability

The Monetary Policy Committee of the BCEAO, meeting in Dakar, kept its key interest rates unchanged: the main rate at 3%, the marginal lending facility at 5%, and the reserve requirement ratio at 3%. Governor Jean-Claude Kassi Brou cited persistent tensions in the Middle East as a reason for caution. Inflation stood at -0.2% in Q1 2026, with a full-year forecast of 1.6%, while economic growth was estimated at 6.1% in Q1.