Monthly Archives: December 2014

BRVM update 2014

By some measures, it’s been the least profitable year for me so far in my adventures on the Abidjan-based West African stock exchange (BRVM). Still, the last few days have seen a surge, and after a year hovering around 10% … Continue reading

Posted in Economics | Leave a comment

Hype and reality

From afar, you can easily get sucked in by all the hype that Abidjan is somehow completely transformed. I don’t doubt things are moving in a positive direction, but just an hour into my recent trip I’d understood that much … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Politics | Leave a comment

Letter to Daniella

My dear daughter, It is five in the evening in one of Africa’s greatest cities, Abidjan, and you’re dozing under a mosquito net in the next room just hours after you left hospital. Your tired mum is asleep too, and … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Diaspora | 7 Comments

Abidjan v Freetown – street edition

Abidjan and Freetown are two commercial capitals in West Africa that are a proverbial stone’s throw away, and to the untrained eye you could see a lot that they have in common. But here are a few differences I’ve spotted. … Continue reading

Posted in Culture | 1 Comment