BRVM slips 0.35% as Sonatel and Ecobank dominate H1 narrative
The BRVM Composite fell 0.35% to 492.16 points and the BRVM Composite Total Return lost 0.19% to 197.02 points, while the BRVM-30 dropped 0.55% to 234.24 points. The decline was led by financials, down 1.27% to 237.89 points, despite Ecobank’s 15% revenue growth to $1.3 billion and first-half 2026 pre-tax profit of $423 million, according to leFaso.net and Sika Finance, with earnings still constrained by Nigerian risk costs, according to Agence Ecofin. By contrast, utilities rose 1.85% to 235.31 points and telecommunications added 0.51% to 115.49 points, as Sonatel accounted for more than half of the 4 billion CFA francs traded on Aug. 4, according to Sika Finance, after first-half revenue topped 1 trillion CFA francs and profit reached 230 billion CFA francs, according to Xalima and Sika Finance. Sonatel also aims for 1 million fiber-eligible customers by end-2026 and is positioning its second half around 5G, digital services and AI, reported Socialnetlink and La Tribune, while SITAB went ex-dividend at 1,707.2 CFA francs on Aug. 12, according to analyst reports.
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