The Monetary Policy Committee (CPM) of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), the central bank shared by the countries of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) including Gabon, held its first ordinary session of 2025 on 24 March in Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), chaired by Governor Yvon Sana Bangui.
The committee lowered the tender interest rate (TIAO), its main policy rate, from 5.00% to 4.50%, and the marginal lending facility rate from 6.75% to 6.00%. The deposit facility rate stays at 0.00% and reserve requirement ratios are kept at 7.00% on demand liabilities and 4.50% on term liabilities.
The press release links the decision to continued disinflation worldwide and, in the region, to a stronger external position of the currency and easing inflation pressures. BEAC staff then projected for CEMAC in 2025 growth of 2.9% (against 2.6% in 2024), average inflation of about 2.9% (against 4.1%) and foreign exchange reserves covering 4.8 months of imports of goods and services, with an external coverage ratio of the currency of 76.1%.
