The creation of one or more African digital currencies could free some forty African countries from the constraint of paying French, but also British and German printers. But this evolution presents challenges that we must be aware of.

The launch of an African digital currency can help reduce the costs associated with the production of banknotes and coins in circulation in Africa, said Raymond Gilpin, chief economist of the United Nations Program Africa office. for development, on the sidelines of the 16th edition of the African Economic Forum which took place at the beginning of December, in Sal, Cape Verde.

In view of the commercial and not necessarily political stakes, it is not certain that service providers producing banknotes for Africa will accept the transition. Nigeria has been able to speed up the production of its digital naira (e-naira) because its Central Bank prints its own banknotes. Also, according to Raymond Gilpin, even if we embark on the production of African digital currencies, this does not solve the challenges related to parity with other currencies, and therefore to foreign exchange reserves.