Thirty-one members of the 46th graduating class of the degree program of the West African Center for Banking Studies and Training (COFEB) successfully defended their dissertations on December 3-18, 2024, at the headquarters and national branches of the BCEAO, with the exception of Guinea-Bissau.
At BCEAO Headquarters, the examination board was presided over by Mr. Mahaman Tahir Hamani, General Manager of COFEB. 
At the Bank’s other locations, the National Directors presided over the examiners. COFEB was represented by Deputy General Managers Soumaïla Elhadji Yaou and Balamine Diane, acting as representatives of the Directorate of Education and Training Programs (DEPFOR).
On the recommendation of the African and Madagascar Council for Higher Education (CAMES), senior faculty members (Full or Associate Professors) were included on the examination boards. Their insights made a valuable contribution to the analysis of the dissertations and highlighted the importance of research work for high-level professionals.
The dissertation topics submitted for the examination boards’ consideration focused in particular on the digitization of financial and public services, the relationship between bank capitalization and risk management, the impact of electronic money on banking stability and economic growth, the effects of fiscal policies on growth, public debt sustainability, leveraging climate finance to support the transition to renewable energy, public investment and its impact on industrial performance, financial inclusion and the viability of decentralized financial systems, as well as the effects of climate change on food security and price stability in the WAEMU zone.
Overall, the performance of the auditors was rated as satisfactory, with individual scores ranging from 14.00 to 17.50 out of 20, resulting in an overall average of 15.26 out of 20. These scores reflect the quality of the work and the candidates’ commitment to their research.
The members of the examination boards commended the candidates’ grasp of their chosen subjects, the research they had carried out and the relevance and originality of their theoretical approaches. They also underscored the practical relevance of the research in addressing the challenges facing the region’s economic and financial systems.
Finally, the faculty members expressed their satisfaction with the academic rigor of the COFEB Degree course, thus reinforcing the credibility and prestige of the Institution in the region.