It all began with a wave of coups in the West African countries of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. The three military regimes have since formed their own security alliance, quit the regional bloc ECOWAS, kicked out French soldiers and are now debating whether to ditch the West African franc or CFA, introduced during French colonial rule. Meanwhile, the Nigerian government says it will resume cash transfers to help cushion about 12 million vulnerable households against economic hardship.
Africa Matters: Colonial Currency
