I led a key mission in Port-Louis, Mauritius, from 20 to 27 September 2025. This mission continues the long-standing partnership between the African Centre for Competitive Intelligence (the ACCI) and the Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB), which began in 2020. Our collaboration has now reached a decisive stage, fully integrated into the implementation of MCB’s ambitious Vision 2030.

The mission’s goal was clear: to strengthen the internal capabilities of MCB’s various branches in holistic intelligence on African markets. I had the honour of meeting Mr Jean Michel Ng Tseung, Group CEO, whose five-year plan aims to make MCB “a leading Corporate and Investment Bank (CIB) and Private Bank (PB) in Africa.” My work with the teams was essential to ensure the bank has the analytical tools and insights needed to realise this ambition.

Recognised Expertise at the Service of Competitiveness

For a decade, the ACCI has set the standard for authentic African competitive intelligence. Our role is simple yet vital: to enable major African institutions to access, analyse, and leverage the most critical strategic information. During the mission, I presented and refined the integration of our core capabilities: comprehensive monitoring (competitive, financial, political, social, etc.) across all markets, precise strategic intelligence, and the legal ability to access sensitive information quickly.

My discussions with MCB’s teams, which include over 4,200 employees worldwide, confirmed their commitment to this expertise. The ACCI approach goes beyond data collection—it combines analysis, advisory support, training, and team coaching. This integrated methodology has now been fully adopted by MCB to refine its continental expansion strategy.

Supporting MCB’s Growth Across Africa

MCB’s strategy focuses on excellence: CIB services for specialised ecosystems (energy, commodities, investment funds) and PB services targeting high-net-worth individuals. The bank relies on a hub model (Nairobi, Lagos, Dubai, Johannesburg, etc.) rather than a traditional retail branch network.

To succeed as a leading player in CIB and PB, MCB needs a detailed, comprehensive understanding of its African clients. That’s where the ACCI comes in. My mission strengthened the bank’s presence in Southern, Eastern, and Western African markets. By integrating our solutions, MCB now benefits from enhanced insights into global markets, transactional banking, investment, and wealth management.

As Mr Ng Tseung highlighted, Vision 2030 is clear: “Beyond our domestic markets, it is in Africa that we feel relevant, meaningful, and impactful.”

Proof of an Effective Model

This mission in Port-Louis reflects routine practice for the ACCI, whose model has been adopted by around fifty organisations across fifteen countries over the past decade. The trust placed in our expertise by leading financial institutions—Afriland First Group, BEAC, BGFI Group, Ecobank, and BNP Paribas Fortis—alongside public-sector actors (Presidencies of Côte d’Ivoire and Togo) and associations, is the clearest proof of the value of authentic African competitive intelligence in supporting the continent’s competitiveness.

GG