Mali’s finance sector may face a prolonged shutdown as workers threaten to extend their ongoing industrial action to 120 hours – from Tuesday, 22 April to Saturday, 26 April, if the government fails to meet their demands.
The strike, led by the National Union of Banks, Insurance Companies, Financial Institutions, Retailers, and Service Stations (SYNABEF), affects all commercial banks, insurance firms, microfinance institutions, affiliated service providers, and petrol stations across the country.
This action follows a breakdown in negotiations with the Malian government, after SYNABEF filed an official strike notice on 2 April. The union’s mobilisation was sparked by the arrest of two employees of Ecobank Mali, who were accused of issuing false guarantees in connection with a case involving the state-owned utility company, Énergie du Mali (EDM-SA). SYNABEF has condemned the arrests as “arbitrary,” describing them as an infringement on workers’ rights.
In a press statement dated 16 April 2025 (Ref: No. 004/2025), the union’s executive committee confirmed the commencement of the strike from Thursday, 17 April, due to the failure of talks with government representatives.
As of the time of filing this report, no official response had been issued by the authorities. In the meantime, SYNABEF has called for full mobilisation of its members and strict adherence to the strike directive.
© WAVN