EURO or USD in Africa?
 

We are a small european operator and have 2-weeks trips in Africa 2-3 times a year visiting 10-12 countries. Up until now, I´ve always taken only dollars with me for landing fees etc. (around 12´000 USD). On this trip, I noticed
that some airports offered to have the bill paid in Euro (e.g HAAB or FCBB).
Countries in northern africa always have accepted payments in Euro (Algeria,
Tchad etc.)

What are your experiences. You take only dollars with you or split it up to
half euros/half dollars (e.g 5000 Euros, 7000 dollars)?

currently in DGAA

been out of that particular game for a few years (3), but i lived in Tchad for a year, and i couldn't get rid of a euro unless it was with the French army guys or EU aid workers, if i tried! And then i always got screwed with rate.

dollars are taken everywhere. if they have a post 2003 series date on them, you can change them.

CAR, Tchad, Sudan, Both Congo's, Zambia, Uganda,Malawi,Zimabawe, Kenya, Cameroon, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana, Angola, Mosambique and Tanzania...all USD

I'd take the one that everyone takes...makes admin just so much easier. Only one exchange rate to remember.

I know Comores takes euro's

Like foo fighter said, you are better off with USD. Take plenty of change cos inevitably most people "won't have change"

Morocco - Marrakesh, at least - only takes Euro for fees at the airport (info current as of 2009.)

Otherwise, over the last 5 or so years, I've never had a problem using USD (Senegal, Ghana, EG, Botswana, Mali, Sao Tome, Burkina, Mauritania, Nigeria... although the latter 2 were happy to take Euro too.)

From experience in East Africa, the good old green back is King. Most places don't know - and definitely don't want any Euros.

And a lot of places, around here at least, are very, very suspicious of any US $ notes older than 2000. It used to be 1996, but recently banks and forex bureaus aren't keen on any currency before 2000. Old, torn, faded notes are also not welcome. At best they will screw you on the exchange rate for these notes, and at worst will reject them out of hand.

So brand spanking new US$ (but not fake ones!) will get you through most places here.... Bon Voyage!!!

USD always worked for us.

Tanzania it's US$ and only ones after 2006. Or that's what i've had to cough up recently for visas etc. Nowhere accepts Euro's here that I know of.

Euros are accepted in...
 

- FCBB
- DRRN
- DAAT, DABB, DAAG (Algeria in general)

Always have plenty of cash with you...in FCBB, the fuel release was not accepted so we ended up paying cash. Depending on the size of the aircraft, this can sap up your cash reserves pretty quick!

EGYPT BOTH ARE ACCEPTABLE

In my part of Africa the dollars were and continue to be highly acceptable that what I had heard so far.

I wouldn't want to get stuck in the middle of Africa with a load of Greek printed €s. (That'll be all that start with a Y). They might only be good for the cooking pot fire, a bonfire of the vanities.

Although the US$ used to be king, I've never had a problem with euros in the the CFA franc countries (whether XOF for west African countries like Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal or XAF in countries like Cameroon, Chad, Gabon or Equatorial Guinea). Morocco definitely prefers euros. The advantage of euros in these countries is that the French treasury guarantees the exchange rate with the euro (though with all the problems of that currency right now it may not be so good in the future).

Best of all is that you cannot pay with local currency at most places. They only want dollars, for visas landing fees etc.

You can't make this stuff up.:ugh:

Just cam back from Africa. As Armen Fireman pointed out: West African countries (Congo and Niger in our case) were happy to take Euros.

Fuel Releases by Worldfuel were rejected twice and had to pay cash: in FCBB and DRZR (for the latter, the fuel release was issued on AirTotal, which had, however, pulled out of DRZR a long time ago...). Was glad to have plenty of extra cash with me to resolve those issues quickly!

The Francophone countries probably prefer Euro but will accept USD.
Euro is gaining acceptance on the street in Nigeria, but not sure about the flying side of life.