Ethiopia
AfCFTA Will Fundamentally Transform Coffee Commodity Market of Africa
The continental free trade area framework is an opportunity that would fundamentally transform the African coffee commodity market, Inter-African Coffee Organization Secretary General Solomon S. Rutega said. Read More

Civil Aviation Authority Calls on Private Sector to Invest in Aviation Industry
The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority has called on private actors in the sector to invest in the area, including in construction and management of small airports and heliports. Read More

Ethiopian to Resume Direct Flights Between Abidjan, New York
Ethiopian Airlines announced that it will resume direct flights between Abidjan and New York as of 29th May 2023. Read More

Kenya
Kenya Revenue Authority Boss Githii Mburu Makes Shock Exit
Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner-General James Githii Mburu has exited the agency after more than three years at the helm, amid a major shake-up that has also affected heads of departments. Read More

Court Suspends Sacking of ex-KDF Officer as KNTC Chair
The Employment Court has suspended the replacement of chairperson of the board of directors of the Kenya National Trading Corporation Captain Paul Rukaria, pending determination of a case he has filed challenging his ouster. Read More

Airtel Opens Talks for Sale of 30 Percent Stake to Kenyans
Airtel Kenya is seeking Kenyan investors to buy a 30 percent stake in the telecoms operator ahead of the March 2024 deadline of complying with revised ownership rules that are meant to encourage local ownership of ICT firms. Read More

UK StanChart Invests KES 413 Million in Kenyan e-Commerce Units
British lender Standard Chartered Plc has pumped in capital worth KES 413 million (approx. USD 3.3 million) in two Kenyan e-commerce subsidiaries targeting the business payments and agriculture segments, the bank’s latest disclosures show. Read More

Rwanda
Rwandan Named Boss of Benin’s Identification Agency
Pascal Nyamulinda, a Rwandan has been appointed Director General of Benin’ National Agency for the Identification of Persons. Read More

Rwanda-UAE Trade Passes USD 1 Billion in 2022
Trade between Rwanda and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) grew to over USD 1 billion in 2022, a ten-fold increase in a decade, officials say. Read More

Regional Blocs in Joint Bid to Help Address DR Congo Crisis
The East African Community Secretary General, Peter Mathuki, met with the Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, Amb. João Caholo, and deliberated on areas of cooperation between the two institutions in supporting the restoration of peace and security in eastern DR Congo. Read More

Rwanda Deploys Drones to Deliver Diabetes Meds at Patients’ Doorsteps
The Ministry of Health in Partnership with Zipline and Partners in Health are conducting trials of how insulin medications for diabetes patients can be delivered at doorsteps using drones. Read More

Tanzania
Over 300 European Business Delegates Take Part in TZ-EU Symposium
More than 300 businesspeople from Europe will participate in a business symposium between Tanzania and European Union to showcase Tanzania’s opportunities and the comparative advantage for EU investors. Read More

Kagera Councils Collect Over TZS 17 Billion Revenue
The eight councils in Kagera Region managed to collect a total of TZS 17 Billion (approx. USD 7.3 million) between July to December 31st, last year implying 59 percent performance. Read More

Vodacom Tanzania Welcomes Starlink
Vodacom Tanzania has welcomed Starlink, the world-famous internet service provider, saying it is not, at all, an enemy or threat to them, but rather offers an opportunity for partnership. Read More

Uganda
AMCUL, Fin-Tech Hold Stakeholders Dialogue on Progressive Regulatory Environment
Airtel Mobile Commerce Uganda in collaboration with other Fin-Tech Stakeholders recently held a dialogue on how to achieve a progressive regulatory environment that supports affordable digital financial inclusion for Uganda. Read More

Airtel Uganda Successfully Upgrades Core Network to 5G Readiness
Airtel Uganda has announced that their Smartphone Network is now ready for the trailblazing 5G technology. Read More

Visa, Tax Policies to Dominate Uganda-South Africa Investment Network
Uganda plans to increase its annual exports to 6 billion dollars excluding oil exports, between 2023 and 2028 from the current average of 3.5 billion dollars. Read More

Uganda's Oil Infrastructure Will Benchmark Best Practices in Mega Projects, Says PAU
The Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) has said Uganda's land acquisition process for oil and gas infrastructure will become a benchmark for best practices in mega projects, both in Uganda and beyond, over the next five years. Read More

Algeria
Algeria-Croatia: Examining Investment Opportunities in the Energy Field
Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, received State Secretary for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Croatia, Frano Matusic, said a statement from the Ministry. Read More

Launch of the Marine Litter Med 2 Project
The Ministry of Environment and Renewable Energies launched the “Marine Litter Med 2” project, according to the ministry statement. Read More

Sonatrach to Invest in Jordan
The national oil and gas company Sonatrach is embarking on a new international deployment strategy, this time choosing Jordan as a potential destination in the Middle East region. Read More

Egypt
The British Ambassador Witnesses the Groundbreaking Ceremony for “Uppingham Cairo” School in New Giza
New Era Education celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for “Uppingham Cairo” School in the presence of His Excellency the British Ambassador to Egypt, Gareth Bayley OBE, and the senior officials from the Division of International Trade at the British Embassy. Read More

HSBC Marks 40-Year Operation in Egypt with Female Entrepreneurship Programme
HSBC Egypt has marked 40 years of doing business in Egypt by announcing a new programme with the Global Fund for Widows to help female entrepreneurs start their own businesses. Read More

inDrive Raises USD 150 Million from General Catalyst to Boost Growth
inDrive, a global mobility and urban services platform, announces that it has raised USD 150 million in an innovative hybrid instrument from General Catalyst to fund marketing spend, including user acquisition and retention costs. Read More

Ken Allen Invests in Bosta, Joins its Board of Directors
Coming off of one of its most successful years to date, Bosta, the tech-oriented logistics startup, has announced that the logistics titan, Ken Allen, has joined the growing company as an investor and board member in 2022. Read More

Morocco
Large-Scale Investment of EUR 2.5 Billion with a Private Sector Focus
At a press conference, Ricardo Mourinho Félix, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank in Morocco, highlighted the significant amount of funding mobilised by the Bank over the last five years, with a total of EUR 2.5 billion invested to promote Morocco’s development and support its economic and financial health. Read More

Economic Freedom Worsens, Shows Report
The worsening macro-economic environment is withering prospects of attaining economic freedom for youthful cellphone accessories businessperson Clement Magiha. Read More

Cisanet for Quick Admarc Opening
At a time prices of maize, Malawi’s staple commodity, continues rising due to low supply, agricultural policy think-tank, Civil Society Agriculture Network, suggests hastened reopening of Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation. Read More

CFTC Boss Commits to Cracking Cartels
Newly appointed Competition and Fair-Trading Commission Executive Director Lloyds Vincent Nkhoma has said his focus will be on breaking cartels in the country. Read More

Mozambique
A Bullish Mozambique Economic Outlook for Growth Prospects
According to Rand Merchant Bank, the corporate and investment banking arm of FirstRand Bank of which FNB Mozambique is also a division, divergent growth throughout the year that is heavily dependent on commodity price movements, is expected across the African continent. Read More

EUROCAM Puts Mozambican Companies in Cabo Delgado Under the Spotlight
EUROCAM; the Association of European Entrepreneurs in Mozambique, started a series of debates that should culminate in concrete interventions in the definition of priorities to be developed by companies in Cabo Delgado. Read More

South Africa
Eskom Appoints Interim CEO
Troubled state-owned power utility Eskom has appointed Calib Cassim as its interim group CEO following André de Ruyter’s early exit after an explosive TV interview. Read More

Treasury Does Not Support State Monopoly in Energy Sector, Says David Masondo
The energy sector cannot continue to be dominated by one state-owned monopoly which has caused a lot of the problems facing the country, deputy finance minister David Masondo said in parliament. Read More

Two Years in the Making, Parliament Passes Electoral Reform Bill
It has been a long, tortuous road from the time that the Constitutional Court declared the Electoral Act unconstitutional more than two years ago, but finally the National Assembly has adopted amendments to the act that will allow independent candidates to contest national and provincial elections. Read More

Retailers Upset at Losing Out on Fuel Costs Relief
The CEOs of Pick n Pay, Spar and Shoprite have put out an unprecedented statement criticising the decision to offer a tax rebate on diesel use only to food manufacturers, and asked that it urgently be extended to retailers. Read More

Zambia
Zambia’s Economy at Risk as Bank of Zambia Fails to Meet Bond Auction Targets
Zambia’s Socialist Party President Dr Fred M’membe has expressed concern over the failure of the Bank of Zambia to meet the required ZMK 2.6 billion (approx. USD 132,000) per bond auction. Read More

U.S Congressional Delegation Visits Zambia to Witness U.S. Government Support
A U.S. Congressional delegation along with the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies in Rome Cindy McCain this week visited Zambia to witness how the U.S. government, in partnership with the Government of Zambia and UN agencies, is investing in Zambia’s greatest resource, its people. Read More

Upfront Debt Cuts Could Save Hardest-Hit Countries USD 148 Billion, Says UNDP
A 30 percent upfront cut of debt-stressed countries’ borrowings could save them USD 148 billion over eight years, the U.N. Development Programme said, proposing a move to address global debt problems stirring growing international concern. Read More

Zambia Secures Funds for Climate Adaptation with Commonwealth Support
Vulnerable communities in Zambia will receive vital support to address water shortages caused by climate change, through a project being implemented by the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation, developed with the help of the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub. Read More

Cote d'Ivoire
Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali: A dark year for West African Cotton
The production of Africa's white gold has declined in West African countries because of a parasitic invasion. Read More

Ivory Coast Curbs New Cocoa Purchases from Two Major Traders
Top cocoa producer Ivory Coast is restricting some multinational traders from additional bean purchases for exports as the country seeks to avoid a shortage, according to the head of the local regulator. Read More

Ethiopian Airlines to Resume Its Direct Flights Between Abidjan and New York
Ethiopian Airlines, the largest network operating carrier in Africa, has confirmed it plans to restart direct flights between Abidjan and New York John F. Kennedy  Airport from 29 May 2023. Read More

Ghana
Special Talks with China Shifted to 3rd Week of March
Ghana has shifted its meeting with Chinese creditors over debt restructuring to the third week of March, raising concerns over how long it will take to conclude an external debt restructuring. Read More

OB Amoah Clarifies Government’s Decision to Partner with GRA to Collect Property Tax
Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah, Minister of State-designate for the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, clarified the government’s decision to partner with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to collect property tax. Read More

Ghana Develops Food-Based Dietary Guidelines
Ghana has become the eighth country in Africa and fourth in West Africa to launch food-based dietary guidelines. Read More

Digital Economy Policy Document Set for Adoption
The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation is in the final stages of adopting the digital economy policy document, a move that is expected to consolidate gains in the economy’s digital transformation. Read More

Nigeria
Discos Reject 408MW Excess Power
Power distribution companies have stepped up the quantum of electricity load allocation that they receive and distribute to consumers across the country, as the latest data from the Federal Government showed a reduction in the amount of unutilised energy by the Discos. Read More

CBN Proposes eNaira for USD 800 Million Cash Transfer Scheme
To drive a cashless economy, the Central Bank of Nigeria has suggested the use of eNaira for cash transfers during the National Social Safety Net Programme Scale Up. Read More

FG Shortlists Firms to Audit NIPOST Assets
The Federal Government, said it had approved nine companies to immediately verify the properties of the Nigerian Postal Service across the country. Read More

Customers Fight Over NGN 5,000 Over-the-Counter Payments
The continued scarcity of the naira has increased the hardship of many bank customers who are now forced to join long queues to withdraw NGN 5,000 (approx. USD 11) over-the-counter. Read More