The University of Lomé (UL) plans to launch a business language centre and a business school to better connect university training with the private sector. UL President Adama Kpodar and Togo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIT) President José Syménouh discussed these projects on May 7, 2025.

The Chamber of Commerce aims to align university skills with job market needs amid Togo’s economic transformation and growing international ties. The business language centre will offer foreign language training, focusing on English and Chinese, for students, young professionals, and economic operators.

The courses will target practical skills in trade, negotiation, international cooperation, and business relations. The goal is to help local economic players integrate into international trade and boost their global competitiveness.

The planned business school will emphasize practical and innovative programs. It will offer courses in management, finance, international trade, and digital transformation, including internships and professional immersion. Project leaders want to train entrepreneurs and managers with operational skills to support Togo’s economic changes.

Officials expect to sign a memorandum of understanding soon. They say this agreement will mark a major step in reforming higher education in Togo. UL and the Chamber of Commerce reaffirm their commitment to building an economy based on 

knowledge, innovation, and skills.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

The Togolese Ministry of Trade held a two-day training session on May 6- 7 for about 40 licensed customs agents on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and its operational mechanisms. The event aimed to prepare key trade intermediaries to implement the agreement’s provisions effectively.

Participants represented professional bodies including the Union professionnelle des commissionnaires agréés en douane (UPRAD), the Association des commissionnaires agréés en douane (ACAD), and the CONVERGENCE grouping. 

The trainers covered the AfCFTA rules of origin, required commercial documents, and Togo’s tariff concessions list. They also explained additional codes used under the continental agreements to classify different trade categories.

The ministry said the training sought to enhance participants’ technical knowledge and raise awareness of opportunities from the gradual liberalization of intra-African trade.

The AfCFTA, launched under the African Union in 2021, aims to create a single market for goods and services across Africa. Togo supports the initiative and is working to improve the competitiveness of its businesses and expand their access to regional markets through capacity-building efforts.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• Algeria's ENIE plans to produce 2 million tablets in 2025 to equip 8,800 educational institutions
• The initiative aims to reduce schoolbag weight and enhance education quality through digital tools.
• ENIE has not announced when production will start, raising concerns about meeting the September 2025 deadline.

Algeria's National Electronic Industries Company (ENIE) aims to manufacture two million electronic tablets in 2025 for distribution to 8,800 educational institutions, the company's Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Abbes Bourassi announced on Wednesday. Speaking to the Algeria Press Service (APS) during the reopening of ENIE's showroom in Algiers, Bourassi detailed the ambitious production target.

This initiative is anticipated to bolster the government's goal of expanding the use of information and communication technologies within the national education system. The government has outlined plans to equip half of the country's primary schools with electronic tablets for the upcoming academic year. These devices are envisioned for use in school administration and are also expected to streamline access to online educational materials, research, learning tools, and communication channels for both students and educators.

In remarks carried by APS, Minister of National Education Mohammed Seghir Sadaoui stated that the project intends to "reduce the weight of students' schoolbags, but more importantly, to enhance schooling conditions and the quality of education, aligning them with digital advancements." The Algerian government's ultimate vision is to transform Algerian schools into a benchmark for modernization and innovation through the integration of digital tools. To this end, digital platforms have been implemented for various stakeholders, including teachers and parents, skills assessment, and appointment scheduling for diploma verification.

ENIE has yet to release a precise schedule for the commencement of electronic tablet production. This lack of a specific timeline raises concerns regarding the company's capacity to deliver the devices by the start of the September 2025 school year, in accordance with the government's stated commitments.

By Isaac K. Kassouwi,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji

Ghana’s Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation will train 3,000 girls this year through its Girls-In-ICT Initiative, expanding in-person sessions to the Volta, Upper East, and Upper West regions, with 1,000 participants in each.

Participants will receive training in coding, computer literacy, cybersecurity, and digital creativity, along with mentorship, career workshops, and ICT competitions designed to build skills and confidence.

Launched in Ghana in 2012, the Girls-In-ICT Initiative—supported by the International Telecommunication Union—aims to inspire girls to pursue careers in STEM and support Ghana’s broader push for digital inclusion.

KoBold Metals, the U.S.-based mining company backed by heavyweight investors including Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, is stepping up its campaign to secure rights to the Manono lithium deposit in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a site widely seen as having “the potential to become a large-scale, long-life lithium mine.” According to a January 2024 estimate, Manono could hold 669 million tonnes of resources grading 1.61% lithium.

On May 6, 2025, KoBold and Australia’s AVZ Minerals issued a joint statement titled Developing Manono for Peace and Prosperity, signed by their respective CEOs, Kurt House and Nigel Ferguson. The companies announced they had “reached consensus on a commercial framework to enable the rapid development of the Manono deposit.” 

The statement specifies: “This framework provides for AVZ to cede its commercial interests in the Manono lithium deposit to KoBold, at fair value.” The document further claims this agreement would allow KoBold to “quickly” mobilize more than a billion dollars “to bring Manono’s lithium to Western markets.”

But the Congolese government maintains that AVZ no longer has any rights to Manono, arguing those rights were lost when state-owned Cominière terminated its partnership with AVZ in 2022. AVZ is contesting the move before the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, where it has already secured an order for Cominière to pay €39.1 million in penalties for non-compliance with injunctions. However, the tribunal has yet to rule on the core ownership issue.

KoBold’s January offer proposes to resolve the dispute by granting “appropriate compensation” to AVZ in exchange for relinquishing its claims on Manono. The company says it is prepared to develop the southern part of the deposit, while the northern section would remain under the control of the Chinese group Zijin Mining.

Manono Lithium SAS-a joint venture 61% owned by Zijin (via Jinxiang Lithium) and 39% by Cominière-was granted an operating permit in September 2024 for part of the deposit. The company plans to begin lithium production in the first quarter of 2026.

An offer for “peace and prosperity”

So far, Congolese authorities have not commented publicly on KoBold’s offer. The May 6 joint statement suggests no favorable response yet. “AVZ has undertaken to propose to the Congolese government a temporary suspension of the ICSID arbitration proceedings to facilitate discussions,” the document states.

KoBold and AVZ may be trying to pressure Kinshasa by leveraging the current warming of US-DRC relations, considering the May 6 statement, which reads: “AVZ and KoBold are cooperating with all stakeholders, including the US government, the DRC government, and AVZ’s current development partner.”

AVZ and KoBold frame their proposal as a contribution to “peace and prosperity,” promising “thousands of well-paying jobs for the Congolese, over several decades.”

Kinshasa recently offered the Trump administration a mining agreement in exchange for its support toward resolving the ongoing conflict in Eastern DRC.  Since then, the issue has been the subject of bilateral discussions, and Washington is actively involved in the resolution process.

“A lasting peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo will open the door to greater U.S. and Western citizen investment, which will create an ecosystem conducive to responsible and reliable supply chains for things like critical minerals,” declared US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on April 25, 2025, in Washington, at the signing of the “declaration of principles” for a peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, the main supporter of the M23 rebellion.

This article was initially published in French by Pierre Mukoko

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

• Cameroon expects cotton production to rise to 350,100 tons in 2025

• This would mark the highest output since 2022

• China remains the top buyer of Cameroonian cotton

Cameroon is on track to produce around 350,100 tons of cotton in 2025, according to estimates from the Bank of Central African States (BEAC). If confirmed, this would be the highest level recorded by the state-run cotton company, Sodecoton, since at least 2022.

Sodecoton, which supports over 220,000 farmers in the northern regions of the country, reported a drop in production in 2023, down to 314,455 tons from 330,000 tons in 2022. That decline matched a reduction in planted land, which shrank from nearly 232,000 hectares in 2022 to just over 223,000 hectares in 2023.

In 2024, BEAC expects output to rebound to 340,000 tons. If the 2025 forecast holds, this would mean a year-over-year increase of just over 10,000 tons.

This upward trend brings Sodecoton closer to its long-term goal of producing 400,000 tons per year on average. Hitting that target would be a major win for the country, as cotton remains one of its leading sources of export earnings.

In 2023, Cameroon exported 127,506 tons of raw cotton, a 14.7% drop compared to the previous year. These shipments brought in CFA147.9 billion, down 4.8%, according to the National Institute of Statistics. Despite the decline, cotton still ranked among the country’s top five exports, accounting for 4.9% of export revenue.

It still trails far behind oil (37.7%), liquefied natural gas (14.1%), cocoa beans (12%), and sawn wood (6.7%).

Most of Cameroon’s cotton goes to Asia. Sodecoton says China alone has taken about 38% of exports on average in recent years, ahead of buyers in Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

The adoption of a digital traceability system facilitates better quality control and enhances the reputation of African produce globally. It will offer new opportunities for farmers and exporters while addressing the barriers that have historically hindered market access.

Uganda is adopting a digital traceability system aimed at boosting the global competitiveness of its fruit and vegetable farmers, Dr. Caroline Nankinga from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries revealed at a press conference held on September 23.

Dr. Nankinga emphasized the system’s role in enhancing efficiency, noting that, starting September 30, 2024, agricultural inspectors will use the platform to verify consignments, expediting operations.

The system, developed by the Re-engineering of Uganda's Sanitary and Phytosanitary Inspection of Horticulture Exports (RUSH) initiative, seeks to improve tracking of fresh produce from farms to Entebbe International Airport, ensuring compliance with international standards and reducing market access barriers caused by past interceptions. It is set to transform the inspection and certification process, replacing the outdated manual documentation methods with a streamlined digital platform.

One of the major benefits of RUSH is its ability to address long-standing challenges, such as delays and interception risks due to manual processes. Exporters can now upload essential documents online, enabling real-time compliance checks and swift corrective measures if issues arise during inspections.

Pests and diseases are major causes of export interceptions in Uganda. According to HortiFresh, a business membership organization that supports Uganda's Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (FFV) sector, in 2022, over 200 interceptions were reported due to pests, leading to substantial revenue losses for exporters​. The RUSH system's digital traceability solution directly addresses these challenges by ensuring better monitoring, compliance, and real-time corrective actions. This can help reduce interceptions, safeguard revenue, and restore confidence in Uganda's agricultural exports.

Hikmatu Bilali

Cameroon’s cocoa production could climb to 306,800 tons by the end of the 2024–2025 season, according to new data from the Bank of Central African States (BEAC). This would mark the country’s highest cocoa output in over five years if the forecast holds. The season officially ends on July 15, 2025.

The BEAC's projection shows a 17,400-ton increase compared to the previous season, when the central bank estimated production at 289,400 tons. However, this figure differs from the one published by Cameroon’s National Cocoa and Coffee Board (ONCC), which reported 266,725 tons of cocoa sold during the 2023–2024 season — about 22,675 tons less than the BEAC estimate.

The BEAC’s forecast also comes a few weeks after a separate outlook from Fitch Solutions, which expects Cameroon’s cocoa production to rise by 6.7% in 2025 to over 280,000 tons. Based on ONCC’s figures, that would mean an increase of about 17,870 tons. Using BEAC’s data instead, the jump would be 19,389 tons.

Stronger prices, stronger supply

One of the main drivers behind the expected rise in production is the surge in farmgate prices, which have reached record levels. Since the 2023–2024 season, cocoa farmers in Cameroon — already known to be among the best-paid globally — have been receiving up to CFA6,000 per kilogram in some regions. Prices have stayed above CFA5,000 per kilogram since the start of the current season, offering a strong incentive for producers to expand output.

Cocoa remains one of Cameroon’s most important cash crops. The projected increase in production could bring in more export earnings, which are already substantial. By the end of 2023, Cameroon had exported a little over 180,000 tons of raw cocoa beans, generating close to CFA360 billion, according to the country’s National Institute of Statistics.

Meanwhile, a growing number of cocoa processing plants across the country have helped diversify exports. In 2023, Cameroon shipped 49,411 tons of cocoa paste and 23,825 tons of cocoa butter, earning CFA97.4 billion and CFA55.5 billion respectively, the same report showed.

Togo pushes new forestry regulations to modernize its environmental laws. Sector players met in Lomé from April 24 to 25, 2025, to validate a revised draft forestry code.

The Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources (MERF) leads the reform to align national rules with global sustainable management standards and multilateral agreements. The update falls under the government’s 2020-2025 roadmap, especially under efforts to modernize environmental legislation.

The revised code contains 173 articles. For this new code, 140 old articles were amended, 13 deleted, and 33 added. Colonel Koffi Dimizou, MERF’s Secretary General, stated: “It’s about adapting our legislative framework to the new paradigms of environmental preservation and sustainable development.”

The new draft will be reviewed by the government’s General Secretariat for legislative review before adoption by the National Assembly. The reform aims to boost forest governance, protect ecosystems, and advance Togo’s climate goals. This follows the recent adoption of a climate change law by the National Assembly.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Cameroon has officially launched its first chemical fertilizer production plant, marking a key step in cutting back on costly imports and supporting local agriculture. On May 7, Gabriel Mbaïrobé, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, inaugurated the facility in Bonaberi, Douala.

The factory was built by Hydrochem Cameroun, a subsidiary of the Noutchogouin Jean Samuel Group (NJS). It has an annual production capacity of 120,000 tons, expandable to 150,000 tons. The cost of the project has not been disclosed.

According to Jean Marie Manga, Deputy Director of Hydrochem Cameroun, the plant imports raw materials in bulk and formulates fertilizer blends locally, based on the specific needs of its clients. Minister Mbaïrobé welcomed the initiative, stating that it fits Cameroon’s new farming policy, which encourages a focus on soil health first, using fertilizers to correct deficiencies with targeted nutrients.

The minister added that this new facility should allow Cameroon to cut its annual fertilizer imports in half, currently estimated at 300,000 tons. Data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS) shows that between 2021 and 2023, the country spent CFA173.9 billion on fertilizer imports. In 2023 alone, Cameroon imported 228,326 tons, a 76.2% increase from the previous year, with a total cost of CFA70.9 billion.

The spike in volume and prices has worsened Cameroon’s trade deficit, which exceeded CFA2,000 billion for the first time in 2023. According to INS, the inflation in fertilizer imports was partly caused by the Russia–Ukraine conflict—Russia being a major supplier to Cameroon—as well as the lack of domestic production.

To address this challenge, the government announced in 2023 the construction of three fertilizer plants, following the failure of a stalled project led by German firm Ferrostaal, which had been pending for more than 12 years. The Hydrochem facility is the first of the three to become operational.

This launch also deepens the presence of the NJS Group in Cameroon’s agricultural input market. In December 2023, the group acquired the local operations of Norwegian fertilizer giant Yara, expanding its footprint in the sector.