• Agreement covers annual imports worth about £700,000 ($922,000)
• Deal aims to improve sheep and goat breeds and boost meat production
• Kenya’s goat and sheep meat output rose sharply between 2022 and 2024

Kenya has finalized a trade agreement to import sheep and goat genetic material—including embryos, live breeders, and gametes—from the United Kingdom. The announcement was made on November 10 in a statement issued by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which estimated the annual value of the imports at about £700,000 ($922,000).

The United Kingdom, recognized as a global leader in animal genetics, is known for its sheep breeds such as Suffolk, British Friesland, and East Friesian, which are valued for their resilience and high performance in reproduction, milk, and meat production.

Nairobi’s decision to source genetic material from the UK reflects its goal to improve the quality and productivity of its sheep and goat herds through genetic enhancement. It also signals an effort to strengthen the country’s small livestock sector to meet growing domestic and export demand for meat.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), goat meat production increased by 74.4% to 97,436 tons between 2022 and 2024, while sheep meat output rose by 43.54% to 56,527 tons over the same period. On the export side, data from the Trade Map platform show that Kenya’s exports of sheep and goat meat more than doubled in five years, from 12,508 tons in 2020 to 25,186 tons in 2024.

The challenge for Kenya will also be to improve the replenishment capacity of its herds. KNBS data indicate that the country’s livestock population in 2024 included about 38.42 million goats and 26.21 million sheep.

• Nigeria launches upgraded NgREN to connect higher education institutions
• New platform supports online learning, research, and digital services
• Full national rollout planned by 2026 under digital education strategy

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education recently announced the rollout of an upgraded version of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) and its integration with the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) platform.

Officials said the initiative aims to boost digital connectivity, research collaboration, and innovation across the country’s higher education system.

Education Minister Alausa said the new NgREN will serve as a national high-speed education network, linking universities, research institutes, polytechnics, and colleges of education through a shared digital platform. The system will support online learning, cloud computing, plagiarism detection, digital libraries, research services, high-performance computing, and institutional analytics.

Digital Transformation Goals

The minister said the pilot phase will begin in 2025 in selected universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country’s geopolitical zones. Nigeria plans to connect all higher education institutions by 2026.

This initiative is part of a broader digital transformation drive for Nigeria’s education sector. For instance, on October 30, Alausa unveiled a national program to distribute tablets in all public schools to make digital education universal by 2027. In September, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) signed an agreement with U.S. firm Digital Learning Network (DLN) to supply digital devices to nearly 47 million students and teachers nationwide.

Isaac K. Kassouwi

• Tarkwa gold output drops 5% to 122,900 oz in Q3 2025, Gold Fields reports
• Decline due to lower ore processing volumes from pit and stockpiles
• 2025 output forecast at 488,000 oz, down from 537,000 oz in 2024
  

Tarkwa, one of Ghana’s largest gold mines, produced 122,900 ounces of gold in the third quarter of 2025. The mine’s South African operator, Gold Fields, said in a report released on Nov. 5 that output was down 5% from the 128,900 ounces recorded a year earlier.

Lower Ore Processing Cited for Decline

The weaker result extends a downward trend in production since the start of the year. In the first half of 2025, Tarkwa delivered 232,900 ounces, compared with 247,700 ounces in 2024.

The lower output mainly reflects a year-on-year drop in ore processed. Gold Fields said the mine processed 2.27 million tonnes (Mt) of ore from the open pit at a grade of 1.32 grams per ton (g/t) and 1.55 Mt from stockpiles at 0.79 g/t. In the same quarter of 2024, the figures were 3.01 Mt at 1.23 g/t from the pit and 0.73 Mt at 0.78 g/t from stockpiles.

Lower Guidance for Ghanaian Operations

Gold Fields gave no fourth-quarter forecast but expects annual output of about 488,000 ounces at Tarkwa for 2025, down from 537,000 ounces in 2024.

The company also runs the Damang mine in Ghana, where output is expected to fall as mining winds down this year. Production at Damang is forecast at 85,000 ounces in 2025, compared with 135,000 ounces last year.

Aurel Sèdjro Houenou

Cape Verde is recognized as one of Africa's leaders in energy regulation, particularly in the management of its electricity sector. However, the nation faces challenges in integrating renewable energy into its existing grid and must contend with climate vulnerability that poses a significant threat to its critical infrastructure.

Cape Verde and Portugal have signed a debt-conversion deal to finance the expansion of the Palmarejo solar power plant in Praia, the capital.

The agreement, announced on Nov. 4, will convert about $7.3 million of Cape Verde’s $152 million debt to Portugal into investments for renewable energy projects.

The project will nearly double the plant’s capacity, from 4.4 MW to almost 10 MW,  and reflects a growing trend of green-finance partnerships between creditor nations and African countries seeking to accelerate their energy transition.

Debt-for-Nature Swaps Power Green Finance

The approach builds on the “debt-for-nature” swaps that emerged in the 1980s, allowing developing nations to trade portions of their debt for local investments in conservation.

The World Bank defines such mechanisms as the exchange of external debt for local-currency payments used to fund environmental projects. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) notes that modern debt conversions also channel debt-relief savings into climate and renewable-energy initiatives.

African Adoption of Debt Swaps

Several African countries have already used debt conversions for environmental or climate purposes.

In 2015, the Seychelles converted $21.6 million of external debt, with support from The Nature Conservancy, to finance marine protection efforts. In 2023, Kenya began talks with the UK on a debt-for-nature swap for reforestation, according to Bloomberg. Zambia has also worked with the World Bank on a partial debt swap to strengthen its climate resilience.

Cape Verde still depends largely on imported fossil fuels. According to IRENA data published in July 2024, renewable energy supplied only 20% of the country’s primary energy in 2021.

The agreement with Portugal supports the government’s goal, detailed in a 2024 European Investment Bank report, to generate at least 50% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Expanding the Palmarejo plant marks a concrete step toward that target.

Scalability and Risks

The World Bank says debt conversions can ease fiscal pressure on indebted countries while funding climate projects with measurable results. A 2024 note from the institution explained that the mechanism promotes local climate investment without worsening public debt.

Yet the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) reported in February 2025 that such operations account for less than 1% of global climate finance. Their impact remains limited, depending on how much debt is converted, funding transparency, and effective project oversight.

The IMF, in a December 2022 analysis, added that debt swaps can strengthen the climate resilience of vulnerable countries if supported by sound governance and shared monitoring of expenditures.

Abdel-Latif Boureima

• Guinea’s SOGUIPAH secures $3M loan from BIG to revive operations
• Funds to restart production, improve logistics, and support farmer payments
• Loan supports 2025-2030 plan to expand palm oil and rubber processing
  

The Guinean Oil Palm and Rubber Company (SOGUIPAH) has obtained a 30 billion Guinean Franc ($3 million) loan from the Islamic Bank of Guinea (BIG).  The financing agreement, signed on Nov. 5 as part of a strategic partnership backed by the Ministry of Agriculture, aims to revive the state company’s agricultural and industrial operations.

Financing Agricultural and Financial Overhaul

Officials said the funds will help SOGUIPAH restart production, resume raw material purchases, and improve logistics. The deal with BIG also seeks to establish a sustainable financing model to guarantee regular payments to farmers and transport partners, while improving financial transparency and governance.

“This agreement represents a key step in the recovery and modernization of SOGUIPAH’s industrial, agricultural, and commercial activities. It fully aligns with the national policy to revitalize the agricultural and agro-industrial sector championed by President Mamadi Doumbouya,” the Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement.

Strategic Expansion Underway

The new financing coincides with SOGUIPAH’s 2025-2030 strategic plan, launched in May. The plan includes building a 6-ton-per-hour palm oil production unit and upgrading its soap production facilities to boost competitiveness in local and regional markets.

In its rubber division, the company plans to commission a 6-ton-per-hour natural rubber processing plant by the end of 2025. Construction began in 2024, and the plant will expand SOGUIPAH’s production capacity. Natural rubber is Guinea’s fourth-largest agricultural export, after cashew nuts, frozen fish, and cocoa. Data from TradeMap shows that exports of the raw material brought in $36.1 million in revenue in 2024.

Stéphanas Assocle

• Aminata Ndiaye Niang named CEO of Orange Madagascar, effective Nov. 1, 2025
• Niang brings leadership experience from Sonatel, OMEA, and Orange subsidiaries
• Orange targets subscriber growth, financial inclusion, and expanded rural coverage

Senegalese executive Aminata Ndiaye Niang has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Orange Madagascar, effective Nov. 1, 2025. She succeeds Frédéric Debord.

Orange said on Nov. 6 that Niang will lead the company with its executive team to drive digital and financial inclusion and strengthen its role as an innovative, people-focused operator supporting Madagascar’s development.

Experienced Digital Leader Takes Helm

Orange said Niang will bring extensive experience in digital innovation and transformation. For the past three years, she has served as Deputy CEO of Sonatel Group and Zone Director for Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA). From December 2018 to November 2025, she has also sat on the boards of Orange DRC, Orange Sierra Leone, and Orange Link.

Between December 2018 and January 2023, Niang was Vice President for Marketing, Digital, and Customer Experience at OMEA. She said she led the consolidation of marketing, digital, and customer experience teams across 18 countries, representing 135 million customers and more than €6 billion in revenue.

From February 2013 to August 2018, she held successive roles at Sonatel, including Director of Marketing, Director of Marketing and Orange Money, and Director of Marketing, Orange Money, and Digital. She also served on the board of Jumia between July 2020 and November 2025. Niang is a graduate of the École Polytechnique de Paris and the École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications.

Focus on Subscriber Growth and Network Coverage

Orange Madagascar’s goal of expanding digital and financial inclusion includes growing its base for mobile, internet, and Orange Money services. The operator reported 3.7 million subscribers at the end of September 2025. Rival Telma had 10.2 million as of June, while no recent data is available for Airtel. DataReportal estimates total mobile subscriptions in Madagascar at 18.2 million.

Orange is also pursuing network expansion. In January 2023, it signed a deal with Canada’s NuRAN Wireless to deploy 500 rural telecom sites, and in December 2023, secured a €30 million global license. By January 2024, the company aimed to cover 90% of the population by year-end.

Isaac K. Kassouwi

• IFC reviewing €7.5M loan for Catramp’s regional logistics expansion in Central Africa
• Project to boost warehouse capacity in Cameroon, Chad, and CAR; €10.1M total cost
• Catramp commits to environmental, social safeguards ahead of IFC board review

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, is reviewing a €7.5 million loan request from Camerounaise de Transactions Maritimes et Portuaires (Catramp), a leading logistics and transport operator in Cameroon.

The financing would help Catramp expand regionally into Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) while upgrading its existing sites in Douala and Kribi.

Expansion to Address Warehouse Deficit

The expansion is part of a broader regional effort to tackle the shortage of modern warehousing infrastructure in Chad and the CAR. The plan is expected to boost Category A warehousing capacity in Cameroon and neighboring countries, improving storage conditions for local businesses and port operators. The project should also create jobs, use local suppliers, and strengthen workforce training in the logistics industry.

It is valued at about €10.1 million, with €2.6 million to be contributed by the company’s shareholders. Justin Talom holds 85% (including 15% through his holding company, T’s Corporation), while Jean Kuate owns the remaining 15%. The plan will also benefit from the International Development Association’s (IDA) Private Sector Window hybrid finance mechanism, which provides a first-loss guarantee to mitigate risk for investments in low-income countries.

Environmental and Social Commitment

Ahead of the Board’s Dec. 15 review of the loan, the IFC confirmed it had conducted a full environmental and social assessment, including site visits to Catramp’s facilities in Cameroon and meetings with local partners such as Dino & Fils, a wood processing firm. Catramp has committed to a Stakeholder Engagement Plan involving community mapping and a grievance mechanism to prevent adverse impacts and improve project transparency.

 Sandrine Gaingne

• Biovac opens mRNA-capable vaccine lab in Cape Town, backed by global donors
• Facility enables full vaccine production, supporting Africa’s health sovereignty goals
• Project aligns with AU plan to boost local vaccine output to 60% by 2040

The facility will support full vaccine and therapeutic manufacturing for diseases prevalent in Africa. The Cape Town facility is funded by the Gates Foundation, the European Union, and the German government.

Biovac said the lab will allow it to produce vaccines from early development through final formulation using advanced technologies such as messenger RNA (mRNA). It is also expected to make other treatments while fostering innovation and developing homegrown intellectual property.

Advancing African Vaccine Self-Sufficiency

The laboratory includes infrastructure for developing, screening, evaluating, and producing mRNA drug substances. It also houses a specialized suite for nanoparticle formulation, which encapsulates and protects mRNA, as well as dedicated spaces for bacterial and cell culture, cell bank storage, and handling sensitive biological materials.

“The establishment of our new product development laboratory is a major milestone for Biovac and for African vaccines and vaccine innovation. It gives us the capability to develop and test next-generation vaccines using the most advanced technology available, ensuring that Africa is not left behind in responding to current and future vaccine-preventable diseases,” said Biovac CEO Morena Makhoana.

Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation, said the lab “brings the promise of faster, more reliable access to lifesaving vaccines – developed and produced in Africa, for Africa.”

Aligning with Continental Goals

The project supports the African Union’s plan to raise Africa’s share of locally produced vaccines from 1% to 60% by 2040 to strengthen health security. The AU aims to reach that target with support from member states, donors, multilateral lenders, and private-sector initiatives like Biovac’s.

Biovac, 47.5% owned by two South African government agencies, supplies vaccines for the country’s childhood immunization program. It was founded to distribute imported vaccines for the Department of Health before gradually building capacity for final-stage manufacturing, or “fill and finish.”

The company provides vaccines in South Africa for tuberculosis, tetanus, diphtheria, polio, Haemophilus influenzae, and hepatitis B. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Biovac partnered with Pfizer and BioNTech to produce vaccines for the African Union.

Walid Kéfi

• Egypt signs deals for 1,200 MW solar, 720 MWh storage projects

• Projects in Benban, Minya to start operations by 2027

• Part of plan to reach 42% renewables in power mix by 2030

Egypt signed deals on November 5, 2025, with a joint venture to develop two solar power projects totaling 1,200 MW and 720 MWh of battery storage. The agreements involve the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) and the Ministry of Electricity. The projects will be developed by Infinity Power and the Hassan Allam Utilities Energy Platform, a venture that includes Hassan Allam Utilities, the EBRD, and Meridiam.

The first project, rated at 200 MW with 120 MWh of storage, will be built in Benban and is scheduled to begin commercial operations in the third quarter of 2026. The second, larger facility in Minya will provide 1,000 MW and 600 MWh of storage, with commissioning expected in the third quarter of 2027.

“These projects reaffirm our commitment to supporting Egypt’s energy transition and expanding access to sustainable electricity across Africa,” said Ahmed Mulla, Deputy CEO of Infinity Power.

Established to spur investment in energy infrastructure, the Hassan Allam Utilities Energy Platform has 2.3 GW of projects under development worth about $2 billion, plus a pipeline of 1.65 GW valued at $1.5 billion.

The new agreements support Egypt’s target of lifting renewable energy to 42% of the national power mix by 2030 and 65% by 2040, under the country’s Vision 2030 strategy. The projects further strengthen Egypt’s position as a regional leader in sustainable energy and the green transition.

Abdoullah Diop

After several delays, the Association of African Petroleum Producers (APPO) has set a new deadline to make the African Energy Bank operational. A summit of African leaders is planned to mobilize significant contributions toward the bank, which aims for a total capital of $5 billion.

The African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) plans to hold a summit of Heads of State in the first half of 2026 to raise $500 million for the launch of the African Energy Bank.

The announcement was made on November 5, 2025, by Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, who recently assumed the APPO presidency for 2026, succeeding Congo’s Minister of Hydrocarbons, Bruno Jean Richard Itoua. Coulibaly was appointed during the 48th APPO Council of Ministers meeting held in Brazzaville on November 4-5.

The Ivorian minister made completing the bank a top priority of his term. The planned $5 billion institution aims to help African countries finance energy projects independently , from exploration to local resource processing. “Completing the establishment of this bank is extremely important,” Sangafowa-Coulibaly said during his inauguration.

Launch Delays Continue

The new announcement follows several missed launch deadlines. In February 2025, Afreximbank Executive Vice President Denys Denya had indicated a mid-2025 start date, noting that teams were still working to raise the necessary capital. The project, first announced in May 2022, is a joint effort between Afreximbank and APPO. Nigeria was chosen to host the bank’s headquarters in July 2024. Three months later, APPO Secretary General Omar Farouk Ibrahim reported that member states had already secured 45% of the projected capital, around $2.25 billion,though detailed contributions have yet to be disclosed.

Filling a Funding Gap

The African Energy Bank is designed to fill the financing void left by international lenders’ withdrawal from fossil fuel projects in Africa, which has constrained capital for oil and gas development. The institution will serve as a pan-African energy development bank, primarily focused on oil and gas projects but also open to renewable initiatives.

Its objective is to give African nations greater financial autonomy over their energy development. The bank will operate across the entire value chain, from exploration and extraction to processing and marketing. The $500 million to be raised at the 2026 summit represents 10% of total capital and will fund start-up operations and initial projects, with the remainder to be mobilized from other partners to reach $5 billion.

Chamberline Moko