Bayobab’s continued investments in fibre infrastructure reflect its mission to power Africa’s digital economy by connecting people, businesses, and markets across the continent. The new Kampala–Malaba link positions Uganda as a hub in the East African digital ecosystem, opening new opportunities for cloud service providers, hyperscalers, and enterprise customers.

On May 6, Bayobab Uganda, a subsidiary of MTN Group, announced the successful launch of its newest and shortest fibre optic route: the Uganda Railway National Long Distance (NLD) connection from Malaba to Kampala.

Speaking at the unveiling in Kampala, Bayobab Uganda Managing Director Juliet Nsubuga emphasised the importance of this project in accelerating Uganda’s digital transformation. She noted that by partnering with the Uganda Railway to deploy fibre along the existing rail infrastructure, Bayobab is bringing reliable, high-speed internet to communities along the route and reinforcing regional interconnectivity.

Spanning 260 kilometres from Kampala through Tororo to Malaba at the Kenya border, the route forms a critical part of the regional digital backbone, connecting directly to Bayobab’s subsea cable landing stations in Mombasa, Kenya. Constructed between December 2024 and February 2025, this route completes a seamless digital corridor from Kampala to the coast, following the recent launch of the Mombasa–Malaba/Busia fibre link in Kenya.

Supporting over one terabyte of capacity, the route offers high-speed, low-latency connectivity to major data centres in Kampala, including Raxio, Airtel House, and MTN Uganda. It is expected to significantly enhance service delivery for telecoms, ISPs, and global tech firms operating in the region.

This new route complements existing MTN fibre infrastructure across multiple corridors, including Busia–Jinja–Kampala and Malaba–Lira–Masindi–Kampala, offering network redundancy and increased reliability. It is a vital addition for Uganda, a landlocked country whose international internet access relies on robust cross-border connectivity.

Julianne Mweheire, Director of Industry Affairs and Content Development at the Uganda Communications Commission, welcomed the milestone, noting its alignment with Uganda’s national agenda to expand digital services and bridge the rural-urban connectivity gap. She said the new route enhances network resilience and provides valuable redundancy for Uganda’s digital infrastructure.

Bayobab serves telecom operators, ISPs, cloud providers, hyperscalers, and enterprise clients, and the new Malaba–Kampala fibre route significantly strengthens its service offering. By delivering faster service through reduced latency, improved reliability via route diversity, and cost efficiency as a shorter and less congested alternative to existing paths, the route directly addresses key industry demands. These advantages enhance Bayobab’s competitiveness, positioning it as a preferred partner in East Africa’s connectivity ecosystem and enabling it to capture a larger share of clients. With its existing 114,000km of fibre infrastructure, it plans to expand to 135,000km by 2025 as part of its business strategy.

Hikmatu Bilali

The DR Congo government is looking for a firm to repair and modernize the Bumba-Aketi-Buta-Mungbere railway, stretching 870 km in the northeast part of the country. On May 2, 2025, Kinshasa launched an international tender to find a company. 

The line, with a 0.60 m gauge and rails ranging from 18 to 33 kg/m, once anchored the region’s economy by moving agricultural and mining products, but has fallen into disrepair since the late 1990s.

The Ministry of Transport said contractors must have at least 10 years of major rail project experience and proven technical and financial strength. The project scope may include additional feasibility studies, upgrades to track, signaling, and telecoms, and the establishment of a sustainable operating model, such as a PPP, concession, or other institutional arrangement. The deadline for applications is June 30, 2025.

The project ultimately aims to open up Bas-Uélé and Haut-Uélé, strengthen inland rail connectivity, and lay the groundwork for sustainable transport in one of the DRC’s most isolated regions. 

Reviving this line would unlock new opportunities for supply, marketing, and processing for local economic actors, crossing areas rich in forestry, agriculture, and mining-including gold in Watsa and Mungbere-and could improve links to the port of Mombasa via Uganda.

From 1924 to the late 1990s, this railway line structured the economy of the Uélé provinces, facilitating the evacuation of agricultural and mining products. Its gradual deterioration led to the collapse of Société des chemins de fer Uélé-Fleuve (SCFUF), formerly known as Vicicongo.

This article was initially published in French by Boaz Kabeya (intern) and Timothée Manoke (intern)

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

Zambia’s power watchdog greenlit the Kalumbila-Kolwezi Interconnection Project (KKIP) on May 6. The project will see the design, financing, construction, and operation of a 330 kV high-voltage line stretching roughly 190 km to connect Zambia with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Backed by Enterprise Power DRC (Enpower), a private electricity trading company, the KKIP has been years in the making. While its approval by the Zambian regulator is laudable, it still needs to be approved by the Congolese power regulator, according to Enpower.

So far, feasibility studies, detailed design, and environmental and social impact assessments have all been completed and validated by authorities in both countries. Concession and implementation agreements are in place, signed by the Ministries of Energy in Zambia and the DRC.

The next hurdle is finalizing the project’s financing. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group’s private sector arm, was appointed lead arranger in November 2024, with financial close targeted for mid-2025. The total project cost is estimated at $250 million.

The KKIP aims to increase power transmission capacity between Zambia and the DRC, especially to supply the mining regions of Lualaba and north-western Zambia, where energy demand is rising alongside mining expansion. The only existing interconnection line is already saturated. Enpower reports it has signed a 350 MW supply contract with Zambia’s national utility, ZESCO, and has secured a permit to import electricity into the DRC.

This article was initially published in French by Pierre Mukoko

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

A few months ago, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) partnered with former US Navy SEAL officer Erik Prince to secure mining revenues. Concluded before the ongoing conflict with the Rwandan-backed M3 rebels broke out in January, the partnership was reported by Reuters.

According to the international media, which quoted an unnamed source, the move aims to ensure that "extractive and other industries operate transparently, and that their production and revenues are properly distributed under the Congolese Mining Code."

Erik Prince and his team have been contracted to help the DRC earn more mining revenues by combating smuggling and corruption. However, no details have been provided on how the agreement will be implemented. All that is known is that the teams were to start in the south of the country, notably in Katanga, where the DRC is said to be losing up to $40 million in monthly revenues at the border between Kolwezi and Zambia alone, according to a source quoted by Reuters.

This year, the DRC is projecting mining revenues of over $5 billion, up 11% on the 2024 forecast. But according to the authorities, these revenues could be much higher if the country succeeds in reducing smuggling and corruption in this key sector.

Against this backdrop, the government is stepping up initiatives to secure mining resources. Since October 2024, President Félix Tshisekedi has ordered tighter border controls in mining areas.

Born on June 6, 1969, Erik Prince is an American businessman and a former Navy SEAL officer. In 1997, he founded the private military company Blackwater Worldwide (now Academi), which he sold in 2010 after several of its employees were indicted for killing civilians in Iraq. The latter were convicted, then pardoned by Donald Trump during his first term in office.

Erik Prince could benefit from the mining agreement on the table between Washington and Kinshasa–through one of his companies, Frontier Services Group (FSG). In December 2020, the newspaper Africa Intelligence revealed that FSG had signed an agreement with Sicomines. A few months earlier, the same media had reported the existence of a contract with China Nonferrous Metal Mining Corp (CNMC).

This article was initially published in French by Ronsard Luabeya (intern)

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

• India pledged digital infrastructure support to Angola, including cooperation in e-governance, space, and healthcare

• $200M defense credit line and will help implementdigital public infrastructure model, enabling digital IDs, e-payments, and social registries in Angola.

India has pledged to share its expertise in digital public infrastructure with Angola. The announcement came after a meeting in New Delhi on Friday, May 3, between visiting Angolan President João Lourenço (photo, left) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (photo, right). The initiative aims to enhance e-governance and streamline citizen access to public services in Angola.

According to a joint statement, India has "approved a $200 million credit line for Angola's defense and will collaborate in the areas of digital public infrastructure, space, and healthcare." The partnership seeks to introduce Angola to India's model of digital public infrastructure (DPI), an interoperable system that digitizes administrative services, promotes financial inclusion, and connects citizens with essential services.

This collaboration could enable Angola to implement digital identification systems, electronic payment platforms, and unified social registries. It also includes provisions for cooperation in the space sector and training in digital skills.

The announcement underscores a growing strategic alignment between the two nations, which are marking 40 years of diplomatic ties this year. It also reflects India's ambition to expand its technological influence across the African continent. India has already deployed similar systems in Africa, notably through its Modular Open Source Identity Platform (MOSIP), which countries like Morocco, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ethiopia have adopted or are in the process of implementing. Furthermore, India is collaborating with several African nations to develop digital payment systems inspired by its Unified Payments Interface (UPI), with advanced discussions underway, particularly with Rwanda.

Ultimately, this partnership has the potential to accelerate the modernization of Angolan government services, improve administrative efficiency, and stimulate local innovation. It represents strategic support for Angola as it strives to improve its standing in international digital governance rankings. According to the United Nations, Angola currently ranks 156th out of 193 in the 2024 e-Government Development Index, with a score of 0.4149, falling below both the African average (0.4247) and the global average (0.6382).

By Samira Njoya,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji

• European Investment Bank to provide $34 million in new funding to support Tunisia’s water infrastructure

• Main project includes new water treatment plant and pipeline upgrades to meet growing demand

• Tunisia steps up climate adaptation as food inflation rises and water scarcity worsens

The European Investment Bank (EIB) will lend Tunisia a total of €30 million ($34 million) to help improve access to drinking water and strengthen the country’s ability to adapt to climate change.

The announcement came during a visit to Tunis by EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris on April 28 and 29.

The funding will support two separate loans. A total of €22 million will go to Tunisia’s national water utility, SONEDE, to complete a key project aimed at securing drinking water for Greater Tunis. The plan includes building a new treatment plant in Bejaoua, laying pipelines, and installing pumping stations and water tanks. The goal is to prepare for a projected 50% increase in demand by 2040.

The second loan, worth €8 million, will be granted directly to the Tunisian government. It will support broader efforts to improve public access to clean water and strengthen sanitation systems, in partnership with SONEDE and the national sanitation utility ONAS.

“Through these two partnerships with the Tunisian government, SONEDE, and ONAS, the EIB is supporting practical, people-centered solutions. Whether it is about securing access to clean drinking water or improving sanitation through nature-based approaches, our goal is to help Tunisia build resilience in the face of climate challenges,” said Tsakiris.

Tunisia has been facing serious water stress due to repeated droughts and high agricultural consumption. Water shortages have cut crop yields and worsened food insecurity at a time when food prices are already rising. In March 2025, food inflation hit 7.8%, up from 7% the previous month, according to the National Institute of Statistics.

To manage the crisis, authorities are rolling out several solutions. These include better water management, more seawater desalination, and public awareness campaigns. Under the 2025 state budget, an extra 2 million dinars ($669,573) was added to the National Housing Improvement Fund to help households build rainwater storage tanks.

Despite progress, challenges remain. While access to drinking water rose from 82% in 1990 to 97% in 2012, about 250,000 people in Tunisia still rely on unsafe sources. The country aims to reach universal access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.

The EIB remains one of Tunisia’s key development partners, financing major projects in water, energy, education, transport, healthcare, and local development. In 2024, the bank invested over €415 million in Tunisia to support long-term infrastructure upgrades.

• Nigerian startup secures $20 million Series A to grow in Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire
• Backers include Norfund, Timon Capital, Ventures Platform, and Flour Mills of Nigeria
• Company reached profitability in 2024 and processed over $808.7 million in transactions

OmniRetail, a Nigerian startup helping informal retailers digitize their supply chains, has raised $20 million in Series A funding to grow its business across West Africa.

The funds will support its operations in Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire. OmniRetail also plans to expand its embedded finance tools, including credit for small retailers.

The round was led by Norfund—marking its first direct investment in an African startup—and Timon Capital, which backed the company in 2022. Other investors include Ventures Platform, Aruwa Capital, Goodwell Investments via Alitheia Capital, and Flour Mills of Nigeria.

In October 2024, OmniRetail acquired Traction Apps, a Nigerian fintech that provides payment and retail tools for small businesses. This helped strengthen OmniRetail’s services for FMCG distributors and improved its tech offering.

The company had raised $15 million in 2022 in a pre-Series A round backed by Timon Capital and others. With the latest round, it has now secured around $38 million since launch.

In 2024, it turned profitable. It processed more than 1,300 billion Naira ($808.7 million) in transactions and grew revenue by 40%. Its BNPL platform now disburses about 19 billion Naira in credit each month.

Informal retailers are central to trade across sub-Saharan Africa but face weak supply chains and limited access to credit. OmniRetail connects them with manufacturers and distributors through a digital platform backed by financial services, aiming to improve how informal trade works.

Global uranium demand will rise 28% from 2023 to 2030, according to the World Nuclear Association. Several uranium projects were recently launched all over the world, and especially in Africa, to meet this demand.

African uranium developers await better market conditions before making final investment decisions (FID). Bannerman Energy, in its April 24 quarterly report, said current nuclear fuel markets do not justify finalizing deals for its Etango project in Namibia.

“As a result, and despite being at a highly advanced stage with respect to all key workstreams, we are not seeing the appropriate market conditions to warrant finalising offtake and financing arrangements for the development of Etango,” Brandon Munro, Bannerman’s CEO, commented.

Deep Yellow made a similar announcement on April 8. It postponed the FID for its Tumas project in Namibia, citing uranium prices too low to support new projects. The company noted uranium prices hover around $80 per pound, below the $82.5 reference price needed for development.

Aura Energy, which develops the Tiris project in Mauritania, watches uranium futures closely but has not tied its FID to market prices. CEO Andrew Grove said utilities temporarily withdrew from the market due to large stockpiles, which now slow sector momentum. He expects a gradual market recovery once those inventories clear.

The uranium futures market matters because nuclear plants buy most uranium through it. This allows them to lock in low prices, which affects mining companies’ profitability. With demand expected to jump 28%, miners like Bannerman and Deep Yellow want to boost supply but need commercial terms that support investment planning.

Market conditions are not the only hurdle. Financing also slows things down. For example, Aura Energy seeks 50% to 60% of the $230 million needed for Tiris from a Western development bank. Meanwhile, Global Atomic tries to secure a $295 million loan for its Dasa project in Niger but has yet to succeed.

This article was initially published in French by Aurel Sèdjro Houenou

Edited in English by Jason Ange Quenum

Facing a prolonged slump in diamond demand and declining prices, De Beers has trimmed its 2025 production forecast to between 20 and 23 million carats, down from an initial range of 30 to 33 million carats. 

According to its quarterly report published on April 24, De Beers’ consolidated diamond sales in Q1 2025 totaled $520 million, down 44% compared to $925 million in Q1 2024.

De Beers reported selling 4.7 million carats of rough diamonds in its two regular sales during the first quarter of 2025, slightly below the 4.9 million carats sold in the same period last year. The average consolidated price dropped sharply by 38% to $124 per carat, a decline the company attributes to a shift in sales mix, inventory rebalancing, and a 15% fall in the average rough price index. This downturn comes amid persistent global weakness in diamond demand. 

In response, De Beers has cut its 2025 production forecast to between 20 and 23 million carats, down from the 30 to 33 million carats initially projected. Production in the first quarter fell 11% year-over-year to 6.1 million carats, signaling the company’s cautious approach. 

Adding to the market pressures, the diamond trading platform Uni Diamonds report that new U.S. tariffs under the Trump administration have dampened consumer confidence, with industry experts warning that these policies will likely affect prices, demand, and supply in the coming months.

This unfolding situation must be viewed within the broader context of the ongoing separation between De Beers and its parent company, Anglo American. While the full impact of current market challenges on this strategic split remains unclear, questions linger over whether these difficulties could delay or alter the planned $6 billion investment to expand the Jwaneng mine in Botswana.

This article was initially published in French by Aurel Sèdjro Houenou

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

The world’s seabed holds mineral resources valued at $100 trillion. Interest in these critical minerals—cobalt, nickel, and rare earths—has surged recently, yet exploitation remains limited.

On April 24, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to fast-track seabed mining permits in US waters. Though focused on national territory, the move could ignite a global scramble for seabed minerals.

Already, US companies, like Impossible Metals and The Metals Company, have started seeking licenses to mine the deep seabed. The order directs the federal government to speed up permit approvals, estimating the industry could add $300 billion to US GDP over ten years and create 100,000 jobs.

The order also calls for exploring mining opportunities beyond national jurisdictions but offers no details on how the US plans to pursue this extraterritorial ambition.

The deep seas hold vast mineral wealth, but commercial mining remains stalled internationally. Countries await a global regulatory framework from the International Seabed Authority (ISA), established in 1994 to oversee "responsible" mining of these common heritage resources. However, negotiations have dragged on for years amid persistent state disagreements.

Tech giants like Google and environmental groups, including the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) demand a moratorium on seabed mining, warning of severe risks to ocean biodiversity. The Biden administration aligned with the G7 in 2022, insisting mining should only proceed if it does not cause "serious environmental damage."

By speeding up mining permits in its waters and eyeing operations beyond national borders, the U.S. breaks from this cautious stance. Washington’s move could prompt other nations, especially in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, to jumpstart their mining efforts, reviving global competition for strategic deep-sea minerals without waiting for a multilateral deal.

This American shift may force a quick clarification of international positions. The ISA could face pressure to speed up consensus-building to avoid being sidelined. Alternatively, the US example might fragment approaches, with each nation pursuing seabed mining based on its own priorities.

This article was initially published in French by Emiliano Tossou

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum