• FirstRand receives approval to take over HSBC's South African assets, clients, and staff• Move supports expansion of investment banking and multinational client services• HSBC’s exit from South Africa aligns with its strategy to refocus African operations FirstRand, a major South African bank, has received regulatory approval to acquire the clients, banking assets and liabilities, and...

• Yaouré underground extension budget raised from $124M to $170M, up 36%• Operations to begin in Q1 2026, earlier than the initially planned second half• Project depends on approval of environmental and social impact assessment Perseus Mining announced its final decision in January to build an underground extension at the Yaouré gold mine in Côte d’Ivoire. The project,...

On the occasion of its very first participation in VivaTech, Europe's largest innovation fair, AGL through its Yiri Innovation Center announces the signing of a strategic partnership with Digital Africa, a subsidiary of Proparco (AFD Group). Together, these two players in the African entrepreneurial ecosystem are combining their expertise and networks to support the continent's startups,...

• CBN gives forex bureaus until December 31, 2025, to meet new capital rules• Fewer than 10% of operators were compliant as of June 2025, says ABCON• Over 3 million jobs at risk if non-compliant bureaus are forced to shut down The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has extended the deadline for foreign exchange bureaus (BDCs) to meet new capital requirements. The new deadline is now set for...

Nigeria’s Parliament is deciding whether to approve a foreign loan plan worth about $24.14 billion. President Bola Tinubu proposed the plan in late May 2025. The money would help fund important infrastructure projects in 2025 and 2026. The government says the goal is to create jobs, teach people new skills, support small businesses, reduce poverty, and improve food supply. The main focus...

• African Telecommunications Union receives ICANN funding to support IPv6 rollout• IPv6 offers scalable solutions for growing internet and device connectivity in Africa• Adoption remains low, with only 4.46% of traffic on IPv6 across the continent as of May 2025 The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) has secured a grant from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers...

• Chad’s telecom regulator and police dismantle illegal telecom kiosks in Ndjamena• Operation targets unauthorized operators, unidentified SIMs, and illicit transfers• Authorities to set up commission to secure digital borders and curb telecom fraud Chad’s Electronic and Postal Communications Regulatory Authority (ARCEP), in coordination with the national police, launched a major...

• World Bank lowers growth forecast to 3.7% for 2025 and 4.2% for 2026–27• Downgrade reflects rising trade barriers and weakening global conditions• Risks include debt pressures, conflicts, and geopolitical tensions The World Bank has revised its growth projections for sub-Saharan Africa, lowering its 2025 forecast to 3.7% and projecting average growth of 4.2% for 2026–27. The update...

• EU to decide next week on SES's $2.9B acquisition of Intelsat• Deal expected to receive unconditional approval after UK clearance• Merger may reshape Africa’s satellite TV landscape The acquisition of American satellite operator Intelsat by Luxembourg-based Société européenne des satellites (SES) is expected to receive unconditional approval from the European Commission next...

• Rwanda signs MoU with Cotti Coffee to raise global coffee market value• Deal includes building a Sino-Rwandan coffee demonstration park• Coffee production and exports have declined steadily since 2019 Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chinese coffee chain Cotti Coffee International to enhance the global value of Rwandan coffee. The...