The Lagos State Tax Appeals Tribunal has ordered MTN Nigeria to pay $72.5 million in tax arrears to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). This amount covers the period from 2007 to 2017. The verdict was pronounced following an appeal by the local subsidiary of the South African telecoms group. The dispute began in May 2018, when the Federal Attorney General's Office published a report...

The European Union adopted on October 23 a legal framework for sanctions against the military regime in Niger. This move enables the organization to "sanction persons and entities responsible for actions that threaten the peace, stability, and security of Niger, undermine the constitutional order [...] or constitute serious violations of human rights [...] or breaches of international...

The Ivorian government announced the suspension of the import of alcoholic energy drinks on its territory. The “precautionary” measure will remain in effect until December 31, a statement from the Ministries of Trade and Health reported. According to the document, the decision is aimed at cracking down on the consumption of a drug mix called "Kadhafi", which combines alcoholic energy drinks...

Since 2019, Zimbabwean telecom operators have been allowed to increase their tariffs several times to meet the challenges of the local operating environment. The latest tariff adjustments date back to February and April 2023. The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) has approved a new increase in tariffs for services provided by telecom companies. This new...

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group have approved South Africa’s Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2023-2028 The Bank’s interventions over the next five years will focus on two priority areas: improving governance and developing the private sector in southern Africa’s largest and most populated country. The CSP 2023-2028 aims to support the South African government’s...

Gilles Duffaut was appointed the new Director of International Logistics Development for AGL (Africa Global Logistics) on 01 September 2023. Together with Eric Melet, CEO of Logistics and Rail Solutions, he is responsible for developing the international network at the leading African multimodal logistics operator. With the appointment of Gilles Duffaut, AGL aims to strengthen relationships...

The African Development Bank (AfDB), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Center for Global Development came together to co-host a high-level meeting on October 13th to discuss the rechanneling of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) from contributing countries through Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). The objective is to boost their development and climate...

The Africa Investment Forum (AIF) 2023 Market Days is less than three weeks away.  From 8-10 November serious investors will gather at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech, Morocco to participate in Africa’s premier investment marketplace. The focus this year will be on “Unlocking Africa’s Value Chains.” The Africa Investment Forum is pivotal for attracting domestic and foreign...

The two countries are on the brink of securing membership in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), marking a significant milestone facilitated by recent changes in the institution's statutes. However, the details of the membership requirements remain somewhat undefined. The shareholders of the EBRD have granted their approval for the membership applications submitted by...

In July 2023, the Nigerian government declared a state of emergency on food security, aiming to implement exceptional measures to combat the growing crisis. In September, the country faced a significant challenge as food inflation surged to 30.64% year-on-year, jeopardizing its pursuit of food self-sufficiency. According to a report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), this surge was...