From October 1, 2016 to August 7, 2017, period over which extends the date season, Tunisia exported 103,000 tons of dates valued at 530.3 million dinars ($220 million). This was disclosed by a statement from the ministry of agriculture, water resources and fishery released yesterday. Proceeds of the exports over the period reviewed is 19% more than that recorded a year before, knowingly 445.8...

According to the Algerian Conservator of Forests, Ali Mahmoudi, the recent fires that spread in the Bejaïa wilaya, 220km from Algiers, are caused by men, not nature. The men, the official says, work for the "mafia du foncier" or land mafia. Talking about the recent fire that broke out last Friday, in the Bir Slam, the conservator told El Watan: "Over the past two days, the weather has been...

Nigeria-based petroleum products marketer, Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc., has announced that it has officially changed its name to Double one Plc (11 Plc). This was confirmed in a statement signed by Godstime Iwenekhai, the acting head, listings regulation department of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, on Tuesday. According to the document, the name change will take effect from Friday, 11 August...

Five Africans are listed in Forbes’ Top 10 Black Billionaires list, with Aliko Dangote crowing the ranking. With a wealth valued at $12.2 billion, the Nigerian Tycoon remains the world’s richest black person. Next is his fellow countryman Mike Adenuga who holds the third position in the ranking with a wealth of $6.1 billion, ahead of Isabel dos Santos, daughter of Angola’s...

As part of efforts to boost private sector’s investment in agriculture, Dangote Group, GrowAfrica and Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This is expected to pave the way for more private companies’ participation in the development of the agricultural value chain in the country. According to Sani Dangote, Vice-President of Dangote Group, the...

Nearly 1,500 farmers could lose lands they have been occupying for close to 50 years in Soavinandriana Itasy, in the Central part of Madagascar. Indeed the farmers, were ordered by the court to quit their properties which span over an area of 569ha that a former minister claims his. “Before 1970, these lands belonged to colonists but locals started occupying and using them progressively. Those...

Indigenous energy group, Forte Oil Plc., on Friday announced that it is currently in talks to seal a major refinery deal to boost its capacity. According to the firm’s CEO, Akin Akinfemiwa (CEO), the agreement aims at exploring partnerships and joint ventures for local refining of petroleum products. “We are aggressively pursuing M&A opportunities along the energy value chain,” he noted...

Last Wednesday, a decree to establish an investment fund for food security and nutrition (FISAN in French) was adopted in Niger, during a council of ministers. The decree mainly aims at boosting public-private investments in food and agro-food sectors. “The FISAN’s main purpose is to improve financial services’ offer for producers and other actors of value chains,” reads a statement...

In Senegal, Alioune Abdoulaye Sylla, Chief Prosecutor of the Republic at the High Court of Ziguinchor, on August 2, 2017, told the Senegal Press Agency (Agence de Presse Senegalaise – APS) that more than 50% of ongoing legal proceedings are land conflict related. The figure shows how significant are challenges related to land tenure in this region which is located in Casamance, in the Southern...

The Acting President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo (photo), has announced that the country will legalize illicit modular refineries in the Niger Delta oil hub by the end of this year and supply them with crude at a reasonable price. This he disclosed in a statement released on Thursday after a meeting with Niger Delta community leaders in Abuja. According to Osinbajo, the move was aimed at...