In 2023, the 2G and 3G telecom networks covered almost the entire Ethiopian population, according to the GSMA. In contrast, the 4G and 5G networks covered 33% and 1% of Ethiopians, respectively. Ethio Telecom, the state-owned telecommunications company, is asking the Ethiopian Parliament to implement policies that would make land acquisition easier to help expand its network across the country....

Inflation decreased in Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, and Mali. However, it accelerated in Guinea-Bissau and remained stable in Senegal. Inflation in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) dropped by 0.9 percentage points, from 3.4% in October to 2.5% in November 2024. This marks the second consecutive decrease since the rate was 3.6% in September. The Central...

Adopted at the end of 2024, the new WAEMU regulation strengthens currency controls and places the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism at the heart of the region's economic and security priorities. On December 20, 2024, WAEMU’s Council of Ministers passed a new rule to control the Union's foreign financial relations. This new rule replaces the one from 2010 and...

Digital technology is now at the heart of many development challenges across Africa. Several ambitious projects aim to boost millions of people's economic and social growth. However, challenges remain depending on the country. Between 2013 and 2023, Rwanda attracted $819 million in foreign direct investments (FDI) in the digital sector, distributed across four key sub-sectors. Software and...

Billionaires like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, along with fund managers Cinctive and BlackRock, are increasing their investments in Africa's mining sector. They are backing Washington's push for critical minerals. KoBold Metals recently raised $537 million to explore copper in Zambia. This funding, supported by tech moguls and billionaires Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, highlights the...

Indonesia tripled its investment in local mineral processing between 2019 and 2022. In contrast, Africa attracted only 2.8% of the global foreign direct investment (FDI) for critical minerals processing from 2019 to 2023, despite holding 30% of the world's reserves. Indonesia's development of a local minerals processing industry provides valuable insights for African mining nations. A December...

Yearly, Guinea exports over 100 million tons of bauxite. However, the country has only one alumina refinery; alumina is necessary to produce aluminum. Since 2022, the government led by Mamadi Doumbouya has been pressuring mining companies to process bauxite locally. In December 2024, Guinea signed a deal with China's State Power Investment Corp (SPIC) to build a bauxite-to-alumina plant. The...

While they mainly operate during the early stages of business development, most business angels active on the continent adopt a cautious approach and engage in partnerships with other players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, such as venture capital firms and tech hubs. Around 64% of active business angels in Africa make investments of less than $25,000 per transaction, according to a...

Senegal has made great progress in economic and human development. It will be the fifth African country to leave the Least Developed Countries (LDC) category, after Botswana, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, and São Tomé and Príncipe. In December 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to remove Senegal from the LDC list after a five-year preparatory period, ending in...

As Benin’s current president, Patrice Talon, nears the end of his second and final term, potential successors are beginning to emerge. Ahead of the mid-2026 elections, some figures are already making their intentions known. Pan-African activist Kemi Seba has announced his intention to run for president in Benin’s 2026 election. With less than two years until the vote, he is among the first...