Minimum pension to rise from 30,000 to 60,000 CFA in 2026 Accrual and replacement rates raised to strengthen retirement security Orphan’s pension expanded to reach 1,836 children by 2026 The Ivorian Council of Ministers approved reforms to the Private Sector Workers’ Pension Scheme (RGTS) on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. The changes are designed to improve benefits for retirees and their...

Bunia airport upgrade in DRC now 76% complete $48M project delayed eight months, delivery set for Feb 2026 Expansion aims to handle wide-body aircraft, gain international status The project to modernize the Bunia National Airport, also known as Murongo, in Ituri province, DRC, is expected to be delivered in February 2026, according to Barry Boubacar, track works director for the Congolese...

While much of the world grapples with an aging workforce, Sub-Saharan Africa is moving in the opposite direction. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, the region will drive most of the global increase in working-age population by 2030. This demographic shift is drawing growing interest from companies and institutions that see Africa’s youth surge as an...

ST Digital opens Tier 3 data center in Côte d’Ivoire Facility boosts local data control, security, and digital services Center to support jobs, skills, and national digital sovereignty Pan-African IT services company ST Digital inaugurated a Tier 3 data center on Thursday, October 2, at the VITIB technology free zone in Grand-Bassam. The facility, the first of its kind in  Côte...

IMF approves $26.5M for Liberia under credit program Funds support debt reduction, stability, and governance reforms Liberia urged to boost domestic revenue, maintain fiscal discipline The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a $26.5 million disbursement to Liberia after completing the second review of the country’s Extended Credit Facility (ECF). The funds...

Focus on vocational training for jobs, growth, sustainability Event targets youth, women amid high job insecurity rates The African Union (AU) will host the second Africa Skills Week (ASW) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from October 13–17, 2025, following its debut in Accra in 2024. The event, themed “Powering Africa's Industrial Future: Skills for Innovation, Growth, and...

Program targets 5.2M people via cooperatives and training FAO backs effort; coverage in rural areas remains limited The Ivorian government has approved a 187.4 billion XOF ($334 million) program to extend social protection to workers in the agricultural and informal sectors. The plan, announced after a Council of Ministers meeting on October 2, 2025, will be implemented with support...

Three foreign workers killed at Simandou mine, WCS says WCS suspends operations; safety concerns follow multiple deaths Guinea insists 2025 production deadline will be met The Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), operator of two of the four blocks at Guinea’s Simandou iron ore deposit, said on Thursday, October 2, that three foreign workers had died at the site. The accident...

A 96 km road linking Kwilu, Ngongo, and Kimpangu is being paved in Kongo Central. The $160.38 million project is 80% financed by a Chinese consortium, 20% by the state. The road will ease trade with Angola and reduce reliance on risky river transport. The Democratic Republic of Congo has begun paving the Kwilu–Ngongo–Kimpangu road in Kongo Central province. The 96 km...

Yas Tanzania launches smartphone financing program with China’s ZTE. Smartphones make up only 36.75% of mobile devices despite 92.7m subscriptions. Operator holds 28.8% Internet share and aims to boost growth through affordability. Yas Tanzania, a subsidiary of Axian Telecom, has launched a smartphone financing program in partnership with Chinese manufacturer ZTE, local media...