eSwatini central bank launches electronic KYC system for identity verification Platform aims to boost financial inclusion and cut fraud risks Regional e-KYC integration planned to support cross-border payments The Central Bank of eSwatini (CBE) has launched an electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) system, marking a first step toward digitalizing identity verification within the nation's...

CSG Holding to invest $247M in Egypt photovoltaic glass plant Factory to produce 1,400 tons daily; construction to take 3 years Chinese solar firms expand in Egypt amid surging African demand Chinese glass manufacturer CSG Holding announced on Monday that its board of directors approved the construction of a photovoltaic glass factory in Egypt, representing an investment of 1.755...

Shell to prioritize LNG as core energy focus for next decade Global LNG demand forecast to rise 60% by 2040, Shell says Company plans 12M-ton capacity boost via projects in Canada, Qatar Anglo-Dutch multinational Shell plans to place Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) at the core of its energy strategy for the coming decade, a decision the company justifies by its long-term forecast for global...

Verod Capital exits Tangerine APT Pensions, sells stake to APT Securities Firm grew AUM 4.5x to ₦445B since 2020 sector entry Exit follows PenCom’s new recapitalization rules for pension firms Verod Capital, a Lagos-based private equity firm focused on West Africa, announced on Wednesday it is divesting its stake in Nigerian pension fund administrator Tangerine APT Pensions. The...

Ghana reaches 89% electrification, among Africa’s highest rates 3.7M rural residents still lack access; target is 99% by 2030 $4.4B plan includes grid expansion, solar mini-grids, renewables With an electrification rate of 89% in 2024, Ghana is among the most advanced countries in Africa for energy access. Out of a population of 34.4 million, more than 30 million people are connected to...

Nigeria cuts crude theft losses to 9,600 bpd, lowest since 2009 PINL recruits 35,000 Niger Delta youths for pipeline patrols Authorities warn local collusion still threatens progress Nigeria’s efforts to combat crude oil theft are gaining traction, with losses due to sabotage and illegal tapping falling to their lowest level since 2009, even as risks of local collusion persist. The...

NT55 plans $2.9B Gauteng dry port to ease freight bottlenecks Project targets 2.8M units annually, with 2027 construction start South Africa rail reforms aim to boost private sector investment NT55 Investments has unveiled a 50 billion rand (approximately $2.9 billion) investment plan for its rail-integrated Gauteng dry port project, an inland logistics hub intended to alleviate...

RWE exits $10B Hyphen green hydrogen project in Namibia Company cites market conditions, not indigenous land concerns EU hydrogen demand remains low; 98% of projects in planning German energy giant RWE announced its withdrawal from the Hyphen green hydrogen derivatives project in Namibia on Monday, pulling out of a $10 billion undertaking designed to establish the country as a...

African air cargo volumes surged 11% in August, IATA says Africa-Asia corridor traffic rose 8.4%, boosting capacity 12.3% Shift from sea to air freight driven by U.S. tariffs African airlines posted the world's strongest growth in air cargo volumes in August, with volumes surging 11% year-on-year, according to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This...

Kerry calls for ESG to focus on economics, not ethics Critics say ESG enables greenwashing, lacks clear standards Political shifts, weak metrics cast doubt on ESG credibility Former U.S. Secretary of State and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards must abandon their moral grounding and become anchored in economic...