• Egypt has signed three new oil and gas exploration agreements with Apache, Dragon Oil, and Perenco, targeting the Western Desert, Gulf of Suez, and North Sinai regions.• These deals, totaling over $121 million, follow a recent memorandum of understanding with BP to drill five new wells in the Mediterranean.• The push for new gas discoveries aims to reverse declining production, meet...

• The government announced plans for a new guarantee fund to ease SME access to credit.• Only 22% of SMEs in the country currently access formal bank financing.• The fund will complement the existing CFA10 billion FNGI created in May 2025. The Central African Republic (CAR) plans to create a new national guarantee fund to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and improve their...

• Women represent nearly 50% of business owners in Benin, mainly in trade and crafts.• The DRC selected 20,628 women in 2025 for a micro-entrepreneurship support program.• Benin’s Microcredit Alafia program has supported over 650,000 people, 84% of them women. In several Sahelian countries, the informal sector represents a large share of the economy and provides jobs for many women....

(CHOISEUL AFRICA) - For the very first time, the Choiseul Africa Summit was held in East Africa. Led by Choiseul Africa, chaired by Pascal Lorot, in partnership with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) headed by Carole Kariuki, and supported by the AXIAN Group, the African Guarantee Fund, Bpifrance, Holiday Inn Nairobi Two Rivers, Agence Ecofin and the Two Rivers International Finance...

• Uganda faces a severe youth unemployment crisis, with over 81,000 applicants competing for just 280 public sector positions in a recent recruitment drive.• The economy generates only 80,000 formal jobs annually, while approximately 600,000 young people enter the job market each year.• Uganda's rapidly growing working-age population (73% under 30) exacerbates the mismatch between...

• Zambia building 152 new telecom towers, 40 already in service• Airtel, IHS and regulator ICTA lead rollout to boost rural connectivity• Project aims to support 4G/5G, e-learning, telehealth and digital finance The Zambian government, in partnership with Airtel and infrastructure provider IHS Zambia, announced on Saturday, September 13, the rollout of 152 new telecom towers nationwide....

• Kobo Resources raises $3.9 mln to fund gold exploration in Côte d’Ivoire• Funds to advance drilling at Kossou and early-stage work at Kotobi site• Projects remain at early stage, with no major gold discovery confirmed yet Canadian junior miner Kobo Resources announced yesterday it has raised $3.9 million through a private placement completed in August. The funds will be used...

• ECOWAS adopts regional framework to strengthen social protection systems• Only 16% of West Africans covered by at least one benefit, FAO reports• Nigeria and Senegal cited as examples of expanding national programs The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched a regional social protection framework and operational plan during an advocacy and dissemination workshop...

• SUNU Assurances Nigeria projects 45% drop in 2025 profit before tax• Forex losses and rising reinsurance costs weigh on earnings outlook• Gross premiums seen up 32.9% to 17.31 bln naira despite profit decline SUNU Assurances Nigeria expects a sharp decline in profitability by the end of 2025. According to its projections, profit before tax will fall 45.47%, from 4.27 billion naira in...

• Senegal to roll out 774 telecom towers under universal access program• Project aims to improve coverage for 436,000 people in underserved areas• Plan complements broader $115 mln digital push to connect 1,540 towns Senegal plans to deploy 774 telecom sites under its Universal Access Program (PAU) to improve network coverage nationwide. The project was unveiled during a workshop...