• UBS raises 2025 gold forecast to $3,800 amid rate cut bets• Gold hits $3,643/oz; silver tops $40 for first time since 2011• Central bank buying, weaker dollar fuel precious metals rally Swiss bank UBS now forecasts gold prices to reach $3,800 an ounce by the end of 2025, up from its previous target of $3,500. The updated forecast, reported on Friday, September...

• Askari signs agreement to sell Australian gold assets to focus on Africa projects• Proceeds to fund Ethiopia gold acquisition, exploration activities• Shift aligns with rising interest in Africa’s mineral reserves Askari Metals announced on Friday, September 12, that it has reached an agreement to sell its subsidiary, First Western Gold Pty, to Forrestania Resources Limited. The...

• Nigeria targets 12% share of global rubber production• Strategy includes farm expansion, out-grower schemes, processing boost• Goal aims to reduce oil dependence, increase export revenues Nigeria's rubber sector is aiming to contribute 12% to global rubber production, according to Peter Idowu, president of the National Association of Rubber Producers, Processors, and Marketers of Nigeria...

• Mauritania signs $300M deal for hybrid solar-wind power plant• Project to supply 60 MW continuously, operational by Sept 2026• Aims to reach 100% electricity access, 70% renewables by 2030 Mauritania has taken a new step in its energy strategy, signing two public-private partnership agreements in Nouakchott on Friday, September 12, for the construction and operation of a hybrid...

• Africa to receive only 3% of 2025 global energy funds• Clean energy lags as debt absorbs 85% of investment capacity• South, North Africa dominate; Sub-Saharan regions fall behind Global energy investments are projected to reach $3.3 trillion in 2025, according to the "World Energy Investment 2025" report published this September by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Clean energy...

• Gabon aims to digitalize public revenue collection to support a CFA7,233.3 billion (approximately $13 billion) budget for 2026.• The initiative seeks to expand the tax base by integrating the informal economy and promoting electronic payments.• The "Digitax Gabon" platform, launched in April 2024, has already increased tax revenue collection, exceeding 2024 targets by 18%. The...

• East African ministers meet to align higher education regionally• Mutual diploma recognition discussed to boost graduate mobility and jobs• Goal: match university training with private sector needs East African education ministers, policymakers, and university leaders convened in Munyonyo, near Kampala, last week for the first-ever regional ministerial conference on higher education. The...

• S&P Global Ratings lowered Botswana's sovereign credit rating to BBB from BBB+, maintaining a negative outlook.• The downgrade stems from collapsing diamond revenues, deteriorating public finances, and rapid erosion of foreign exchange reserves.• Botswana's diamond-dependent economic model faces challenges from falling global demand and the rise of synthetic diamonds. S&P Global Ratings...

• Only six of Nigeria's 13 listed banks currently meet the Central Bank of Nigeria's (CBN) new recapitalization requirements.• The CBN significantly raised minimum capital thresholds in March 2024, with a March 2026 deadline for compliance.• The reform aims to strengthen the banking system and support larger-scale financing, potentially leading to sector consolidation.  Six months...

• Roots and tubers like cassava, sweet potato, and yam will be central to Africa's food security in the coming decade.• Despite their importance, these crops suffer from insufficient support, with production growth driven by area expansion rather than productivity.• The International Potato Center's new partnership aims to boost producer access to planting material and technology,...