• Mali launches 2025 shea season, sets price at 250 CFA/kg• Ghana’s higher 433 CFA/kg price raises smuggling concerns• Export bans push focus on local shea processing in West Africa Mali has officially started its 2025 shea nut marketing season, setting the minimum farmgate price for a kilogram of good quality shea nuts at 250 CFA francs. This price, announced by the Ministry of...

• Egypt’s food exports rise 8% to $4.03B in Jan-Jul 2025• Frozen strawberries lead with $517M, up 77% year-on-year• Saudi Arabia top buyer; U.S. and Sudan follow closely Egypt's food sector exports reached $4.03 billion during the first seven months of 2025, an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. The data, released by the Food Export Council on Sunday,...

• Guinea issues new banknotes to ease cash liquidity crunch• 94% of notes remain outside banks, fueling shortages• Central bank pushes digital payments, banking access reforms The Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea (BCRG) announced on Sunday, August 31, that it is issuing a new batch of banknotes to ease a severe cash liquidity crunch affecting households and businesses. The decision...

• Nigeria drafts new telecom cybersecurity framework for 2026 rollout• Rules cover incident management, risk assessment, information sharing• Africa now world’s most targeted region for cyberattacks Nigeria's telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), is preparing a new regulatory framework to bolster cybersecurity in the sector. The draft, developed with...

• SGCI posts 10% profit rise to $89.3M in H1 2025• Strong deposits growth, but non-performing loans up 12.8%• Political uncertainty, election risks cloud banking sector outlook Société Générale Côte d’Ivoire (SGCI) reported a strong first half of 2025, with net profit rising 10% year-on-year to 53 billion CFA francs ($89.3 million). The performance solidifies the bank's...

• Egypt tops Africa with $16.4B in food imports• Africa’s total food imports hit $97B (2021–2023)• Somalia most dependent; Liberia least reliant on food imports Egypt has emerged as Africa's largest food importer, according to a recent report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The report, "The State of Commodity Dependence 2025," reveals...

• Lucara secures $10M loan for Karowe underground project• UGP faces delays, costs rise to $683M• Diamond market slump pressures revenues, project financing Lucara Diamond has secured a $10 million loan from its largest shareholder, Nemesia S.a.r.l., to address a funding shortfall for its Karowe underground project (UGP) in Botswana. The company announced the funding on...

• InVastor trains 463 Kenyan leaders on cryptocurrency use• Officials receive $50 each in InVastor Coins• Program seeks informed regulation, fintech growth in Kenya Nairobi-based digital finance platform InVastor Inc. has launched a cryptocurrency training program, providing nearly 500 Kenyan political leaders with a hands-on introduction to digital assets. A total of 463 officials,...

• ASX suspends West African Resources over Burkina Faso stake move• Government seeks 50% ownership of Kiaka gold project• New mining code boosts state control in resource sector The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) has suspended trading of West African Resources (WAF), the company that owns the Kiaka gold mine in Burkina Faso. The suspension, announced Monday, follows a disclosure by...

• Fidelity Bank plans expansion into underbanked DRC market• New subsidiary to support digital projects, financial inclusion• DRC banking penetration remains low at just 6% Fidelity Bank, one of Nigeria's leading financial institutions, has announced its intention to establish a lasting presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Fidelity Bank's managing director, Nneka...