National large language model to power government services, education, and healthcare Over 350 AI firms and 100 investors attend summit in Cairo Move positions Egypt as a regional hub for AI development and digital economy Egypt has launched a national artificial intelligence model dubbed Karnak, aiming to strengthen sovereign digital capabilities and embed AI across public services, as...

Ghana cuts COCOBOD cocoa road debt from ¢21.7bn to ¢4.35bn. Finance Minister Forson announces major COCOBOD fiscal reforms. Cabinet directs cocoa road liabilities moved to Roads Ministry. Ghana's government has ordered a series of structural reforms to restore financial viability to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), starting with a dramatic reduction of the institution's exposure to cocoa...

Benin is guest of honor at the 2026 African Book Fair in Paris. More than 400 authors and 150 publishers from 20 countries are expected. The spotlight comes as Benin’s publishing sector continues to grow. The fifth edition of the African Book Fair in Paris (SLAP) is set to highlight African literature, with Benin named guest of honor and Angola invited as special guest. The three-day...

Ericsson and Nigeria’s government launched the “Connect NextGen Hackathon.” The four-month program targets 5G, AI, IoT, cloud and sustainability. Top teams will access incubation, funding and networking opportunities. Sweden’s Ericsson announced on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, the launch of the “Connect NextGen Hackathon” in Nigeria, in partnership with the federal government,...

CMA CGM launched its first regional Africa office in Abidjan. The hub will oversee pricing, equipment management and customer service. The move comes amid rising competition from MSC and Maersk. CMA CGM announced this week the opening of its first regional office for Africa. Located in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the logistics hub will be led by Adeline Gabillaud, the French group’s vice...

DRC Gold Trading opened a Lubumbashi branch to channel artisanal gold. First official shipment from Haut-Katanga topped 20 kg, worth over $2 million. The state firm targets up to 18 tons of annual artisanal gold exports. DRC Gold Trading S.A., the state-owned company responsible for purchasing, marketing and exporting artisanal gold, announced on Feb. 10, 2026, that it has expanded...

ERG signed an MoU with EGC to supervise artisanal cobalt mining. EGC holds a state-backed monopoly on buying and exporting artisanal cobalt. Exports may route through the Lobito corridor under new trade rules. Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), 40% owned by the Kazakh government, signed a memorandum of understanding on Feb. 10 with the Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC) to strengthen the...

Industrial, jewelry and silverware demand expected to decline in 2026. Physical investment demand projected to rise 20% to 227 million ounces. Tight supply expected to support high prices, with banks forecasting gains. Traditional drivers of silver demand are expected to contract in 2026, with the exception of physical investment, according to the Silver Institute. Rising...

ARE approved CrossBoundary Energy DRC’s solar project for Kamoa-Kakula. The 233.8 MWc plant will supply 30 MW of continuous power from 2026. The project is expected to cut 78,750 tons of CO₂ annually. After Green World Énergie in January, CrossBoundary Energy DRC has secured regulatory approval for its solar project serving the Kamoa-Kakula copper complex in Lualaba...

Not long ago, Africa had fallen off Petrobras’ strategic map. Under the weight of debt and the fallout from the “Lava Jato” corruption scandal, the Brazilian state-controlled oil company retreated from its overseas ventures and doubled down on its core Brazilian assets, especially the lucrative pre-salt fields. Projects across Africa, once part of its international expansion drive, were...