• Angola launches $81.8M project to rehabilitate 200 km of Huambo roads• Works target key national routes to boost trade and agriculture• Government expects added benefits for tourism and regional commerce Angola's government launched a project this week to rehabilitate 200 kilometers of roads in the central Huambo province. The project, valued at 75 billion kwanzas (about $81.8...

• Chad launches project to digitize transport and civil aviation services• Reform targets faster processing, transparency, and revenue growth• Move aims to boost trade, align with AfCFTA and CEMAC standards Chad's Ministry of Transport, Civil Aviation, and Meteorology announced on Tuesday, September 9, the launch of a major project to digitize its administrative services. The initiative...

• Mali to establish national reinsurer, retain premiums locally• Initiative targets sovereignty, complex risk coverage, sector jobs• Market expanding, but insurance penetration trails WAEMU average Mali is moving to create a national reinsurance company. Minister of Economy and Finance Alousséni Sanou presented the project to the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. He...

• Burkina Faso bans check payments in public administration from Oct 1• Citizens must use cash, transfers, mobile money, or Faso Arzeka• Move aims to cut delays, boost efficiency, and secure finances Burkina Faso's public administration will no longer accept checks as a form of payment for financial transactions starting Wednesday, October 1, 2025. The measure was formalized on Tuesday,...

• Benin approves 2026 draft budget of 3.784T CFA francs (+6.5%)• Social spending set at 42%, inflation target around 2%• Growth forecast 7.5% in 2026, driven by industry and agriculture Benin’s Council of Ministers has approved a draft 2026 budget that is 6.5% higher than the previous year, according to a government statement released on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. The draft budget...

• South Africa courts Chinese automakers for EV and hybrid investment• Local production lags, 2024 sales 34% below industry target• Govt considers higher tariffs to curb cheap vehicle imports South Africa is in talks with Chinese automakers to invest in its local automotive industry, Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition Zuko Godlimpi told Parliament on Wednesday, September...

• Helios seeks 75-80% stake in Telecom Egypt’s data center• Deal values RDH at up to $260M, pending performance targets• Move expands Helios' data infrastructure portfolio in Africa British private equity firm Helios Investment Partners has received preliminary board approval from Telecom Egypt for a binding offer to acquire a 75% to 80% stake in the incumbent's regional data...

The Umhlanga Festival, also known as the “Reed Dance,” is one of the most iconic cultural events in the Kingdom of Eswatini in Southern Africa. Every year, usually at the end of August or the beginning of September, thousands of young women gather to take part in this ceremony, which blends ancestral traditions, national pride, and symbolic rituals. The festival takes place mainly at...

• Mobile coverage grew by 40M people in 2024, mostly in Africa• Sub-Saharan Africa has lowest mobile internet usage, at 25%• High data costs, rural gaps, and gender divide hinder adoption Global mobile coverage expanded to reach 40 million more people in 2024, with 75% of that growth occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. This is according to the annual report on mobile connectivity, "The State...

• BOA secures $1B Afreximbank deal to fund smallholder farmers• Funds target inputs, mechanization, and food logistics upgrades• Nigeria’s agriculture loan share remains under 5% of total credit Nigeria's Bank of Agriculture (BOA) has secured a $1 billion financing agreement with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). The deal was finalized on September 9 during the...