Zambia’s external debt has been growing since 2006, according to World Bank data. To address the situation, the country, which is facing numerous economic challenges, has initiated reforms to revive its economy with the support of international partners.  This year, the World Bank will fund several projects, to the tune of US$560 million in Zambia. The information was disclosed in the...

In September 2022, Bolloré Transport & Logistics Cote d’Ivoire will inaugurate a modern logistics base with a total area of 9,000 m2, in the airport area of Abidjan. Designed to strengthen its offer of services linked to the import and export of goods by air, this new infrastructure will have required 18 months of work and an investment of 3.4 billion CFA francs. Connected to the...

The telecom spectrum is a limited but essential resource for telecommunications services. By devising this review plan, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia wants to optimize its management. The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) will review its frequency band plan every four years. This was revealed by CRAN CEO, EMILIA Nghikembua, on Tuesday, April 12, during...

After its first investments in 2018, Tofino capital decided to go a step further by launching a multi-sectoral fund. The investment vehicle will target startups in frontier markets such as Egypt and Nigeria.   Early-stage investor Tofino Capital announced the first close, at US$5 million,  of its US$10 million investment fund set up for pre-seed and seed-stage investments in...

Gabonese authorities recently reduced value-added tax (VAT) on some sales transactions and services to 5% to ease the tax pressure on some segments of the economy and facilitate trade.   According to the official gazette, the VAT reduction applies to the importation of fishing boats and aircraft, the sales of second-hand products used for business operations, imports by firms subject...

When incidents occur, insurance firms are under pressure because they are required to compensate their clients. In South Africa, insurers were already obliged to disburse record amounts to cover Covid-19 related claims. With the rains that forced President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a state of natural disaster, fears are high that insurance claims may reach another record level this year. On...

Safaricom is currently preparing for the launch of its commercial operations in Ethiopia. The launch was supposed to happen this month but the telecom operator still has some details to work out.  In Ethiopia, mobile network operator Safaricom announces an agreement in principle with incumbent operator Ethio Telecom to share its telecom infrastructure. Under the terms of the agreement,...

DRC currently sources about 70% of its wheat supplies from Russia and Ukraine. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict fueled imported inflation in the country, which was already battling skyrocketing prices caused by international supply chain disruptions.   The Democratic Republic of Congo announced Wednesday (April 20), the suspension of value-added tax (VAT) on a set of products....

In December 2021, Senegal’s telecom regulator imposed a US$35 million fine on three operators because of the poor quality of their services. The current fine adjustment follows an appeal they submitted before the fines became dues.           Senegal’s Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications and Posts (ARTP) announced Friday (April 15), its...

Insuring the airlines flying the Egypt-Russia route against various risks has become a challenge for insurers, mainly due to Western sanctions. The bill signed allows the government to cover the national airlines against such risks.  In Egypt, the parliament recently approved a bill authorizing the Ministry of Finance to provide insurance protection to the local airlines for flights to...