• Morocco awarded the expansions of Marrakech and Agadir airports to Jet Contractors and SGTM, increasing capacities to 16 million and 7 million.• Casablanca Mohammed V is in the procurement process for a new terminal, targeting a 35 million capacity, with an award expected before the end of 2025.• The MAD 38 billion Airports 2030 plan aims to double national capacity by 2030, as traffic...

• Petrobras left Nigeria in 2019 but is now preparing a return under talks on deepwater blocks.• Tinubu and Lula pledged closer cooperation across energy, trade, aviation, and finance.• Petrobras sees Africa as its top exploration zone outside Brazil, targeting Nigeria, Angola, and Namibia. During a state visit to Brazil, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu announced on yesterday that Brazilian...

• Kibing Group plans a facility in Algeria producing 1.53m tons of solar glass annually.• The project includes a silica sand processing unit and will create 3,000 direct jobs.• Algeria seeks to use its vast silica reserves to become a regional solar hub. Chinese glassmaker Kibing Group will set up a solar glass plant in Algeria using silica sand, the Algerian Ministry of Energy, Mines and...

• ECOWAS plans a rapid deployment brigade of 260,000 troops costing $2.5bn annually.• The force will back frontline states with logistics and financial support against terrorism.• Sahel violence killed 51% of global terror victims in 2024, with threat spreading south. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) needs $2.5 billion per year to set up a 260,000-strong...

Mastercard and Circle expand their partnership to enable EEMEA banks to settle transactions in USDC and EURC stablecoins. The move aims to reduce remittance costs, expedite cross-border payments, and safeguard SMEs against currency volatility. Mastercard positions stablecoins as mainstream money, backed by its Multi-Token Network and regulatory safeguards. Mastercard and Circle, issuer of...

Mali hosts two lithium mines, Goulamina and Bougouni, which are primarily controlled by Chinese firms that channel their output through local subsidiaries. Exports from Kodal Minerals’ Bougouni mine remain suspended as authorities seek to ensure sales align with market prices, a stance analysts say is justified given the sector’s complexities. In an interview with Ecofin Agency, Adam...

Nearly 600 million Africans lack electricity, equal to 80% of the global deficit. Power shortages hit telecoms, data centers, and digital services across the continent. World Bank, AfDB, and donors are scaling up electrification and mini-grid projects. About 600 million Africans still have no access to electricity, representing nearly half the continent’s population and more than 80% of...

Sadot and Vodacom’s MOTI launch Africa’s first telco-powered farm-to-fork app to cut crop losses and bypass middlemen. The Zambia pilot links farmers to buyers with instant M-Pesa payments, AI pricing, and cold-chain logistics in one platform. Expansion to Tanzania, Kenya, and Mozambique in 2026 aims to onboard 50,000 growers and boost financial inclusion. Sadot LLC, global food supply...

UN report shows Nigeria among the hardest hit globally by soaring prices of starchy foods and oils between 2019 and 2024. Prices of maize, yam, vegetable oil, and wheat flour multiplied up to tenfold in five years. Nigerian households now spend about 50% of their income on food, worsening food insecurity. Nigeria is among the countries most affected by surging food prices in recent years,...

E-money institutions in WAEMU grew revenues to CFA291.3bn in 2024, up from CFA172.9bn in 2022. Despite growth, they posted a net loss of CFA17.3bn in 2024, their third year in deficit. The sector counted 14 licensed firms by end-2024, down from 17 a year earlier. E-money institutions (EMIs) in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) have seen strong growth in recent years,...