Gunvor drops bid for Lukoil’s foreign assets after U.S. sanctions warning Deal covered major African oil stakes; valued at $22B with no debt U.S. stance blocks approval; Lukoil must find new sanctioned-compliant buyer Swiss commodities trader Gunvor said on Nov. 6 it had withdrawn its bid for the overseas assets of Russia’s Lukoil. The move followed the U.S. Treasury’s...

Biovac opens mRNA-capable vaccine lab in Cape Town, backed by global donors Facility enables full vaccine production, supporting Africa’s health sovereignty goals Project aligns with AU plan to boost local vaccine output to 60% by 2040 The facility will support full vaccine and therapeutic manufacturing for diseases prevalent in Africa. The Cape Town facility is funded by the Gates...

South Africa extends Koeberg Unit 2 nuclear license by 20 years to 2045 Unit 2 ran 241 days at full capacity; major upgrades completed Extension supports 5,000 MW nuclear plan under IRP 2025 energy strategy The National Nuclear Regulator has approved a 20-year extension of the operating license for Unit 2 of South Africa’s Koeberg power station. South African power utility Eskom said...

The agri-food sector has been identified as a primary driver of global forest loss over the past two decades. While the focus often falls on the companies involved, recent studies are highlighting the crucial role of banks in fueling this expansion and the resulting deforestation. Global banks poured $72 billion into high-risk agricultural supply chains tied to deforestation over the past...

France, EU launch $2.5B fund to protect Congo Basin forests Congo Basin stores 90.9B tons carbon; faces deforestation threats COP30 to unveil donor-backed “Belem Call” forest protection plan France and its European partners are setting up a $2.5 billion fund over five years to help preserve the Congo Basin’s ecosystem, one of the planet’s most critical natural carbon...

The Central Bank of Guinea plans a payment system modeled on Kenya’s M-Pesa. The initiative aims to reduce reliance on cash and expand digital payments. The country’s liquidity crisis has eased but structural issues persist. To prevent future tensions from cash shortages like those seen in recent months, the Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea (BCRG) has developed a strategy to...

The African Union launches the 2025–2034 Decade of Education and Skills Development. UNESCO supports regional programs to embed sustainability in African education systems. Funding gaps and teacher training shortages still hinder progress in sustainable education. In early October, the African Union launched the Decade of Education and Skills Development 2025–2034. The initiative,...

PRSS-ASN II to build clinics, expand emergency and blood services Project targets access gaps amid insecurity, workforce, and malaria challenges Burkina Faso’s government has approved the preliminary report for the Second Primary Health Care Strengthening Project for Improved Health and Nutrition (PRSS-ASN II), worth more than 170 billion FCFA (approximately $299.5 million). The...

The ranking assesses 145 countries based on the diversity and sophistication of their inputs and technologies essential to the global energy transition. Countries that only produce raw critical minerals are thus significantly penalized. Tunisia and Morocco are the most competitive African nations in global green value chains, according to the new Greenplexity Index released on Wednesday, Nov. 5,...

Standard Bank to open Cairo office on Nov. 12, 2025 Office to boost trade links between Egypt, Gulf, and Africa Bank also seeks full license to expand operations in Egypt Standard Bank Group will open a representative office in Cairo on Nov. 12, 2025, media sources reported, marking the next phase of its North Africa expansion strategy. The group, led by CEO Sim Tshabalala, sees...