• Canadian Sintana buys UK-based Challenger Energy in all-share deal worth $61 million• Merger covers offshore assets in Uruguay and Namibia’s PEL 79 and PEL 83 blocks• Move aims to help independents compete with major oil firms in Africa Canadian offshore explorer Sintana Energy announced on October 9 the acquisition of London-listed Challenger Energy Group. The all-share...

• Faso Films Fund aims to finance local and diaspora cinema projects• Initiative managed by the Burkinabè Film and Audiovisual Agency (ABCA)• Program targets production, promotion, and training across the value chain The Burkina Faso government has launched the Faso Films Fund, a national mechanism to finance film and audiovisual projects by local professionals and the diaspora. Presented...

• Guinea-Bissau now expects to export 250,000 tons of cashew nuts in 2025, up 25% from its initial forecast.• The country has already exported 180,000 tons since the campaign began in February.• Cashew exports generated CFA132.8 billion ($219 million) in 2023, accounting for 93% of national export revenues. Guinea-Bissau revised its 2025 cashew export forecast upward to 250,000 tons as...

• Mali’s state-owned SOREM signed an agreement with U.S.-based Flagship Mining to restart production at the Morila gold mine, which holds 2.5 million ounces in reserves.• The mine, previously operated by Barrick Mining and AngloGold Ashanti, produced over 6 million ounces before being acquired and later relinquished by Firefinch Ltd.• The talks come amid a 32% drop in Mali’s industrial...

• Gabon signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Italy’s Todini Costruzioni Generali for two hydropower projects in Booué and Tsengué-Lélédi.• The combined cost of the projects is estimated at $1.78 billion, according to the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA).• The projects form part of a 2025–2027 government plan to curb chronic power outages and...

• Tanzania's TTCL expands its "Faiba Mlangoni Kwako" fiber internet project as the nation's subscriber base soars to 54 million, a 107% jump.• As 4G technology dominates Tanzania's internet market, the FTTH sector is still in its infancy, with only 83k users, but it shows rapid and promising subscriber growth.• Despite spearheading the national fiber project, state-owned TTCL holds a mere...

• Companies with annual revenue above CFA5 billion ($8.8 million) will be required to build headquarters in Burkina Faso.• Firms will have six months to present construction plans once the law takes effect, with tax incentives provided for compliance.• The measure aims to boost local investment, job creation, and state revenue while improving urban infrastructure. The Burkinabe government...

• Toubani Resources plans to raise $259 million (AUD 395 million) to fund development of the Kobada gold project in Mali.• The company targets a final investment decision (FID) by end-2025 and aims to start production by Q3 2027.• The Kobada mine is expected to produce 1.49 million ounces of gold over 9.2 years, requiring an initial investment of $216 million. Toubani...

• Senegal plans to cut corn imports by 20% by 2026, equivalent to about 103,000 tons based on 2024 levels.• The strategy relies on the $400 million Africa Agricultural Acceleration Program (AAAP) backed by the World Bank Group.• Domestic corn production covered 172,200 hectares in 2023/2024, with an average yield of 3.29 tons per hectare, according to the national statistics...

• The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will launch a Digital Connectivity Index by end-2025 to rank all 36 states and the federal capital by broadband readiness and digital infrastructure.• Nigeria plans to deploy 90,000 km of new fiber optic cables under the $1.6 billion BRIDGE project, supported by the World Bank, AfDB, EIB, and IsDB.• The initiative aligns with the National...