Global health experts and practitioners at a policy webinar hosted by the African Development Institute (ADI) called for a “Marshall Plan on Inclusive Health in Africa.” There is an urgent need for inclusive health policy in Africa – one that can detect and interpret warning signs and rapidly mobilize to isolate threats, absorb and adapt to shocks, and organically innovate new strategies...

Present in Kenya since 2014, the leading insurance company in Mauritius reaches another important milestone in its expansion strategy in East Africa by completing the acquisition of Saham Kenya. The Mauritian insurance company MUA Ltd ("MUA") announces the completion of the acquisition of Saham Assurance Company Kenya Limited ("Saham Kenya") , through its subsidiary MUA Insurance (Kenya) Limited...

Fibrecom announced it has committed $50 million to support digital transformation in Zambia over the next two years. “We are injecting an additional US$50 million to support the Government’s objective of developing a robust digital space in the economic transformation of the country. We are supporting the Government-led Smart Zambia program in providing connectivity countrywide. We are...

Mobile Money transactions in Kenya dropped by a total of KSh36.7 billion over the first five months of 2020 to KSh1,752 billion against KSh1,789 billion over the same period in 2019. According to the central bank, the peak of the decline occurred in April (KSh 50 billion) when the government took stricter measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The sector needs close monitoring, especially...

Indian telecom group Bharti Airtel and the UK government are each investing $500 million to salvage US satellite operator OneWeb, which filed for bankruptcy last March after several financial troubles. According to a British government spokesperson, this investment “signals the government's ambition for the UK to be a pioneer in the research, development, manufacturing, and exploitation...

Initially scheduled for July 2020, the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could finally take place next January, the organization’s Secretary-General Wamkele Mene announced. According to the Secretary, the procedure was suspended due to the current Covid-19 pandemic but this gives time to member countries to conclude negotiations on trade tariffs and other...

The African Development Bank Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Wambui Gichuri as Acting Vice President- Agriculture, Human and Social Development, effective 5 July 2020. Wambui joined the African Development Bank Group in 2018 as Director, Water Development and Sanitation. She currently oversees the Bank’s water sector program of over $4.5 billion covering 44 countries and...

Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 health crisis, Bolloré Logistics is extending until 31 July 2020 its special weekly cargo freight service between Europe and West Africa, the WARA AIR SERVICE. To respond to air transport demand and continue ensuring the continuity of supply to the African continent, Bolloré Logistics has for three months provided regular weekly links between Europe and the...

In Nigeria, real interest rates on government securities redeemable within one year plunged to -8.3% at the end of April 2020. At the time when this category of government treasury bills, which is the benchmark in the country, was yielding just over 4%, the inflation rate was 12.3%. In financial logic, the real gain of investments in debt securities is measured mainly in comparison with the level...

The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund (ADF) on 3 July approved a grant of $165.08 million to support Ethiopia’s response to the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including helping to ease fiscal pressures on the economy. The grant, awarded from the country’s ADF-15 Performance-Based Allocation, will help bolster Ethiopia’s COVID-19 National...