Africa loses about $15 billion annually by exporting most of its crude oil without local refining. The continent exports about 70% of its crude oil and 45% of its natural gas due to limited processing capacity. Africa spends more than $120 billion a year importing refined petroleum products and hydrocarbon-related services. Africa loses about $15 billion in value...

Côte d’Ivoire approved a $152 million loan to fund the first phase of its digital acceleration project. The project targets broadband expansion, digital public services, and skills development, with a focus on youth and women. Internet penetration remains limited despite wide network coverage, creating gaps in access to digital public services. The Ivorian government...

Ghana introduced a new railway master plan to reduce road congestion and lower logistics costs. Authorities plan to rely heavily on public-private partnerships to mobilize billions of dollars in investment. The program prioritizes freight transport for minerals and agricultural output to support competitiveness. Ghana has placed rail transport back at the core of its...

FirstBank DRC launched FirstMonie to lift digital products to 30% of total revenue. The app allows remote account opening in under five minutes and supports multiple mobile money networks. The bank plans to deploy 100,000 agents nationwide by 2029 to support adoption. FirstBank DRC, a subsidiary of First Bank of Nigeria Holdings, launched its new digital banking application,...

Ivanhoe Electric plans to continue and accelerate copper and nickel exploration at the Samapleu-Grata project in 2026. The partners will launch a 4,500-meter diamond drilling campaign across about 20 strategic targets starting in February. The project shows potential to produce nickel and copper concentrates over a mine life of more than 16 years, according to a 2024...

Côte d’Ivoire plans total investment of CFA114,838.5 billion ($206.5 billion) under its 2026–2030 development plan. The private sector should fund 70.2% of total investment, while the public sector should provide 29.8%. The government projects average economic growth of 7.2% between 2026 and 2030. The Ivorian government unveiled the framework of the 2026–2030 National...

Ethiopia expects economic growth of 10.2% in the 2025/2026 fiscal year, above earlier official forecasts. Exports, foreign investment, agriculture, and mining support the revised outlook. The government links growth to reforms targeting macroeconomic imbalances and debt sustainability. Ethiopia expects to post economic growth of 10.2% during the 2025/2026 fiscal year, which...

Global cotton fiber production should reach 26 million tonnes in 2025/2026, exceeding consumption by about 800,000 tonnes. China, India, and Brazil should continue to dominate global supply, while Asia should lead demand. Cotton prices should remain under pressure after the Cotlook A Index fell to its lowest average level since 2020/2021. The global cotton market has not exited...

Washington’s 2026 Ministerial marks a shift from market pricing to state control of critical minerals via security, finance, and diplomacy. Rising demand and high prices turn once-marginal mineral assets into strategic tools—what was geology is now geopolitics. Africa supplies essential minerals but lacks leverage; it negotiates alone, while the US, EU, and Japan act as...

Ghana petroleum revenues fall to $399.6 million in H2 2025 Crude oil liftings drop sharply, Brent prices decline Prolonged upstream investment shortfall weighs on oil output Ghana’s petroleum revenues credited to the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF) totaled $399.65 million in the second half of 2025. The figures were published on Monday, Feb. 2, in a semi-annual...