Authorities target 6,886 minibuses aged an average of 24 years All vehicles will be recalled to Dakar for inspections over two months Non-compliant units face immobilization or immediate upgrades Senegal’s Ministry of Land Transport on February 3 announced a package of measures targeting minibuses with seating capacity ranging from 12 to 19 passengers, which are heavily involved in road...

Burkina Faso’s gold output topped 94 tons in 2025, with 42 tons from artisanal mining Ghana’s artisanal gold exports generated about $10 billion in 2025 Reforms helped both countries capture more value from high gold prices Burkina Faso recorded national gold production of more than 94 tons in 2025, over 30 tons higher than the volumes declared in 2024. The figure was...

Funding targets green and climate adaptation projects in Zambia 60% allocated to green investments, 40% to climate adaptation Package includes $350,000 in technical assistance via WWF Zambia The Dutch development bank FMO announced yesterday, January 4, it has approved $50 million in climate financing for FNB Zambia to support investments linked to climate action in the southern...

The €1.5 million plant near Obala is set to begin operations by early Q2 2026 The facility will produce premium chocolate bars for export markets Cameroon entered the top 10 cocoa paste and butter exporters in 2024 Chocolat Rouge, a chocolate manufacturing plant built by French entrepreneur Olivier Bordais in Nkol Melen, on the outskirts of Obala in Cameroon’s Centre region,...

A Yaounde workshop reviewed EUDR implications for cocoa and small producers Forest losses since 2020 reached about 782,800 hectares, or 4.2% of coverage Cocoa expansion and weak traceability remain key challenges ahead of 2026 A strategic workshop and political dialog on the implications of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) for the cocoa sector and small producers was held...

Study highlights women’s central but marginalized role in Cameroon cocoa sector Women perform most work yet control only 20-30% of income Land insecurity affects 87% of female producers, report finds The Center for Environment and Development (CED) and the NGO Fern published a study on Thursday, Jan. 29, on the role of women, including indigenous women, in Cameroon’s cocoa...

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was fatally shot at his residence in Zintan on February 3, 2026 Armed assailants breached his home, disabled cameras and fled; no official account yet His death comes amid ongoing militia rivalries and stalled stabilization efforts Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and a controversial political figure, was killed on February 3 in...

Fogec launched Bokeli on February 3 in Kinshasa to digitize financing applications The platform standardizes business plans and reduces administrative hurdles DRC startups raised $2 million in 2024; Fogec backed about 300 projects in five years The Fonds de garantie de l’entrepreneuriat au Congo (Fogec) on Tuesday, February 3, launched in Kinshasa a digital platform dedicated to...

AD Ports secures $115 million for Safaga Red Sea terminal IFC-backed financing supports $200 million Egypt port investment Project boosts container, bulk, Ro-Ro capacity under port modernization AD Ports Group has secured a $115 million financing package for the Noatum Ports Safaga terminal project on Egypt’s Red Sea coast. The deal is backed by the International Finance...

Guinea appointed Alpha Bacar Barry as minister in charge of national education, literacy, technical education, and vocational training by presidential decree. President Mamadi Doumbouya selected Barry for his extensive experience across higher education, technical training, and employment policy. Guinea faces persistent education challenges, including a literacy rate of 45.33% and limited...