• Trump's tariffs add to EU barriers, hindering African exports beyond commodities.• Asia/Middle East offer limited non-raw trade due to robust local production.• AfCFTA offers a unique opportunity to boost intra-Africa trade, but there is an urgent need to achieve infrastructure, payments, and travel ease A Bloomberg article from August 1, 2025, underscores Citigroup's analysis that...

• Mauritania signed a $446 million deal to build a large-scale sugar production complex.• The project aims to produce 250,000 tonnes of sugar annually and meet 63% of national demand.• The government will use 17,000 hectares of irrigated farmland in the Foum Gleita region. Mauritania imports all its sugar, the nation’s second most expensive food import after edible oils. To curb...

For those who hoped to one day live in Wakanda, the dream of Akon City is over. The planned smart, eco-friendly city in Senegal, inspired by the fictional African kingdom in Marvel's Black Panther, has officially collapsed. The futuristic urban initiative, led by Senegalese-American artist Akon, was announced with great fanfare and received widespread media coverage. However, the project was...

West Africa has been pushing to accelerate its industrialization through large-scale projects. However, access to financing remains a major challenge. This is especially true now, as global financing conditions are tightening and limiting investors' willingness to take long-term risks. During the Choiseul Africa Summit in Abidjan, Meinna Gwet, Head of Corporate Finance at Ecobank Transnational...

• Craig Jones will take over as CEO of Perseus Mining on October 1, 2025.• Jeff Quartermaine led Perseus for 12 years and expanded its operations across West Africa.• Perseus expects annual gold output of 515,000–535,000 ounces from 2026 to 2030. Jeff Quartermaine, who joined Perseus Mining as chief financial officer in 2010 before rising to managing director, has been a pivotal force...

As new oil discoveries continue off the coast of Namibia, authorities are refining their strategy to ensure the economic benefits of this windfall are not limited to multinational corporations. As commercial oil production nears, with the first barrel expected as early as 2029 from the Venus and Graff fields, Namibia is establishing a framework to turn this windfall into a driver of inclusive...

Located on the southeastern coast of Zanzibar, Jambiani is a coastal village that captivates visitors with its authenticity and serene atmosphere, far from the bustle of the island’s more crowded tourist areas. Stretching along a pristine white-sand beach that spans several kilometers and lapped by the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, it offers a naturally preserved setting. Swaying...

• Ivory Coast is said to be negotiating a €800M syndicated loan with Standard Chartered and Société Générale, backed by MIGA and AfDB, to refinance debts discreetly amid cocoa volatility.• Loan pushes 2025 borrowings to $3.262B, including $1.75B Eurobond, $260M CFA bond, and $336M Samurai bond, with external debt at $35.06B or 58.1% GDP.• Debt costs up to...

• Orange Money’s 100 million active accounts will host JUMO’s AI credit engine, issuing $5–$500 loans repayable automatically from wallet balances.• Roll-out begins in Burkina Faso, then Mali and Botswana, with plans—still tentative—to cover all 16 Orange Money markets.• Revenue and risk are shared under strict encryption and data-privacy rules, aligning with Orange’s...

• US reduced initial April rates (up to 50%) to 10-30% in August for some African nations, exempting minerals/oil, via negotiations to address trade deficits.• Southern Africa (e.g., South Africa at 30%) hit hardest on autos/steel; West (Nigeria 15%) spares oil but affects cocoa; East (Kenya 10%) faces baseline on textiles/coffee.• Potential 10-20% export drop spurs AfCFTA diversification,...