During a press conference on Jan 16, the British mobile virtual network operator Lycamobile announced it is officially starting operations in Uganda. The company wants to improve access to quality voice and data services at best rates for Ugandan citizens. Lycamobile is expected to sign an equipment deal with Tangerine, one of the first Internet service providers, to launch LTE in the...

Last year, 239 companies obtained the green light to invest in Côte d'Ivoire under the provisions of the Investment Code in Côte d'Ivoire. Investments approved in 2019 amounted to about CFA729.7 billion, up 3.7% compared to the CFA702.9 billion ($ 1.1 billion) in 2018. As a reminder, in 2017, the volume of approved investments was CFA466.2 billion ($791.3 million) according to data from the...

The Netherlands-based commodity trader Trafigura has just acquired majority stake in the Kita solar power plant in Mali. The operation was made through PASH Global, a renewable energy investor and developer backed by Trafigura. With this acquisition, the Dutch company seeks to reduce its carbon footprint by investing in clean energy and has already created a division dedicated to renewable...

The World Food Program found in a recent study that 45 million people, mostly women and children, are suffering from severe food insecurity in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The situation in this 16-member economic zone is the result of repeated drought, major floods, and economic difficulties, the organization said. “This hunger crisis is on a scale we've not seen before...

Compagnie de Transports au Maroc (CTM), a transport company 49.8% owned by Royale Marocaine d'Assurance (RMA), has started the process of taking over 100% stake in the capital of its competitor Satcoma-Satas Voyageurs, for an undisclosed amount. CTM, which is listed on the Casablanca Stock Exchange, initiated this operation to strengthen its market shares in the road transport sector in Morocco....

As part of its strategy to boost trade with neighboring Mauritania, the government of Mali has mobilized CFA17.54 billion, the equivalent of €26.70 million, for the construction and asphalting of the Kwala-Mourdiah-Nara road (section 2 Kaloumba-Nara). The draft decree approving the project contract was passed on January 15 during the Council of Ministers and the winning bidder is the...

On 14 January 2020, DP World announced in a press release that, on 10 January 2020, a sole arbitrator appointed by the London Court of International Arbitration issued a new arbitral award in DP World's dispute with the Republic of Djibouti concerning the termination on 22 February 2018 of the Concession Agreement for the container terminal of Doraleh. This ruling comes as no surprise. It is...

First beneficiaries: Guinea, Liberia, Niger, Mali, Madagascar, South Sudan, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe The African Development Bank has allocated a €1.2 million grant to provide training to help resource-rich countries improve their mining revenues. The Bank’s Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex approved the first-of its kind grant from the Transitional...

Ukur Yatani (pictured) becomes Kenya’s finance minister. The official, who has been acting the role since July 2019, was confirmed on Jan 14 through a reshuffle by President Uhuru Kenyatta. He replaces, Henry Rotich who is under judicial proceedings for alleged corruption. In the role of acting minister, Ukur Yatani has already won praise for taking action aimed at rationalizing public...

Ethiopian Airlines announced plans to start building a new airport this year. Set to accommodate 100 million passengers, the $5 billion infrastructure will be Africa’s biggest airport. It will be built on a 35 km2 land in a place called Absera, around the town of Bishoftu, about 48 km from the capital Addis Ababa. The facility will also have duty free shopping malls, hotels, logistics,...