An IMF delegation will visit Gabon in mid-June 2025 to assess economic progress. Gabon hopes the visit will lead to a new financing agreement after a previously suspended program. Fitch Ratings expects a deal by year-end but warns of political and policy-related risks. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission is scheduled to arrive in Libreville, Gabon, in mid-June 2025, according to...

Africa’s digital economy is growing rapidly, and the demand for data storage, processing power, and AI capabilities is accelerating. The introduction of high-power density local data centres enables real-time AI workloads to be run locally, securely, and cost-effectively. Safaricom PLC has partnered with iXAfrica Data Centre, Kenya’s hyperscale-ready operator, to deliver East Africa’s...

Despite an official unemployment rate of 4.3% in Q2 2024, Nigeria still faces high youth underemployment. Skill-based public-private partnerships are gaining ground to improve job readiness. Over 150 young job seekers and about 20 employers attended the “Get Hired” fair in Lagos, supported by WAVE, LSETF, and the King’s Trust Fund. Although Nigeria’s official unemployment rate...

Duval and Côte d’Ivoire’s CNPS signed two real estate agreements worth CFA100 billion The projects, Village Notre Père and Riviera Park, aim to create over 1,700 jobs They are backed by national and international institutions, including BNI and IFC French real estate firm Duval signed two major deals on May 12 in Abidjan with Côte d’Ivoire’s National Social Insurance Fund...

• Mali’s media regulator has suspended TV5 Monde, citing biased reporting on a protest.• The decision follows earlier bans on other French media amid rising pressure on foreign outlets.• On the same day, the ruling junta also dissolved political parties and banned public gatherings. The French news channel TV5 Monde will no longer be available in Mali as of now. The broadcaster has been...

• Tullow Oil finalizes the sale of its Gabonese assets to Gabon Oil Company for $300 million• The move is part of a wider strategy to cut debt, which stood near $1.5 billion in late 2023• The sale will reduce production income, but is expected to ease financial pressure UK-based energy firm Tullow Oil announced yesterday it has completed the sale of its assets in Gabon. The...

• 12.5% of Nigerian youth were NEET in Q2 2024; the government aims to close this gap with practical skills training.• NBTE and the Ministry of Education launched a new national framework to align education with job market needs.• Success depends on steady funding, clear governance, and strong on-the-ground oversight. Nigeria’s National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), in...

• Arise Ports & Logistics named Banji Fehintola as Chairman of the Board for Owendo Mineral Port (OMP), a key logistics hub supporting Gabon’s mining sector.• OMP enables efficient export of resources such as manganese and facilitates imports of construction materials via its integrated rail network.• Fehintola brings more than 20 years of experience in financial services and currently...

• Egypt, Africa’s top pharmaceutical producer and consumer, aims to raise exports by 39% to $466.5 million by 2029.• The forecast follows a 65.6% rise in exports between 2019 and 2024, despite persistent drug shortages.• Private firms drive sector growth, accounting for 93% of domestic pharmaceutical production. Egypt aims to increase its pharmaceutical exports by 39%,...

As challenges related to sustainable development, social inclusion, and ecological transition grow more pressing, mobilizing the private sector has become essential to building more resilient economies. In the face of waning public policies and the urgency of the climate crisis, businesses are increasingly called upon to play a central role in transforming societies. It is within this context...