Burkina Faso had the most affordable mobile phones in West Africa in 2023, at 15.1% of average monthly income In Cape Verde and Guinea, buying a phone cost more than 60% of an average monthly salary High taxes on mobile devices continue to block access to digital services across the region Mobile phones are becoming essential tools for financial and digital inclusion in Africa. But...

Connectivity initiative targets over 1,000 education and healthcare institutions Supports AI strategy and digital skills development in key public sectors Côte d’Ivoire ranks 3rd in Africa for fiber optic infrastructure in 2024 Côte d’Ivoire plans to connect more than 1,000 secondary schools and healthcare facilities to high-speed internet by the end of 2025. The initiative...

3.2 km bridge connects Kigongo and Busisi, longest in East Africa Replaces ferry system, cutting travel time and boosting safety Enhances trade links between Tanzania and landlocked neighbors Tanzania has completed the construction of the John Magufuli Bridge across Lake Victoria. According to Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, the bridge will officially open to traffic on June 19. At...

New solar plant to generate 85,934 MWh annually in Katiola Private $60M investment part of 45% renewables goal by 2030 Project granted to Katiola Solar Power, a JC Mont-Fort subsidiary Côte d’Ivoire has approved the construction of a solar power plant in Katiola, targeting an annual output of 85,934 megawatt-hours (MWh). The $60 million project supports the...

Pioneer Schools using TARL now reach 1.3M students, or 30% of primary learners Math scores quadrupled; Arabic doubled; French tripled, per government data Morocco boosts education budget to $8.5B to scale reform nationwide Morocco’s education reform, launched in 2022, has shown significant early success, largely driven by the implementation of the “Teaching at the Right...

Kenya allocates 5% of 2025 disaster budget to early warning systems UNDRR pegs 2024 climate disaster losses at $1.4B EW4All initiative aims for universal early warning coverage by 2027 Kenya has launched the "Early Warnings for All" (EW4All) initiative to strengthen national and community resilience against climate-related disasters. The announcement was made via a...

NNPC fails to deliver petrol despite $2.4B spent on refinery rehab Dangote’s refinery supplies bulk of fuel but operates below full capacity Fuel imports persist, costing Nigeria $9.63B in 2024 Despite investing around $2.4 billion since 2021 to revive public refineries, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has failed to supply petrol to the local...

Mining firms ask for postponement of 5% tax on lithium concentrate exports Industry wants tax applied only after processing plants start by 2027 Sinomine pledges $500 million for local lithium refinery Mining companies in Zimbabwe are urging the government to suspend a planned 5% tax on lithium concentrate exports, arguing it should only take effect once local processing...

Perched high in the northeastern hills of Nigeria, near the Cameroonian border in the Adamawa mountains, the cultural landscape of Sukur reveals itself as a world apart. This exceptional site bears witness to centuries of architectural and agricultural expertise, shaped in the heart of a rugged yet majestic mountainous environment. For generations, the Sukur community has molded this land in its...

• Ecobank Transnational issues $125M in senior bonds, totaling $525M outstanding• Funds will refinance maturing debt and boost financial flexibility• Strong investor demand offsets challenges at Nigerian subsidiary Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), a pan-African banking group headquartered in Lomé, Togo, has announced the successful issuance of $125 million through...