$28.6B invested in key energy minerals in 2024, led by lithium, cobalt, nickel Africa remains largely excluded from refining and advanced processing stages DRC, Zimbabwe push for local value addition but face structural constraints Investment in minerals that underpin energy transition technologies is rising rapidly, yet Africa remains largely excluded from the most advanced stages of the...

Pensana to launch $11M drilling program at Angola’s Longonjo rare earths site Aims to raise resource estimate above 1 billion metric tons by 2026 Project seen as strategic for U.S. rare earth supply diversification British mining company Pensana plans to launch an 11 million dollar drilling program at its Longonjo rare earths project in Angola in early 2026. Construction of the...

COP30 saw launch of the Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change Twelve countries signed; no African nation has endorsed it yet Declaration aims to improve data quality, support media, and counter disinformation Last week, the COP30 climate conference in Belém marked the launch of the Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change, introduced by the Global...

NERSA approves 6% gas price cut by Sasol Gas for Q1 2026 New cap lowers price to 85.10 rand/GJ, driven by reduced supply costs Energy-intensive sectors to benefit amid high industrial gas dependence South Africa’s National Energy Regulator (NERSA) has approved a 6% cut in the maximum price of gas sold by Sasol Gas, the Sasol subsidiary that supplies, transports and markets natural...

Supports National AI Strategy to boost digital skills and job readiness Govt promotes AI tools, coding, and data-driven learning in institutions Kenyan President William Ruto has urged the country’s universities to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) in their teaching and research. He said higher education must take the lead in developing the advanced digital skills needed in the modern...

Government aims to repeal long-standing VAT on exploration to revive investor interest Move comes as Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea attract more exploration capital Gold remains key to Ghana’s economy, accounting for 57 % of exports in 2024 Ghana’s Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson announced late last week the government’s plan to abolish a 15 % value-added tax (VAT)...

Sub-Saharan Africa got just 2.3% of global renewable energy investment in 2024 Region needs $129B to meet 2035 targets; 61% depends on external support High costs, weak utilities, and limited infrastructure hinder energy transition progress Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) received only 2.3% of global renewable energy investment in 2024, underscoring the wide gap between available...

Orange Mali secures €80M loan to expand 4G and fiber networks Project to improve internet for 300,000 users, focus on rural coverage Includes solar rollout, women’s digital training, and carbon reduction goals Telecom operator Orange Mali, the country’s largest provider of mobile, fixed-line, and internet services, has secured an €80 million...

Despite broad mobile coverage, about 70 % of unconnected Africans live in covered areas World Bank and governments push new focus on affordability, skills, and digital public goods Summit highlights need for regional harmonization toward an African Single Digital Market At Cotonou, the diagnosis left no ambiguity: Africa’s digital challenge is no longer mainly about...

Signed MoU with Guinea, held talks with Côte d’Ivoire and Germany $1.8B digital strategy targets 500 startups, 150,000 jobs by 2034 Senegal has intensified its search for new digital partnerships, as Minister of Communication and Digital Economy Alioune Sall (photo, left) met with regional and international stakeholders during the 7th Transform Africa Summit in Conakry. Held from...