On December 3, MTN South Africa announced the introduction of biodegradable SIM cards, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and reducing environmental impact. Made from 100% FSC-certified materials, these eco-friendly cards decompose within 3–6 months in soil, landfills, or the sea, unlike traditional plastic SIM cards. The cards are now available at MTN stores and partner outlets,...

The fintech aims to become the "Stripe of Francophone Africa" by creating smoother connections between mobile money operators, banks, and other payment providers. Stripe, a U.S.-based payment giant, is valued at $70 billion. HUB2, a fintech company based in Côte d’Ivoire, has raised $8.5 million in a Series A funding round led by the UK-based TLcom Capital. Other investors included...

In FY 2024, the United States contributed nearly $6.6 billion in humanitarian aid to sub-Saharan Africa. During his visit to Angola on December 3, President Joe Biden (pictured) announced over $1 billion in humanitarian aid to address food insecurity and urgent needs in 31 African countries. Around $823 million will be channeled through the agency to the United States Agency for...

In recent years, Côte d’Ivoire has attracted numerous investments in the extractive sector. At the first edition of SIREXE, the country secured several partnerships to boost the growth of this sector. Côte d’Ivoire secured nearly CFA4 trillion (around $6.4 billion) in investment contracts during the first edition of the International Exhibition of Extractive and Energy Resources...

Bridging this funding gap is crucial for the country, which will need to create up to 130 million jobs over the next 20 years. Contributing 90% of job opportunities, MSMEs are the key to achieving this goal. Nigeria needs $160 billion to meet the funding demands of its micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), according to an analysis by the African Development Bank (AfDB). This...

The Net-Zero Mining Summit in the DRC successfully took place on November 29th at the Pullman Hotel in Lubumbashi, uniting leaders and experts from top mining enterprises, energy companies, and industry associations. Jointly organized by CNMC Hong Kong Holdings Limited (CNMC), China Sixth Metallurgical Construction Co., Ltd. (SDCC), STE GREEN WORLD ENERGIE SARL (Green World) and Huawei Digital...

Diaspora remittances accounted for 25% of Zimbabwe's total foreign currency earnings between January and September 2024. Remittances from Zimbabweans living abroad reached $1.9 billion between January and September 2024, marking a 16.5% increase compared to $1.6 billion during the same period in 2023. This was announced by Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister, Mthuli Ncube, during his 2025...

The difference in interest rates between Nigeria and WAEMU countries reflects how investors view their sovereign risk and economic stability. This highlights the ongoing weaknesses in Nigeria’s economy, which affect its ability to meet international payment obligations. In its first return to the international capital markets (Eurobonds) in over two years, Nigeria announced it had raised up...

As the global market becomes more connected, having access to world-class internet speeds allows African SMEs to compete on an international scale. From better supply chain management to seamless communication with global partners, this is a step toward integrating into the digital economy. Safaricom has introduced revamped 5G for Business plans aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises...

Nigeria's Central Bank (CBN) has decided to take action to address the cash shortage at ATMs. Starting on December 1, commercial banks failing to supply their ATMs and branches with cash will face penalties, announced CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso on November 29, 2024, during the annual bankers’ dinner in Lagos. "To address this, we are conducting spot checks across deposit money banks, and we...