Africa will require about $46 billion by 2030 to deploy mini-grids under the Mission 300 initiative led by the World Bank and the African Development Bank. The financing mix will include $28 billion in debt, $14 billion in equity, and $4.6 billion in grants and public support, according to Bloomberg-cited estimates. Mission 300 aims to provide electricity access to 300...

The European Union finances the Kenya Cyber Resilience (KCR) project with 454 million Kenyan shillings ($3.5 million). Kenya detected 12.5 billion cyber threats in 2025, a 247% increase from 2024, according to the Communications Authority. The International Telecommunication Union ranks Kenya 21st globally and third in Africa for cybersecurity readiness. Kenya launched on Monday, January...

Zahid Group acquired 100% of Barloworld for 23 billion rand ($1.4 billion) through a consortium called Newco. The transaction triggered Barloworld’s delisting from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and A2X, ending 86 years of public trading. Zahid confirmed that Barloworld will retain its South African identity, management, and operational independence. A consortium led by Zahid Group...

Tanzania plans to sign the legal framework for the $42 billion Tanzania LNG project before June 2026. The project targets development of more than 47.13 trillion cubic feet of offshore natural gas. Equinor and Shell lead the consortium, alongside ExxonMobil, Pavilion Energy, Medco Energi, and TPDC. Tanzania plans to sign before June 2026 the agreement governing the restart of the...

Extractive sector surged 50.9%; manufacturing grew 3.5% on food, fuel gains Cumulative industrial activity up 11.7% by end-September 2025 Industrial activity in Togo rose 8.1% in the third quarter of 2025 from the previous quarter, driven by the extractive and manufacturing sectors, according to a December 2025 WAEMU regional economic outlook report. Economists attribute the increase...

With a young and fast-growing labor force, Africa records high participation rates. Understanding how working-age people engage in the labor market helps clarify their contribution to economic activity, whether they are employed or seeking work. Labor force participation rates, sometimes referred to as the activity rate, serve as a vital indicator of the labor market. They represent the...

The Khomani Cultural Landscape is a cultural site located in northern South Africa, in the Northern Cape province, near the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. It covers a section of the Kalahari Desert historically associated with the ǂKhomani San people, one of the Indigenous groups of southern Africa. The landscape was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2017 in recognition of its...

France has invested €450M in Togo via AFD, including €80M in grants Cooperation focuses on water, energy, agriculture, and infrastructure projects France is Togo’s second-largest supplier; 40 French firms operate locally Economic and financial cooperation between Togo and France remains strong, French officials said on Friday, Jan. 23, at a press briefing in Lomé. The...

Niger grants incentives for a $9 million private education project in Niamey The investment targets modern infrastructure and over 100 permanent jobs The project supports efforts to improve education quality and access Niger’s government has approved tax and administrative incentives for Société Institut Polytechnique Athena SARLU to build and operate a new education facility in...

Orange Egypt opened its first Upper Egypt digital training center at Aswan University with GIZ, building on its Cairo hub that has trained thousands of youth. The Aswan center provides free training in software, data, cybersecurity, embedded systems, and prototyping, reflecting Orange’s CSR focus on youth. Orange’s centers echo wider African efforts like Nigeria’s iDICE, unfolding...