In a statement released last week, the Nouvelle Société Cotonière du Togo (NSCT) has published forecasts for the 2017-2018 cotton season which opened last May. While the company planned for areas sown to cover 160,000 hectares, it was finally 170,000 hectares that were sown and this impacted the production. According to forecasts, this year, the country will produce about 130,000 tons of...

Pressured by its public debt which represents more than 120% of its GDP, Gambia’s government asked its lenders for a debt restructuring.  “We are calling to all, to the Club de Paris as well as to bilateral and multilateral lenders… The debt presently represents 120% of our GDP. It is very high and that’s the reason why we are asking for it to be restructured,” said Gambia’s...

Oryx Energies announces the acquisition of a 75.01% stake in Atlas Energy Limited, Gambia (Atlas), thereby entering the Gambian oil product distribution market for the first time. With over 220 employees, Atlas manages a network of 28 service stations and a portfolio of business customers to which it supplies fuels, lubricants and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas). The service stations will keep the...

On Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th of November, Abidjan was host to the first and largest eSport event in Africa where 256 gamers gathered to compete over 2 days for cash prizes amounting to 8 500 000 FCFA (13 000 Euros) at the Palais de la Culture. Street Fighter V, Naruto and FIFA attracted video game players from 5 African countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, and Burkina...

Settling a debt for power supplied, Niger and Benin have paid Nigeria $64 million (CFA35 billion). This was disclosed by Babatunde Fashola, Nigeria’s minister of power.  Last May, the two countries which get power from Nigeria, paid about $159 million to the Nigeria bulk electricity trader (Nbet).  Nigeria currently goes through a power crisis that affects its whole...

With the support of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mauritius has launched a $191 million renewable energy project which aims at reducing the country’s fossil fuel imports and accelerate its shift to a low-carbon economy. The project will extend over eight years and falls in line with the country’s goal to, by 2025, bring renewables’...

French group Peugeot PSA just entered into a Joint-Venture agreement with three Algerian partners. This is to open a car manufacturing factory especially for the Algerian market.  The first cars will be delivered in 2018, by a plant located in the Oran suburb, 400km West of Algiers. According to the group, the agreement is signed after two years of negotiations, and should help produce...

This was announced on Sunday, November 12, 2017. Showkutally Soodhun, the minister of housing and lands was replaced by the agro-industry minister, Mahen Seeruttun (photo), 24 hours after resigning. “The Prime Minister gave me a task, and I will fully accomplish it,” said the new minister who added that he will continue on the same action path as his predecessor. He will in fact have to...

The solar power solution provider officially entered Ivory Coast. “Today, the mobile energy revolution arrived in Cote d'Ivoire. Families and businesses across the country now have access to affordable solar electricity. We are honored to bring our technology here, and we look forward to working with the Government and stakeholders to increase energy access for all Ivorians,” said...

In Burkina Faso, forecasts for the 2017/2018 cotton harvest were scaled down. The nation which initially aimed for an output of 650,000 tons, should finally produce 563,000 tons, or 17.5% less than during the previous year. According to the Société burkinabè des fibres textiles (SOFITEX), this decrease is due to insufficient rains during sowing, paired with pest invasion. Let’s recall that...