Africa’s Agricultural Future Will Rise Or Fall On Its Extension Workforce
By Dr. Fentahun Mengistu, Country Director, Sasakawa Africa Association – Ethiopia On the outskirts of rural Ethiopia, a farmer tests a new seed variety under erratic rainfall. She is not watching policy documents or global summits. She is watching her harvest. And standing between her risk and her reward is one person: the agricultural extension […]
Algeria eyes new listings in 2026
Algeria is preparing for a modest but symbolic boost to its capital markets, with regulators expecting up to three new initial public offerings in 2026 as the country pushes to deepen its thinly traded stock exchange. Among the likely entrants is Ayrade, an IT firm seeking funding to expand its data center capacity, alongside potential listings from […]
Nigeria’s first electric-only plant powers up
Nigeria’s removal of fuel subsidies in 2023 sent petrol prices soaring—and unexpectedly accelerated the country’s shift toward electric mobility. As transport costs spiked, the new economics created room for alternatives, paving the way for SAGLEV, Nigeria’s first EV-only assembly plant. Founded by US-trained physician-turned-investor Sam Faleye, the Lagos-based facility began operations in 2025 after years of […]
Chad bets on Gulf investors to power growth
Chad has unveiled an ambitious five-year development strategy, Connection 2030, aimed at transforming its economy by targeting an average annual GDP growth of 8%. This bold strategy seeks to mobilize $30 billion in investment to industrialize the nation, improve electricity and water supply, harness its vast resources—including oil, gold, and over 13 million arable acres—and improve critical […]
South Africa’s citrus exports hit record high
South Africa’s citrus industry delivered a bumper year in 2025, with exports surging 22% to record levels. This performance was driven by favorable weather, strong global demand, and improved port logistics. According to the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa, a strong appetite for juicing oranges and lemons, coupled with an early end to Northern hemisphere […]
African startup funding surges in November
Africa’s startup funding staged a powerful rebound in November 2025, with the top 10 companies raising $573 million—over 97% of the month’s total—despite fewer deals overall. The surge was fueled by mega IPOs and late-stage bets, led by South Africa’s Optasia, whose standout listing dominated volumes. While investor confidence returned, capital remained tightly concentrated, favoring scale-ready fintech, […]
Namibia’s mining revenue shifts amid diamond decline
Namibia’s mining revenue landscape is shifting as income from gold and uranium overtakes diamonds for the first time, following a sharp slump in diamond prices. Long a backbone of public finances, diamonds have struggled since mid-2022 amid weaker demand and the rise of lab-grown alternatives, triggering a steep drop in tax income from the mineral. This year, […]
US backs Angola rail upgrade
The United States has approved a $500 million loan to Angola to rehabilitate a critical railway, signaling a shift in Washington’s engagement with Africa. The financing will support upgrades to the Lobito Corridor, a strategic rail link designed to move minerals from central Africa to Angola’s Atlantic port, boosting regional trade and supply chains. The deal […]
South Africa intensifies energy transition
South Africa has taken another step toward reshaping its energy mix after awarding 890 megawatts of new solar capacity under the seventh bid window of its flagship renewable energy program. Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa confirmed that four solar projects were selected following value-for-money negotiations, attracting nearly $1 billion in investment. Three projects in the Free State went […]
Malian court orders return of Barrick’s gold
A Malian court has ordered the return of three metric tons of gold, valued at roughly $400 million, to Barrick Mining, easing a high-profile dispute that rattled Mali’s mining sector earlier this year. The gold was seized in January from Barrick’s Loullo-Gounkoto complex under the military-led government’s new mining code, which seeks a larger state share of […]
