Zimbabwe halts raw mineral exports
Zimbabwe, which has Africa’s largest lithium reserves, has imposed an immediate ban on exports of all raw minerals and lithium concentrate, accelerating plans to force greater local processing of its vast resource wealth. Mines Minister Polite Kambamura said the measure, which also applies to shipments already in transit, is aimed at promoting transparency, beneficiation, and […]
Sahara expedition unearths dinosaur treasure
After a grueling three-day trek across some of the harshest terrain in the Sahara, a team led by University of Chicago paleontologist Paul Sereno struck fossil gold in northern Niger. At a remote site known as Jenguebi—far from roads, wells, or permanent settlements—the researchers uncovered multiple fossils of Spinosaurus mirabilis, one of the largest carnivorous […]
Private capital aims to break Africa’s grid bottleneck
For decades, Africa’s electricity problem has been framed as a generation gap—build more power plants, solve the crisis. But a quieter, equally critical challenge has lurked in the background: transmission. While state utilities once held a monopoly on power lines, a new era of private investment is sparking a continental transformation. Uganda is leading the […]
West Africa moves to protect Atlantic waters
The West African bloc Economic Community of West African States has proposed creating a vast 200,000-square-kilometer marine protected area in the Atlantic Ocean, aiming to safeguard ecosystems long threatened by overfishing, shipping traffic, and plastic pollution. The proposed zone would stretch from Cabo Verde and Senegal in the region’s north to Nigeria and São Tomé […]
Nigeria set to launch new crude grade
Nigeria is preparing to expand its crude portfolio with the March 2026 debut of Cawthorne, a new light, sweet grade from the Eastern Niger Delta. State oil company Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited says the launch supports efforts to cement a hard-won production rebound after years of theft, vandalism, and unrest. Similar in quality to […]
South Africa’s budget signals new economic dawn
South Africa has reached a historic financial milestone, with its debt projected to peak at 78.9% of GDP this year, marking the end of a nearly two-decade upward climb. In a buoyant budget speech, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that debt will stabilize this fiscal year and then begin its long-awaited decline. The improved fiscal […]
