African markets and business updates

The President of the Republic of Seychelles, Patrick Herminie, met with a young performer Abdel Assary this morning following his victory at the inaugural “Battle of the Crown,” held on 23 May, at the ICCS last Saturday. The President congratulated Mr Assary, describing his achievement as an inspiration to young people, particularly as a proud representative of La Digue. He noted that despite the challenges faced by small island communities, talent continues to shine through, and Mr.…

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its Technology, Innovation, Connectivity and Infrastructure Division (TICID), has officially launched a regional project titled “Fostering Digital Entrepreneurship Among Women in Africa”, aimed at strengthening women’s participation in the digital economy across Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Namibia, and the Republic of Congo. The initiative responds to persistent structural barriers limiting women entrepreneurs’ access to digital skills…

Botswana's government and De Beers have appointed former African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina as chairperson of a fund to ensure that Botswana benefits more from its diamonds. The Diamonds for Development Fund, which aims to use diamond proceeds to boost economic growth and diversification in Botswana, was established during tough negotiations between Botswana and De Beers - which concluded in 2025 - to extend diamond mining licences through to 2054 for their 50:50 mining joint venture, Debswana.…

Ethiopian authorities have intensified their crackdown on press freedom in a cynical attempt to silence criticism in the lead-up to the country’s national election on 1 June, Amnesty International said today. In recent months, Ethiopian authorities have launched a campaign of repression against independent media by arbitrarily arresting , forcibly disappearing and unlawfully surveilling journalists. Other journalists have had their accreditation revoked…

Funding targets underserved communities across East, Central and Southern Africa Initiative supports efforts to reduce Africa's major electricity access gap Anzana Electric Group, a company specializing in hydroelectric projects across Africa, announced on Thursday that it had secured a $20 million financing facility from British International Investment (BII), the UK's development finance institution. The debt facility is structured at the portfolio level rather than on a project-by-project basis.…

The global artificial intelligence race is rapidly becoming an energy race. As companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Oracle expand hyperscale data centers to support AI workloads, electricity has become one of the industry’s biggest constraints. Across the United States and Europe, tech firms are now signing long-term power agreements, financing dedicated generation assets and partnering directly with energy companies to secure reliable supply. That same model could soon reshape Nigeria’s gas industry.…

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) ( ) and Venezuela have intensified coordination through high-level engagements in Brazzaville and Caracas, building on a structured cooperation roadmap linking the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO), Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and Venezuelan diplomatic channels. The most recent meetings confirmed Venezuela’s formal status as a strategic non-African observer within APPO, expanding technical exchanges and policy alignment with African national oil companies (NOCs).…

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) headed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Thursday as the country continues to combat a deadly resurgence of Ebola in its volatile eastern region where instability is rife. Ahead of his arrival, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus appealed to armed groups to declare a ceasefire so that health workers can reach people and halt spread of the disease. Since 15 May…

With one of the world’s youngest populations, youth in South Sudan are disproportionately impacted by conflict, losing their lives as well as access to education, health services, and professional opportunities. To empower youth in the pursuit of peace, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan launched a campaign leveraging a global United Nations-led advocacy effort under the theme ‘Hear Us, Act Now’ that aims to give voice to youth. Not just a mere get-together but a symbol of unity…

Angola’s oil sector has demonstrated how reform can transform a market on the cusp of rapid decline into an industry capable of attracting billions of dollars in investment. NJ Ayuk’s latest book titled Crude Oil: Power, Turnaround, and Transformation in Angola explores this transition, examining how targeted policy, structural reform and strategic leadership have turned the market around and placed Angola on a track toward growth, diversification and resilience.…