African markets and business updates

22 On Sloane wants to solve the challenge of fragmented capital, markets and support for African businesses. For an African entrepreneur, growing a business can mean navigating a maze of funding platforms, customer networks, mentors, and investment requirements before finding the right doors to open. The opportunity may exist, as may the investor, customer or government contract, but what is often missing is the connection between them.…

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB), highlighted €95 million, or about CFA62.3 billion, in financing operations with four Cameroonian banks on September 14, 2026. The funds target SME and other private-sector financing, although several of the transactions had already reached various stages before the event in Yaoundé. The operations, presented during the IsDB Group Day in Cameroon, involve AFG Bank Cameroon, Commercial Bank Cameroon (CBC), Afriland First Bank and CCA-Bank. They aim to provide local banks with additional resources that they can channel to businesses.…

As part of her virtual Mentorship and Leadership Platform, “Beyond Power; Leadership, Global Influence and Impact,” Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation , has published a new leadership article titled “We Did Not Donate Cancer Care. We Built the People Who Could Deliver It.” Through the article, Dr. Kelej reflects on her leadership journey in strengthening cancer care capacity across Africa and explains why she believes that building specialized human capacity is one of the most sustainable ways to transform healthcare systems. To read the full article and access the platform, visit: Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.)…

Xiaomi unveiled the 18 Fold on September 7, 2026. Sales in China began on September 10, with the entry model starting at CNY 10,999. Table of contents Xiaomi 18 Fold release date and availability Xiaomi 18 Fold price Detailed specs How the Xiaomi 18 Fold compares What this means for Nigerian buyers On September 7, 2026, Xiaomi announced the Xiaomi 18 Fold in China, its company’s first foldable with a wide, short shape, a change from the tall, narrow shape used on past Mix Fold models. The announcement came two days before Apple revealed its own foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, and in the same week as Huawei’s Mate XT2.…

Cameroon has awarded Beninese consortium Erudit-FCG a CFA107.3 million contract to audit Eneo’s technical performance in 2023. The review will assess whether the former electricity concessionaire met its technical obligations and will provide regulators with a methodology for future audits. The Ministry of Water and Energy awarded the four-month contract on July 21, 2026. Its value stands at CFA107.325 million including taxes, or €163,616. Excluding VAT, the contract is worth nearly CFA90 million, or €137,204, according to the award decision published by Cameroon’s Public Procurement Regulatory Agency (ARMP).…

The airline operators spoke after the NCAA reported that about 60 per cent of domestic flights were delayed in August, citing airport congestion, infrastructure gaps and weather as major factors behind the disruptions.

The Federal Government has commissioned a 3.3MWp solar hybrid mini-grid with 2MWh battery storage at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja, as part of efforts to improve reliable electricity supply to federal tertiary institutions.

The CBN said the emerging strategy would adopt an integrated, data-driven, and accountable framework to address gaps in Nigeria’s financial system.

Midea held its 2026 Dealers Conference at the Ikeja Marriott Hotel, bringing together dealers, distribution partners, installers and other trade stakeholders to review the company’s business direction, explore product innovations and align on growth opportunities in Nigeria.Held under the theme “Innovation | Collaboration | Growth,” the conference covered the four key pillars supporting Midea’s growth […]

The WHO Representative to Ethiopia, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Professor Francis Chisaka Kasolo, held a bilateral meeting with the Director General of the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA), Ms. Heran Gerba, to discuss strengthening Ethiopia’s regulatory systems for medicines and medical devices. The discussion focused on advancing EFDA’s efforts towards achieving WHO Maturity Level 3 (ML3) for medical devices regulation, reflecting a stable, well-functioning and integrated regulatory system. WHO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting EFDA through the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool Plus Medical Devices (GBT+MD).…