African markets and business updates

A fire and stampede at a school in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo killed at least 26 children, the UN children's agency said on Friday, with some pupils leaping from windows on high floors to escape the carnage.

Financial market analysts have expressed differing views on the valuation of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery Initial Public Offering (IPO), while largely agreeing that the transaction is set to deepen Nigeria’s capital market and attract a new generation of investors.

The Ministry of Education is strengthening how schools across Liberia record, manage, and use information to support better planning and education delivery. Speaking on Day One of a five-day technical work session in Kakata, Margibi County, Minister of Education Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah challenged school principals and county education administrators to make accurate and up-to-date records a core part of effective school management. She emphasized that every principal should be able to clearly understand the reality of their school through reliable information on students, teachers, attendance, infrastructure, and other essential areas.…

The Ministry of Education and members of the Local Education Group (LEG) today bidded outgoing UNICEF Representative in Liberia and LEG Co-Chair, Mr. Andy Brooks, farewell as he concludes his service in Liberia. The farewell took place during a meeting of the LEG chaired by Minister of Education Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, bringing together government officials and education partners to review key sector priorities, including the Annual School Census and EMIS, TVET, the Back to My Classroom Campaign, the Mid-Term Review of the Education Sector Plan and Partnership Compact, European Union support to strengthen EMIS, and the development of the EMIS Policy.…

A Seychelles delegation led by Ambassador Ian Madeleine, Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, paid a courtesy call on Dr Ibrahim Norbert Richard, Secretary-General of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), in Mauritius on 10 September 2026. The delegation included H.E. Nicholas Prea, High Commissioner of Seychelles to Mauritius and Mrs. Jemma Simeon, Principal Counsellor at the Seychelles High Commission in Mauritius. Dr Richard welcomed the Seychelles delegation and expressed his appreciation for the visit. Discussions focused on strengthening Seychelles’ engagement with the IOC and enhancing regional cooperation among Member States.…

The Ministry of Education has selected and vetted 38 teachers serving in rural communities across Liberia’s 16 Education Counties to participate in a three-week Cultural Exchange Program in the People’s Republic of China. The initiative supports the Ministry’s Teacher and Administrator Holistic Upgrading priority, which focuses on strengthening the knowledge, professional capacity, motivation, and development of the educators who are central to improving learning across Liberia. Through the exchange, participating teachers will gain exposure to China’s education system, teaching and learning approaches, mentorship practices, and culture.…

The BRICS group of emerging economies on Saturday expressed concern over rising tensions in the Middle East and condemned the use of sanctions not authorised by the UN, as the leaders met in New Delhi to strengthen their position in global affairs seen as dominated by the West.

New Zealand will move applications for its graduate work visas fully online from November 16, 2026, as Immigration New Zealand transitions applications to its upgraded Immigration Online platform.

Iran and Oman have reached an agreement over new entry and exit routes for the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran said on Saturday.

Nigeria’s decision to cut tariffs and import levies on vehicles may not be enough to return a significant share of vehicle imports to Lagos ports, as industry operators say high clearance costs, port bottlenecks and lengthy processing times remain major concerns for importers.