African markets and business updates

L’inflation annuelle en Égypte s’est établie à 13,5 % en mars 2026, légèrement au-dessus des 13,1 % enregistrés un an plus tôt, selon les données de Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS). Le Comité de politique monétaire (MPC) de la Banque centrale d’Égypte (CBE) a annoncé, le 12 février, une baisse de 100 points de base de ses principaux taux directeurs. Lors de sa dernière réunion de l’année 2025…

The European Union and Morocco have signed a range of deals aimed at fostering closer cooperation in artificial intelligence, as the two sides work to create a "third voice" in the global AI industry. The EU-Morocco Digital Dialogue was launched yesterday, which is aimed at enabling "cooperation in areas such as AI, support for digital start-ups, secure and trusted digital infrastructure, as well as interoperability of public digital infrastructure solutions.…

La banque centrale du Kenya a décidé de maintenir son taux directeur à 8,75%, interrompant un cycle de dix baisses consécutives, afin d’évaluer l’impact de la hausse des prix mondiaux de l’énergie liée au conflit avec l’Iran. La Central Bank of Kenya a abaissé ce mardi son taux directeur, marquant la dixième baisse consécutive, dans le but d’encourager les prêts au secteur privé, a annoncé son Comité de politique monétaire (MPC).…

In March 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) initiated an ambitious recapitalisation programme aimed at strengthening the country's banking sector. The initiative, which concluded on March 31, 2026, has seen Nigerian banks raise a total of ₦4.65 trillion ($3.38bn) in new capital. According to the CBN , the programme recorded strong participation from both domestic and international investors, with 72.55% of capital sourced locally and 27.45% from international markets.…

In the first three months of 2026, African startups raised $705m across 59 deals in 14 countries, marking a 26.5% increase on the same period last year. Data compiled by Condia and TechCabal Insights points to a clear conclusion: the continent's startup ecosystem has moved beyond its 'emerging' label and is entering a more established phase. Egypt led the field, attracting $190m in disclosed funding and reinforcing its position as the continent's most active market. South Africa followed with $157m…

The countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), which face an arid climate, limited arable land, and persistent water shortages, are some of the most dependent on food imports anywhere in the world. Saudi Arabia imports approximately 80% of its total food needs, and, according to some analysts, the country could be entirely reliant on imports for domestic consumption by 2050.…

One of the most expensive mistakes a founder or investor can make is to treat Africa as a single, unified fintech market. It is not. While Kenya, Rwanda, Ghana and Nigeria are widely recognised as the continent's leading digital finance hubs, each operates under a distinct regulatory logic. These differences are not cosmetic. They are structural, and they should determine how any serious expansion strategy is designed. A strong product and a proven playbook are not enough. Applying a Kenyan strategy in Nigeria…

Three-point-three trillion dollars. That figure alone should retire the phrase "frontier market" for good. Africa's combined GDP now rivals some of the world's largest single-nation economies. This is no longer a projection or a promise. The 2026 data is in, the map is drawn, and the continent's economic weight is undeniable. Yet the GDP headline is only the starting point. Beneath it lies a more complex, more urgent, and ultimately more investable story.…

Adéwálé Májà-Pearce's West African odyssey Shine Your Eye is something of a slow burner. The title is a pidgin phrase, an advice to be careful, perhaps the equivalent of "watch your step". Our author confronts a number of challenges as he sets off from Nigeria to traverse Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, The Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso and finally Niger. The first part of his journey takes the road from Nigeria west along the seaboard to Senegal…

African finance and planning ministers must pursue continental renewal and self-reliance in response to the rising frequency and severity of global shocks, former South African finance minister Trevor Manuel has said. Delivering the Adebayo Adedeji Lecture in Tangier, Morocco, this week at the 58th Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Manuel warned that the surge in oil prices caused by conflict in the Middle East poses a serious threat to African economies. Manuel…