As mobile connectivity becomes vital for economic growth, poor service quality hampers productivity, disrupts transactions, and limits online access. This affects businesses, financial inclusion, and progress in the digital economy. Initiatives like the NCC’s Crowdsourcing Quality of Experience Project are key to ensuring reliable connectivity and smooth digital operations nationwide. The...

With a generous distribution policy and consistently positive profitability, SGCI maintains its leadership position in Côte d'Ivoire. However, the rise in risk costs, margin pressure, and increased competition are setting a new pace for its growth. Société Générale Côte d'Ivoire (SGCI) reported a record net profit of CFA101.2 billion (about $159 million) in 2024. The bank has...

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), launched in 2018, covers a market of 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion. It could boost intra-African trade by 53%, lift 50 million people out of poverty, and create 14 million jobs. According to UNCTAD, it is a key tool for transforming the continent’s economy. Africa has what it takes to become a major player in...

Agriculture is the foundation of Africa’s economy, yet smallholder farmers - the majority of the continent’s farming population - struggle with limited access to real-time agricultural information. This gap negatively impacts productivity, food security, and livelihoods. Harnessing digital tools offers a viable solution to bridge this challenge. Safaricom PLC, in partnership with global NGO...

Faced with high costs linked to poor infrastructure and regulatory barriers, about 34% of African business leaders are increasingly adopting digital tools to facilitate trade within the continent. This is the finding of a report published on January 20 by the UK-based research firm Economist Impact. Titled "Trade in Transition Regional Insights Africa: Navigating Regional Ambitions and Global...

Khaled El Enany, candidate for the post of Director-General of UNESCO, was received by Pope Francis during a private audience at the Vatican. Their discussion focused on the urgent need to strengthen intercultural dialogue as a means to combat extremism and foster a culture of peace. At a time of rising global tensions and growing extremism, building bridges between cultures and religions has...

Africa is shifting away from a venture capital-only model, embracing a more diversified approach that may seem pragmatic. Debt is gaining traction, but can the market handle this shift without sacrificing disruptive innovation to financial caution and cost pressures? A few years ago, venture capital was the go-to option for funding African startups. But things have changed. Debt is now becoming...

Trump’s Return Has Global Development Banks on Edge. With budget threats, geopolitical battles, and climate funding tensions, Washington is reshaping global finance. Who will survive the shake-up? Donald Trump’s return to the White House is already rattling global financial institutions. True to his transactional approach, the president has signed an executive order calling for a review of...

In recent years, West Africa has seen a surge in terrorist attacks. The Sahel remains the epicenter, accounting for 47% of terrorism-related deaths worldwide in 2023, according to the Global Terrorism Index. But the threat isn’t confined to the region—coastal nations are feeling the impact too. Senegal and Mali have pledged to deepen their military cooperation to enhance regional security....

South Africa has one of the richest sub-soil in Africa, housing large reserves of gold, iron ore, and coal. It also hosts critical minerals like platinum group elements (PGMs), manganese, and nickel, which are vital to energy transition. South Africa has started exploring the definition of essential minerals within a national framework, separate from global standards. This initiative was...