- Namibia’s central bank governor has cautioned that rising tensions between the U.S. and South Africa could have a destabilizing effect on Namibia’s economy.
- Namibia’s central bank governor has cautioned that rising tensions between the U.S. and South Africa could have a destabilizing effect on Namibia’s economy.
- Senegal and France have agreed to establish a joint commission to oversee the withdrawal of French troops and the handover of French military bases by the end of 2025, according to a joint statement from their foreign ministers on Wednesday.
- While some governments opt to spend less money on defense in favor of other sectors such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure, a chronically low military budget can expose a country to major threats.
- A newly released ranking of airline on-time performance (OTP) for January 2025 has identified EgyptAir as one of the least punctual carriers during the period.
- Nigerian business mogul Tony Elumelu is doubling down on his belief that Africa is the best place to invest, stressing the continent’s massive opportunities and unbeatable returns.
- In many African cities, residents are becoming increasingly concerned about affordability, particularly when the disparity between income levels and living expenditures grows.
- France’s influence in Africa is weakening, but it hasn’t disappeared. While political ties are fading, its economic grip remains strong, especially when it comes to currency.
- Egypt isn’t the only African nation drawn into China’s expanding space ambitions. Beijing has signed space cooperation agreements with 23 African countries, funding satellites and ground stations that collect valuable imagery and data.
- Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, has told Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson to act fast and fill a $156 million funding gap after the U.S. cut off aid from USAID, according to a statement from his office.
- The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has announced they may be forced to suspend essential aid in nearly 20 countries due to funding cuts from its major donors.
- The highly anticipated Africa Energy Bank (AEB) is set to launch in the first quarter of 2025, according to Nigeria's Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.
- Mali has introduced new taxes on mobile voice calls and mobile money withdrawals to help fund its fight against an ongoing Islamic insurgency threatening parts of the country.
- The announcement comes after US President Donald Trump froze all aid to South Africa due to the country’s new land expropriation law and its allegations of genocide against Israel.
- Zimbabwe currently holds the largest share of lithium deposits in Africa, with significant Chinese investments. But Nigeria is also eager to claim a piece of the global market. By 2030, Africa is projected to supply 20% of the world’s lithium.
- In a surprising move for Silicon Valley's tech ecosystem, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has openly rejected a $97 billion bid from Elon Musk to acquire the AI company.
- The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), established under the Trump administration and spearheaded by Elon Musk has blocked funding for Liberia.
- Affordability, as the years go by has become more of a primary concern for citizens in many African cities, as they attempt to strike a balance between their income and living expenses.
- Africa's crypto adoption continues to grow, increasing from 40.1 million to 43.5 million users, an 8.5% rise. But despite this steady climb, the continent has faced regulatory roadblocks.
- The Central African Republic (CAR) has introduced a meme coin, a move President Faustin-Archange Touadéra says will help boost the country's global profile.
- According to the IMF, Seychelles has the highest GDP per capita in Africa at $22,000, making it the continent’s leader in average income per person. Mauritius comes next with $13,100, while Gabon follows with $9,000.
- Tanzania is currently in the process of regulating the use of foreign currencies for local transactions, and instead opt exclusively for the use of the Tanzanian Shilling.
- S&P Global Ratings has cautioned that the intensifying conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could negatively impact their credit ratings, as the economic strain of war weakens both nations.
- Former U.S. President Donald Trump disbanded the Department of Justice unit specializing in tracing and recovering multibillion-dollar loot from corrupt foreign leaders.
- Ethiopia is the largest USAID beneficiary in Africa, receiving $1.20 billion in aid. The Democratic Republic of Congo follows closely with the same amount of $1.20 billion.
- U.S. President Donald Trump has frozen aid to South Africa over a controversial land expropriation law making it easier for the state to expropriate land in the public interest.
- With a growing population in many African countries and increased life expectancy, a solid pension system is essential not just for retiree well-being, but also for governments' long-term economic stability.
- Pollution in many regions and Africa most especially, leads to complex issues that go beyond environmental concerns, affecting both public health and overall productivity.
- Countries are often added to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list due to deficiencies in their anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) frameworks.
- Russia and Ethiopia are looking into the viability of trading in their local currencies, as well as bolstering their already budding bilateral relations.
