Disagreement among members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has broken out over the adoption of a common currency in the bloc. Six member countries have rejected the move by eight others to adopt the name ‘Eco’ as their common currency. In a surprise move on 21 December, the eight West African countries using the CFA franc …
Read More »Russian hacking group attacking banks in sub-Saharan Africa – Kaspersky warns
“We urge all banks to stay vigilant, as apart from the large sums Silence group also steals sensitive information while monitoring the banks' activity as they video record screen activities. This is a serious privacy abuse that might cost more than money can buy.”
Read More »Global food and agriculture fair opens in Berlin
The International Green Week opens on Thursday (16 January) in Berlin. The exhibition, which is the world’s biggest fair for food, agriculture and horticulture, will run until 26 January. In a total of 27 exhibition halls at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, about 1,800 national and international exhibitors present typical regional products and services. Among the African countries participating at the …
Read More »Applications Open for ‘FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30’ for 2020
FORBES AFRICA is on the hunt for Africans under the age of 30, who are building brands, creating jobs and transforming the continent, to join its Under 30 community for 2020. JOHANNESBURG, 07 January 2020: Attention entrepreneurs, creatives, sport stars and technology geeks — the 2020 FORBES AFRICA Under 30 nominations are now officially open. The FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 …
Read More »Tailor-made for Africa ride sharing platform launches in South Africa
Afri Ride, a secure ride sharing mobile app with tailor-made solutions for the African travelling community, is now available in South Africa, and will be expanding into other African markets in the near future. Joe Moyo, managing director at the ride sharing app, describes the app as incredibly simple to use. “All that users have to do is, to upload …
Read More »Has France hijacked ECOWAS common currency project? – An Analysis
"What France has done is that it takes over the responsibility of establishing and even printing the new currency and presents the other countries in the region with a fait accompli”
Read More »Experts predict bright economic future for East Africa in new report
As the global recession gathers strength, most African economies are relatively unaffected owing to the strength of economic diversity in some regions. This is according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) latest report, Economic Update: Africa Q4 2019. The professional accountancy body provides GDP growth forecasts for various regions including East Africa, which is the …
Read More »Is the renaming of CFA franc a prelude to an Ecowas common currency?
Francophone West African countries have decided to rename their common currency CFA franc as the Eco. Côte d’Ivoire’s President Alassane Ouattara announced the decision during a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Abidjan on 23 December, showing that it was a decision jointly reached with France. The currency is used by Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, …
Read More »Application for German fellowship for young African professionals opens
Are you a highly qualified young professional and you are not older than 35 years? Do you have several years of working experience, strong leadership qualities and a high level of dedication? Are you from a country in Africa? If yes, then apply until 10 January 2020 for AFRIKA KOMMT! The fellowship programme offers the opportunity of a fully-sponsored one-year …
Read More »Uganda, Ghana and Botswana have world’s highest percentage of women-owned businesses, finds study
Third edition of Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs profiles the progress and achievement of women entrepreneurs across 58 societies around the world The third edition of the Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs (MIWE) has listed three African countries as global leaders in terms of women-owned businesses. Uganda, Ghana and Botswana are ranked as the top three countries with the …
Read More »Germany-based company builds for diaspora Nigerians at home
Millions of Nigerians live and work in the diaspora and they send billions of euros back home annually. In 2018, remittances of Nigerians living abroad amounted to about €20 billion, according to figures released by the Central Bank of Nigeria in March. Most of the funds are sent to friends and relatives for various purposes, with real estate, food, education …
Read More »Merkel warns Germany’s labour shortage could spark exodus of companies
Germany is hoping to recruit qualified workers from outside the EU to prevent companies from moving their business abroad. Berlin is looking to countries such as Mexico, Vietnam and India to fill the gaps. German Chancellor Angela Merkel used her weekly podcast on Saturday to sound the alarm on the country’s skilled labour shortage, saying it could force companies to move elsewhere. …
Read More »Report shows investors’ optimism in sub-Saharan Africa despite challenges
In the largest survey of its kind, The Africa List Business Barometer reveals a high degree of confidence in the business environment across Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, despite ongoing challenges London, 04 December 2019: A survey of over 350 business leaders across five of some of Africa’s fastest growing economies reveals a high degree of optimism …
Read More »Nigeria spent more than $4 billion to import rice, wheat, others in 12 months
No less than N1.3 trillion ($4.3 billion or €3.8 billion) was spent by the Nigeria on the importation of rice, fish, sugar and wheat in the last 12 months, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said on Tuesday. The bank’s Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, Edward Lametek, spoke at a seminar organised for Finance reporters in Owerri, Imo State. Speaking on …
Read More »African diaspora challenged on African development at G-PAD Forum in Tübingen
The 2019 Global Partnership for Africa’s Development (G-PAD) Forum took place on 22-23 November in the German city of Tubingen.
Read More »Stakeholders discuss future of mobile money platforms in Africa
Stakeholders from 8 African countries deliberate on policies and frameworks to drive innovation, technology and sustainable mobile payment ecosystem Key representatives from over 8 countries in Africa gathered at a workshop organized by Vodacom in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday (21 November) to look into trends and developments shaping the mobile money industry in Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to …
Read More »How Nigerian emerged first Africa Jack Ma Prize winner
Temie Giwa-Tubosun, whose company LifeBank delivers blood to in-need hospitals in Nigeria, took first place in Jack Ma’s inaugural Africa Netpreneur Prize contest on Saturday (17 November) during a five-hour finale taped for TV in Accra, Ghana. Giwa-Tubosun pitched her way to a $250,000 cash prize over the course of eight months, beating out about 10,000 other applicants from 50 of Africa’s 54 …
Read More »European Bank to mobilise €1 billion for women entrepreneurs in Africa
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has launched SheInvest, a new initiative that aims to mobilise 1 billion euros of investment to benefit millions of women across Africa with better access to finance and by making sustainable infrastructure services and products work for them. This initiative was launched simultaneously at the Africa Investment Forum, which took plan on 11-13 November in …
Read More »Chancellor Merkel hosts 13 African leaders in Berlin
The primary objective is to increase the attractiveness of private investment in African countries through substantial improvements in the business climate in the continent.
Read More »Jack Ma Foundation awards $1 million to African entrepreneurs
The foundation of Chinese billionaire and founder of the Alibaba Group, Jack Ma, hosted its first annual Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative grand finale on Saturday in Accra, awarding $1 million in prize money to 10 entrepreneurs from across Africa. The Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative (ANPI) is a flagship initiative of the Jack Ma Foundation, created by Jack Ma after his first …
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