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Zambia holds interest rate steady as inflation outlook improves

The apex bankโ€™s latest decision reflects cautious optimism about the countryโ€™s economic trajectory as food supply picks up easing inflationary pressures.

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What you should know as South Africaโ€™s Transnet secures $2.8bn guarantee to avert collapse

The governmentโ€™s $2.8 billion guarantee to Transnet targets debt relief and urgent infrastructure repair

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South Africaโ€™s Investec announces $139 million share buyback

Investec Ltd. has announced a $139.2 million share repurchase set to begin in May 2025 on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

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Dangote signs polypropylene export deal with Vinmar, signals forex and trade balance gains for Nigeria

Dangoteโ€™s new polypropylene plant, backed by a global export deal with Vinmar, signals Nigeriaโ€™s shift toward value-added exports.

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Ethiopia, Netherlands launch $50m dry port to derisk agro exports, tame FX pressure

Ethiopia and the Netherlands are investing $50 million to improve agricultural exports through dry port and cold storage facilities.

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Ethiopiaโ€™s central bank caps forex fees at 4%, eases rules for businesses and travellers

In addition to simplifying forex pricing structures for bank customers, the new rules offer greater flexibility for international travellers and businesses through higher cash limits and relaxed import payment rules.

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Court rules against privacy lawyers in dispute over Nigeriaโ€™s biometric banking system

A Nigerian court has barred a privacy lawyersโ€™ group from joining a lawsuit over control of the BVN, a national biometric ID system linked to bank accounts, raising concerns about data governance and civil society exclusion.

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Uganda exports surge to $8bn in AGOA fallout year

Following the AGOA ban, Uganda leaned on targeted market surveys, better trade representation, and local reforms to break into new markets across Asia and Europe.

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Bank lending to government hits $17.8bn as Kenyaโ€™s debt reaches new high

New data from the finance ministry shows that Kenyaโ€™s total debt stock rose to a record $88 billion in the 12 months leading to March 2025 driven by increased domestic borrowing.

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Nigeriaโ€™s central bank holds interest rate at 27.5% amid mixed signals

The CBNโ€™s decision was influenced by a modest easing in inflation and improved macroeconomic indicators, including a narrower exchange rate gap and a better balance of payments position.

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FDI inflows into Nigeriaโ€™s digital economy surge to $305m in H1 2024, says minister

While the surge in technology investments highlights the digital sectorโ€™s growing role in Nigeriaโ€™s economy, investor confidence in the broader landscape remains weak, as reflected in the continued decline in overall FDI.

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Nigerian lender refutes $139m court ruling, clarifies exposure tied to legacy loan

The bank, while denying insolvency claims, clarified that its actual exposure ranges between $9 million and $19 millionโ€”a sum it would share with G. Cappa, another party to the suit.

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Algeria secures new $3bn IsDB financing for infrastructure upgrade

The new deal marks a significant step-up from previous commitments, with IsDB indicating plans to double Algeriaโ€™s financing volumes which currently stand at around $2.9 billion.

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Nigeriaโ€™s tax agencies launch joint committee to overhaul its tax revenue system

FIRS and RMAFC have formed a joint committee to enhance tax revenue monitoring, marking a strategic move toward fiscal transparency and reducing Nigeriaโ€™s reliance on volatile oil income

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World Bank backs Malawiโ€™s biggest FDI with $350 million clean energy grant

The energy project is expected to supply electricity to over 1 million Malawian households and create thousands of jobs, both directly and through downstream industries.

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Ethiopia to license first-ever foreign bank by end of 2025

Ethiopiaโ€™s central bank has announced it will phase out a controversial rule that requires commercial banks to buy government bonds.

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Mozambique to receive $7.5 million from gambling tax to fund budget

The Mozambican government expects to collect 500 million meticais ( about $7.5 million) in taxes from casinos and gambling activities in 2025.

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European lender approves Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Benin for investment rollout

The upgrade marks a significant shift in the lender’s expansion strategy beyond its traditional markets in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and parts of the Middle East.

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Nigeriaโ€™s statistics bureau reports inflation drop to 23.71% in April 2025

Despite the apparent drop in headline inflation, Nigerians continue to face high costs of essentials amid ongoing economic challenges.

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Proposed central bank law would fine Kenyan businesses for refusing cash payments

A Kenyan lawmaker, Caroli Omondi, has suggested a new law called the Central Bank of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2025. This law would make it against the rules for shops and businesses with real locations to refuse cash for payments under $775. If they donโ€™t follow this rule, they could be fined or sued.

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The Bank of Zambia, on Friday, opted to pause its monetary tightening cycle for the first time since November 2024, amid growing optimism over the inflation outlook.


South Africa extends a $2.8 billion guarantee to Transnet to cover funding and debt servicing amid years of decline, corruption, and theft. The move aims to stabilise key logistics and protect the economy


South Africaโ€™s Investec Ltd. plans a $139.2 million share buyback over the next year, aiming to boost shareholder returns and strengthen investor confidence amid a challenging economic environment


Dangote Group has signed an export deal with Vinmar International to supply polypropylene from its $2 billion Lagos plant.


Ethiopia and the Netherlands invest $50 million to boost agricultural exports and reduce waste with new dry port facilities.


Ethiopiaโ€™s central bank has capped forex fees at 4% and eased payment limits for importers and travellers, in a bid to boost transparency and improve access to foreign exchange.


The Abuja court rules DPLAN lacks legal interest in NIBSS vs. CBN BVN dispute, limiting civil societyโ€™s role in Nigeriaโ€™s digital identity governance


In the same year Uganda was stripped of duty-free access to US markets over its anti-LGBTQ laws, the countryโ€™s exports surged to $8 billion โ€” nearly twice the value recorded in 2022.


Kenyaโ€™s public debt soared to a record $88 billion by the end of March 2025, driven by a sharp increase in domestic borrowing – which now stands atย  $47.4 billion, with commercial banks accounting for 18.7% or $17.8 billion.


Nigeriaโ€™s central bank has retainedย its benchmark interest rate at 27.5% for the second consecutive time this year, reflecting a cautious stance as the country continues to battle high inflation.


Nigeria recorded an unprecedented $305 million in foreign direct investment in its digital sector in the first half of 2024, marking a sharp rise in capital inflows.


Nigerian commercial lender Fidelity Bank Plc has refuted reports that the Supreme Court ordered it to pay $139 million in damages over a legacy loan, dismissing bankruptcy claims as false and misleading.


Algeria has secured over $3 billion in fresh financing from the Islamic Development Bank Group to expand its national railway network under a new three-year cooperation plan.


FIRS and RMAFC launch joint committee to enhance tax tracking, boost transparency, and cut oil reliance as tax revenue now makes up 65% of shared government funds in 2024.


The World Bank has approved a $350 million grant to support the launch of a landmark hydropower storage project in Malawi, poised to attract the largest foreign direct investment in the country’s history.

 


Ethiopia will license its first foreign bank by the end of 2025, central bank governor Mamo Mihretu announced Thursday, marking a historic opening of the country’s tightly controlled financial sector.


The Mozambican government expects to collect 500 million meticais ( about $7.5 million) in taxes from casinos and gambling activities in 2025.


Nigeria, Cรดte dโ€™Ivoire and Benin have formally joined the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development as recipient countries following an upgrade on Thursday, paving the way for fresh investments in West Africa.

 

 


Nigeriaโ€™s inflation rate eased to 23.71% in April 2025 from 24.23% in March after rebasing the Consumer Price Index. However, this decline mainly reflects statistical adjustment rather than actual price decreases.


Kenya is considering a new law that will stop businesses from refusing cash payments businesses from refusing cash paymentsย under $775. The bill, introduced by MP Caroli Omondi, is meant to protect ordinary people from being left out as digital payments take over.