Month: May 2026

Deepening Cross-border Investments…EDB, Mauritius takes Pragmatic action

Story: Mohammed A. Abu Cross-border investment in West Africa is a complex mix of formal Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) concentrated in key hubs like Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal, and massive Informal Cross-Border Trade (ICBT) that supports local livelihoods. While regional integration efforts remain high, investors face challenges such as infrastructural deficits, regulatory inconsistencies, and security issues Key Drivers and Sectors  Mineral Resources & Energy: Mining (bauxite, manganese, gold) and infrastructure projects are the primary recipients of capital. Substantial multinational and regional capital flows target energy transitions and clean energy corridors.…

How biodiversity markets shape nature recovery

First Published,11 May 2026 Land, Society and Governance Blog 3 minute read  Mattia Troiano,Research Assistant, Dr Mark Hirons Senior Researcher   Biodiversity markets are increasingly being used in conservation policy, but we still don’t fully understand how their design shapes who gets involved and what actually happens for nature on the ground. A new open-access article in Environmental Policy and Governance by Mattia Troiano, a researcher at the ECI, and colleagues looks at this question through England’s Biodiversity Net Gain system, based on interviews and participatory mapping work in Oxfordshire. Rather…

IEA opposes renewal of Gold Fields Tarkwa mining lease, calls for greater Ghanaian ownership

First Published,13 May 2026 6:31pm   The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has intensified calls for Ghana to prioritise local ownership of its natural resources, opposing the renewal of Gold Fields’ lease for the Tarkwa mines as it approaches expiration in 2027. Speaking at a press conference in Accra, former Chief Justice and IEA Fellow Sophia Akuffo supported calls for increased Ghanaian participation in the management of the country’s mineral resources, stressing the need for greater national control over strategic assets. The IEA said the proposed lease renewal or extension…

GoldBod targets $400 million weekly gold purchases under GANRAP – CEO

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, Esq. has revealed that government, through the Ghana Accelerated National Reserve Accumulation Programme (GANRAP), is targeting the purchase of three tonnes of gold every week in a move expected to generate over $400 million weekly for Ghana’s economy through 2028. According to Mr. Gyamfi on TV3’s Key Points Program on Saturday, May 9, 2026, the programme seeks to purchase 2.45 tonnes of gold weekly from the artisanal and small-scale mining sector, while large-scale mining companies are expected to…

Dangote, Rabiu from Kano Top List of Africa’s Richest Men

Nigerian billionaires Aliko Dangote and Abdul Samad Rabiu, both from Kano State, have emerged among Africa’s richest individuals, according to the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranking seen by Daily Trust. ‎ ‎The Bloomberg ranking, which is updated daily to reflect real-time movements in global wealth, showed Dangote retaining his position as Africa’s richest man with a net worth of $34.9 billion, while Rabiu climbed to become Africa’s third-richest billionaire with an estimated fortune of $18.5 billion. ‎ ‎South African luxury goods magnate Johann Rupert ranked as Africa’s second-richest person with…

U.S. solar energy firm plans $750 million power grid expansion across four African countries

Renewvia Energy Corp. is expanding its solar-powered mini-grid operations into four African countries as renewable energy providers increasingly move to address the continent’s widening electricity deficit. Renewvia Energy Corp. is expanding its solar-powered mini-grid operations into Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The company plans an investment of about $750 million to provide roughly 2.1 million electricity connections across these countries. Sub-Saharan Africa faces significant energy poverty, with nearly 600 million people lacking access to electricity. Renewvia currently operates 24 mini-grids in Kenya and Nigeria and is…

Village Capital backs two Ghanaian startups with $350,000 from latest fund

By Opeyemi Kareem,First Published,6th May, 2026 Village Capital, a global nonprofit that backs high-impact startups across emerging markets, has deployed $350,000 from its latest fund into two Ghanaian startups, marking the first investments from a vehicle designed to channel capital to early-stage African companies building essential services. The funding comes from the Africa Ecosystem Catalysts Facility (AECF), a $4 million investment fund launched in July 2025 in partnership with the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. The facility targets startups addressing economic mobility and climate resilience through locally grounded…

Africa could replace lost Middle East oil supplies – Nigeria tells global investors

Segun Adeyemi, Africa Business Insider,First Published,07 May 2026 08:24 AM Nigeria and several African oil-producing nations could benefit from a major global supply gap created by escalating tensions in the Middle East, according to Nigeria’s upstream petroleum regulator, which says the continent is increasingly being viewed as a critical alternative source of crude oil and natural gas. Africa is emerging as a key alternative oil supplier after an estimated 10 million barrels per day were removed from the global market due to Middle East tensions. Nigeria’s oil regulator says declining…

Ghana signs gas deal with Eni, others to increase production at OCTP by 2028

Ghana has signed a key term sheet agreement to expand its domestic gas capacity. The deal which brings together Eni Ghana E&P, Vitol Upstream Ghana Limited and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) is to advance the next phase of the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) project. The agreement signed on Tuesday May 5, 2026 by the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor formalises commercial principles for the proposed Non-Associated Gas (NAG) Upgrade Project and marks a transition from earlier strategic intent to execution-focused planning. Eni serves as…

It costs more to ship from Lagos port to Accra than from Spain to Lagos – Dangote

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has said it is often more expensive to ship goods from Lagos to Accra than from Spain to Nigeria. Aliko Dangote says that shipping within Africa, such as from Lagos to Accra, is often more expensive than shipping from Europe to Africa. He points to structural barriers like weak transport systems and fragmented trade corridors as obstacles to intra-African commerce and economic integration. His Dangote Group operates in 17 African countries, dominating cement production and expanding with significant investments in cement, oil refining, and fertiliser…