Category: AFRICA

Piloting Cedi-Naira Currency Swaps Fintech Solutions

By: Mohammed A. Abu Ghana’s Central Bank (Bank of Ghana) has denied some earlier local media publications that it had licensed MTN Ghana to conduct cross-border transactions with MTN Nigeria. The bank under its Sandbox programme to study emerging Fintech innovations, has rather approved Brij Fintech Ghana, a licensed Payment Service Provider(PSP) to conduct a limited testing of BrijX-a B2B Currency Swap Platform,it said in a Public announcement in Accra,Thursday. The platform the Bank said, is built to act as a digital marketplace that collaborates with banks, mobile money operators…

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) Sweeps IJGlobal and Global Capital Awards with Hat Trick of Major Wins

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, has been honoured with three prestigious accolades, further underscoring its impact in shaping Africa’s financial landscape. At the IJGlobal Awards 2024 held recently in London, AFC was named Guarantor of the Year, Africa, and also received the Market Innovation Award, Africa.  The following evening, AFC was recognised with the African Deal of the Year at the Global Capital Syndicated Loan Awards in London. The trio of awards showcase AFC’s pioneering role in infrastructure financing, risk mitigation, and innovative financial solutions that drive sustainable…

President Ramkalawan Presides Over Official Handover of New SBC Headquarters

The President of the Republic, Mr. Wavel Ramkalawan, accompanied by Vice President Mr. Ahmad Afif, presided over the official handover ceremony of the new Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) headquarters at Union Vale Yesterday morning. Funded through a generous grant from the People’s Republic of China, construction of the state-of-the-art facility commenced in April 2019 and was carried out by Hunan No.6 Engineering Co. Ltd. Despite delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and various technical challenges, the project has been successfully completed to the highest standards. The facility consists of three…

Balancing Energy Security and Decarbonization: African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 to Address South Africa’s Power Crisis

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 18, 2025/ — South Africa faces a critical energy challenge: securing a stable power supply while transitioning to a low-carbon future. The African Energy Chamber’s (EnergyChamber.org/) State of African Energy 2025 Outlook Report provides a detailed analysis of this shift, highlighting the country’s continued reliance on coal, the slow pace of renewable energy integration and the urgent need for infrastructure investments to modernize the grid. These insights will set the stage for key discussions at African Energy Week (AEW) 2025: Invest in African Energies, where industry leaders…

Africa Tech Festival Appoints Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder of APO Group, to Leadership Council

By:Mohammed Abu The Founder and Chairman of the award-winning Pan-African communications consultancy and leading press release distribution service provider,the APO Group , Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com),has been appointed as a member of the Africa Tech Festival Leadership Council  an official statement,said,in Cape Town,Thursday. The Africa Tech Festival (www.AfricaTechFestival.com),the release said,is the continent’s largest and most influential tech and digital connectivity conference, featuring flagship events such as AfricaCom, AfricaTech, AfricaIgnite, and the AI Summit Cape Town. The festival celebrates Africa’s vibrant tech community, attracting hundreds of exhibitors, over 450 speakers, and more…

Global Attention Towards Africa Sours

By: Mohammed A. Abu The 6th of March this year witnessed the Canadian Government’s launch of Canada-Africa Strategy-A Partnership for Shared Prosperity and Security. “With this strategy, Canada is leveraging its long-standing partnerships with African countries to unlock unprecedented opportunities for prosperity and stability from which Canadians and the African people can mutually benefit for years to come,” said the Hon. Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs This comes on the back of the African Union and Japan’s expression of commitment to co-creating a Sustainable Future for Africa at a…

ARISE IIP secures $450 million Afreximbank facility for industrial parks, Special Economic Zones development

In a significant move aimed at boosting industrial development across Africa, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) signed a US$450 million global credit facility with ARISE IIP, the leading pan-African developer and operator of world-class industrial parks. This financing will support the development of industrial parks and Special Economic Zones (SEZ), while also providing crucial trade finance support to businesses operating within the ARISE IIP ecosystem.  The US$ 450 million, granted in the context of Afreximbank’s strategic objective of promoting, facilitating, and supporting Africa’s industrialisation ecosystems, is part of a proposed…

Resetting Ghana’s Economy to break the Loans and Aid Dependency Jinx

By: Mohammed Abu Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama in Accra,Thursday,emphasized the importance of backing up good policies with proactiveness on the part of the part of all national stakeholders  in other to  realise  the much desired change in the economic situation of the country. “This is a defining moment, but policies alone, no matter how well-couched, will not change our reality—action will” adding, “As your president, I am taking the necessary actions to create growth opportunities and enhance our economic independence” President Mahama was delivering his speech to mark the…

Ghana’s National Economic Dialogue ends in Accra with Key Policy Recommendations

Story: Mohammed Abu Ghana’s two-day National Economic Dialogue has ended in the country’s  capital City of Accra with recommendations bordering  on  a number of key issues Monetary Policy In other to strengthen monetary policy operations and effectiveness, it was recommended that coordination between the Ministry of Finance and Bank of Ghana be enhanced so as to ensure fiscal and monetary policy alignment. Then also, the Bank of Ghana should work with key stakeholders to integrate Fintech/liquidity transactions into overall banking sector liquidity system. Foreign Exchange Markets In other to improve…

Gloom as oil price drops; more uncertainty looms-By Emeka Eke Editor-in-chief, GlobalFocus Media

Crude Oil future continues to fluctuate even as President Donald Trump looks set to impose higher levies on two of the United States’ biggest suppliers; Canada and Mexico! With China gearing up for countermeasures if the United States implements its planned threat to increase tariffs on Chinese imports, the battle for superiority and dominance is only just getting started! As the US relies majorly on oil imports from Canada and Mexico for its refineries, the potential tariffs may have a complex effect on crude prices which by extension, may affect…