Category: COVER

Togo’s ‘Nana-Benz’: how cheap Chinese imports of African fabrics have hurt the famous women traders

The Conversation First Published,23rd July,2025 Authors: Fidele B. Ebia,Postdoctoral fellow, Duke Africa Initiative, Duke University Rory Horner,Reader, Global Development Institute, University of Manchester The manufacturing of African print textiles has shifted to China in the 21st century. While they are widely consumed in African countries – and symbolic of the continent – the rise of “made in China” has undermined the African women traders who have long shaped the retail and distribution of this cloth. For many decades Vlisco, the Dutch textile group which traces its origins to 1846 and whose…

Prof Benedict Oramah recognised

……….As 32nd Afreximbank Annual Meetings in Abuja More than 400 dignitaries including business and political leaders from Nigeria,across Africa and the diaspora attended the African Export-Import Bank’s(Afreximbank) Third Edition of the Pan-African Business and Development Award hosted in collaboration with the Business Council for Africa(BCA) on Wednesday June 25,2025 in Abuja,Nigeria. The Pan-African Business and Development Awards, held annually during the Afreximbank Annual Meetings, are designed to celebrate and recognise transformative businesses and financial institutions within the African continent and in the diaspora in keeping with the Bank’s vision for…

Exclusive / Mauritania to meet Israel at Trump White House meeting

Yinka Adegoke and Mathias Hammer,Semafor Updated Jul 9, 2025, 10:38am GMT, Africa The Scoop The Islamic Republic of Mauritania is set to take a step toward resuming ties with the state of Israel at a White House meeting brokered by US President Donald Trump later Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the plans. Mauritania President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of a mini US-Africa summit featuring four other western African countries: Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, and Senegal. Mauritania, which is a member of…

Dubai to Host Third Edition of International Glass Manufacturing Show in April 2026

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 10 July 2025: The Emirate of Dubai is set to welcome the third edition of International Glass Manufacturing Show (IGMS 2026), taking place from April 13 to 15, 2026, at Dubai World Trade Centre. This premier event will offer a specialized platform that underscores Dubai’s growing reputation as a regional and global hub for the advanced construction and façade industries. IGMS 2026 stands as the most prominent event of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region, dedicated exclusively to the entire glass industry…

Gabon’s Minister of Oil & Gas Joins AOG 2025 Amid Shift to Deepwater Exploration

Sosthene Nguema Nguema, Minister of Oil & Gas of Gabon, has joined this year’s Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference – taking place September 3-4 in Luanda – as a keynote speaker. Minister Nguema’s participation comes as the country implements a strategic shift towards deepwater exploration and production, seeking to unlock additional resources across the country’s offshore acreage. As one of Africa’s biggest deepwater producers, Angola offers significant experience in the field, highlighting a strategic opportunity for bilateral collaboration. With a goal to increase production to 220,000 barrels per day (bpd), Gabon…

OIC, LAS, and AU launch a joint emergency humanitarian appeal regarding the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip

Amb. Samir Bakr, the Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and Al-Quds Affairs, led a delegation from the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in a consultative meeting with UNRWA and representatives from the League of Arab States (LAS) and the African Union (AU). This meeting addressed the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. It took place at the LAS headquarters in Cairo on July 2, 2025. The meeting resulted in a joint emergency humanitarian appeal. Joint Emergency Humanitarian Appeal of the Three Regional Organizations: The League of…

South Africa Navigates U.S. Attack on Iran

By: Nosmot Gbadamosi,Foreign Policy’s Africa Brief South Africa has issued a notably guarded response to the U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites, urging “dialogue” and a “peaceful resolution” to the conflict. Pretoria’s muted statement—in contrast with its outright condemnation of Israel’s strikes on Iran earlier this month—underscores the diplomatic challenges that it faces as it navigates an increasingly unpredictable administration in Washington. This balancing act may only become more complicated if an Israel-Iran cease-fire fails to hold. In recent years, Pretoria has deepened its ties with Tehran. South Africa has allowed Iranian warships to dock in…

CIBAFI Releases GIBS 2025 Report, Showcasing Emerging AI and Data Trends in the Islamic Finance Sector

The General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions (CIBAFI), the global umbrella of Islamic financial institutions,has successfully held a webinar titled “AI and Data Survey (GIBS) 2025 Report,an official statement issued in Manama,Bahrain,Wednesday, has  disclosed. This edition of the GIBS Report explores the expanding role of artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics in transforming Islamic banking operations, service delivery, and risk management. It captures insights from 105 executives across 29 countries, providing valuable regional perspectives and industry benchmarks. The webinar opened with remarks from Dr. Abdelilah Belatik, Secretary General of…

Tackling Africa’s Illicit Financial Flows to Manage Resource-backed Loans Inbox

African Development Bank Embarks on Strengthening  Capacity The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has successfully concluded a high-level workshop and policy dialogue aimed at enhancing the Central Africa Republic’s capacity to combat illicit financial flows (IFFs) and improve the governance of resource-backed loans,says an official statement issued in Abidjan,Monday. Held in Bangui from 10-13 June 2025 under the theme “Harnessing Africa’s Wealth: Curbing Illicit Financial Flows for Resilient Growth and Development,” the four-day event brought together 80 officials from key government ministries, including Finance, Economy, Planning, Environment, Mines and Geology –…

Ensuring Effective Sharia Governance and Compliance

CIBAFI Conducts Online Technical Workshop for Islamic Financial Institutions The General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions (CIBAFI), the global umbrella organization for Islamic financial institutions, is conducting its Online Technical Workshop on “Governance and Compliance for Islamic Financial Institutions (IFIs)” says  an official statement issued in Manama, Bahrain, Monday. Delivered in English, the two-day virtual workshop, brings together professionals from across the Islamic financial services industry. Effective governance frameworks,the statement,notes, are essential to ensuring sound practices, ethical conduct, and Shariah compliance in Islamic financial institutions. In recognition of this,…