Author: Giza Mdoe

AfDB backs Tanzania in drafting a franchise policy.  Over 100 SMEs successfully franchised in project’s first year. Tanzania launches the Franchise Association of Tanzania (FATA). Tanzania has embarked on a small business formalization project that will in effect increase its Real National Income. Dubbed, the Africa Franchising Accelerator Project (AFRAP), the initiative is backed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and implemented by the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF). According to the project outcome report, in it’s first year, AFRAP has already achieved formalization of some 101 small and medium enterprises across Tanzania. The goal of the project is to support…

Only five countries, South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and Nigeria, produce half of Africa’s $3.6 trillion GDP. Africa annual economic growth is forecast at $3.6 trillion and no East African country is on the list of top 5 African economies. Only five countries are responsible for almost half of Africa’s GDP, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revealed. According to the IMF, the 2026 Africa economic growth value is projected to be around $3.6 trillion out of which, approximately $1.8 trillion is expected to emanate from only five countries. Africa’s top five performing countries as listed in the IMF’s April 2026…

Nairobi Declaration sounds bold, but financing and implementation plan coming out of the Africa Forward summit remain missing. France, which has been chased out of West Africa, is undertaking a ‘strategic autonomy’ pitch on the continent through economies in East Africa. Can France realistically do anything different than what has been experienced in West Africa in the past decades? We analyse. After expulsion from several West African states, France has gone to East Africa and committed to develop Africa’s capacity to add value to their critical minerals, among several other ‘partnership’ pledges. Commitment to the same was made by French President…

With Strait of Hormuz on lockdown, Africa’s ports just got a shock boom as global shippers change course. However, consumers are hit as shipping lines are paying a fortune to sail around Africa. Cargo volumes explode by 974% in Kenya’s Lamu port even as Nairobi and Addis Ababa join forced to protect shippers in the high seas. The Cape of Good Hope has become the go to option as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains closed or limited at best. Shipping data indicates that vessels are opting to use the African coastline to circumnavigate the prevailing risks at the Strait…

Over 754 new factories, $433 million in industrial exports, and a 10.2% GDP boom, Ethiopia is rewriting its growth story. Is this Africa’s new industrial tiger? Under its ‘Made in Ethiopia’ push, Addis Ababa just tripled its exports, recording $10 billion and growing. Ethiopia is on track to clock USD10 billion in export earnings this fiscal year, more than three times it’s previous earnings in the last three year. Speaking at the 4th “Made in Ethiopia” Expo in the nation’s capital Addis Ababa, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, accredited the success to industrial development and strategic government policies. The “Made in Ethiopia”…

Tanzania, which is set to host World Travel Awards 2026, just hit $4.2 billion in tourism receipts and visitor numbers are up 7% months before the season peaks. The big five, affordable flights, and 17,000 lions. Is this why Safari planners are flocking into Tanzania in 2026? Tanzania is evolving into Africa’s safari capital with official data showing high tourist numbers even as the 2026 tourism season peaks. According to the Bank of Tanzania (BoT), the country  reported record 4.2 billion US dollars in the year ending October 2025. It is worth pointing out that the figure represents a 7.1%…

US company to set up World’s 4th largest niobium project in Tanzania.  Tanzania niobium project sets off after nearly a decade.  Tanzania niobium processing project in line with national value addition strategy. Tanzania and the US have signed agreements for the production and processing of niobium, a move that may very well spike a value addition revolution in the country and region. Inked in March 2026, with the U.S. based Panda Hill Tanzania Limited will among other things facilitate the mining of niobium and processing of ferroniobium (FeNb). What is unprecedented is not the production of niobium, a strategic metal used…

China scraps tariffs for all African countries starting May 1st. With China’s zero tariffs, is the U.S. likely to follow suit? Why it is the best time to invest in Africa?  China’s zero tariffs for African exporters has come to effect as of May 1st, Labor Day. Apart from Eswatini, China has scrapped tariffs for all African countries effective and the programme is projected to rununtil 30th April 2028. The zero tariffs policy was initially presented by Chinese President Xi Jinping in his address to the 39th African Union Summit on 14th February, 2026. Reeling from President Donald Trump’s 30% tariffs,…

US invites Kenya to lead regional partnership in critical minerals deals  US recognizes Kenya’s role in leading regulatory transparency  Proposes mutual benefits opposed to current ‘predatory investments’ The US is looking to Kenya in it’s efforts to iron out relations with Africa and build partnerships in the critical minerals mining sector. The development comes in the wake of Kenya announcing the Mrima Hill rare earth deposit in Kwale County competitive tender earlier this year. The United States’ partnership invite to Kenya  was formally presented at the Kenya Mining Investment Conference and Expo 2026 in April. It proposes for Kenya to join the…

Aliko Dangote proposes setting up mega oil refinery in Tanga, Tanzania Dangote’s proposed EAC oil refinery to rival Nigeria’s 650,000 barrels daily output  EAC presidents reiterate need for self reliance Tanzania will host mega oil refinery plant that is due to be set up by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote. Dangote’s envisioned East African oil refinery is expected to rival his Nigerian 650,000 barrels-per-day facility, the energy tycoon told a presidential panel at the “Africa We Build” summit in Kenya’s capital Nairobi. With the expected production of up to 10% of US’ current refining capacity, the proposed plant will be one…