Author: Giza Mdoe

Addis Ababa has sealed seven times its investment value target as China leads charge into liberalising the Horn of Africa’s economy, signalling a ‘recalibration’ of the continent’s power dynamics. Ethiopia’s ambitious economic liberalisation is yielding tangible dividends. Last week, the East African nation secured over $13 billion in investment pledges at the Invest Ethiopia 2026 Forum in Addis Ababa, nearly seven times its initial $2.4 billion target and a striking contrast to the $2.9 billion raised at a comparable Kenyan event. Spearheaded by the Ethiopia Investment Commission (EIC), the forum showcased opportunities in manufacturing, agriculture, agro-processing, energy, and construction to…

One of the outstanding trends reshaping Africa’s Venture Capital landscape is the growing role of debt financing. In 2025, debt reached a record $1.6 billion, up 63% year-on-year, accounting for 41% of all capital invested, a sharp increase from 31% in 2024 and just 17% in 2019. Africa accounts for 18 per cent of the global population and 5 per cent of global GDP, yet, on average, only a mere 0.6 per cent of global venture capital finds its way to the continent annually. This striking disparity, highlighted in the October 2025 Africa Development Advocacy report “Financing The Africa We…

Zimbabwe flags SEZs as key to future growth. The South African country attracted over $1.4 billion in new investments in 2025. We are now open for business, states Zimbabwe authorities.  Zimbabwe’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs) represent the future of industrialization in the country serving as a catalyst to development in the selected key regions. With special economic provisions, SEZs in Zimbabwe are pitched to be the driving force of the country’s development. According to the Zimbabwe Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube, SEZs are already paying dividend evident in the fact that the country attracted over $1.4…

Cargo throughput and export volumes have accelerated through the Holili-Taveta border crossing between Tanzania and Kenya, driven by improved customs infrastructure and growing bilateral cooperation on grain trade. However non-tariff barriers continue to impose significant costs on regional commerce at the vital trade corridor connecting the two East African markets. The Holili-Taveta border post, straddling the frontier between northern Tanzania and southern Kenya, has emerged as a rare bright spot in East Africa’s push for deeper economic integration. Official data and industry reports indicate that cargo throughput and export volumes have accelerated through the crossing over the past year, driven…

Banks across Africa have halted plans to lower borrowing rates as Iran war intensifies.  Strong gold and metal prices have helped stabilize African currencies. The World Bank projects general strong economic growth 4.0 percent for Africa in 2026.  The earlier expected lowering of borrowing rates across Africa’s financial institutions has come to a grinding halt owing to the Iran war. “The ongoing war on Iran has reversed the previously expected decline in African borrowing rates, creating a “higher-for-longer” interest rate environment across the continent,” Reuters reported over the weekend. Before the war broke out, the World Bank had projected that;…

Behind the closed doors of a Nairobi summit late February, the future of East African trade was being redrawn. Against a backdrop of unmet targets and frustrated potential, the East African Business Council, alongside the East African Community and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), gathered nearly 500 delegates to tackle a stubborn problem: how to make regional trade actually work. The theme was aspirational: “Promoting Private Sector-Driven Regional Integration.” Beatrice Askul Moe, Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, opened the proceedings with a hopeful tone, speaking of a region “united by enterprise” and noting the “slight growth” in…

Arusha is set to host second Cape to Cairo Arusha International tourism and cultural festival. Dr. Jane Goodall Centre to open in August in the city on the foot of Mt. Kilimajaro. Arusha only one of two Africa cities on CNN “Best places to visit” 2026 list. Arusha is commanding the spotlight again. Fresh off its crowning as one of CNN’s ‘Must Visit Places for 2026,’ Tanzania’s safari capital is gearing up to host the second edition of the Cape to Cairo Arusha International festival. From the majestic heights of Mount Kilimanjaro to the endless plains of the Serengeti, this…

Africa’s space economy is worth $24.95 billion. Here is how satellite data and climate-smart ag are driving the next wave of investment. Africa’s space economy has quietly rocketed past a major milestone. Valued at $24.95 billion in 2025, the sector is no longer a futuristic fantasy but a present-day economic engine, according to the ‘African Space Industry Annual Report, 2025.’ The numbers tell a story of relentless momentum. Since 2022, when the industry was valued at $19.49 billion, the market has added over $5 billion in value, surpassing earlier projections by a significant margin. With a Compound Annual Growth Rate…

Critical minerals: Zambia has moved to enforce 20-40% local procurement quotas while the DRC takes 10% equity. We analyze how new 2026 beneficiation policies are forcing mining giants to share value. A tonne of raw lithium leaves an African port for a fraction of the price it will command six months later as a refined battery cathode destined for an electric vehicle factory in the U.S., Europe or China. This gap in value, between the dusty ore and the finished component, represents the single greatest economic opportunity for the continent’s resource-rich nations. Closing this gap is the work of “beneficiation”:…

Gender financing still lags globally UN is pushing for gender financing inclusion in national development agendas  Women reinvest 90 percent of income in household and national development efforts – UN Gender financing was the main topic at a high ranking meeting held on the sidelines of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa earlier this month. Convened by the African Union (AU) Women, Gender and Youth Directorate of the African Union Commission, and led by H.E. John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, the meeting called for renewed commitment gender…