Author: The Exchange

Burkina-Ghana border post suffers from poor management, weak agency coordination, and widespread non-compliance. Burkina Faso’s exit from ECOWAS continues to negatively impact future trade policies, border protocols, and regional cooperation.  For decades, Burkina Faso has depended good relations with Ghana to access the sea, so it can ship its minerals and cotton to overseas markets. A new study has unveiled a number of reforms to rev up opportunities that cross-border investors eyeing Burkina-Ghana trade corridor can bank on to grow. For years, landlocked Burkina Faso has depended establishing good relations with Ghana in order to access the sea, so it…

WHO Africa region office will be led by Tanzanian Professor Janabi if the 157th session of the WHO Executive Board, which takes place from 28 to 29 May 2025 in Geneva, endorses his nomination. Other candidates seeking the post were Dr N’da Konan Michel Yao (proposed by Cote d’Ivoire), Dr Mohamed Lamine Dramé (proposed by Guinea), and Professor Moustafa Mijiyawa (proposed by Togo).’ “Professor Janabi will take the reins at an unprecedented time for the African Region, and WHO as a whole,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. WHO Africa region office is set to have a new head…

Mattei Plan seeks to mobilize investments to tackle hunger, scale up agricultural output, and reduce the drivers of forced migration by investing in climate-aligned infrastructure. Central to Mattei Plan is the $170 billion Rome Process/Mattei Plan Financing Facility (RPFF), a multi-donor special fund designed to support infrastructure projects aligned with climate goals. The deal also seeks to inject up to €400 million into private equity funds over the next five years. Italy is increasingly positioning itself as an important player in Africa’s development journey with the rollout of the Mattei Plan—a bold initiative aimed at catalyzing economic transformation across the…

In Paris forum, energy chiefs seek an “integrated development of energy systems” on Africa’s resource wealth that balances affordability, sustainability and sovereignty. This push comes even as consensus grows that Africa’s energy mix must be as diverse as its development challenges. Captains of industry note that governments must move faster, cut through bureaucracy, and treat natural gas not as a waiting game, but as the bridge to affordable, inclusive, and sustainable energy systems. The question of how to better harness Africa’s resource sustainably has seen industry chiefs from the continent suggest plans that could help different needs at the speed…

The success of Africa’s LNG sector hinges on strategic infrastructure development, inclusive local participation, and access to capital. In a Paris forum, captains of industry agree that building infrastructure for domestic gas use must come first. Beyond capital and infrastructure, the long-term viability of Africa’s LNG sector rests on developing local talent and operational capacity. At the Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum held in Paris, global energy leaders noted that Africa’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector hinges on strategic infrastructure development, inclusive local participation, and access to risk-tolerant capital. With global demand for natural gas on the rise, African…

Many of Kenyan women working in Saudi Arabia said their employers call them highly derogatory and racist names, including “hayawana” (animal), “khaddama” (servant) and “sharmouta” (prostitute). Kenyan woman: “Because of my dark complexion, I was always called a Black animal. The children would also come to my face to point and laugh, saying how I am a monkey.” Amnesty International details instances where women were sexually assaulted, and in some cases raped, by their male Saudi employers. Kenyan women hired as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia endure grueling, abusive and discriminatory working conditions, which often amount to forced labour and…

Kenya’s wealthy are leading a strategic shift from luxury homes and foreign assets to energy-efficient, revenue-generating investments in 2025. Knight Frank report shows they’re they are turning their attention—and billions—on home-grown opportunities in technology, agriculture, data centres, and green energy. Nearly 77% of wealth managers surveyed said inherited assets represent less than 40% of their clients’ wealth portfolios. For half of them, that figure is under 30%. Kenya’s wealthy individuals are fast redrawing the roadmap to riches. A new survey shows that East Africa’s largest economy is experiencing a bold departure from traditional wealth-building norms as High Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs)…

The strategic partnership between Cassava Technologies and Zindi aims to empower local talent to drive AI innovation by leveraging GPU-powered resources to solve Africa’s unique challenges. collaboration is poised to see both entities explore opportunities to leverage each other’s platforms, ecosystems, and communities to expand reach, growth and impact. Part of the partnership will involve the launch of a dedicated AI challenge aimed at uncovering emerging talent and high-impact innovations. The pace of AI innovation in Africa has received a timely boost with two companies Cassava Technologies and Zindi, a platform that unites data scientists across the continent, agreeing to…

Safaricom CEO Dr. Peter Ndegwa credits performance to strategic investments in technology, expansion into Ethiopia, and a diversified digital services portfolio. Group Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) rose sharply by 29.5 per cent to KES104.1 billion. Telco to pay shareholders a total of KES48.08 billion in total dividend for the year. Nairobi-based Safaricom has made regional business history, becoming the first company in East Africa to post over $3 billion in annual revenue. The company’s total earnings rose by 11.2 per cent to KES388.7 billion for the financial year ending March 31, 2025, driven by strategic investments in technology,…

The boost to creative industry is part of the Afreximbank’s Creative Africa Nexus Programme (CANEX), which seeks to enhance growth and impact of the entertainment sector in the continent. Funding will be critical in promoting the production and distribution of high-quality films and TV series around the world, furthering Africa’s cultural appeal and influence. It will also help catalyse attracting and directing global capital into Africa’s film and TV production industry. The push to develop the nascent creative industry in Africa has received a timely boost with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) unveiling a $1 billion fund to position the…