Author: James Wambua

In August, Abuja and Malabo agreed to develop the Gulf of Guinea Gas Pipeline, an investment that’s poised to serve as a vital link between Nigeria’s gas reserves and Equatorial Guinea’s modern processing plants. Nigeria’s deal adds to another bilateral pact signed in March 2024 when Equatorial Guinea agreed with Cameroon to develop oil and gas projects along their shared maritime border. In both cases, however, political stability, regulatory clarity, and strong institutional frameworks will be vital in attracting investors. In August, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea signed a historic agreement to construct the Gulf of Guinea Gas Pipeline Project. This…

Africa received loans worth $4.6 billion from China last year, an increase from what economies across the continent received in 2022. This amount is, however, a far cry from Beijing’s massive infrastructure financing witnessed before the Covid-19 pandemic. Beijing will host African leaders for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation between September 4th-6th. A total of nine countries in Africa received Chinese loans worth $4.6 billion last year, an increase from what economies across the continent received in 2022. However, this amount is a far cry from Beijing’s massive infrastructure financing that was witnessed before the Covid-19 pandemic. The new statistics…

Savannah Clinker seeks to acquire 100% of the Nairobi Securities Exchange-issued shares of Bamburi Cement for $197.3M (KES25.4Bn), an offer that is higher than the $180M (KES23Bn) placed earlier by Amsons Group. The competition between Savannah Clinker and Amsons Group underscores an ever-persistent rivalry between Kenyan and Tanzanian firms in the East African market. In July, Amsons’ $180M offer was seen as a strategic move to expand its footprint in Kenya and tap into the lucrative construction market. The push by Tanzania-based conglomerate Amsons Group to grow its footprint across Kenya through the acquisition of Bamburi Cement has taken a…

Bolstered by the support of President William Ruto, Odinga outlines his vision for Africa—a continent united, resilient, and thriving. Kenya has established a secretariat to facilitate Odinga’s AU Commission Chairmanship campaign. Odinga’s bid launch attracted presidents Yoweri Museveni, Salva Kiir, Samia Suluhu, and former presidents Jakaya Kikwete and Olusegun Obasanjo. In a forum graced by Heads of States and senior Government officials from across Africa, Kenya’s Raila Amolo Odinga has officially launched his bid for the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC). Bolstered by the support of Kenyan President William Ruto, Odinga outlined his vision for Africa—a continent united,…

Global ratings agency S&P downgrades Kenya from “B” to “B-” on weaker debt trajectory. S&P says Kenya’s financial outlook has deteriorated following the rejection of Finance Bill 2024, which was intended to raise tax revenues. Agency projects that Kenya’s budget deficit will widen by almost two percentage points, reaching 4.3% for the 2025 fiscal year. S&P Global Ratings has further downgraded Kenya’s credit score, pushing the East African nation’s rating deeper into junk territory. This downgrade follows the government’s decision to reject controversial tax increases in late June that were aimed at addressing fiscal imbalances. The latest move by S&P…

Historically, efforts to combat malnutrition have often been siloed, with different sectors working in isolation. Despite the clear benefits of improving nutrition—both in terms of individual well-being and broader economic development—funding for nutrition initiatives has often been insufficient. A new approach seeks to break down these silos by promoting cross-sector collaboration and integrating nutrition into broader development strategies. Malnutrition in Africa remains a persistent challenge, affecting millions of people and hindering the continent’s development. The African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Development Bank Group’s African Leaders for Nutrition (ALN) initiative, in collaboration with the government of Senegal, have launched…

Health Minister Roger Kamba announced last week that the DRC expects to receive the first shipment of vaccine doses from the US within days. DRC is the hardest hit country by the epidemic globally reporting over 1000 new cases in a week. The country currently faces a huge shortfall in vaccine supplies, with an estimated 3 million doses required to curb the epidemic. The US is expected to deliver critical Mpox vaccines to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this week, marking a turning point in Kinshasa’s fight against the fast-spreading viral infection. This intervention comes as the World Health…

Currently, over 25.6 million people—more than half of Sudan’s population—are at risk of acute hunger. A coalition of the US, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, the African Union, and the UN, has pledged to deliver crucial relief supplies to famine-stricken areas in Darfur. Sudan’s conflict has triggered a displacement crisis, with over 10.7 million people forced to flee their homes since the fighting began. As conflict continues to ravage Darfur, the scale of famine in Sudan continues to unfold, drawing urgent global intervention. Last week, a coalition of countries and the United Nations (UN) announced the deployment of vital…

DRC is grappling with a severe outbreak of Mpox, reporting over 1,000 new cases in just one week. This alarming surge has prompted health authorities in Africa to urgently request vaccines to combat the viral infection. Kenya, the DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda are set to benefit from a donation of 50,000 doses of mpox vaccine as part of a global effort to check spread. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is grappling with a severe Mpox outbreak, reporting over 1,000 new cases in just one week. This alarming surge has prompted health authorities in Africa to urgently request vaccines…

The 300MW wind farm will be financed, built, and operated by AMEA Power under a 25-year power purchase agreement with Ethiopian Electric Power. Covering an area of 18,000 hectares, this project is expected to generate 1,400GWh of electricity. Dubai-based renewables developer AMEA Power has been involved in several notable projects across Africa. Ethiopia is on a path to hosting the Horn of Africa’s largest wind farm. This comes after the country signed an agreement with Dubai-based renewables developer AMEA Power to construct the energy plant in Somali Province, situated to the East of the continent’s second most populous country. At…