Author: James Wambua

A groundbreaking initiative, the SEMA ReACT (SEvere MAlaria treatment with Rectal artesunate and Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy [in remote settings]) consortium, marks a fresh collaboration between Africa and Europe. This study addresses the knowledge gap surrounding an intervention designed to provide a critical time buffer for seeking additional care in remote settings where transferring to health facilities is difficult.…

• East African gas has around one-third of the global average carbon content and is extremely low in liquids.
• Unni Fijaer, Vice President and Tanzania country manager for Equinor adds that the gas is ideal for meeting the world’s energy needs while minimising emissions.
• Lower carbon levels make East African Coast gas reserves more attractive to investors.

The vast gas reserves off the East Coast of Africa have significantly lower carbon content than the global average. This unique characteristic renders them more attractive to international investors and export markets amid the ongoing energy transition.

A recent panel discussion at the AOW Investing in African Energy event in Cape Town, South Africa, revealed this valuable insight. This underscores the pivotal role of African gas in the evolving global energy landscape.

East African gas reserves cleanest

“The beauty of gas derived from the East Coast of Africa is that it is extremely low …

• The AFAWA initiative seeks to increase women’s access to finance in the continent by bridging the $42 billion financing gap for women-led and owned small and medium enterprises.
• Since its inception just over two years ago, the AFAWA initiative has already approved $1.2 billion in funding for women-led enterprises in 32 African countries.
• Previous AFAWA Finance Series have been held in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Angola and Nigeria.

The African Development Bank through its Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative, in partnership with African Guarantee Fund (AGF) and in collaboration with the Office of the President’s Advisor on Women’s Rights, have inaugurated the 6th edition of the AFAWA Finance Series in Nairobi, Kenya.

In a three-day event themed “Enhancing Financial Inclusion for Women”, that ended on 23rd November, the initiative seeks to revolutionise the financial landscape and foster an enabling environment for women …

• Orange’s Max it is a “super-app” designed to be a portal for mobile services that simplifies the digital experience and eases the achievement of daily activities.
• The super app is set to debut in five countries Cameroon, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Botswana across Africa. By 2025, Orange projects to have 45 million active users.
• The app brings together account functionalities, Orange Money, and an e-commerce platform offering digital content.

Following the steady uptake of My Orange and Orange Money applications, which are used by more than 22 million customers on a daily basis, French telecommunications giant Orange is introducing its super-app: Max it.

According to the telco, Max it is an innovative application that seamlessly integrates telecommunications, financial services, and e-commerce to address all the daily requirements of its users.

Developed by the Orange teams in Africa with the African customer in mind, Max it, is set to …

• Tata International is set to expand operations in Nigeria through a strategic partnership with the Lagos Free Zone (LFZ).
• LFZ is the first and only free zone in Nigeria that is uniquely integrated with the deepest seaport in the region, the Lekki Port, which started operations in April 2023.
• With a rich legacy spanning over four decades, Tata International is a key contributor to the economic landscape of the African continent.

Tata International is set to expand operations in Nigeria through a strategic partnership with the Lagos Free Zone (LFZ). The agreement as signed in the presence of Anand Sen, Managing Director of Tata International Limited, by Managing Director of Tata Africa Holdings Pty Ltd, Len Brand. This marks a significant milestone in the company’s commitment to the region.

With a rich legacy spanning over four decades, Tata International is a key contributor to the economic landscape of the African …

• African countries continue to grapple with substantial capacity gaps in macroeconomic modeling, a new report by AfDB shows.
• The findings underscore the need for further enhancement in macroeconomic modeling capabilities across African economies.
• The report offers insights into the models and modeling capacities present in roughly 31 out of 54 African states.

Despite notable progress in forecasting, analysis, and effective policy management, a recent study by the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group reveals that African countries continue to grapple with substantial capacity gaps in macroeconomic modeling.

Titled “Benchmark Macroeconomic Models for Effective Policy Management in Africa,” the report was unveiled in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian, on 18 November. The launch took place alongside the African Economic Conference 2023 and was conducted by the AfDB Group. The findings underscore the need for further enhancement in macroeconomic modeling capabilities across African nations to bolster their ability to formulate and execute effective policies.

Role

Ahead of COP28, the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is calling on leaders across the globe to shift gears and drastically and urgently scale up climate finance for small-scale farmers and small agribusinesses, who produce one-third of the world’s food and up to 70 per cent of the food in low- and middle-income countries. Many of these farmers are grappling with the negative impacts of climate change.…

On the second day of the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2023 conference, a thought-provoking panel discussion engaged regional and international energy leaders, delving into the pivotal role of natural gas in a changing energy arena. The panellists delved into evolving market dynamics stemming from the global energy transition, sustainability endeavours, and technological innovations within the sector.…

• The Project will increase food production, income, and job creation for Kenyan smallholder farmers.
• Between 2024 and 2026, the project will support Apollo Agriculture Limited’s efforts to distribute fertilizers efficiently.
• The distribution strategy encompasses leveraging a portion of the company’s network, spanning 150 retail agro-dealers and 800 village-based agents, all under a digital platform.

The Africa Fertilizer Financing Mechanism has taken a significant stride in bolstering agricultural sustainability and productivity in Kenya by extending financial support to Apollo Agriculture Limited. This strategic move involves a $2 million partial trade credit guarantee and a $219,000 grant funding, aiming to facilitate the distribution of over 7,000 tonnes of fertilizers to approximately 100,000 smallholder farmers across the country.

The financial assistance provided by the mechanism reflects a commitment to addressing the challenges faced by smallholder farmers in accessing fertilizers, particularly those hindered by the lack of tangible collateral.

Target beneficiaries under Africa Fertilizer

• Across Africa, Public-private partnerships (PPP) experience varies across countries due to GDP differences, capital market size and depth.
• The UN Economic Commission for Africa ECA has been working with African countries to enhance their PPPs for infrastructure development.
• ECA has been undertaking capacity building and helping economies in Africa to mobilize resources for infrastructure development.

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are crucial to closing the financing gap for infrastructure development in Africa, and governments and the private sector should work together to create effective PPPs, said Dr Robert Lisinge, Acting Director of the Private Sector Development and Finance Division at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

He was speaking last week at a plenary session of the African Economic Conference 2023 on Public-Private Partnerships to catalyse infrastructure development and innovative financing for industrialization in Africa.

“Financing Africa’s infrastructure is still a big challenge faced by many countries on the continent. To …