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Economic Growth
- New hotel room developments in Kenya have dropped.
- With continued signing activity (19 hotels with about 5,200 rooms in 2023) Egypt now accounts for 28 per cent of the total pipeline.
- When it comes to hotels under construction, Marriott International leads the way, with 138 hotels (15,011 rooms) currently being built.
Kenya has ranked seventh in Africa among the countries with the highest number of hotel room developments by international hotel chains, a drop from position five in 2022.
This is according to the latest survey by Lagos-based W Hospitality Group, in association with the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF). From the survey, Kenya has 31 hotels with a total of 4,268 rooms on the pipeline with an average room size in these hotels is approximately 138 square feet.
North Africa continues to dominate the planned supply, with Morocco and Egypt together comprising almost 31 per cent of the …
- The Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) is directly importing petroleum products from Vitol Bahrain, aiming to reduce reliance on Kenyan firms and mitigate high fuel prices.
- UNOC’s direct importation and sale of fuel to OMCs in Tanzania and Uganda is a significant step towards fostering stronger regional ties, promoting economic growth, and ensuring energy security.
Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) has started the sale of petroleum products to oil marketing companies in both Uganda and Tanzania.
This is part of a broader strategy to test the waters before UNOC embarks on a direct importation agreement with the global oil titan, Vitol Bahrain. This maneuver signals a new era in East Africa’s energy dynamics, especially following a cooling of relations between Uganda and Kenya over fuel supply mechanisms.
Breaking New Ground: Uganda National Oil Company Direct Importation Deal
For years, Uganda’s fuel supply chain was heavily dependent on Kenyan OMCs. However, …
- The joint development of the Green Giant Project will expedite the construction of the first 200MW phase of the investment.
- Mini-grids account for more than half of all new connections in DRC.
- The agreement represents a significant milestone in the collaborative efforts between SkyPower, AFC, and the DRC.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and SkyPower Global have entered into a joint development agreement for the first phase of SkyPower’s Green Giant project in the mineral-rich country.
The move is meant to promote the use of renewable energy in the Eastern African state. This 200MW Phase one is a crucial step towards achieving the landmark 1,000MW Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) signed between SkyPower and the DRC’s state-owned utility, Société Nationale d’Electricité (SNEL).
The partnership brings together SkyPower’s extensive experience in developing large-scale solar projects and AFC’s successful track record of de-risking and funding well-structured power …
- The African private equity (PE) industry, continues to prove itself and is once again on a growth trajectory
- Even though growth forecasts remained muted at the beginning of 2021, this was due to several African countries understandably grappling with persistent outbreaks of COVID-19
- North Africa and West Africa jointly attracted the largest share of PE deals by volume
Private equity fundraising in Africa managed to reach US$1.3bn in the first half of 2021 when including final and interim closes, a new report has revealed.
The 2021 H1 African Private Equity Data Tracker released by the African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA) indicates that this is despite widespread decline felt by most economies across the globe, owing to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The report noted that the African private equity (PE) industry, continues to prove itself and is once again on a growth trajectory, mirroring the gradual …
- The cost associated with policy instability and unpredictability is often passed down to consumers
- In 2020, the manufacturing industry in Africa experienced reduced demand and depressed production capacity
The biggest challenge that the manufacturing industry faces in Africa is unpredictable business environments.
This is according to the Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Association of Manufacturers Phyllis Wakianga who says the sector is faced with unpredictable fiscal and regulatory policies that discourage the industry from scaling up their businesses.
She adds that the situation also leads to investors seeking more suitable, predictable and secure markets to relocate their businesses.
“Unfortunately, the cost associated with policy instability and unpredictability is often passed down to consumers, whose spending power has been crippled by the ongoing pandemic,” he says in an exclusive interview.
Wakianga also reveals that such instability is a blow to manufacturers, who are struggling to reduce costs, in a highly uncertain …
- The telco sustained 190,273 direct and indirect jobs during the year
- Safaricom registered its first decline in full year profit in nine years, in the year ended March 2021
- The report seeks to illustrate how Safaricom is using a sustainable business model to address society’s needs
Safaricom’s latest sustainable business report indicates that the company created a total value of Sh664 billion for the Kenyan society in the 2020/2021 financial year, which is ten times greater than the profit made during the year.
According to the report’s ‘True Earnings’ highlights, the firm contributed Sh557.1 billion to the economy in the financial year, which is 5.2% of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The independent analysis of Safaricom’s true value to society identifies the socio-economic and environmental impacts of the company and quantifies them in financial terms.
“Our Sustainable Business report, which covers our last fiscal year from 1st April 2020 to …
The AfCFTA is the largest trade agreement, by composition of countries enjoined, since the formation of the World Trade Organization. Currently, 54 out of the 55 African countries have signed the AfCFTA, with 41 having ratified it.
The agreement is set to ultimately open up the African market to trade freely, will boost intra-African trade and trigger structural transformation with the goal of reducing poverty.…
The programme has also engaged over 50 official partners in addition to 35 linkage partners and who have enabled the project to link 37,851 youths to digital and digitally enabled jobs on more than 56 digital work platforms.
Carole Kariuki, KEPSA Chief Executive Officer said that (63%) of adult Kenyans nationally were aware of the digital gig economy and that awareness of the Ajira Digital Programme had increased from 5.5 million people (14%) in 2019 to 7.3 million people (29%) in 2021.…
- The AfCFTA agreement will boost East Africa’s manufactured exports to the rest of Africa
- Textiles & clothing exports will increase by 100% under the agreement
- Experts have recommended the rolling out of private sector sensitization campaigns on the AfCFTA
East African Community (EAC) partner states have been urged to finalize and submit tariff offers under the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCFTA) to enable the bloc to tap into the 1.3 billion continental markets with a Gross Domestic Product of USD 3 trillion.
In a statement, the East African Business Council Vice Chairman Denis said the AfCFTA is set to boost East Africa’s manufactured exports to the rest of Africa.
In particular, textiles & clothing exports will increase by 100%, heavy manufacturing by 63%, light manufacturing by 61%, processed food by 54% while livestock & meat products by 39%.
Karera said that the political will to duly implement the …
