• Innovate UK and SITA aim to develop solutions to curb carbon emissions by 20 per cent at airports.
• The two entities are seeking innovators to present innovative solutions to tackle this persistent challenge.
• The successful solution will initially be piloted in either South Africa, Nigeria or Kenya airports.

SITA, the global leader in technology solutions for the air transport industry, has formed an alliance with Innovate UK, the national innovation agency of the UK Government, to roll out strategies to cut African airport emissions.

In the deal, Innovate UK and SITA aim to develop solutions to curb carbon emissions by 20 per cent at airports in the continent by among others, optimizing aircraft turnaround times.

This initiative is opening the doors for innovators to step forward and pitch their solutions to SITA. Successful pitches stand the chance to get GBP25,000 in seed funding from Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa* and …

• Kenya’s rose flower exports face increased scrutiny in the EU despite the market remaining the top destination for fresh produce.
• Kephis says that the EU has imposed stricter guidelines for flower exports.
• In addition to roses, capsicum has also seen a rise in interceptions, with seven cases in 2023 compared to zero in 2020.

Heightened scrutiny for Kenya’s rose exports

Kenya’s flower export industry, particularly its rose exports, is facing heightened scrutiny from the European Union (EU) as interceptions of shipments due to pest concerns have significantly increased. 2023 there were 37 interceptions on roses, nearly doubling the 21 interceptions reported the previous year.

This rise is a cause for concern, especially since Kenya is the world’s leading exporter of roses, making the stakes even higher for the industry. Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) says that the EU has imposed stricter guidelines for flower exports, particularly for pests like …

• The latest Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria PMI shows most companies continued to report less demand, attributable to an increase in the cost of products.
• Nigerian industries reported the sharpest rise in input costs and output prices in six months.
• High pump prices, transportation, and materials for manufacturers continued to hurt businesses in the month under focus.

Inflation in Nigeria

Rising inflationary pressures in Nigeria hit businesses hard at the close of the third quarter, with selling prices increasing by the sharpest margin in six months. The country’s private sector reported marginal job opportunities in September, the lowest in the previous three months.

According to Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria PMI, most companies continued to report less demand, attributable to an increase in the cost of products amid thinning incomes. Findings show that business confidence dipped in September and was the second lowest level on record, only just above July.

“Nigeria’s …

• Mastercard Gateway is a global payment platform that offers protection from fraud and simplifies payment acceptance.
• The main forces behind this change are the speed, security, and ease of use provided by digital wallets and mobile money.
• Mobile money services like MTN Mobile Money, Airtel Money, and Kenya’s M-Pesa are becoming to become well-known brands.

Mastercard and Amazon Payment Services have entered a multi-year partnership to digitize payment acceptance across key markets in the Middle East and Africa.

The agreement includes Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, South Africa, and the UAE.

Through the partnership, Amazon Payment Services will integrate Mastercard Gateway, a streamlined solution for payment processing, across 40 markets in the region.

This integration will allow merchants to provide faster, more secure transactions and various payment options for customers.

The collaboration comes as digital payments continue to rise in the region. Amazon Payment Services merchants, including Amazon …

• Tackling poverty in Africa remains one of the primary goals of policymakers and institutions globally, including the World Bank.
• As the world’s economic powers focus on Africa for a share of its vast resources, the stars could be aligning for Africa to deal a body blow to the ghosts of poverty.
• One of the key cogs of this endeavor, however, is tapping on human capital and technology to drive change at scale, as advised by the UN.

One of the most vexing questions for policymakers internationally is how to make sustainable progress in tackling poverty in Africa. In this endeavor, which often draws in actors from across the globe, one thing remains clear: combating poverty in Africa requires empowering the continent and its people to make the most of its abundant resources.

With vast mineral resources and an increasingly educated and informed leadership and workforce, one wonders: Why is Africa …

• Africa’s urban population is poised to hit almost one billion in 2035.
• This population explosion poses both threats and opportunities.
• Population growth will grow more dynamic and wealthier consumer markets.

The ongoing population explosion in Africa poses both opportunities for economic growth and threats that could dampen the hopes for billions of people. According to the latest surveys, the African continent is expected to record one of the fastest rates of population growth worldwide.

For instance, insights from the Economist Intelligence Unit’s African Cities 2035 report states, “African cities will record rapid urbanization in the next decade, creating a mixed bag of socio-economic opportunities and challenges.”

“Africa has and will continue to have the fastest rate of urbanization of the world’s major regions through 2035. Africa’s urban population will rise from about 650 million in 2023 to almost one billion in 2035,” reads the report in part.

According to …