Trending
- Africa’s leapfrogging from oil and gas is not the quick energy fix the world seems to think it will be
- Dry weather spell sours Kenya’s first quarter tea exports
- Tanzania’s X blockade signals deepening purge on opposition chiefs ahead of elections
- Fresh reforms to unlock Burkina-Ghana trade opportunities
- Integration vital in unlocking Africa’s $180Bn digital trade economy
- Tanzanian Prof Janabi nominated to steer WHO Africa Region office
- The anatomy of Italy-backed Mattei Plan to speed up Africa’s growth
- Global energy chiefs demand rapid shift in Africa’s resource strategy
Industry and Trade
- Kenya’s tea exports fell sharply by 20 per cent to 157,514 tonnes in the first quarter of 2025 owing to a prolonged dry spell in growing areas.
- Statistics show that between January and March, Kenya earned $356M from tea exports—down from $446M.
- Kenya’s tea has always found a steady market in Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Russia, Sudan and Chad.
Kenya’s tea sector, long a pillar of the country’s export economy, is feeling the sting of unpredictable weather patterns. According to the latest data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), revenue from Kenya’s tea exports fell sharply by 20 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, a downturn attributed to lower shipment volumes following a prolonged dry spell in tea growing areas.
Between January and March, Kenya earned KES46.07 billion (about $356 million) from tea exports—down from $446 million recorded during the same period in the …
- 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 can ship its minerals and cotton to overseas markets.
However, red tape has always hampered the movement of goods, and labour along the border. The situation worsened even further with the start of insurgency in Burkina Fase about a decade ago. Ever since, traders – especially women – have to …
- Africa’s digital trade economy remains hampered by infrastructure bottlenecks, fragmented logistics, and procurement inefficiencies despite its huge potential.
- Experts say to tap its potential, there is need to shift from scattered digital projects to comprehensive ecosystems that support the full trade cycle.
- One of the tools that look promising is Matta, a transformative platform aimed at enabling sustainable industrial economies across the continent.
A quiet shift is reshaping Africa’s digital trade economy; an ecosystem which analysts project is valued up to $180 billion. Fueled by the power of digital platforms and backed by continental policy frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the continent is on the cusp of unlocking a projected $180 billion digital economy this year.
According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), global trade reached an unprecedented $33 trillion in 2024. Within this surge, developing …
- African countries undermine their economic growth by prioritising trade with Europe and the United States over regional markets.
- How do we ensure that African countries trade among themselves? asks Dr. Phenyo Butale, Botswana’s Minister of International Relations.
- “We [Botswana] have high-quality beef in Botswana and the North West province, we export it to the European Union, yet Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo buy their beef from Brazil. Does that make sense? It doesn’t,” says Dr. Butale.
Despite its vast resources and production capacity, regional trade in Africa remains low with many economies relying heavily on overseas markets. This state of affairs has prompted Botswana to raise the alarm about low levels of intra-African trade.
“It’s disheartening that Africa is still unable to realise trade among its countries,” said Dr Phenyo Butale, Botswana’s Minister of International Relations, delivering a lecture in honour of the late South African Deputy …
- Kenyan women lead region in entrepreneurship spirit, with older women leading the younger pack.
- Women (49%) are more likely than men (37%) to be uncertain about how to protect their business from cyberattacks.
- Among women founders in Kenya, 45 per cent started their business to follow their dream.
Kenyan women are outshining their regional peers in entrepreneurial spirit, with nine out of 10 considering starting or running their own businesses, a new survey by Mastercard has shown. Compared to the region, 93 per cent of Kenyan women consider starting or running their own business, way above the Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) average of 51 per cent.
According to the survey, older generations in Kenya, including Baby Boomers (93 per cent) and Gen X (90 per cent), are slightly more likely to view themselves as entrepreneurs compared to the 85 per cent of Gen Z, and 89 …
- Stryk Global Diplomacy picked to spearhead talks on oil and gas between Africa and U.S. President Donald Trump.
- The deal aims at ensuring that Africa’s energy interests are well represented in U.S. legislative and policy discussions.
- “Africans need energy to fix energy poverty issues and spur economic growth,” said Stryk Global Diplomacy.
The African Energy Chamber (AEC) —a lobby that represents the African energy sector–has enlisted the services of a global consulting firm, Stryk Global Diplomacy (SGD), to spearhead talks on oil and gas between the continent and U.S. President Donald Trump administration.
In an update on Tuesday, the African Energy Chamber said the move aims at ensuring that Africa’s energy interests are effectively represented in U.S. legislative and policy discussions.
“Stryk is a super Lobbyist. He understands Africa and he gets results. He is adaptive and forward-thinking. He achieves results by building consensus. I am confident he is going …
- TradeTech Forum is poised to attract about 400 trade leaders and experts with a mission to explore how new techonologies are impacting international trade.
- Panelists at the 2025 edition of TradeTech Forum are expected to delve into ways in which emerging technologies are impacting and shifting the norms of international trade.
- They will also share their experience on how tech is impacting sustainability and fostering inclusivity across businesses.
The second edition of the TradeTech Forum, a key engagement that attracts captains of industry from around the world to share insights on how technology is transforming trade is set for April 8th, at the AIM Congress 2025.
In an update on Tuesday, TradeTech Forum is poised to attract about 400 trade leaders and experts with a mission to explore how new technologies are impacting international trade.
“Technology can revolutionize global supply chains at every stage, creating opportunities to …
- Amsons Group has started integrating its new acquisition, Bamburi Cement of Kenya into its industry portfolio in the region. Amsons says it will invest $400M in Bamburi in the next three years.
- With Bamburi Cement’s integration, Amsons Group’s total cement manufacturing capacity has now grown to 13,000MT/day.
- Tanzania-based conglomerate says it will enhance the high operating and commercial standards set by Holcim Ltd and Lafarge.
Tanzania-based conglomerate Amsons Group has announced that it has started integrating its new acquisition, Bamburi Cement of Kenya into its corporate fold in the region.
The family-owned company said the integration through its Kenyan subsidiary and investment vehicle, Amsons Industries (K) Ltd, follows the recent closure of a transaction in which Amsons Group placed a $183 million bid and acquired over 95 per cent of the issued equity shares in Bamburi late last year.
Amsons Group Managing Director Mr Edha Nahdi said the integration will …
- Marriott International says this investment is tailored to set new standards for high-end, luxury hospitality in some of Africa’s most breathtaking safari destinations.
- Set to open in August 2025, The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp is poised to introduce the brand’s world-class service and elegant design in Kenya and Africa.
- Projected to open in 2026, JW Marriott Mount Kenya Rhino Reserve Safari Camp will offer an immersive wildlife experience within a 45,000-acre game reserve.
Kenya’s international standing as the preferred destination for luxury safari tourism has received a huge boost with hotel chain Mariott International announcing plans to open two luxury locations in Kenya’s wonder Masai Mara wildlife ecosystem.
In a statement, Mariott International said it has entered into agreement with Lazizi Mara Limited and Lazizi Solio Limited for the establishment of The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp and JW Marriott Mount Kenya Rhino Reserve Safari Camp.
Marriot International noted …
