Browsing: AfDB

• They will also receive comprehensive mentorship and coaching as part of a 12-month accelerator program.
• This year’s focus was on female-owned enterprises pioneering Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, virtual reality, robotics, IoT among others.
• The winning ventures, led by women from across Africa, focus on sectors affected by climate change.

African enterprises have triumphed in the 2023 YouthAdapt challenge, with eight dynamic women-led businesses securing victory. Each of these enterprises is set to receive grant funding of up to $100,000.

They will also receive a comprehensive mentorship and coaching as part of a 12-month accelerator program. Since its launch in 2021, the YouthADAPT initiative has provided more than $5 million to 33 young entrepreneurs from 19 African nations.

Jointly organised by the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the Global Center on Adaptation, supported by the Africa Climate Change Fund, YouthADAPT is …

• The AfDB and Prince Trust International have signed a deal to address youth unemployment while scaling up human capital and entrepreneurship.
• The MOU commits both institutions to collaborate to identify and develop partnership opportunities to mainstream employability skills for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) projects funded by the Bank.
• The Prince’s Trust will participate in preparing, designing, implementing and monitoring TVET and skills development projects.

Youth unemployment, human capital, and entrepreneurship opportunities in the continent are set to be addressed through an agreement signed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Prince’s Trust International.

The MOU commits both institutions to work together to identify and develop partnership opportunities to mainstream employability skills for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) projects funded by the Bank in countries of common interest.

Skills development to tackle youth unemployment

The Prince’s Trust will participate in preparing, designing, implementing and …

• Agribusiness including the entire agriculture and livestock sector represents approximately 17 per cent of Senegal’s GDP.
• The agriculture sector is currently employing 70 per cent of the population.
• Food imports, especially rice, which is the population’s main staple crop with imports accounting for 65 percent of the national consumption.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has approved a $95 million (€86.89 million) loan to Senegal to develop an agribusiness processing zone in the north of the country.

The Bank’s contribution accounts for 30.7 per cent of the estimated €283.05 million total project cost. The Islamic Development Bank (21.2 per cent), the West African Development Bank (15.9 per cent), Sponsor Dette (19.3 per cent) and Sponsor Equity (7.7 per cent) are the other contributors to the implementation of ‘Projet Agropole Nord‘, in English, ‘Agricultural Hub North Project’.

Agribusiness plant to enhance forestry, and fisheries segments

The project is intended …

• In Berlin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says his country will invest 4 billion euros in Africa’s green energy until 2030.
• Scholz made the green energy plans after meeting African leaders and heads of international organizations during the G20 Compact with Africa conference.
• Compact with Africa was initiated by Germany in 2017 during its presidency of the G20 to improve conditions for sustainable private sector investment and investment in infrastructure in Africa.

The government of Germany has pledged to invest $4.37 billion (4 billion euros) in Africa’s green energy until 2030. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made the announcement at a press conference in Berlin after meeting African leaders and heads of international organisations including the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group Dr Akinwumi Adesina, during the G20 Compact with Africa conference.

The Compact with Africa was initiated by Germany in 2017 during its presidency of the G20 to improve …

• High protection and heavy import dependency have left industries in Africa poorly prepared for international competition.
• The tendency of many African governments to assign a leading role to the state in creating and operating manufacturing firms makes industries in Africa hard to thrive.
• For decades, investments by African governments are often made with little regard to efficiency and the managerial capacity in target industries.

Africa Industrialization Day on November 20 is here, yet the region’s skies remain smokeless. While the region is endowed with $82 trillion worth of discovered natural resources, with the potential to contribute $30 billion a year in government revenue over the next 20 years, this potential remains untapped.

Africa’s failed industrialization

Sadly, Africa’s industrialization has been failing if not stagnating as many nations continue turning into customers of established manufacturing zones in China, Europe and India. For instance, Africa exports around 69 per cent of the …

• Africa’s infrastructure gaps hinder populations from accessing healthcare, education, trade hubs, and economic opportunities.
• Africa has only 53 per cent of paved roads, isolating millions of people from access to essential services.
• AfDB President says the development of regional corridors should be complemented with one-stop border posts to stimulate trade.

Across Africa, the continent’s road infrastructure deficit creates high production and transaction costs. A new report notes that these persistent bottlenecks in the vast continent must be addressed to scale opportunities envisaged under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The “Cross-Border Road Corridors Expanding Market Access in Africa and Nurturing Continental Integration” report states that while roads are the primary mode of transport, carrying 80 per cent of goods and 90 per cent of passenger traffic, only 43 per cent of Africa’s main population have access to an all-season road. According to the International Monetary Fund, Africa’s …

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has initiated a five-year plan to stimulate growth in South Africa, the continent’s most advanced economy. Dubbed the Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2023-2028, AfDB has outlined two main lines of action. The Bank aims to enhance governance while deploying strategies to revamp the private sector.
Concerning governance, CSP 2023-2028 will support the South African government in its efforts to address persistent structural challenges. This approach aims to promote industrialisation and establish a faster, more inclusive growth trajectory to combat poverty.…

Investors from Ireland and Nordic countries are encouraged to consider Africa a promising destination for their investments, as the continent holds significant growth potential.
This call comes after an official visit by Prof. Kevin Chika Urama, the Chief Economist of the African Development Bank Group, to Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden.…

• The 1,028km highway will connect economic capitals of five West African countries, part of Ecowas economic block.
• Estimates show the project will cost $15.1 billion and is part of the Trans-African Highway Network.
• ECOWAS Heads of State want to speed up the construction of the highway..

The African Development Bank and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State now want to speed up the construction of the highway between Abidjan and Lagos.

This was realized after the 1st round table of development partners and major regional and international DFIs on the financing of the Construction of the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor Highway, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The round table aimed at providing the main regional and international development finance institutions with the latest information on this major regional project.

Abidjan-Lagos road design

The meeting also served as an awareness-raising platform and “soft market test” for the project, …

• ECOWAS, AfDB Group hold consultations on West Africa Regional Integration Strategy Paper (RISP) 2020-2025.
• Consultations focused on current issues around West African integration, including challenges, opportunities, and prospects.
• Other pertinent issues such as economic affairs, human development, infrastructure, and politics were also discussed.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Development Bank Group have successfully concluded discussions regarding the mid-term evaluation of the West Africa Regional Integration Strategy Paper (RISP) for 2020-2025.

This strategic plan, approved by the Bank Group in May 2020, was designed to bolster regional integration efforts in West Africa.

With an initial investment plan totaling $4.52 billion, the West African RISP primarily focuses on enhancing resilient infrastructure and fostering the growth of regional businesses.

The meetings, spanning from September 5th to 15th, 2023, were held at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.

West African integration

During this period, both parties assessed …