Browsing: Foreign Direct Investment

Many, if not all, emerging markets have relaxed the regulations and restrictions related to FDI to encourage global investors to the continent.

The Business Insights on Emerging Markets 2021 also reported that the foreign direct investment in the emerging markets jumped from 15 per cent to 46 per cent over the last two decades.

The wave of technological advancements integrated with digitalization has captivated the globe and benefited the global economy in many unexpected ways. Developing countries in Africa need to embrace the fast pace technological revolution, which shall revamp the markets in the continent.

Emerging markets have been very active in creating the digital infrastructure for technological innovations accelerated by the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic.…

• In 2020, the capital investment in the renewable energy sector was at US$8.72 billion, outshining oil and gas for the first time
•  Despite the damage caused to the climate, gas and oil are at the core of the energy sector, which is concerning
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) topped in the Middle East, attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in renewable energy close to US$2.4 billion in 2020

One of the conclusions of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, which was held in Glasgow, Scotland, is that the climate change effect caused by fossil fuels on the earth might be irreversible by 2030.

The COP 26 conference emphasized the cutting down subsidies granted for coal and fossil fuels to low- and middle-income countries. However, there is no amicable consensus arrived on the above emphasis.

It appears that global financial firms are reluctant to curtail the direct and indirect financing of …

BREXIT trade impacts in Southern Africa

If everything goes according to plan (and that’s a big statement), January 1st shall see the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union, its single market and customs agreements.

As much as I would like to, it is becoming increasingly hard to believe that the parties will conclude a trade deal in time for the official divorce date. I am sceptical of a “hard” BREXIT as I believe that some sort of policy extension will remain in place for quite some time; anything else would be economic madness and given the current pandemic no politician would allow that to happen. (I know what you might be thinking but, luckily, that kind of stupid is currently reserved for leaders across the Atlantic).

The EU is South Africa’s largest trade partner while South Africa has long and in-depth trade relations with the United Kingdom. …

TLG Capital (TLG) today announced it has purchased 49% of Opportunity Bank Uganda Ltd (OBUL), a tier 1 financial institution (commercial bank) with 23 branches and 22 ATM points across Uganda.

OBUL is licensed  and regulated by the Central Bank of Uganda and offers tailor made products and services for individuals, micro-businesses, and small-and-medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The bank was originally a micro-finance institution founded in 1995. The transaction makes TLG the largest shareholder of OBUL. Remaining shareholders (all NGOs) include Opportunity International Group (43%), Faulu Uganda (7%), and Food for the Hungry (1%).

TLG’s investment was made via its Credit Opportunities Fund (COF) and marks a continued focus on building and supporting SMEs in three core sectors: Healthcare, Financial Institutions, and Consumer Goods. TLG has been an investor in Uganda for over a decade and other Ugandan investments include Cipla Quality Chemicals Ltd (pharmaceutical manufacturing), Vero Foods (water-bottling plant) …

In recent history virtually every continent and economic block has been trying to establish common trade area agreements as well as political unions. Africa is no different –SADC, ECA, COMESA, ECOWAS and SACU are just some of the examples of African countries trying to collaborate to drive the many aspects of social and economic development.

It is a system and an idea that promises to accelerate inclusion and promote regional prosperity among neighbours and the AfCFTA (The African Continental Free Trade Area) is rapidly becoming the embodiment of that reality – 28 African countries operating as a free trade area. As expected from an agreement of this magnitude, few people fully understand its complexity and intricacies.

FurtherAfrica spoke to one of AfCFTA’s strongest advocates. Mark-Anthony Johnson, CEO of JIC Holdings – an investment, trading and acquisition entity focused in Africa and emerging economies with roots back to 1985. Mark’s JIC …

In the past 5 years, Southern Africa had seen a great influx of Chinese capital in any areas of investment. Many Chinese companies invested large amounts of capital in various sectors including infrastructure, but the one that seems to be getting the most attention lately is the Oil and Gas sector.

Governments would sign multi year contracts granting exploration rights and concessions to oil and natural gas reserves to Chinese companies and negotiate royalties and equity in exchange.

The system worked as a co-ownership that was observed in various countries for the great part of the last decade. Since late 2018, or early 2019, China and the United States have engaged in an economic battle that has seen threats and embargoes being set by both sides. The tensions have not eased with the current pandemic as some world leaders chose to blame China’s lack of transparency to the current pandemic …

Since its creation, the Luanda-Bengo Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ) has been a factor encouraging investment, not only in the region but also in the Angolan economy.

Its economic evolution has been felt over the last few years, in the flourishing of several innovative projects within this project, much due to the commitment and promotion that the Government has made. One of the paradigmatic examples of this commitment is the privatization plan that has been carried out over the last few months, in order to allow for greater competitiveness in the EEZ and an increase in the investment of national and foreign investors in businesses in order to create wealth and increase national productivity.

In addition to diversifying the economy, the EEZ aims to develop business clusters, create jobs and increase exports.

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For that purpose, the Government has defined a set …

Bearing in mind the Law number 10/2018, of June 26 (Private Investment Law), which adjusted the legal and institutional framework to perform private investments in Angola, the Angolan Government approved the Private Investment’s Legal Proceedings Regulation in order to allow the capture and execution of investments with faster and easier procedures.

The above mentioned regulation establishes the procedures for the legal registration of proposals of private investment projects, the attribution of benefits and advantages, monitoring, supervision, as well as penalties and extinction of rights granted under the Private Investment Law.

The Private Investment projects begin with the delivery of all the relevant documents besides the competent body of AIPEX (Agency for Private Investment and Promotion of Exports of Angola).

Also Read: Angola set to attract more FDI into oil and gas sector

After receiving the private investment project, AIPEX has 5 working days to communicate the decision.

It is, …

Equatorial Guinea has kicked off a year of long investment 2020 campaign aimed at driving capital investment into the country’s bankable projects.

In 2020, major United State firms have pledged to increase their investment in Equatorial Guinea along with Nigerian banking and financial institutions. The notable projects which are ready for investments include the construction of two modular oil refineries, a urea plant, an ammonia plant and a gold refinery.

The first investment event to be hosted in the country will be the Africa Oil & Investment Forum & Exhibition hosted in Malabo from April 1st to 2nd.

Also Read: Equatorial Commercial Bank to Introduce Agency Banking

The country’s Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons (MMH) officially launched its Year of Investment campaign, with commitments from a series of foreign investors to increasing planned investment in the country in 2020.
Equatorial Guinea’s objective is to engage with financial entities and engines …