Author: Nathanael Mavinga

In an effort to mobilize private financing for food security, Angola has authorized the granting of a sovereign guarantee of 91.2 billion kwanzas (approximately USD 100 million) in favor of the company VC Horizonte 21, S.A. This mechanism allows the State to guarantee the repayment of private financing, in order to reassure investors and raise resources on more advantageous terms. This decision is enshrined in Presidential Decree No. 76/26 of March 9, 2026, published in the Official Gazette. The financing will be raised through the issuance of debt securities on the Muscat market, with the support of Oman Investment Bank,…

In a context marked by the desire to better regulate the commercialization of gold and fight against fraud in the gold sector, the Democratic Republic of Congo officially launched its first pilot gold refinery in Kalemie, in the east of the country, on March 11, 2026. Named DRC Gold Refinery S.A., this industrial facility is the result of a partnership between the state-owned company DRC Gold Trading S.A. and the private company Lunga Mining. The infrastructure has a processing capacity estimated between 500 and 600 kilograms of gold per month, covering the entire value chain: from purchasing ore from producers…

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), the central bank of Zimbabwe, has announced the introduction of a new series of banknotes denominated in Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG), which will be put into circulation on April 7, 2026. These new banknotes will circulate alongside those issued in April 2024, as part of a technical adjustment aimed at...

The government of Zimbabwe has announced, through its Minister of Mines, Polite Kambamura, the immediate suspension of all exports of raw minerals and lithium concentrates. The decision, made public on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, also applies to shipments already in transit. This measure marks a turning point in the country’s mining policy. Harare now intends to accelerate the local transformation of lithium, strengthen domestic value addition, and limit losses related to the export of unprocessed raw materials. Fiscal and regulatory authorities, including the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) and the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), have been instructed to strictly…

The DRC estimates the total investment cost for the construction of the Kinsuka hydroelectric power plant, located west of the city of Kinshasa, at around $2.8 billion. This project is expected to be executed over a period of 5 years, according to the minutes of the council of ministers of February 6, 2026, projecting an annual production of nearly 7,450 gigawatt hours (GWh), in a context marked by the increasing need for electricity in the Congolese capital. Developed by the joint venture Kinsuka Power, bringing together Great Lake Energy (GLE), entrepreneur Yves Kabongo’s company, and the Forrest Group through its…

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and France are consolidating their energy partnership around the Inga 3 hydroelectric project. A memorandum of understanding was signed on February 2, 2026 in Kinshasa between the Agency for the Development and Promotion of the Inga 3 Project (ADPI) and the French Development Agency (AFD), with the aim of supporting the structuring and implementation of one of the largest energy projects in Africa, estimated at approximately USD 14 billion. According to the ADPI, this protocol aims primarily to strengthen the technical, institutional, and strategic support for the Inga 3 project, prior to its implementation…

An estimated investment of between 150 and 200 million dollars marks a new milestone in Mozambique’s mining strategy. The country inaugurated, on January 30, in the Niassa province, a graphite processing plant with an annual capacity of 200,000 tons, illustrating its commitment to strengthening the local processing of its mineral resources and capturing more added value from the extractive sector. This industrial infrastructure, inaugurated by President Daniel Francisco Chapo, is part of a broader policy of economic diversification and industrial upgrading. Developed in partnership with Chinese investors, the project aims to attract more foreign capital while consolidating Mozambique’s position in…

Between 2023 and 2025, Angola significantly strengthened its position in the ornamental stones sector, with national production doubling in two years. The volume extracted increased from 200,000 to 400,000 cubic meters, according to data from the Association of Producers, Processors, Traders and Exporters of Ornamental Rocks of Angola (APEPA). The country exploits a wide variety...

Mozambican customs have enabled the state to recover 81.5 million euros between 2021 and 2025, thanks to strengthened border controls and the seizure of 4,119 smuggled goods shipments, according to data provided by the president of the Mozambique Tax Authority, Aníbal Mbalango, during the celebrations of World Customs Day on January 26, 2026. These results reflect the extent of illicit trade at the country’s borders, as well as the progressive strengthening of customs control mechanisms. For the year 2025 alone, revenue from customs activities amounted to 99.9 million meticais (approximately 1.6 million USD), representing 28% of total tax revenue, confirming…

The central bank of Mozambique lowered its key rate by 25 basis points on Wednesday, January 28, bringing it to 9.25%, marking the 13th consecutive decrease. The regulator indicates that the end of its monetary easing cycle is near, due to emerging risks, including the severe floods that recently hit several provinces of the country. This decision comes in an economic context where Mozambique, whose nominal GDP is estimated at nearly $24.7 billion in 2025, sees its economy weakened by climatic shocks and structural uncertainties. The previous rate reduction, initiated in November, was also 25 basis points. Since 2024, the…

In a statement released by the Ministry of Finance on January 20, 2026, the Congolese government mobilized nearly 192 million dollars in 2025 through a reform of the tax expenditure related to the importation of finished petroleum products. According to the authorities, revenue from petroleum products increased by nearly 1,700%, following the exclusion of mining companies and their subcontractors from the subsidy and exemption regime. In concrete terms, monthly revenues increased from an average of 4.43 billion Congolese francs (about 2 million USD) between January and July 2025 to 78.5 billion CDF between August and December. For the entire year,…

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has committed $25 million in public funding for the construction of the Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo Infrastructure Center (CIFATT), an institutional project aimed at strengthening the operational capacities of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Works (ITP) and improving the coordination of strategic projects at the national...

The Angolan private group Opaia has officially launched Opaia Motors, an industrial platform dedicated to vehicle assembly, with an estimated investment of 150 million US dollars, according to the source. The initiative aims to strengthen national mobility, create skilled jobs, and structure a local automotive sector. The official launch took place on January 20, 2026...

In a context of gradual normalization of international financial conditions, but still marked by costly access to bond markets, Angola continues a cautious debt management strategy. The stated objective: to ensure its liquidity needs at a lower cost while avoiding new issuances of eurobonds at high rates. It is in this logic that Luanda announced,...

The volume of trade between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Turkey is estimated to be over $200 million in 2025, and is expected to reach $500 million in the medium term. This announcement was made by the Turkish ambassador to Kinshasa, Murat Ülkü, on October 29, 2025, during the celebration of...

Facing low profitability from exporting its resources in their raw state, the Malawi government is opting for a strategic change: processing locally to create more value. It is in this logic that President Peter Mutharika has issued a decree banning the export of unprocessed minerals, marking a decisive step towards industrialization based on local value...

$3 billion. This is the amount that the Angolan government is preparing to mobilize to finance the first phase of Luanda’s surface metro, a strategic project intended to transform mobility in a capital suffocated by traffic jams. Failing to attract private investors, the Angolan state is taking the reins alone of a construction project called to permanently reshape the face of the city. According to Ricardo D’Abreu, Minister of Transport, this choice stems from the “complexity of the project,” which would have hindered private sector participation at this initial stage. The government is therefore opting for full funding from public…

The three financial authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) mobilized a total of 3,336.6 billion Congolese francs (CDF), equivalent to 1.4 billion US dollars, based on the exchange rate of the Central Bank of Congo (1 USD = 2,339 CDF) for the month of September 2025 alone. This result, presented during a working...

180 million euros. This is the amount of the new funding granted by the European Union to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to support projects in the energy, transport, biodiversity, and sustainable mining sectors. This funding aims to strengthen essential infrastructure, accelerate the energy transition, and promote more responsible management of natural resources, within...

The pan-African multilateral development bank African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Kenya’s largest bank, KCB Group, have signed a memorandum of understanding to finance the operationalization of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Vipingo in Kilifi County, located about 425 kilometers southeast of Nairobi. According to reports, KCB Group will provide initial funding of $500 million...

Increasing trade exchanges between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Egypt from less than 50 million USD currently to 1 billion USD in three years: this is the annual goal set by the Congolese government. The announcement was made on September 14, 2025, in New Cairo, by the Congolese Minister of Foreign Trade, Julien Paluku...

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the adoption of the draft budget for 2026 marks a turning point for the country’s budget policy. Presented by the Minister of Budget, Adolphe Muzito, and unanimously adopted on September 12, 2025, in a council of ministers, this budget forecasts 20.3 billion USD in revenues and expenditures, representing a...

United Bank of Africa (UBA) has signed a $150 million securitization agreement with the Kenyan government as part of a $1.35 billion program to settle unpaid road construction bills and revive stalled projects. The Lagos-based banking group has pledged this amount through UBA Kenya, its subsidiary, and thus becomes one of the main financiers of...

Promoting financial inclusion remains a challenge for Congo-Brazzaville. Despite some efforts at modernization, the country still has a low rate of banking penetration and very limited insurance coverage. This is revealed in the latest report from the research firm Target, published on Wednesday, September 10, which provides an overview of financial services in the country...

Doubling Congolese oil production, from 100,000 to 200,000 barrels per day by 2030, while diversifying the energy mix: this is the goal at the heart of the $23 billion partnership (nearly 13,000 billion CFA francs) signed on September 2, 2025 in Brazzaville between the Republic of Congo and the Chinese oil company Wing Wah. This...

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is embarking on a project to acquire and deploy its first national satellite. Estimated at 400 million dollars, the project aims to reduce the digital divide and propel the country into a new era of connectivity and technological modernization. According to Kinshasa, the project is funded by a partner...

Congolese Prime Minister Anatole Collinet Makosso unveiled, on August 27 in Brazzaville, the budget framework letter that will serve as a compass for the preparation of the next budget bill for the year 2026. The document sets out ten priorities aimed at restoring macroeconomic balances, diversifying revenues, and laying the foundations for a more inclusive...

The Democratic Republic of Congo is preparing for a new stage in its international financing strategy. For the first time, the country plans to raise $1.5 billion through a eurobond issuance. The decision was approved during the Council of Ministers meeting on Friday, August 22, 2025, following a presentation of the project by the Minister...

A new breath for the Zambian economy. The country signed, on August 18, 2025 in Lusaka, an investment agreement with the Qatari group Al Mansour Holdings, for an amount of 19 billion dollars. Concluded in the presence of President Hakainde Hichilema, this partnership is presented as one of the most important ever established by the...

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has cut its base lending rate by 75 basis points to 11.25 percent. In a Thursday evening statement, the CBK said there was still room for looser policy to aid economic growth despite inflation being at a low of 2.8 percent. “The Committee decided to lower the Central Bank...