Author: Nathanael Mavinga

Faced with a sharp increase in energy costs on international markets, Namibia has decided to strengthen its support for the oil sector in order to limit the impact of the surge in fuel prices on the national economy. The Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, Modestus Amutse, announced on May 11, 2026, that the National Energy Fund (NEF) will mobilize around USD 79 million to cover part of the costs related to the supply of petroleum products during the months of April and May 2026. This public intervention aims to protect consumers, preserve the competitiveness of businesses, and ensure the…

By keeping its key rate at 5.75% for the quarter ending in June 2026, the Bank of Tanzania confirms a cautious monetary policy aimed at preserving the balance between inflation control and support for economic activity. This decision comes in a context marked by an expected GDP growth of 6.1% in the second quarter, after 6.2% in the first, indicating a slight slowdown in an still uncertain international environment. According to the monetary policy statement published in April, this resilience is based on several strong fundamentals. Favorable rainfall continues to support agricultural production, while accommodative fiscal policy, strong performance in…

Facing persistent inflationary pressures and uncertainties in the global economic environment, the Central Bank of Madagascar decided to maintain its key rate at 12% during its quarterly Monetary Policy Committee meeting held on May 5, 2026. Through this decision, the Banky Foiben’i Madagasikara (BFM) confirms its intention to maintain a restrictive monetary policy to preserve price stability, support the credibility of the ariary, and strengthen the resilience of the Malagasy economy. This key rate hold also sends a signal to the markets and financial partners, in a context where several African economies are still facing inflationary pressures and market volatility.…

Estimated at nearly $200 million, trade exchanges between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Turkey could increase in the coming years, against a backdrop of closer relations between the two countries. Following a meeting on April 18, 2026 between Congolese President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the two leaders expressed their willingness to strengthen their strategic partnership. The announced goal is to increase bilateral trade volume to $500 million in the medium term. Held on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, discussions between the official delegations identified several priority areas of cooperation, particularly in the…

More than 2 billion dollars will be mobilized to develop the Lion’s Den-Kafue railway line, as part of an agreement signed on April 11, 2026 between Zimbabwe and Zambia. This infrastructure project aims to enhance the fluidity of mining resource transport, while reducing logistical costs in a region heavily dependent on extractive exports. The future line will span 311 kilometers, with 217 km on the Zimbabwean side and 94 km in Zambian territory, in addition to 445 km of rehabilitation of the existing network. By improving railway connectivity between the two countries, this corridor aims to meet an economic imperative…

With an estimated investment of $1.1 billion, Zambia launched construction work on an oil refinery in Ndola on April 10, the main industrial center of the Copperbelt province, near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Through this structuring project, the authorities intend to reduce their dependence on imports and ensure, by 2028, full coverage of the national demand for petroleum products. The project is led by the Zambia Petrochemical Energy Company (ZPEC), a joint venture between the Chinese group Fujian Xiang Xin Corporation and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), the operational arm of the state in industrial investments.…

In a context of diversifying sources of financing and strengthening the domestic debt market, the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues its strategy of mobilizing resources in foreign currencies. The aim is to support the state’s cash needs while consolidating the credibility of local financial instruments with investors. It is in this perspective that the Congolese public Treasury raised $57.4 million following an auction of Treasury bonds denominated in foreign currencies, held on April 7, 2026. According to a statement from the Ministry of Finance signed by Minister Doudou Fwamba, the operation recorded a coverage rate of…

The Namibian payment system recorded a significant performance in 2025, with a total transaction volume reaching 996 billion Namibian dollars (approximately 58.78 billion USD), according to the annual report of the Bank of Namibia. Supported by nearly 67 million transactions, this growth reflects an 11% increase in volume and a 10% increase in value year-on-year, illustrating the acceleration of financial services digitalization in the country. This dynamic is mainly based on the rise of intra-bank transactions, now close to the symbolic trillion Namibian dollar threshold. Increasingly, users prefer operations within the same bank, driven by the development of mobile applications…

Facing the rise of digital usage and the need to reduce the digital divide, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is strengthening its telecom infrastructure capacities through a new investment. The idea is to support the rapid growth of connectivity demand and extend access to digital services, especially in areas that are still underserved. It is in this dynamic that Helios Towers DRC and the National Agency for Investment Promotion (ANAPI) signed an investment agreement on April 1, 2026, worth up to $110 million. This agreement marks progress in the development of the telecommunications sector in the DRC, by supporting…

Angola raised $2.5 billion on international markets through a currency bond issuance, marking a notable return to the African sovereign debt segment. The operation, launched on March 24, 2026, exceeded the initial target of $2 billion, thanks to a demand of around $5.2 billion. Structured in two tranches, the issuance includes $1.5 billion over 7 years at a rate of 9.25%, as well as $1 billion over 11 years at a rate of 9.8%. This architecture allows Luanda to spread out its maturities and diversify its repayment profile. It also confirms that, despite a tense international financial environment, some African…

Angola has approved an investment of 166.7 million dollars for the development of the road leading to the municipality of Mussulo, in the province of Luanda. The project, which is 39 kilometers long, represents an average cost of around 4.27 million dollars per kilometer. The objective is twofold: to improve territorial continuity with this tourist area and to create better conditions for local economic activity. Under Presidential Decree No. 100/26 of March 25, the operation is part of the National Development Plan 2023-2027, which makes the modernization of transport infrastructure a lever for economic diversification. Beyond the accessibility issue, Luanda…

The Democratic Republic of Congo confirms its status as an African powerhouse in tin-bearing minerals, with export revenues estimated at $677.5 million in 2025. These performances, stemming from the so-called “3T” sector – tin, tantalum, and tungsten – reflect the strategic role of these substances in the national mining economy and on the international markets for critical metals. According to provisional statistics from the Technical Coordination and Mining Planning Unit (CTCPM), cassiterite (tin ore) stands out as the cornerstone of this dynamic. Alone, it generated $652.7 million through exports totaling 46,251.72 tonnes. Total production reached 47,787.58 tonnes, mainly driven by…

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) mobilized 543.3 billion Congolese francs in public revenues as of March 12, 2026, equivalent to approximately 241.2 million dollars at the interbank exchange rate of 2,252.19 CDF to one dollar. This level of mobilization, communicated by the Central Bank of Congo (BCC), illustrates the persistent capacity of financial authorities to fund the Treasury, in a context where many African states are seeking to strengthen their internal resources to finance their budgetary priorities without excessively increasing their debt dependence. In detail, the General Directorate of Customs and Excise (DGDA) provided the highest contribution with 227.3…

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…