Africa
African Startups Get USD 180 Billion from a Small, Rich Island and Gulf Financiers
In the last decade, Africa has emerged as one of the fastest-growing tech markets, driven by rapid tech and mobile adoption among its youth population.
As a result, numerous advanced economies have committed substantial financial resources to tech investments in the region.
Japan and the Gulf states are among these external investors, having poured a substantial USD 180 billion into tech funding across Africa.
Based on ecosystem reports, investor participation data, and deal trends, Briter Intelligence’s comprehensive 2025 analysis of Africa’s venture landscape shows a maturing industry no longer dependent on the boom-bust cycles of European and American venture capital.
In 2025, African tech startups saw their total tech funding rise by 33 per cent year-on-year, marking a strong rebound after declines of 35 per cent in 2023 and 25 per cent in 2024.
In November alone, entrepreneurs reported USD 162 million in fundraising, with 79 per cent of that in equity. While not a record month, it was the fifth-highest of 2025 and essentially comparable to November 2024 (USD 181 million), though lower than November 2023 (USD 267 million).
Across the continent, 32 enterprises raised USD 100,000 or more, with 16 firms raising USD 1 million or more.
Source: Business Insider Africa
East Africa
East Africa’s USD 5 Billion Oil Pipeline, The World’s Longest Heated Crude Line, Set to Begin Exports By October
Uganda and Tanzania are preparing to ship their first barrels of crude oil through the USD 5 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) as early as October, a milestone that could transform energy trading across the region.
Uganda and Tanzania say that crude oil exports from Uganda’s long-delayed petroleum sector are expected to begin in October, marking a pivotal moment in East Africa’s entry into global oil markets.
The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), which runs 1,443 kilometres from Uganda’s Albertine Graben to the Indian Ocean port of Tanga in Tanzania, was about 75 percent complete as of the end of December 2025, according to officials from both countries.
That estimate aligns with figures released earlier by Uganda’s Petroleum Authority, which reported that nearly three-quarters of the USD 5 billion project had been completed by November last year, with all pipeline segments laid and USD 3.3 billion invested.
Ernest Rubondo, chief executive of the Uganda Petroleum Authority, has described EACOP as “the backbone of Uganda’s crude oil exports and a key driver for economic transformation,” emphasising its central role in the country’s long-term energy strategy.
Source: Nile Post
Algeria
Algeria Outlines Railway Development Plans
Algeria has allocated DZD 2.4 trillion (approximately USD 18.5 billion) to upgrade and extend its railway network, according to Nabil Boubaya, central director of the National Railway Investment Design and Implementation Supervision Agency (Anesrif).
Speaking during a recent interview on national radio, Boubaya said the current railway investment programme has extended the network from around 4000km to 5738km over the past few years.
Rail is seen as a strategic tool to reduce logistics costs, improve passenger transport and strengthen regional integration. One priority initiative is the new 495km line from Laghouat to Ghardaïa and El Menéa, which Anesrif is currently delivering.
Last month, the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a EUR 747.3 million loan to finance the first phase of the Laghouat – Ghardaïa – El Menéa project, which is expected to stimulate economic development in southern Algeria by facilitating the movement of agricultural and industrial products to market.
Source: International Railway Journal
Ethiopia
Ethiopia Kicks Off USD 12.5 Billion Construction of Africa’s Largest Airport
Ethiopian Airlines has kicked off construction of a new USD 12.5 billion airport in Bishoftu, about 45 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, in what officials describe as Africa’s largest aviation infrastructure project to date.
The state-owned carrier is leading the design of the four-runway Bishoftu International Airport, which Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the facility will be able to park up to 270 aircraft and handle 110 million passengers a year when it opens in 2030.
That is more than four times the capacity of the country’s main airport, which is expected to reach saturation within the next three years, according to a Reuters report.
Sidara, a Dubai-based engineering and consulting firm, has been contracted to design the airport, according to the company’s head of operations, Tariq Al Qanni.
Source: Business Insider Africa
Egypt/Morocco
Morocco and Egypt Set New Tourism Records as Africa’s Most-Visited Countries
Tourism in Morocco and Egypt surged to record levels in 2025, supported by expanded flight networks, major cultural attractions and Africa’s biggest football tournament, cementing their positions as the continent’s most visited destinations.
Morocco reported about 19.8 million tourist arrivals for the year, a 14 percent increase from 2024, while Egypt recorded a 21 percent jump to 19 million visitors, according to year-end data released by both governments.
The sector contributes roughly 8 percent of the kingdom’s USD 178 billion economy, Bloomberg reported. Visitor numbers are now 50 percent higher than before the pandemic and appear largely unaffected by the powerful earthquake that struck near Marrakesh in September 2023. The city’s famed central square is currently undergoing a major revamp.
Air connectivity has played a key role. Royal Air Maroc has added new routes across Europe and received additional aircraft as part of plans to quadruple its fleet to 200 planes by 2038.
The carrier has also launched direct flights to the United States and China, while Ryanair has expanded its low-cost services from Europe.
Source: Business Insider Africa
Nigeria
Nigeria Seals Spot Among Africa’s Top 5 Economies as Reserves Hit USD 46 Billion, Strongest In Eight Years
Nigeria’s external reserves have climbed past the USD 46 billion mark, reaching their highest level in about eight years and reinforcing the country’s position among Africa’s top five economies by reserve buffers.
The milestone is reflected in Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) data dated 22 January 2026, showing a steady build-up in foreign exchange reserves since 2025.
The reserve accumulation strengthens Nigeria’s import cover, enhances confidence in the naira, and gives policymakers greater room to manage external shocks as the country approaches another election cycle.
It also signals a notable turnaround from years of reserve pressure caused by oil price volatility, FX demand backlogs, and rising import bills.
Nigeria’s reserves last hovered around similar levels in 2018, before declining over subsequent years amid pandemic disruptions, lower oil receipts, and currency management challenges.
Over the past decade, reserves fluctuated sharply, dipping below USD 35 billion at times, before staging a gradual recovery that began in late 2024 and accelerated through 2025.
Source: Business Insider Africa
Uganda
Uganda’s Gold Exports Hit Record UGX 21.1 Trillion as New Industry Players Drive Sector Growth
Uganda has emerged as one of Africa’s fastest-rising gold exporters, with export earnings from the precious metal reaching a record USD 5.8 billion (about Shs21.1 trillion) in the year ending November 2025, according to Bank of Uganda figures.
The surge has firmly placed gold at the centre of Uganda’s mineral economy and reflects a growing shift from raw mineral exports towards value addition, refining, and deeper integration into global bullion markets.
Beyond gold, Uganda is endowed with a wide range of strategic minerals, including coltan, tantalite, copper, diamonds, silver, limestone, uranium, and marble. Major mineral belts extend across Busia, Buhweju, Mubende, Kassanda, Karamoja, and West Nile, underpinning the country’s growing reputation as a regional mining hub.
Analysts attribute the recent growth to a combination of favourable global gold prices, stronger regulatory oversight, and the emergence of a new generation of miners, refiners, and traders operating across artisanal mining, industrial extraction, refining, and international trade. Together, these actors are reshaping Uganda’s position in Africa’s mineral value chain.
Source: Business Insider Africa
Zambia / Zimbabwe
Zambia and Zimbabwe Commit to USD 4.2 Billion Hydro Plant to Boost Power Supply
Zambia and Zimbabwe have agreed to each commit USD 220 million toward reviving construction of the long-delayed USD 4.2 billion Batoka Gorge hydropower project, a cross-border plant expected to supply electricity to both countries.
The funding plan will also involve pursuing equity partners to improve the project’s bankability, according to the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), the joint agency that manages the Kariba Dam complex and is overseeing development of the proposed 2,400-megawatt facility near the Victoria Falls World Heritage site.
A joint council of ministers has approved the creation of a resource-mobilisation committee tasked with raising financing for the publicly owned dam infrastructure, according to Bloomberg.
The move comes after both countries were hit by widespread power outages last year when a severe drought slashed water levels at the Kariba Dam, cutting hydroelectric output.
Construction of the Batoka Gorge has been repeatedly delayed by funding constraints and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Business Insider Africa
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Reports
World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 | UN Trade and Development
The 2026 World Economic Situation and Prospects report arrives at a time of profound uncertainty and accelerating changes in the global economic order.
The world economy has shown resilience amid turbulence. Yet growth remains subdued, well below pre-pandemic levels. Inflation has eased, but prices remain high and continue to rise, eroding purchasing power and straining household budgets.
Many developing economies continue to grapple with elevated debt burdens, constrained fiscal space and tepid growth, compounded by intensifying climate shocks. As a result, progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals remains distant for much of the world.
As we enter the final stretch towards the Sustainable Development Goals deadline, these and other pledges must translate into action to deliver coordinated solutions on trade, debt, climate and sustainable finance. Together, let us seize this moment with renewed purpose and unity to navigate disruption and help put every country on the path to inclusive, sustainable and resilient growth.
Click here to download and read the report.
Africa Investment Report 2025 | Briter
Over the past two decades, Africa’s investment landscape has moved from the margins to a more established and sophisticated arena. New markets have emerged, ecosystems have matured, and a broader mix of founders, funds, and institutions now operate with a clearer sense of what works and what doesn’t. Yet the landscape continues to move in cycles of expansion and preservation, with the current phase firmly in the latter. Capital is more selective, risk appetite is more measured, and growth expectations are more grounded. Still, thousands of companies continue to be built across the continent, even as investment remains concentrated in a small number of dominant ecosystems and true geographic diversification remains limited.
This report examines where capital is flowing, which sectors and business models are proving most resilient, and which investors have stayed active as markets recalibrate. It also explores how funding dynamics differ across stages, from early-stage experimentation to growth capital, and how geography continues to shape outcomes. While the Big Four markets remain central to deal activity, the data points to shifting roles within this group and early signs of broader participation beyond traditional hubs, offering insight into how Africa’s investment ecosystem is stabilising and where it may be headed next.
Click here to download and read the report.
Foresight Africa Top Priorities for the Continent in 2026 | Africa Growth Initiative by Brookings
As 2026 begins, Africa’s economic trajectory is at a crossroads, and the region is poised to experience the world’s fastest labour force expansion. At the same time, foreign aid is undergoing an unprecedented contraction, even as Africa’s capital needs intensify. Yet beneath these pressures lie extraordinary opportunities, if the continent can seize the moment with clarity, coordination, and ambition.
This year’s Foresight Africa report brings together leading scholars and practitioners to examine how Africa can navigate the challenges of 2026 and chart a path towards inclusive, resilient, and self-determined growth.
Click here to download and read the report.
Africa Outlook 2026 | Economist Intelligence
Africa is set to be the world’s fastest-growing region in 2026, but the path ahead is uneven. While East and West Africa are emerging as growth hotspots, debt distress, geopolitical tensions, and contested elections pose ongoing risks. The digital economy is expanding, trade regimes are shifting, and competition for critical minerals is intensifying, all reshaping how and where business gets done.
This report offers a clear-eyed view of the continent’s economic and political trajectory. From evolving trade agreements and investment hotspots to the structural reforms required to address fiscal fragility, this briefing helps decision-makers anticipate risks and identify where the next wave of opportunity is likely to emerge.
