Africa
Africa Sits on USD 29.5 Trillion Mineral Wealth – AFC Report
A new study by the Africa Finance Corporation has indicated that the continent holds an estimated USD 29.5 trillion in mine-site mineral value, representing about 20 percent of global mineral wealth, yet captures only a fraction of the economic value embedded in this endowment.
In a recent statement, the AFC, which supports infrastructure and industry investments on the continent, said the report reframes the mineral sector through an African development lens, placing industrialisation, infrastructure, and long-term regional demand at the centre of mineral strategy.
The report, launched at Mining Indaba in Cape Town and titled Compendium of Africa’s Strategic Minerals, estimates that USD 8.6 trillion of the continent’s mineral wealth remains undeveloped, attributed to fragmented geological data, uneven coverage, and limited transparency, which continue to heighten risk perception and constrain investment.
According to the study, improving the availability and quality of geological data is a necessary first step to de-risk projects and unlock exploration capital. The AFC argued that mine-site valuations significantly understate Africa’s true mineral potential because they exclude the value created when raw materials are processed into steel, aluminium, fertilisers, batteries and alloys. When measured at the point of industrial use, the report states, Africa’s mineral endowment expands by an order of magnitude, revealing substantial latent value.
Source: Punch Nigeria
Africa
Dubai-Based Firm Bets USD 1.6 Billion on Africa’s AI Data Centres and Farmland
A Dubai-based consumer electronics manufacturer, Maser Group, is making a major strategic pivot into agriculture and artificial intelligence infrastructure across Africa, committing USD 1.6 billion to farmland development and data centres in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya over the next two years.
The closely held company, founded in 2014, is responding to Africa’s growing food security concerns and the fast-rising demand for digital infrastructure, driven by cloud computing and AI adoption.
Maser has already invested about USD 300 million in land acquisitions and other asset-backed projects on the continent, according to its founder and chairman, Prateek Suri.
The bulk of the funding will come from Maser’s investment arm, MDR Investments LLC, and from China-backed Chia Ventures Co. MDR manages a USD 500 million fund and is also pursuing public-private partnerships with several African governments, including Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Rwanda, and Nigeria, across sectors such as agriculture, mining, and affordable housing.
Source: Business Insider Africa
Egypt
Egypt Sees USD 12 Billion in Annual Foreign Investment: El-Khatib
Egypt continues to attract significant foreign investment, with foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows averaging USD 12 billion per year, according to Hassan El-Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade.
Speaking to a delegation from Moody’s Investors Service, El-Khatib emphasised that FDI is a cornerstone of Egypt’s economic growth strategy and highlighted the government’s plans to further expand investment opportunities.
He added that ongoing economic reforms are intended to create a transparent, efficient, and competitive environment capable of doubling current FDI levels over the next few years.
The minister outlined measures that have strengthened Egypt’s investment climate. Customs clearance times have been reduced from roughly 16 days to about five, with a target of just two days, generating billions in annual savings. Licensing and business registration processes are being streamlined through a new digital platform, cutting approval times from 24 months to under 90 days.
El-Khatib highlighted priority sectors for investment, including energy, infrastructure, data centres, tourism, and advanced industries, while noting the government’s efforts to maximise returns from state assets through the sovereign wealth fund. He also emphasised Egypt’s strategic location as a bridge between regional and international markets, positioning the country as a hub for foreign investors.
Source: Business Insider Africa
Ethiopia
Africa’s Biggest Dam Turns Ethiopia into a Regional Power Hub, Lifting Capacity to 9.6GW
Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, is beginning to redefine the country’s economic and geopolitical position after more than a decade of controversy and negotiation.
With national installed power capacity now reaching 9.6 gigawatts, the dam is transforming Ethiopia from a power-constrained economy into an emerging regional electricity hub, supplying energy to domestic industry while expanding cross-border power connectivity across the Horn of Africa.
Water and Energy Minister Habtamu Iteffa said the GERD has become a catalyst for Ethiopia’s development drive, doubling national power generation capacity and strengthening electricity connectivity across the Horn of Africa.
In an interview with the Ethiopian News Agency, Habtamu described the dam as a symbol of self-reliance, noting that it was financed and built largely through domestic mobilisation despite sustained external pressure.
The dam has long been one of Africa’s most controversial infrastructure projects. Egypt and Sudan repeatedly raised concerns over water security and downstream impacts, prompting years of stalled negotiations, mediation attempts, and diplomatic friction.
Ethiopia, however, maintained that the GERD would not significantly harm downstream flows and argued that the project would deliver shared economic benefits across the Nile Basin.
Source: Business Insider Africa
Morocco
Ammonia: USD 4.5 Billion Project Reportedly Brings Investors to Morocco’s Laayoune
Morocco has reportedly signed a major agreement with the international ORNX consortium to secure land in the southern Moroccan province of Laayoune for a USD 4.5 billion green ammonia project.
News outlet Asharq Business recently reported that it had obtained information that an international consortium of American, Spanish, and German companies had signed an agreement with Morocco’s government to secure land for a low-cost ammonia production project in Laayoune.
The ORNX ammonia consortium comprises Ortus from the US, Acciona from Spain, and Nordex from Germany.
“The consortium plans to develop a total of three projects focused on the production of green hydrogen and its derivatives,” Asharq reported.
The news outlet reports that the project agreement was signed recently in Rabat, with the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, and Moroccan officials present, alongside Aimee Cutrona, the Charge d’Affaires of the US embassy in Morocco.
Source: Business Insider Africa
Nigeria
Nigeria Set to Become Africa’s First Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Country
The Federal Government has moved to establish Africa’s first Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant and develop critical infrastructure nationwide by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with South Korea’s Asia Economic Development Committee (AEDC).
NADDC emphasised that this major partnership with the South Korean firm closely aligns with Nigeria’s National Energy Transition Plan (ETP) and National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP).
The council noted that this project will be implemented in phases, starting with electric vehicle assembly and later expanding into full local manufacturing, with an estimated capacity of 300,000 vehicles and the creation of about 10,000 jobs.
The Director-General of NADDC, Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, reaffirmed that the initiative will accelerate technology transfer, investment promotion, human capital development, and research, design and innovation.
The Director-General, represented by NADDC’s Head of Policy, Planning and Statistics, Mr Nura Sidi, stated that Nigeria is steadily building a sustainable automotive ecosystem that supports local manufacturing, green energy adoption, and global competitiveness.
Source: Nairametrics
Tanzania
Tanzania Emerges as Africa’s Third-Strongest Financial Market, Closing the Gap with Continental Leaders
Tanzania has firmly established itself as one of Africa’s leading financial markets, ranking third overall in the latest Absa Africa Financial Market Index. With a strong aggregate score of 85, the country’s performance reflects sound macroeconomic management, low and stable inflation, transparent monetary policy, and significant progress in addressing non-performing loans.
The 2025 index places particular emphasis on Tanzania’s strengths in macroeconomic stability and transparency, highlighting the payoff from sustained policy reforms that secure long-term economic resilience. According to Jeff Gable, Absa Group’s Head of Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities Research and Chief Economist, Tanzania’s results underscore a clear commitment to data availability, transparent budget processes, and transparent monetary policymaking—cornerstones of good governance and investor confidence.
Across key indicators, Tanzania delivered outstanding results. It achieved a near-perfect score of 94 for non-performing loan management and full marks for macroeconomic data standards, Monetary Policy Committee transparency, and budget disclosures. These scores indicate disciplined fiscal oversight and a credible, rules-based economic framework.
Source: Trends Africa
South Africa
South Africa And China Strengthen Economic Cooperation; Trade and Investment Ties
A framework agreement, signed by both nations, is expected to boost bilateral trade and investment across key sectors, including mining, agriculture, renewable energy, and technology.
South Africa and China have signed a landmark Framework Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Prosperity (CAEPA), a move expected to deepen economic ties between the two countries.
The agreement lays the groundwork for the ‘Early Harvest Agreement’, expected by the end of March 2026, which will grant South African exports duty-free access to the Chinese market.
“The China–South Africa trade deal is extremely significant. China has agreed that South Africa will be the 33rd African country with zero tariffs, meaning all our goods exported to China will be tariff-free,” says international relations expert Dr Oscar van Heerden to Forbes Africa.
“This offers a significant boost for our local market, benefiting both agriculture and manufacturing.”
Source: Forbes Africa
Uganda
Uganda’s Oil and Gas Sector Injects Over UGX 75 Trillion into Economy Since 2022
Uganda’s oil and gas sector is already driving substantial economic growth, even before the country produces its first barrel of oil.
Since the Final Investment Decision (FID) in 2022, the sector has injected more than USD 20 billion (approximately UGX 75 trillion) into the economy, stimulating activity across agriculture, construction, transport, hospitality, ICT, and education.
“This impact is already being felt, even before first oil production,” said Ms Gloria Elizabeth Sebikari, Manager of Corporate Affairs at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda.
“The sector is creating jobs, empowering local enterprises, strengthening human capital, transforming agriculture, mobilising revenue, uplifting communities, improving infrastructure, and stimulating growth across multiple industries.”
Workers are gaining technical expertise in areas such as welding, project management, environmental compliance, and drilling—skills that will benefit Uganda’s wider economy for years to come.
Ugandan companies supplying cement, steel, fuel, food, and accommodation are growing, while banks, insurers, and pension funds are increasingly investing in oil-related projects, strengthening domestic capital markets.
Investment in infrastructure linked to oil projects has delivered wide-ranging benefits. Roads in the Albertine Graben region have been upgraded, improving access for agriculture, tourism, and trade. Industrial parks, airports, and power connections are enhancing Uganda’s competitiveness and supporting industrialisation.
Source: Nile Post
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Reports
Venture Capital in Africa Report | AVCA
2025 will likely be remembered as a year of consolidation rather than resurgence for Africa’s venture ecosystem. After two years of retrenchment, the downward slide that followed the boom years has eased, but a broad-based rebound has yet to materialise. Instead, the contours of a recalibrated market are emerging: leaner, more selective, and increasingly shaped by new financing instruments and investor behaviour.
This seventh edition of AVCA’s Venture Capital in Africa report captures a market that is no longer in free fall but not yet fully recovered. Deal volumes stabilised, median deal sizes rose meaningfully, and venture debt emerged as a critical stabiliser, even as aggregate capital remained below recent historical averages. In a global context marked by uneven recovery and renewed volatility, Africa stood out not for outsized growth but for relative resilience.
Click here to download and read the report.
Compendium of Africa’s Strategic Minerals 2026 | AFC
As the world undergoes a profound realignment across energy systems, industrial supply chains, and digital technologies, the strategic importance of Africa’s mineral resources has never been greater. However, this moment is not merely about responding to global demand. It is about agency; the ability to define, on our own terms, how Africa’s mineral wealth is developed, transformed, and mobilised to support the continent’s industrialisation and economic transformation.
The Compendium of Africa’s Strategic Minerals reframes the continent’s mineral endowment from a catalogue of resources into a system-level economic proposition. It shows that Africa’s mineral challenge is one of conversion, transforming resources into infrastructure, industrial capacity, and regional value chains. By linking minerals to power, transport, industrial zones, demand fundamentals, and global supply-chain dynamics, the Compendium identifies where coordination can materially improve project economics, where beneficiation is commercially viable, and where Africa can anchor durable positions in both regional and global value chains. Its central message is clear: Africa’s mineral wealth becomes transformative only when embedded in infrastructure, aggregated demand, and integrated industrial systems.
Click here to download and read the report.
Financial Flows Thematic Futures | ISS Africa
Various themes on this website highlight Africa’s tremendous opportunities and significant challenges. Boasting abundant natural resources, a dynamic, youthful population and expanding markets, the continent has the potential to become an essential player in the global economy.
Yet despite its potential, Africa struggles to achieve sustainable economic and social transformation. Growth rates have not kept pace with population expansion, resulting in only modest gains in per capita GDP. Economic diversification remains limited, with many countries dependent on low-productivity sectors such as agriculture and low-skilled services for growth and employment. For example, according to the African Development Bank, economic growth in Africa is expected to rise from 3.8 percent in 2024 to 4.2 percent in 2025. Although these rates make the continent the second-fastest-growing region globally, they are insufficient to create jobs, raise incomes, or reduce poverty, given Africa’s development challenges.
To drive meaningful structural transformation, Africa must prioritise strategic investments in agriculture, health, education, energy, technology, innovation and infrastructure. However, funding these investments is challenging, with an estimated annual financing gap of about USD 402 billion by 2030. Domestic revenue mobilisation—primarily through taxation and other government revenue-generating mechanisms—is key to meeting these development needs.
Click here to download and read the report.
Africa Youth Employment Outlook 2026|Mastercard Foundation
Africa stands at a pivotal moment. It is home to the world’s fastest-growing generation of young talent. Today, Africa is home to around 532 million young people (aged 15–35), representing more than 22 percent of a cohort that will shape global labour in the coming decades. Unlike the rest of the world, where youth populations are projected to continue declining, Africa’s youth population is expected to continue increasing through the 2070s.
Africa’s youth population is projected to grow by a record 132 million this decade (2020–2030), with an even larger increase of 147 million expected in the 2030s.
The continent has a rare opportunity to shape the future of global work. Realising this potential will depend on whether growth creates jobs, informal work becomes more productive and secure, young women are able to fully participate in labour markets, and education systems equip young people with skills aligned with a services-led economy.
The choices made today will determine whether Africa’s youth dividend becomes a foundation for shared prosperity.
