Nairobi — Entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and development partners gathered in Nairobi last week to discuss how East Africa can accelerate access to clean and sustainable energy solutions amid growing climate and economic pressures. The meeting, held under the Social and Inclusive Business Camp (SIBC) East Africa Programme, focused on supporting businesses working in renewable energy,…
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Africa continue to face tighter lending conditions, higher collateral requirements, and limited access to formal trade finance despite evidence showing that their credit risk profile has remained relatively stable. According to a new African Development Bank (AfDB) report released in Brazzaville on May 27, SME-related default rates, averaging between…
Thousands of Muslims began to leave the holy city of Mecca on Friday after having completed the hajj pilgrimage in scorching heat and despite the shadow of war across the Middle East. This year more than 1.7 million people from 165 countries took part in one of the world’s largest religious gatherings, against the backdrop…
Campaign laid blame for South Africa’s skyrocketing electricity tariffs at the feet of the fossil fuel industry As TotalEnergies held its Annual General Meeting in France on Friday, climate activists gathered at the company’s Johannesburg headquarters to protest the fossil fuel industry. The gathering was organised by the StopEACOP (East African Crude Oil Pipeline) Campaign…
Nigeria’s growing influence in Africa’s technology and innovation ecosystem has received fresh global recognition as startups founded by Nigerians emerged strongly on Bloomberg’s latest list of 25 African Startups to Watch. The ranking, which highlights innovative startups solving critical challenges across the continent, underscored Nigeria’s expanding dominance in sectors such as fintech, artificial intelligence, health…
The latest economic outlook report by the African Development Bank (AfDB) projects that the continent will grow at 4.2 per cent in 2026, slightly down from 4.4 per cent in 2025, before bouncing back to its growth trajectory in 2027. The downward revision for 2026 comes at the back of heightened geopolitical tensions and global…
As the news spread about the outbreak of Ebola in mid-May 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report about pandemics. The title was: A World on the Edge: Priorities for a Pandemic-Resilient Future. The document was prepared by the WHO’s Global Preparedness Monitoring Board. It sets out why the world isn’t better prepared…
Ethiopia Heads to Polls Amid Regional Instability Ethiopia is scheduled to hold elections on June 1, 2026. The country faces internal security challenges and heightened competition for power in the Horn of Africa. Regional powers like Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Israel are pushing for influence in this strategically vital region, already destabilised by…
Spiro acquired UK-based engineering firm Coexlion for an undisclosed sum as the electric motorcycle company moves to build its first African research and development centre in Nairobi. The deal gives Spiro in-house capacity to design, test and improve electric motorcycles for African roads, rider habits and commercial use. Coexlion has worked with companies including Triumph,…
The federal government is considering the possibility of restricting flights from countries affected by the Ebola virus as part of renewed efforts to prevent any outbreak in Nigeria. This was disclosed on Thursday by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, after a high-level strategic meeting held in Victoria Island, Lagos State, to…
