African leaders have called for a major rethink of how the continent finances development, manages natural resources and positions itself within the global economy, saying Africa must strengthen economic sovereignty and reduce dependence on fragmented financing systems and raw commodity exports. Speaking during the ongoing African Development Bank Group (AfDB) Annual Meetings 2026 in Brazzaville,…
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), in its new report, themed: ‘Financing Women’s Digital Entrepreneurship: A Pathway to Closing Africa’s Economic Gender Gap’ has revealed that women’s economic participation in Africa has fallen 0.6 percentage points below 2022 levels, extending the region’s timeline to reach economic parity from 120 years to approximately 170 years. The report…
Africa may have achieved political independence, but the continent’s biggest remaining challenge is economic liberation, according to the Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). ALSO READ: Rwanda is where things get done, says AfCFTA’s Wamkele Mene Speaking at an international conference on Africa Day held in Kigali on Sunday, May 24,…
My stay in China as part of the DongFang scholarship program at Peking University (PKU) allowed me to immerse in the heart of China’s institutional and administrative architecture, to meet high-ranking officials responsible for strategic departments, as well as distinguished academics. Visits to cutting-edge industrial sites gave me the opportunity to observe remarkable technological advances,…
Addis Ababa — Ethiopia has renewed its call for deeper regional economic integration as a cornerstone for achieving lasting peace in the Horn of Africa, with Trade and Regional Integration Minister Kassahun Gofe stressing that durable stability can only be achieved through stronger homegrown solutions. Speaking at the Horn Inter-Elite Dialogue, also known as the…
Nairobi — President William Ruto has called on Africa to position sports at the centre of its economic transformation. The President said the continent must invest in building African-owned sports industries that create wealth and jobs for its young population. Speaking at a high-level dialogue on the commercialisation of sports at the University of Nairobi…
Public procurement reform rarely makes headlines. But when a single digital system begins to demonstrably reduce costs, shorten timelines, and open up contracting opportunities to a wider pool of businesses–all within three years–it is worth examining how it happened and what others can learn from it. Tanzania’s Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) has done exactly…
Addis Ababa — Although Africa has the resources, population, and market potential to become one of the world’s most competitive economic blocs, the continent must first recognize and fully utilize its strengths, according to Elizabeth E. Onwuchekwa, Director-General of the Pan-African AU Agenda 2063 Diplomatic Mission. In an exclusive interview with ENA, Onwuchekwa, said Africa…
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille says Africa’s Travel Indaba is a powerful celebration of the continent’s extraordinary potential to drive economic growth through tourism. “This is where travel industry professionals gather, including tour operators, hotels, airlines and tourism boards to showcase products, network, negotiate deals and form partnerships with buyers,” De Lille said on Monday….
On May 1, 2026, China opened its market to 53 African countries through a zero-tariff policy, a bold step that could redefine Africa’s economic future. The move signals a clear and strategic departure from the prevailing approach taken by many Western powers toward the continent. At its core, the policy eliminates trade barriers for a…
