“Today, everyone recognises that trade is as much a security issue as an economic one.” European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde made this comment in February 2026, while addressing the Munich Security Conference. Although she was speaking about Europe, her words matter profoundly for Africa. The continent’s 54 economies face a three-way tension that has…
Can conservation pay for itself and create meaningful livelihoods beyond fenced protected areas? Researchers and entrepreneurs across southern and east Africa are exploring ways for rural communities to generate income from sustainably harvested wild resources. At the Carnivore Restaurant, one of the most famous dining spots in Nairobi, the menu offers a telling contradiction. You…
What does the much-publicised rise and sudden death of a firm that boasted friends in Silicon Valley and Washington DC tell us about the climate crisis, structural underdevelopment in Africa and the frugal innovations designed to mitigate it? The closure of Koko Networks at the beginning of February elicited an interesting range of reactions in…
The Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC) is a leading platform connecting African music professionals with the global music industry, and the sixth edition returns to Constitution Hill on 22–23 May 2026, bringing together music industry leaders, artists, technology innovators, and rights organisations to explore the future of music, innovation, and creator rights in the age…
The Minister warns that Africa remains trapped by a “prejudice premium” in global finance, calling for urgent reforms to unlock affordable capital and drive industrial growth across the continent. Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has called for urgent reforms to the global financial architecture, saying Africa continues to…
Africa is set to deliver some of the world’s strongest growth in 2026, even as war in the Middle East, oil volatility and weaker risk appetite weigh on global markets. IMF projections show 5 African economies growing at 7% or more this year, led by Ethiopia, Guinea, Uganda, Rwanda and Benin. Ethiopia tops the list…
To counter the severe economic shocks triggered by the escalating conflict in the Middle East, the Board of Directors of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has approved a US$10 billion Gulf Crisis Response Programme (GCRP) to insulate African and Caribbean economies, financial institutions and corporates from the impacts of the ongoing Gulf crisis. The conflict, which…
Nairobi — The effects of the conflict in the Persian Gulf are beginning to be felt worldwide. In addition to the impact on energy markets caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the less well-known but no less serious consequences affects African economies. This applies not only to macroeconomic effects such…
The attacks by the US and Israel on Iran, which started on 28 February 2026, upended key supply chains, driving oil prices above US$100 a barrel. The spike followed Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to the US and Israeli action. About 20% of the world’s oil supplies are transported through the…
The lesson from every Middle East crisis is clear: global energy shocks will continue to occur, and their effects will continue to reverberate across the world. For Africa’s oil-rich but refining-poor economies, the real challenge is not merely surviving these shocks but using them as catalysts for structural transformation…Until that transformation occurs, events thousands of…
