African markets and business updates

The Government will in October 2026 commence implementation of the Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project Phase II [DRDIP II], a $328 million programme targeting three million refugees and host community members. The Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Hon. Sam Engola, announced this while appearing before the Committee on Presidential Affairs chaired by Hon. Martin Mapenduzi Ojara, on Tuesday, 15 September 2026. Engola said the five-year project is designed to address the long-term socio-economic and environmental impacts of forced displacement in 14 refugee-hosting districts.…

Liberia has formally begun preparations to host the 2027 African Federation for Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA) Conference, following the inaugural meeting of the national Steering Committee responsible for coordinating the continental gathering. Convened by the Ministry of Education, the meeting brought together representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Transport and State, the Liberia Immigration Service, the Liberia National Police, Ministry of Health, LTA, the Liberia National Tourism Authority, and other institutions whose support will be required to receive and coordinate delegates from across Africa.…

A senior Eritrean delegation composed of Mr. Hagos Gebrehiwet, Head of PFDJ Economic Affairs, and Mr. Nesredin Mohammed Saleh, Minister of Trade and Industry, held talks with Mr. Waleed Alkhereiji, Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Riyadh this afternoon. The extensive discussions focused on reviewing the progress of bilateral cooperation in various fields, their enhancement in the period ahead, and other issues of mutual interest. The Eritrean delegation also met yesterday with senior officials of the Saudi Ministry of Energy and the Saudi National Oil Company (ARAMCO) to discuss concrete areas of mutual cooperation. The meetings were attended by Mr.…

Representatives of the European Union and EU Member States visited the ECOWAS Logistics Depot (ELD), Lungi, on 8 September 2026. The visit was intended to familiarise the delegation with the concept, facilities and operational role of the recently commissioned Depot and provide a better understanding of its place within the ECOWAS regional peace and security architecture. The delegation included Mr Emilio Rossetti, Chargé d’Affaires of the European Union Delegation; Mr Olivier Huot, French Chargé d’Affaires; Ms Irene Toeller, German Chargé d’Affaires; and Mr Charlie Suilen, Regional Security Advisor, EU Delegation.…

The Republic of Senegal, with support from the African Energy Commission (AFREC) and technical assistance from the European Union (EU) funded Continental Energy Programme in Africa (CEPA), has developed a new National Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan (NEESAP) to improve its energy productivity. This was alongside introducing Energy Performance of Buildings (EPB) Guidelines and Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) adapted to the Senegal context.…

Key points 7,200 Ebola cases and nearly 3,500 deaths reported Outbreak spreading across an area covering two time zones Insecurity, poor roads and funding gaps are hampering response Weekly cases are doubling in parts of North Kivu “If we don’t have the resources, the epidemic will come back…it remains a deadly and massive epidemic,” stressed Julien Harneis, UN Special Ebola Coordinator. Latest data from 12 September indicates 7,200 reported cases of Ebola and close to 3,500 deaths across 62 health zones, according to the UN World Health Organization ( WHO ).…

Algeria’s authorities must immediately abandon any plans to expand the scope of the death penalty or resume executions after more than three decades without carrying one out, said Amnesty International as the government examines amendments to the penal code that would broaden the use of the death penalty. The organization calls on Algeria’s authorities to immediately establish an official moratorium as a first step towards fully abolishing the death penalty.…

On September 15, Counsellor Jin Jun attended the 2026 Africa Critical Minerals Conference hosted by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM). Mr. Chilengi, Acting Permanent Secretary of Zambia's Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, and Mr. Halwampa, Director General of the Zambia Development Agency, attended the conference, along with Mr. Wang Jingjun, President of the Chinese Mining Enterprises Association in Zambia, and about 400 other participants. Counsellor Jin said that China-Zambia mining cooperation is an important component of the practical cooperation between the two countries.…

The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) ( ) is delighted to announce the launch of an enhanced version of its pioneering e-Book Reader, designed to give users seamless access to publications in Islamic economics, finance, and sustainable development. Originally launched in 2022 as an app for smart devices, the IsDBI Reader was developed in partnership with Koraspond, a technology firm based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A cloud-based version was subsequently introduced to support reading on larger screens and web-enabled devices.…

The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) can only audit 4,500 out of 16,000 entities that fall within its mandate because of resource constraints, MPs have been told. The revelation was made during a meeting with officials from the OAG and MPs on the Budget Committee chaired by Hon. Amos Kankunda, on Tuesday, 15 September 2026. During the meeting, Assistant Auditor General, James Bantu, calmed the committee members, with assurances that they audit recoverable costs claimed by oil companies, amid concerns that the US$3.1 billion in claimed costs could significantly reduce Uganda’s future petroleum revenues.…