African markets and business updates

US President Donald Trump has declared that France is "burning", blaming immigration for what he described as the country's decline.

When Issah Tolhatu started weighing soybeans in her university hostel room, her entire operation processed just nine kilograms a day. There was no processing facility, no sophisticated machinery and no guarantee that the idea would succeed. There was simply a food science student who had identified a problem in her community and believed soybeans could […] When Issah Tolhatu started weighing soybeans in her university hostel room, her entire operation processed just nine kilograms a day. There was no processing facility, no sophisticated machinery and no guarantee that the idea would succeed.…

On Monday, 19 October 2026, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Mr Barry Faure, officially opened the Biennial Ambassadors’ Retreat 2026 at the Seychelles Allamanda Resort and Spa. In his opening remarks, Minister Faure called on Ambassadors to reflect on the Ministry’s mandate, key strategic priorities, and how best to advance and safeguard Seychelles’ national interests in an increasingly complex international environment. “Our approach must balance continuity with the need to adapt. We have valuable experience, established relationships and institutional knowledge on which to build. At the same time, our responsibilities are evolving” the Minister stated .…

State-owned national telecommunications and internet service provider Cameroon Telecommunications (Camtel) and the state electricity utility Socadel have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore infrastructure sharing in Cameroon.

The initiative, launched at the IMF/World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, is intended to crowd billions into multiple sectors.

Cet article est aussi disponible en français First published on October 18, 2026 Microsoft ADC offices at Dunhill Towers in Nairobi, Kenya. Image: TechCabal Microsoft has shut its Africa Development Centre (ADC) in Nairobi, Kenya, leaving more than 400 engineers without jobs, following the closure of its Lagos engineering operation in May 2024. It has […] Cet article est aussi disponible en français First published on October 18, 2026 Microsoft ADC offices at Dunhill Towers in Nairobi, Kenya.…

On October 19, 2026, Ambassador Han Jing paid a courtesy call on Hon. Prof. Roma Chilengi, Minister of Health of Zambia. Ambassador Han congratulated Prof. Chilengi on his appointment and said that, under the strategic guidance of the two Heads of State, China-Zambia comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership has continued to grow. China attaches great importance to health cooperation and stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with the Zambian side, deepen cooperation in medical team dispatches, pharmaceutical supplies assistance, health infrastructure development, and continue to improve the health and well-being of the Zambian people. Prof.…

The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) has deployed its Preparedness Data Exchange (PDX) platform in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, strengthening the country’s access to epidemic intelligence and early-warning information to support preparedness and response to health emergencies. PDX uses artificial intelligence to bring together health and risk information, helping countries spot potential threats early and prepare for and respond to them. PDX is now in use in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The platform connects the country to a regional platform serving all 47 Member States in the WHO African Region.…

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held an emergency Cabinet meeting on Monday to assess a weekend of violence and looting during protests against the rising cost of living.

COSCO Shipping Ports handled 11.04 million TEUs across its global terminal portfolio in September 2026, representing a 15.7% increase compared with the same month last year. The latest performance lifted the terminal operator’s total container throughput for the first nine months of the year to 93.91 million TEUs, up 8.5% year on year. Third-quarter throughput […] COSCO Shipping Ports handled 11.04 million TEUs across its global terminal portfolio in September 2026, representing a 15.7% increase compared with the same month last year.…