African markets and business updates

Shirley Webber, Managing Principal and Coverage Head for Resources & Energy at Absa Bank, has joined the advisory board of African Mining Week (AMW) 2026 – The Most Influential Mining Conference in Africa. Webber’s appointment strengthens AMW’s mission to mobilize the capital needed to unlock Africa’s vast mineral wealth and cement the continent’s role as a cornerstone of resilient global supply chains. As an advisory board member…

African Mining Week (AMW) – taking place on October 14 to 16 in Cape Town - will highight the growing role of mining services companies as critical enablers of Africa’s transition from resource - rich to project - ready. As the continent works to unlock an estimated $8.5 trillion in untapped mineral wealth, these firms are emerging as key drivers of capital mobilization, technical delivery and accelerated project timelines. A structural shift is underway.…

Browse startup apps emerging from Lagos, Nairobi or Tunis, watch the latest demo days on YouTube, or open a founder's pitch deck, and a familiar pattern quickly emerges: everything looks remarkably similar. That sameness is no accident. It is the global signature of AI-generated software. At Microsoft, between 20% and 30% of new code is now written by AI. Coinbase says 40% of its codebase comes from AI tools. Robinhood's CEO claims most of the company's new code is machine-generated.…

Technology, infrastructure and demographics are converging to position Africa as one of the world's most compelling long-term growth markets

The Ubuntuverse Institute ( ) today released The 3 Trillion Corporate Advocacy PlayBook: Africa’s 10× CAMPs Accelerating Just Clean Energy’s Green Industrialisation, a field-defining framework charting how corporate actors can unlock the continent’s $3 trillion clean energy opportunity. Drawing on evidence from the IEA, IRENA, the African Development Bank, the African Union and BloombergNEF, the PlayBook identifies a $2.25 trillion private investment gap that, if closed…

Vuka Group’s Mining Review Africa ( ) recent webinar on workforce development in the mining sector is now available to watch on demand for free. Titled Learning curves: Addressing the skills shortage in African mining , the webinar brought together leaders from industry and academia to discuss the growing skills gap facing Africa’s mining sector and the practical steps needed to prepare a future-ready workforce. As mining operations continue to evolve through digitalisation…

Merck Foundation ( www.Merck-Foundation.com ), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, marks World Art Day 2026 through their Pan-African “Art and Fashion with Purpose” community , established by Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation . On this occasion, the Merck Foundation also proudly celebrates the 6-year anniversary of this impactful community, which continues to harness the power of art and fashion to address critical health and social issues in Africa and beyond. Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.)…

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) ( www.AfricaFC.org ), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, today announced that its Board has approved a commitment of up to US$100 million to invest in Africa-focused technology fund managers. The launch comes at a pivotal moment for Africa. The continent’s digital economy is projected to contribute over US$700 billion to GDP by 2050, driven by a fast-growing, digitally connected population and accelerating enterprise adoption of technology.…

The World Health Organisation has declared the Ebola outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda "a public health emergency of international concern". The WHO said that as of 16 May, eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths have been reported in Ituri Province of the DRC across at least three health zones, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu.…

Fake drugs, fraudulent alcohol and even counterfeit bottled water are among the dubious goods behind a public health crisis in Nigeria.