African markets and business updates

The Twelfth Conference of the Parties (COP12) to the Nairobi Convention concluded with 15 decisions aimed at accelerating action for the protection, management, and sustainable development of the Western Indian Ocean region. Hosted by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, in Dar es Salaam, COP12 was held under the theme, “Towards a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Western Indian Ocean for People and Nature: A Journey of Forty Years.” Taking place at a significant moment for the Nairobi Convention as it commemorated four decades of regional cooperation for ocean protection, the meeting brought together the Convention’s ten Contracting Parties — Comoros, France, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa and the United Republic of Tanzania — alongside United Nations agencies, regional organizations, development partners, research institutions, scientists, civil society, youth, local communities and private sector representatives.…

Ghana and India have discussed the need to strengthen cooperation for diplomatic training for diplomats of their two countries. This was among a myriad of strategic issues discussed between the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto and India’s External Affairs Minister, His Excellency Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, during his first official visit to Ghana on Tuesday, 6th October, 2026.…

The Norwegian Nobel Committee on October 9, 2026, announced that Navi Pillay was the 2026 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Pillay has been a human rights lawyer in apartheid South Africa, served as president of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, a judge on the International Criminal Court, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and chaired the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. She is currently a judge ad hoc of the International Court of Justice, designated by The Gambia in the case The Gambia v. Myanmar concerning alleged violations of the Genocide Convention.…

Vice President Jessica Alupo has called on African countries to strengthen regional security cooperation and provide more predictable funding for standby forces, saying peace is essential to sustainable development. Vice President Alupo was speaking on behalf of President Yoweri Museveni in his capacity as the current Chairman of the East African Community but is also the AU Champion for Political Integration on the African continent. Speaking on behalf of East Africa at the 8th African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in New Alamein on October 4, 2026, Alupo said economic growth, infrastructure development, and regional integration cannot thrive amid insecurity.…

Nigeria is negotiating a 1,350-naira ($1.02) per litre cap on the upstream cost of petrol, while the government says the mechanism will not restore fuel subsidies. Refiners and importers would absorb costs above the cap and recover the difference later as crude prices and the exchange ...

The United Arab Emirates has expressed its solidarity with the Democratic Republic of the Congo following a collision between two boats on the Congo River that resulted in a number of deaths and injuries, with others still missing. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) expressed its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its people over this tragedy, as well as its wishes for a speedy recovery for all the injured. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Arab Emirates, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening mental health services, improving access to treatment, and combating stigma as Liberia joined the global community in observing World Mental Health Day 2026 under the theme, “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change.” Delivering the Ministry’s official message on behalf of Health Minister Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, Assistant Minister for Preventive Services Dr. Cuallau Jebbeh-Howe emphasized the need to expand community-based mental health services, improve access to essential medicines, strengthen health workers’ capacity, and protect the rights and dignity of people living with mental health conditions.…

State revenues rose by about 93% in real terms between 2023 and 2025, while expenditure increased by about 92%. Capital spending’s share of state expenditure climbed from 46% to 61%, led by transport infrastructure. Education’s budget share fell to 12.1% in 2025, although spending on education increased ...

Ghana and India have reaffirmed their historical credentials as champions of the Global South, dating back to the days of the founding fathers of the two independent countries, namely President Kwame Nkrumah, and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. This was emphasised during the first official visit to Ghana by India’s External Affairs Minister, His Excellency Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on Tuesday, 6th October, 2026. During the visit, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Honourable Okudzeto Ablakwa noted that, Ghana and India had historically been champions of the Global South and shared a commitment to independence, self-reliance, dignity, and strategic autonomy.…

Ghana and India have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening their longstanding bilateral relations and advancing cooperation across a wide range of strategic areas during the first official visit to Ghana by India’s External Affairs Minister, His Excellency Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on Tuesday, 6th October, 2026.…