African markets and business updates

Gold Fields agreed to acquire BHP's Kambalda Nickel Concentrator (KNC) project in Australia, subject to regulatory approvals, with completion targeted for 2027. The acquisition would give Gold Fields direct access to nickel-processing infrastructure, strengthening its diversification beyond its traditional gold business. The deal comes despite ...

The AI boom has become a powerful driver of global trade, outweighing tariffs and geopolitical shocks The trade outlook has improved, with growth through 2029 now forecast to outpace the previous decade Sub-Saharan Africa recorded strong trade value growth of 11% in the first five months of 2026 U.S.-China ties declined significantly, but U.S. allies are not following the same path Globalization reached a record level of 25.8% Sub-Saharan Africa recorded strong trade value growth in 2026 despite higher tariffs, geopolitical tensions and disruption to major trade routes.…

South Africa's Capitec has demonstrated that a challenger bank can attract large numbers of customers while achieving high profit levels.

Rwanda narrowed its budget deficit to 4.8% of GDP in 2025/26, helped by stronger tax collection and lower fuel subsidy costs. The IMF’s first review could unlock about $35.7 million in new financing after Rwanda met all end-June quantitative performance criteria. Strong economic growth is being accompanied by ...

Liberia plans to build an offshore oil logistics base in Buchanan so more support for future drilling can be handled domestically rather than from neighboring countries. Nigerian group LADOL will finance and conduct the feasibility study and coordinate engineering work for the planned 83.6-hectare facility. The project ...

PAFTRAC's survey of 2,500 business leaders reveals that four in five expect their cross-border activity to increase over the next twelve months, despite AfCFTA implementation hurdles and financing constraints.

The DRC has launched a 36-month airborne mapping program to improve geological data and reduce uncertainty for mineral exploration. The initiative will use eight aircraft and cover several regions while also training Congolese geologists, technicians, researchers and students. Better geological data could help the government attract investment ...

Chevron has committed at least $88 million to explore Egypt’s offshore Lotus area, including two exploration wells and seismic-data reprocessing. The new agreement expands Chevron’s already sizeable presence in Egypt’s Mediterranean, where it is active across several offshore blocks and discoveries. Egypt is using the clearance of arrears ...

Cameroon plans to raise $300 million by reopening an existing international bond rather than issuing a new Eurobond. If fully subscribed, the tap will increase the bond’s outstanding amount from $850 million to $1.15 billion while keeping the same key terms. The proceeds will help finance Cameroon’s 2026 budget priorities ...

Spain is moving to deepen its commercial ties with Algeria’s red meat sector through new agreements covering sheep, goat and beef trade. Spain already dominates key segments of Algeria’s sheep and goat imports, but it faces growing competition as Algeria broadens its supplier base. Algeria’s push to ...