This is the eleventh in a series of articles aimed at advising the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the necessary actions to increase the non-export volume to levels that match or even exceed those of crude oil and gas exports. In this edition, the focus will be on the policies relating increasing volume of production of manufactured goods in order to boost the volume of Nigeria’s finished goods that are exported to different markets around the world This policy is therefore aimed at growing the non-oil export volume by increasing the production volume of manufactured goods in…
Author: Johnson Akinyi
Read More
In SummaryOver 8 African countries are modernizing or expanding their railway infrastructure by 2025, and investment worth billions is transforming transportation across the continent.South Africa, Egypt, and Tanzania are leading the transition in diesel with more efficient systems with electrification, which is becoming a faster priority. High-speed rail is no longer a dream. Morocco is operating at 320 km/h, while Egypt is building over 2000 km of electric high-speed travel corridors to be ready by 2027. Deep Dive!The transformation of Africa’s railway systems is no longer a dream, it is happening. In 2025, more than eight countries are expected to…
In SummaryThe African agricultural sector is projected to have a gross production value of US$189.07 billion by the end of 2025.The import value of agricultural products in Africa is expected to reach US$40.8 billion, and the export value of US$20.5 billion by the end of 2025. The continent’s food import bill is projected to increase significantly, reaching US$110 billion.The continent’s agribusiness sector is projected to maintain exponential growth, reaching a value of $1 trillion within the next couple of years.Deep dive!!Africa’s agricultural sector is not only foundational but increasingly strategic, contributing over 20% of the continent’s total GDP and employing nearly half…
In Summary Cairo International Airport leads the continent with 18.7 million passengers based on the latest record available. Egypt stands out as the only country with three airports in the top 10 — Cairo, Sharm El-Sheikh, and Hurghada — all driven by strong tourism and infrastructure. Notably, all five major African regions — North, West, East, Central, and Southern — are represented in the rankings, signaling balanced aviation development across the continent.Deep Dive!What do Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and South Africa all have in common in 2025? Their airports are the heartbeat of a fast-moving continent.Africa’s aviation sector is not just…
Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Foreign companies are undervaluing Africa’s natural capital and paying derisory prices for its carbon sequestration, the head of the continent’s biggest development bank told the Financial Times.“We used to have land grabs. Now we are having carbon grabs,” Akinwumi Adesina, the president of the African Development Bank, said of what he described as low prices paid for African carbon credits.“The cost of getting permits in Europe probably can be as high as €200 a tonne,” he said. “Or you can go get…
In a downbeat World Economic Outlook, the IMF has projected that global growth will drop to 2.8% in 2025 and 3% in 2026 due to the announcement of “a series of new tariff measures by the United States and countermeasures by its trading partners.”“Following an unprecedented series of shocks in the preceding years, global growth was stable yet underwhelming through 2024 and was projected to remain so in the January 2025 World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update. However, the landscape has changed as governments around the world reorder policy priorities. Since the release of the January 2025 WEO Update, a series…
Resolving the funding crunch facing African startups and positioning economies across the continent to reap the full benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) dominated discussions at the third edition of GITEX Africa in Morocco, where over 45,000 international participants gathered in Marrakech for the continent’s largest tech and startup show.Multiple speakers raised alarm over the decline in venture capital (VC) funding for African startups in the past year, arguing that this trend underscored the critical need for entrepreneurs on the continent to rethink their funding strategies and consider alternative sources of financing.According to a new report by the African Private Capital…
Nigeria stands at a crossroads in its economic development, facing dwindling revenues, rising public debt, and an urgent need for sustainable economic policies. At the heart of these challenges lies a tax system that remains inefficient, burdensome for businesses, and inadequate in generating the revenue required to drive national development. To unlock Nigeria’s economic potential, comprehensive tax reforms are no longer an option—they are a necessity. A well-structured tax system is essential for economic stability and growth. However, Nigeria’s current tax framework is plagued by multiple taxation, poor compliance, a narrow tax base, and inefficient administration. Businesses, especially small and…
In SummaryThe size of United Capital Asset Management Limited’s fund as of 21 March 2025 is $131.13 million.More than 80% of the total comes from five countries: South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, and Kenya.Eurobonds issued by African governments have been consistently oversubscribed, with some instances exceeding 5 times.The African Development Bank (AfDB) has issued a $2 billion 5-year social benchmark bond.Deep Dive!!Africa’s bond markets have increasingly become a focal point for global fixed-income investors seeking diversification and higher yields. The worth of Global Fixed Income Investors in Africa is significant, with various instruments and funds contributing to the overall value. For…
In SummaryA large portion of the workforce in Africa, estimated at 85.8%, is employed in the informal sector.Africa’s FDI inflows reached a record $94 billion in 2024, a surge of 84%–with experts projecting a double-figure increase by the end of 2025.In 2024, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows into Africa surged to a record $94 billion, representing an 84% increase, driven by a megaproject in Egypt’s Ras El-Hekma peninsula, according to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD).Deep Dive!!Africa’s business landscape in 2025 presents a tapestry of opportunities and challenges, shaped by its diverse economies, rich natural resources, and burgeoning digital transformation. For…