The fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE), which concluded on Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Changsha, has set new benchmarks for collaboration, announcing a remarkable 176 signed projects valued at $11.4 billion. This represents a significant 45.8% increase in the number of projects and a 10.6% rise in total value compared to the previous […]

Across East Africa, a palpable sense of anticipation filled legislative chambers as finance ministers from the East African Community (EAC) member states presented their national spending plans for the 2025/26 fiscal year. From Kenya’s bustling capital to Rwanda’s hills, Uganda’s resource-rich plains, and Tanzania’s vibrant coast, these budgets are more than just numbers on a […]

In a powerful declaration of global solidarity and economic partnership, China has announced the full implementation of zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines for products from 53 African countries, including Kenya. This monumental move, taking effect last December, was unveiled by Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, during […]

In a pivotal stride towards redefining its role as a bedrock of national development, Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has officially unveiled its revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). This comprehensive update, announced by FIRS officials on Monday, is far more than a bureaucratic adjustment; it is a strategic declaration designed to inject unprecedented levels […]

A new era in global finance is set to dawn for Africa with the imminent launch of its own continental credit rating agency. By the end of September, the African Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA) is poised to begin operations, a monumental step designed to directly challenge the long-standing dominance of established global firms like Fitch […]

The Nigerian equities market continued its strong momentum in early June 2025, as bullish sentiment among investors pushed the Nigeria Exchange (NGX) market capitalization past the ₦71 trillion ($45 billion) mark. This rise signals renewed confidence in the country’s stock market amid positive macroeconomic developments and corporate earnings reports. Key stocks such as Oando Plc, […]

Fitch Ratings downgraded the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) from BBB to BBB-, placing it just one notch above “junk” status, with a negative outlook. This move highlights growing concerns about the bank’s loan portfolio quality, risk management practices, and exposure to sovereign debt restructuring in key African economies. The implications could ripple across Africa’s financial […]

South Africa’s economy showed signs of stagnation in the first quarter of 2025, recording only a marginal quarter-on-quarter growth of 0.1%, highlighting the ongoing struggles facing Africa’s most industrialized economy. This slow growth came despite some pockets of strength, particularly in the agriculture sector, which grew robustly. However, contractions in other critical sectors, such as […]

In a clarification, the Federal Government of Nigeria explained that President Bola Tinubu’s recent communication of a US $21.5 billion request to the National Assembly is not an immediate borrowing demand, but rather the formal submission of the 2024 – 2026 External Borrowing Rolling Plan. The plan lays out a multi-year framework for both federal […]

South Africa’s central bank surprised markets on May 29 by unanimously cutting its main repurchase (repo) rate by 25 basis points to 7.25%, even as it signalled a stronger commitment to narrowing its inflation target to 3% from the current 3%–6% range (Reuters). In addition to trimming forecasts for economic growth and consumer prices, the […]