Africa Archives - Inside Business Africa

Oct52019 by EditorNo Comments

12 African startups to participate in 2019 venture showcase

Venture Capital for Africa (VC4A) has nominated 12 startups that would be participating in its 2019 Series-A Venture Showcase. This was disclosed in a statement by VC4A .11 out of the selected have completed Series-A raises and one has received seed funding. The selected 12 companies would showcase their businesses in front of investors at the Africa Early Stage Investor Summit (AESIS) which will be held in Cape Town on 13 and 14 November with the aim of raising between $250 000 and $5 million in Series-A capital. According to the statement, the 12 were selected by 40 venture capitalists as well as multiple angel groups, through a rigorous referral and selection process as they were sought after to represent the best investment opportunities on the continent. This i

Sep42019 by EditorNo Comments

‘New country business index to assess constraints to regional trade’

Africa, Business

Though the recently launched African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is expected to be a game-changer for Africa and a key engine of economic growth, industrialisation and sustainable development of the continent in line with the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063, the regulations and policies which undermine the functionality of market institutions need to be identified and addressed. To this end, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has proposed the establishment of an AfCFTA Country Business Index (ACBI) that will be used at country level to assess and monitor constraints faced by the private sector as they trade in Africa. The rationale is that private businesses are the target beneficiaries of the AfCFTA – it is them that actually trade across borders t

Aug142019 by EditorNo Comments

The Investment Society Unilag set to hold the largest students’ Investment Conference in Sub-Saharan Africa

Africa

The Investment Society, University of Lagos, a multi-disciplinary and academically diverse student organization will on the 2nd of September hold their annual students’ investment conference called The Colloquium at the J.F AdeAjayi Auditorium, University of Lagos. The highly educative and engaging conference will bring together selected 1000 delegates from finance and investment clubs across 9 Nigerian Universities alongside graduate professionals, seasoned CEOs and thought leaders from different works of life-The Polity, Economy, Academia, Corporates and the Media to discuss on the theme Driving Investment in Africa through Innovation and Leadership. Notable speakers include Mr Patrick Akinwuntan, CEO, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Mobolaji Balogun, CEO, Chapel Hill Denham, Mr Abu Jimoh,

Jul42019 by EditorNo Comments

Civil Society Forum meets to launch the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Consultative Dialogue Framework

Africa, Economy

The focus of the Forum will be on trade priorities of African countries The Civil Society Forum will meet during the AU Extraordinary Summit in Niamey, Niger. The Summit is taking place to celebrate the Entry into Force of the AfCFTA Agreement and to launch the Operational Phase of AfCFTA Market, which also includes launching the AfCFTA Consultative Dialogue Framework. Speaking on the eve of the meeting, H.E. Dr. Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa said that “we are entering the most critical phase of creating the AfCFTA – implementation. This space for civil society to be engaged in the shaping of the AfCFTA implementation process is vital for the AfCFTA to deliver for the people it is supposed to, the average men and women on th

Jul32019 by EditorNo Comments

Entrepreneurship in Focus as Seyi Tinubu a Covers July/August Issue of Pleasures Magazine

Africa, Inside

The theme of the July / August issue of the Pan-African Entrepreneurial and Luxury magazine, PLEASURES MAGAZINE is “Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World” The image many have of a meeting of leaders of business and government is of a room filled with people aged 50-70, even 80 years old, discussing the narratives that will shape the world. But the decisions from such meeting will not impact their generation, they will impact young people. Over 50% of the world’s population is under the age of 27. So if someone is going to decide to shape the future, the youth, have to be part of that dialogue; a bigger part of this narrative of co-creating the future. Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, realized this early on and founded

Jun282019 by EditorNo Comments

Africa pledges to deliver Blue Economy at Africa Blue Economy Forum (ABEF) 2019

Africa, Economy

International and Pan-African organizations agree to collaborate on initiatives following successful ABEF2019 The prospect of a fully sustainable Blue Economy for Africa gathered significant momentum following the second Africa Blue Economy Forum held in Tunis on 25-26 June. Fishing, aquaculture, shipping, ports, energy and finance industries all came under the spotlight at ABEF2019, which drew in Government ministers, business leaders, international investors, academics and environmental organisations from across the globe. The need for direct action to deliver the environmental, economic and social benefits for Africa, and particularly its coastal nations given 90 per cent of Africa’s trade is conducted by sea, was stressed during the two days of insight. Speakers at ABEF20

Jun262019 by EditorNo Comments

New features and unparalleled line-up to drive programme for Africa Oil Week 2019

Africa, Energy/Oil & Gas

Over 1500 delegates, including a record-breaking number of 16+ government ministers will attend the event in Cape Town As the leading event for Africa’s upstream, Africa Oil Week is committed to staying at the cutting-edge of developments in oil and gas. Over 1500 delegates, including a record-breaking number of 16+ government ministers will attend the event in Cape Town, taking place between 4-8 November 2019. This year’s programme has been designed to reflect the priorities of a changing sector. Spread over five packed days, it will boast a line-up of more than 200 speakers from government, industry and academia. Conference Producer Catriona McDavid said: “Africa Oil Week has been built on twenty-five years of industry support, and this year we are proud to worked collaborativ

Jun262019 by EditorNo Comments

African Development Bank approves USD 24.7 million for Water and Sanitation Development in South Sudan

Africa, Banking & Finance

The Strategic Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project will support the rehabilitation of approximately 50km of the Juba town distribution network and related works The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank on June 20, 2019, approved a proposal to commit $24.7 million to finance the South Sudan Strategic Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project. The Strategic Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project will support the rehabilitation of approximately 50km of the Juba town distribution network and related works, including metering and public water collections outlets. The project will also cover feasibility and engineering design for two other towns under the jurisdiction of South Sudan Urban Water Corporation. The project will additionally cover th

Jun252019 by EditorNo Comments

UNCTAD’s Economic Development in Africa Report 2019

Africa, Economy

The Economic Development in Africa Report 2019 focuses on preferential trade liberalization among the members of the new African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) UNCTAD’s Economic Development in Africa Report 2019 will be launched globally on the same day. The report will probe the benefits of compliance by African countries and the importance of strengthening the institutional framework The Economic Development in Africa Report 2019 focuses on preferential trade liberalization among the members of the new African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which is crucial if the continent is to seize the historic opportunity offered to boost trade between its economies. To this end, the forthcoming Economic Development in Africa Report will examine the role of flexible rules o

Jun252019 by EditorNo Comments

African Development Bank welcomes EUR 40 million investment from the European Commission for the Facility for Energy Inclusion (FEI)

Africa, Banking & Finance

The African Development Bank announced a EUR 40 million investment from the European Commission for the Facility for Energy Inclusion (FEI), a new platform for financing small-scale renewables in Africa. The announcement was made to energy sector stakeholders at a sideline event held during the Africa Energy Forum, which took place in Lisbon, Portugal from 11-14 June. The Bank, the European Commission, in partnership with Lion’s Head Global Partners and Fieldstone and the Lusophone Renewable Energy Association, presented the Facility to participants at the Forum. FEI is a $500 million financing platform spearheaded by the African Development Bank to catalyze financial support for innovative energy access solutions.: FEI On-grid, a targeted USD 400 million fund, supports improved