Author: Victor Olayiwola

The grandfather of Africa’s angel investing and ecosystem builder is asking 71 friends to help unlock digital opportunities for Nigerian students as he marks his 71st birthday. Instead of birthday gifts, serial entrepreneur and tech ecosystem pioneer Tomi Davies is doubling down on legacy. As he celebrates his 71st birthday, Davies has launched a campaign called #71ForTheNextGeneration, inviting exactly 71 friends and supporters to invest in the future of public-school children through Laptops4Learning Nigeria (L4L) — a charity he co-founded. “After all, before we can find future founders, we must first help children imagine a future worth building.” — Tomi…

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 24, 2026 The ORUN Innovation Village (MASA 2026) (https://ORUN.Africa/) As part of the Innovation Village set up by Orun at the Marché des Arts et Spectacles Africains (MASA), in the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan, Orun officially unveiled its pan-African programme to sustainably structure the creative industries in Africa on Friday 17 April. The ceremony brought together decision-makers, investors, financial institutions, students, artists and the media with an steadfast belief: culture is not a secondary sector, it is a strategic economic vector for Africa, capable of generating productive and competitive value chains, sustainable jobs and a real tool…

PARIS, France, April 24, 2026 The African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) is promoting the development of regional energy hubs across the continent, aiming to remove trade barriers and strengthen infrastructure interconnections – from pipelines to refining and distribution networks. Speaking at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2026 in Paris, Farid Ghezali, Secretary General, APPO, said the initiative is central to repositioning Africa in the global energy system. The strategy signals a structural shift for investors: away from fragmented national markets toward a unified, high-growth regional bloc of 1.4 billion people. “For investors, this changes everything,” Ghezali said. “You are no…

PARIS, France, April 23, 2026 The Government of Sierra Leone has signed a new offshore petroleum license agreement with Nigerian-based independent energy company Marginal Energy, advancing efforts to attract upstream investment and unlock the country’s hydrocarbon potential. The agreement was formalized on April 23 at the Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris, reinforcing Sierra Leone’s growing profile among frontier exploration markets. Signed through the Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone (PDSL), the license grants Marginal Energy exclusive rights to explore, develop and produce hydrocarbons across five offshore blocks – G-Blocks 145, 146, 147, 160 and 161 – covering approximately 6,800…

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 24, 2026 Çelebi Aviation (www.CelebiAviation.com) has announced its entry into the Kenyan market, marking a key milestone in its expansion across Africa and reinforcing its focus on high-potential regions. With more than 65 years of experience in ground handling and cargo services, the company continues to operate with a strong emphasis on transparency, ethical standards, and full regulatory compliance. Its global footprint spans Europe, Asia, and Africa, where it consistently delivers high standards of safety, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction. The move aligns with a broader strategic recalibration. Following the conclusion of its concession agreement in Tanzania,…

𝗟𝗮𝗴𝗼𝘀, 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮 – Lagos Angel Network (LAN) is proud to announce its latest investment in Midddleman Technologies Inc., an AI-powered trade infrastructure platform at the forefront of Africa’s cross-border commerce revolution. Midddleman, co-founded by Adeola Owosho and Omolara Sanni, is building the operating system for Africa-China trade. The platform combines an AI-powered sourcing assistant, a vetted network of China-based procurement agents, integrated Naira-to-RMB payment rails, and third-party freight partnerships – giving African SMEs everything they need to source, pay for, and ship goods from China with confidence and transparency. Since launching its payments product in May 2024, Midddleman has processed over…

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 7, 2026 The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has been confirmed as a Partner of African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, taking place October 12–16 in Cape Town. Its participation underscores the event’s role as a premier investment platform, positioning the bank at the center of deal-making across oil, gas, power and energy infrastructure. Ahead of AEW, Afreximbank has expanded its global footprint by raising its financing cap for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to $5 billion. The increase builds on more than $750 million already deployed and a pipeline exceeding $2 billion, targeting infrastructure, tourism, agro-processing and…

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, February 9, 2026 Africa holds 30% of the world’s critical mineral reserves, positioning the continent at the center of the global energy transition and industrial supply chain realignment. With global mineral demand set to increase four-fold by 2050, this position becomes increasingly strategic – and it is within this context that African Mining Week (AMW) 2026 emerges as a critical platform to convert geological potential into investable projects, partnerships and value-chain development across the continent. Taking place October 14-16 in Cape Town, AMW 2026 returns with a sharpened focus on partnerships and transactions that advance Africa’s…

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, February 6, 2026 Emirates (www.Emirates.com) has announced the expansion of its operations to Tokyo Narita with the introduction of a second daily service from 1 May, operated by the airline’s retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER. The additional flight, EK320, will depart Dubai at 22:30hrs and arrive in Tokyo Narita at 13:30hrs the following day. The return service, EK321, will depart Tokyo Narita at 21:30hrs and arrive in Dubai at 03:50hrs the following day. All times are local. The second daily flight will provide travellers with greater choice and enhanced opportunities for multi-destination itineraries, including the convenience of a stopover…

KIGALI, Rwanda, February 6, 2026 The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) has formally endorsed the upcoming Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, positioning the May 2026 gathering as a critical platform for investment, partnership and policy dialogue across the continent. Scheduled for May 14-15 in Rwanda’s capital, the forum is expected to convene approximately 2,800 CEOs, heads of state, ministers and business leaders, reinforcing its status as the largest annual meeting of Africa’s private sector. For the AEC, Kigali represents a strategic venue where African decision-makers, global investors and industry leaders can align around practical solutions to the continent’s most pressing challenge:…