Author: Victor Olayiwola

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) strongly supports Eco Atlantic’s newly announced Strategic Partnership with Navitas Petroleum, which stands to reinvigorate exploration activity across Southern Africa and reinforce investor confidence in the continent’s most prospective offshore basins. Signed on December 3, 2025, the framework and option agreements mark a major step forward in aligning financial strength, technical capability and long-term vision to advance high-impact opportunities in South Africa’s Orange Basin. Navitas’ initial $2 million payment grants exclusive farm-in options for both Block 1 CBK in South Africa and the Orinduik Block offshore Guyana, underscoring the breadth of the strategic alliance.…

Junior Achievement (JA) Africa (https://JA-Africa.org), in partnership with the Z Zurich Foundation and JA Worldwide, proudly concludes the third edition of the AfrInnovate Youth Challenge (AYC), a platform showcasing the creativity and resilience of Africa’s youth. This year’s event celebrated young innovators who are redefining inclusion and sustainability through purpose-driven enterprises. After an inspiring showcase of ingenuity and impact-driven pitches, SkyVerse Solutions from Tanzania emerged as 1st Place winner with their mechanized post-harvest groundnut processing solution designed to increase yields and farmer income. AgriCool Solar Chamber from Uganda claimed 2nd Place, recognized for delivering affordable, solar-powered cold storage that reduces…

A regional initiative that has overhauled aquatic resource management and boosted cross-border fish trade is now improving the lives of nearly three million people across Southern Africa —raising fish production, consumption, and incomes. The Program for Improving Fisheries Governance and Blue Economy Trade Corridors (PROFISHBLUE) (https://apo-opa.co/3Y8pOgL) has generated cross-border trade volumes exceeding 500,000 tonnes over the past four years, creating employment, strengthening food security, and building climate resilience across 16 SADC member states. The initiative has built capacity for over 250,000 beneficiaries across seven African Development Fund (ADF) countries (Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) through…

The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) (https://AfricaBusinessHeroes.org) initiative is pleased to announce that Jerry Yang, Co-Founder of Yahoo!, Founding Partner of AME Cloud Ventures, and Board Director of Alibaba Group, will join the judging panel at the 7th ABH Summit & Grand Finale on December 12–13, 2025, in Kigali, Rwanda. As a leading figure in global technology and entrepreneurship, Jerry Yang offers extensive experience and insights in developing and expanding transformative companies. His involvement highlights ABH’s dedication to connecting African entrepreneurs with international expertise and mentorship. “Africa’s entrepreneurs are shaping the future of innovation in ways that inspire the world,” said Jerry Yang.…

A notable economic shift across major African commercial hubs is compelling traders, workers, and households to rethink how they manage money, as foreign exchange volatility increasingly shapes everyday financial decisions. From Lagos’ Alaba International Market to Balogun Market and Computer Village, many traders continue to price goods in naira but calculate profit margins in U.S. dollars, carefully monitoring exchange rate fluctuations before restocking inventory. Financial experts emphasize that foreign exchange literacy is no longer a niche skill reserved for finance professionals—it has become a critical economic survival tool. Olaide Adepoju, a cross-border payments specialist with over a decade of experience…

In early December, a delegation of over 50 Estonian business leaders and representatives from various companies and organisations visited Kenya to explore opportunities and strengthen trade ties. The visit coincided with the regional honorary consuls’ conference and included a business seminar aimed at supporting Estonian enterprises in expanding their footprint across Africa. Many participating firms also took part in the Latitude59 Kenya startup event, which is expected to attract more than 3,000 participants from across the continent. Estonia’s Ambassador to Kenya and South Africa, Daniel Schaer, highlighted the growing importance of Africa as a hub for Estonian entrepreneurship. “Our engagement…

South Africa’s leading mobile network operator, Vodacom Group Ltd., is set to gain majority control of Safaricom Plc, East Africa’s largest telecommunications company, in a landmark $2.4 billion transaction that is poised to reshape the region’s telecom landscape. Under the agreement, Vodacom will purchase a 15% stake in Safaricom from the Kenyan government along with an effective 5% stake from Vodafone International Holdings BV, bringing the total transaction value to $2.1 billion. In addition, Vodacom will make an upfront payment of 5.3 billion rand ($310 million) to secure the right to future Safaricom dividends that would otherwise be payable to…

Just two months after successfully closing its Series C funding round, Moniepoint is making a bold push to strengthen its presence in Nigeria’s business ecosystem with the launch of Moniebook, an integrated inventory-management and point-of-sale (POS) platform. This innovative tool is designed to provide business owners with real-time insights into sales, stock levels, payments, and customer interactions, offering a unified solution to streamline daily operations. Babatunde Olofin, Managing Director of Moniepoint MFB, explained that Moniebook is built to act as a strategic growth partner for entrepreneurs, delivering a single source of truth that empowers them to take full control of…

Junior Achievement (JA) Africa has reaffirmed its dedication to fostering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, emphasizing that the continent’s future relies heavily on equipping young people with the necessary skills, confidence, and opportunities to create innovative, solution-driven businesses. The announcement came during the opening of the 15th Company of the Year (COY) Competition in Abuja on Wednesday, where Asheesh Advani, President & CEO of JA Worldwide, stressed that the organisation’s mission goes beyond preparing youth for the future of work—it empowers them to actively shape it. The three-day event, running from December 3 to 5, 2025, focuses on showcasing…

KwaZulu-Natal is rapidly positioning itself as the new heartbeat of Africa’s business-tourism landscape, strengthened by the confirmation that the province will host Africa’s Travel Indaba (ATI) for the next five years. This long-term commitment transforms ATI from a Durban-focused showcase into a province-spanning economic engine driving year-round business activity. At the centre of this shift is the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (Durban ICC), already globally respected and now further elevated by its newly granted World Trade Centre (WTC) status. While Durban provides global credibility, KwaZulu-Natal is intentionally expanding the experience far beyond the beachfront — integrating destinations such…