Author: Victor Olayiwola

Gabon has entered a new chapter in its energy evolution. For the first time ever, a private national oil company has opened a new field and delivered first oil. Komo Ressources Group (KOREG), a rising indigenous operator, has officially brought the Autour field onstream, producing its first barrels on November 27, 2025. The milestone marks a defining moment for Gabon’s upstream sector, showcasing the strength of empowered local companies and reinforcing the country’s commitment to revitalizing onshore production. The African Energy Chamber (AEC) strongly welcomes this achievement. KOREG’s success demonstrates what becomes possible when national companies are supported, trusted and…

Emirates (https://www.Emirates.com) has announced the introduction of the Emirates Asia Pass, providing travellers in the specific African Emirates markets with enhanced access to Southeast Asia. The pass is available to customers in South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, Uganda, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Congo, Tanzania, and Egypt, offering a streamlined and flexible option for multi-city travel within the region. With the Emirates Asia Pass, customers can book and customise itineraries across Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore and Laos, all under one ticket. Whether travellers are looking to experience tranquil island retreats, rich cultural landmarks or vibrant cities, the Emirates Asia Pass…

The WomenIN Festival 2025 (http://WeAreWomenIN.com/) wrapped up a powerful two-day celebration at Newlands Cricket Ground on 13–14 November, bringing together hundreds of women from across South Africa for an immersive programme focused on empowerment, leadership development, wellbeing, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, creativity and social impact. Guided by the theme “Limitless: No Labels. No Limits. No Apologies,” the festival created space for meaningful conversations, real connections and practical tools designed to support women across every dimension of their lives. The curated programme included panel discussions, interactive dialogues, wellness conversations, entrepreneurship sessions, financial literacy masterclasses and storytelling-focused engagements. Each segment was designed to explore identity, leadership, resilience,…

Vodacom Tanzania (www.Vodacom.com), the country’s leading telco company, is revolutionizing cross-border trade and digital financial inclusion with the launch of M-Pesa Global Payment. In partnership with VISA, Alipay, Network International, Magnati, and MTN Uganda, customers can now make global Tap & Pay transactions using the M-Pesa Visa tokenized card, pay merchants in China via Alipay, enabled by Thunes, transact in Dubai through TerraPay-supported merchants, and pay merchants in Uganda directly into MTN MoMo wallets, powered by Thunes, all from the M-Pesa menu or the M-Pesa Super App The process is secure, user-friendly, and eliminates the burden of traditional banking barriers…

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, has secured a US$75 million term loan facility from the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). This landmark transaction deepens AFC’s strategic partnership with BADEA. The agreement was signed by H.E. Abdullah Almusaibeeh, President of BADEA, and Mr. Samaila Zubairu, President & Chief Executive Officer of AFC, as part of AFC Day, held during the B20 Summit in Johannesburg. The signing underscores the two institutions’ shared commitment to scaling sustainable development and unlocking long-term capital for African infrastructure. The collaboration builds on BADEA’s shareholder investment in 2020,…

GMYT Fashion Academy is gearing up to host the 13th Global African Honours (GAH) Awards & Business Summit, an event dedicated to advancing innovation, inclusion, and sustainability throughout the African continent. The summit, which will take place in Lagos under the theme “Africa Reimagined: Innovation, Inclusion & Sustainable Growth,” aims to celebrate excellence while recognising key contributors who are shaping Africa’s development across multiple sectors. Speaking at a press briefing ahead of the event, Kelechi Oghene, CEO of GMYT Fashion Academy and convener of the GAH Awards & Business Summit, explained that this year’s theme encourages participants to look beyond…

Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has applauded Qantas Airways for introducing its new direct flight route between Johannesburg and Perth, describing the development as a significant step toward enhancing tourism, trade, and broader cooperation between South Africa and Australia. Speaking at the official launch event in Johannesburg—attended by Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell, High Commissioner Tegan Brink, and senior leaders from Qantas, South African Tourism, the Gauteng Tourism Authority, and the Tourism Business Council—De Lille emphasised that the route represents far more than an additional air connection. “This is not just another flight on the global map,” she…

The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) competition is set to broaden its global influence with the addition of Jerry Yang—Co-Founder of Yahoo! and one of the world’s most respected tech innovators—to its 2025 judging panel. Yang’s participation reflects ABH’s commitment to strengthening the link between African entrepreneurship and world-class expertise, ensuring founders on the continent gain exposure to high-level mentorship and global business perspectives. Sharing his excitement, Jerry Yang emphasized the inspiration he draws from Africa’s rising innovators. He noted that African founders are “reshaping the future of global innovation,” and expressed his eagerness to engage with entrepreneurs who are developing…

Lafarge Africa Plc, one of Nigeria’s foremost building solutions companies, is stepping up its commitment to inclusion by investing in the skills and entrepreneurial capacity of persons with disabilities (PWDs)—a demographic often overlooked in national workforce development efforts. In honour of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the company hosted participants of its Disability-to-Ability (D2A) Programme, an initiative aimed at equipping PWDs with practical, income-generating skills and supporting their transition into sustainable livelihoods. The D2A Programme, launched under the theme “Ability Reimagined,” is designed to train 100 individuals across four vocational tracks: laptop and phone repairs, make-up and gele…

The European Union (EU) has announced a major €12 million investment aimed at strengthening the security, safety, and operational efficiency of key sea ports across West and Central Africa — including the Port of Lagos, one of the region’s busiest maritime gateways. The new initiative, titled SCOPE Africa (Securing Corridors, Ports and Exchanges in Western and Central Africa), was officially unveiled during a two-day seminar held in Lomé, Togo. The event gathered more than 100 participants, including government officials, port administrators, regional policy institutions, international technical partners, and private-sector representatives. The opening session was led by Minister Counsellor Stanislas Baba,…