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Africa's Opportunity in a Fragmenting Global Economy
April 9, 2025--The global trade landscape is shifting dramatically. With the U.S. imposing new tariffs on key imports with countries already planning retaliation, the world is edging deeper into a long-term trade war. This is not just a bilateral dispute. It signals the acceleration of a broader move away from open globalisation toward protectionism and economic nationalism.
For Africa, this rupture in the global order presents both risks and rare opportunities. Historically positioned on the periphery of global value chains and heavily reliant on raw material exports, Africa has often been a passive player in the trade system.
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Source: allafrica.com
Nigeria: Investors Lose N91bn As Nigerian Exchange Opens Bearish
April 3, 2025-"What we witnessed today was an alignment of portfolios by dividend-seeking investors."
The stock market on Wednesday opened the week bearish as performance indices declined by 0.14 per cent.
Specifically, the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX) market capitalisation fell by N91 billion, or 0.14 per cent, to N66.166 trillion from N66.257 trillion recorded on Friday.
The All-share Index also dropped by 0.14 per cent or 144.65 points to close at 105,515.99, down from 105,660.64 posted on Friday.
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Source: allafrica.com
Africa's Debt Crisis Under-Reported-AFRODAD
March 30, 2025-AFRICAN Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) Executive Director Jason Braganza has expressed concern over how challenges arising from debt servicing to international monetary facilities by African countries are going unreported due to lack of information and statistics among other challenges.
Braganza was speaking at the official opening of the 5th edition of the AFRODAD Media Initiative (AFROMedI) held in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa recently.
With half of the continent currently being in debt distress, Braganza said the need to capacitate the media for the benefit of the public and holding authorities accountable.
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Source: allafrica.com
Africa's Digital Payments Economy to Reach $1.5trn By 2030-Report
March 27, 2025-A recent Mastercard-commissioned report by Genesis Analytics has stated that the digital payments economy in Africa would continue to grow, with a projection that is expected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030.
As a longstanding technology partner to Africa, Mastercard continues to strengthen its commitment to the continent's digital growth through strategic investments, public-private partnerships, and innovation initiatives that drive financial health and economic growth. By fostering collaboration with key stakeholders, Mastercard aims to enhance digital connectivity, expand economic opportunities, and enable millions of people and businesses to thrive in the digital economy.
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Source: allafrica.com
Bitcoin Price Trends and the Future of Digital Transactions in Africa
March 24, 2025--There's an increasing acceptance of Bitcoin on the African continent. More businesses, individuals and even financial organizations are using cryptocurrency to transact as an alternative to traditional banking systems.
With the economies of the continent experiencing a lot of currency instability, poor banking infrastructure and exorbitantly priced remittances, Bitcoin is coming up as a viable solution financially.
Analyzing Bitcoin price trends is crucial for investors, traders and businesses in Africa who want to implement digital assets in their operations.
The Impact of Bitcoin on the African Economy
North American nations have been at the forefront of Bitcoin adoption; however, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa have recently emerged as leaders in Africa. Peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trading across the continent reached over $100 billion in 2023, making Africa one of the fastest-growing markets for blockchain technology, according to a report by Chainalysis.
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Source: allafrica.com
IMF-Boosting Growth and Prosperity in South Africa
March 10, 2025-Summary
Improving the business environment, strengthening governance, and reforming the labor market are among the keys to economic success
South Africa is well-positioned to confront significant longstanding challenges that have been holding the economy back: declining real per-capital income, persistent unemployment, pervasive poverty, and one of the highest inequality rates in the world.
These outcomes reflect deepening structural rigidities and governance weaknesses, evidenced by the negative contribution of Total Factor Productivity to growth over the past 15 years.
A new Government of National Unity, in power since June 2024, has committed to tackle these challenges by providing new impetus to the ongoing structural reforms initiated in 2020.
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Source: imf.org
How Africa could help diversify the booming global semiconductor industry
March 6, 2025-- Demand for semiconductors is booming amid growth in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Countries and regions including the US and EU want to diversify semiconductor supply chains; Africa offers many benefits for semiconductor manufacturing.
With the right policies and increased investment, African countries could play a key role in the future diversification of the semiconductor industry.
The global semiconductor industry is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by rising demand, geopolitical shifts and the need for more diversified and resilient supply chains. The US, EU and Japan are all actively seeking to diversify their semiconductor supply chains and semiconductor manufacturing is now at an inflection point as a result.
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Source: weforum.org
OECD-Africa's Urbanisation Dynamics 2025
March 6, 2025--Planning for Urban Expansion
Abstract
Africa's Urbanisation Dynamics 2025 provides the most comprehensive view of projected urbanisation dynamics to date, with detailed insights into urban population growth and spatial expansion in over 11 000 urban agglomerations across Africa's 54 countries.
Over the next three decades, Africa's urban population will double, increasing from 700 million to 1.4 billion by 2050, making it the continent with the second largest urban population after Asia.
The report examines the implications of this growth for urban planning, governance and financing. It provides projections, insights and actionable recommendations tailored for policy makers, local governments, development partners and experts. Africa's urban transition represents both a pressing challenge and a transformative opportunity. With proactive planning, effective governance and innovative financing, cities can become engines of inclusive economic growth. It is essential to act now to manage urban growth in ways that foster sustainability, inclusion and resilience, paving the way for a thriving urban future.
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Source: oecd.org
Nigeria: 2025 Budget Prioritises Investment in Critical Sectors, Economic Devt-Govt
March 4, 2025--March 4, 2025--The Federal government says the 2025 budget, recently signed into law by President Tinubu, is a strategic roadmap for economic resilience, social stability, and national progress.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who stated this at the 2025 Third Edition of the Ministerial Press Briefing Session held on Tuesday at the National Press Centre, Abuja, said this year's budget places a renewed focus on investment in critical sectors that directly impact the well-being and socio-economic development of the country.
"The 2025 budget is not just a financial document; it is a bold statement of intent--a roadmap for economic resilience, social stability, and national progress. The budget has demonstrated a renewed focus on security, infrastructure, education, health, solid minerals, agriculture, and other key areas that have a direct impact on the well-being and socio-economic development of the country.
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Source: allafrica.com
New World Bank Report Highlights Four Pathways to Spur Job Creation and Inclusive Growth in South Africa
February 28, 2025--A new World Bank report titled "Driving Inclusive Growth in South Africa: Quick Wins with Competitive Markets and Efficient Institutions" asserts that a robust economic recovery, shared across all sectors of society, can be achieved in the immediate future by implementing a series of policy actions in four priority areas: infrastructure services, greater private sector participation, creating cities as engines of growth, and efficient public spending.
This recovery, in turn, has the potential to create the millions of jobs that South Africans need to improve their lives, exit poverty, and contribute to the economy.
Over the past decade, South Africa has struggled to expand its economy, growing by only 0.7% per year, which is four times slower than other middle-income countries. As a result, real GDP per capita is now around the same level as it was in 2007. Economic opportunities also remained deeply unequal, with two-thirds of South Africans living in poverty and 40% of adults, primarily young people and women, either unemployed or discouraged from looking for a job. This figure represents the world’s highest unemployment rate.
