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.
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Digital public infrastructure (DPI) will drive AI for Africa's economic transformation
For instance, AI has the potential to add up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, with Africa contributing an estimated $1.2 trillion. Achieving this will require innovative strategies that leverage these technology partnerships with the private sector to invest in infrastructure that serves the public good. The adoption of the African Union Continental AI Strategy in 2024 was yet another indicator of African leaders' resolve to leverage data and technology for Africa's development. view more
Nigeria: Investments in Mutual Funds Rise 80.8 Percent to N4.1trn Stanbic IBTC Asset Management's Money Market Fund was the most active accounting for 45.83% of the Fund's NAV. Following it was FBNQuest recording 20.43% of the NAV, while Cardinalstone Money Market Fund accounted for 7.5% of the NAV. view more
Zimbabwe: Deepseek Will Hardly Dent 'Magnificent Seven' Stocks
Few are cutting their exposure to the S&P 500, an index dominated by the massive tech companies. view more
South African growth outlook has improved but inflation risks abound, central bank says at Davos view more
JSE plunges to lowest level in four months view more
Newly licensed Ethiopian Securities Exchange unveils trading floor view more
West Africa: Nigeria's Investment Appetite Grows, Mutual Funds Up 89.5 Percent to N3.8trn view more
Africa Topples Asia, Europe, Us As Africa's Preferred Trade Market view more
Source: worldbank.org
February 11, 2025-Recent developments within Africa's digital ecosystem will help drive Africa's economic transformation, but key policy frameworks and infrastructure are needed for most countries to benefit fully.
The AU Data Policy Framework was adopted in 2022, followed by the passage of national-level data protection policies and strategies in about 40 African countries.
This lays the initial foundation for safe and ethical digital transformation. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, blockchain, and big data can significantly contribute to GDP and job creation in Africa.
Source: acetforafrica.org
February 4, 2025--The appetite of Nigerian investors for Mutual Funds has surged with its total asset under management increasing by 80.8% Year on Year, YoY, to N4.1 trillion on January 24, 2025 from N2.3 trillion in the corresponding period 2024.
Data released by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has shown that Money Market Funds were the most patronised as it recorded the highest asset value of N1.887 trillion and accounted for 45.81% of the total Net Asset Value, NAV of the Mutual Funds.
Source: allafrica.com
February 3, 2025--DeepSeek's emergence roiled markets earlier last week, but investors see limited scope for the Chinese artificial intelligence startup to dent the performance of the Magnificent Seven, the latest Bloomberg Markets Live Pulse survey showed.
The decision follows ongoing liquidity challenges in several frontier markets, which have been exacerbated by delays in the repatriation of funds in dollars.
Of the 260 respondents, 88 percent said the debut of the startup's latest model- which wiped US$784 billion from the S&P 500 last Monday-will have little to no impact on the shares of the US technology behemoths in coming weeks.
Source: allafrica.com
January 21, 2025--Growth in Africa's most industrialised economy could be close to 2% in 2025, versus the 1.1% growth projected for 2024
South Africa's economic outlook is better this year than last, but the inflation picture is more muddied as risks abound, its central bank governor said on Tuesday.
South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Governor Lesetja Kganyago told Reuters in an interview at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, that growth in Africa's most industrialised economy could be close to 2% in 2025, versus the 1.1% growth projected for 2024.
Source: zawya.com
January 14, 2025-- Industrial stocks recorded the biggest losses.
It was a sea of red on the JSE on Monday, with the bourse closing 1.7% down, at 82 046 points- its lowest level since mid-September.
Earlier in the day, the JSE All Share Index (Alsi) fell over 1.8% and below the 82 000 level, before recovering some losses. The Top 40 ended Monday 1.79% down. Industrial stocks fell more than 2%, while financials were 1.89% lower.
Source: moneyweb.co.za
December 13, 2024--The Ethiopian Securities Exchange has today (Friday 13 December) announced that it will officially launch in mid-January 2025. CEO Tilahun Esmael Kassahun and top colleagues held a press conference on a smart new ESX trading floor.
The news follows the Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA) awarding the ESX an operational licence last Saturday (7 December). ESX has two licences; 1) to operate a Securities Exchange for trading securities of issuers that meet the listing criteria and 2) to operate an Over the Counter (OTC) Market for securities of issuers that do not meet the listing criteria, such as smaller businesses.
Source: africancapitalmarketsnews.com
November 19, 2024--Nigerians' appetite for secured investment has pushed the Net Asset Value (NAV) of Mutual Funds to N3.781 trillion in the first week of this month, up 89.5 % from N1.995 trillion in the corresponding period 2023.
Analysts partly attributed the surge in the Funds to the impact of steady mark up in monetary policy rate, naira devaluation among other factors.
Data released by the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, showed that the Fixed Income Funds contributed significantly to boost the Funds as it accounted for 47.76% of the total NAV. It was followed by Money Market Funds recording N1.524 trillion in the period under review and accounted for 40.31% of the total NAV.
Source: allafrica.com
November 18, 2024--African businesses increasingly prefer to trade across the continent's borders over out-of-the-continent markets like Asia, the US, and Europe, due to a rising quality of made-in-Africa goods, lower market prices, and accessibility.
The latest Standard Bank Africa Trade Barometer, which tracks 10 African countries among the 54 signatory nations of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) shows 37% of the businesses prefer partners based in African markets compared to Asia(24%), Europe(16%) and North America(3%).
Source: allafrica.com