Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
Conrad Onyango

Creator

Conrad Onyango

Over the next 12 months, the TradeConnect initiative aims to mobilise and transport 1000 containers of diverse goods worth US $ 1.2 million across the continent.

African businesses favour intra-continental trade over global markets

Businesses surveyed report that trading within Africa is easier than trading with the rest of the world

Young and tech-savvy African consumers are driving demand for high-speed internet. (Photo Illustration by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

US, Europe begin scramble for Africa’s satellite internet market

The entry of Thales Alenia Space comes at a time when SpaceX’s Starlink is recording significant milestones on the continent

Low Earth orbit constellations, such as Starlink, promise to connect the unconnected, offering visions of universal access and technological emancipation. Photo: Starlink

Starlink terminals sold out in five African countries as demand soars

The satellite service continues to disrupt the continent’s traditional internet market

A cartoon painted tattoo car of new energy electric vehicle company BYD is seen at 2024 ChinaJoy in Shanghai, China, July 29, 2024. (CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Chinese EV brands target Africa amid rising trade barriers in Europe, North America

One of Europe’s best selling Chinese electric vehicle brands, BYD, launched a showroom in Zambia in September – its fourth market in Africa

Nigeria, Algeria and Ethiopia are listed as the most viable markets for domestic drone industries, based on the number and types of drones purchased annually. Photo: bird story agency sourced

Made-in-Africa military drones on the rise

South Africa was an early adopter of unmanned aerial vehicles and the military pushed drone development from 1970

The continent’s first Critical Minerals Summit sees global powers lining up to secure mineral supplies for the energy transition. (Photo by Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images)

Fresh scramble for Africa’s critical minerals

The continent’s first Critical Minerals Summit sees global powers lining up to secure mineral supplies for the energy transition

Gain: Supporters of Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio celebrate his re-election on 27 June. The country increased its freedom ranking to 84th globally and by 25 points. Photo: John Wessels/AFP/Getty Images

Economic freedoms on the rise in Africa

Growth in freedoms that enable citizens to abide by laws, elect and hold leaders to account and trade freely in and outside borders are contributing to prosperity

Development partners are scaling up these renewable energy grids in Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania and Niger, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photo: Getty Images

Off-grid solar mini-grids light up Africa

Development partners are scaling up these renewable energy grids in Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania and Niger, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Making connections: The new building for the Dar es Salaam’s standard gauge railway terminus is seen as Tanzania receives 14 economy class carriages on 25 November. Photo: Erick Boniphace/Getty Images

East Africa’s cross-border electric trains set to speed up intra-African trade

The railway plans are upping the competition for cargo business in the region and helping the region tap a $3 trillion single market opportunity

The manned Shenzhou-12 spacecraft from China’s Manned Space Agency onboard the Long March-2F rocket launches with three Chinese astronauts onboard at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Over the last few years, Africa’s space industry has been working with a number of countries paying to send satellites into orbit – including those designed and developed on the continent. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Africa’s space industry attracting EU and Chinese investors

Countries are heading to the continent to market their expertise and deepen cooperation in science and space technology

Taking picture with digital tablet of a beach in Zanzibar – stock photo. Photo: Getty Images.

Silicon Island? Zanzibar bets on e-commerce, tourism to make it the next tech ‘valley’

The venture by Wasoko, a B2B e-commerce platform, has the support of the island’s leaders

Influx of affordable devices fuels adoption of 5G smartphones in Africa

Despite slow network infrastructure rollout, Africans are taking advantage of cheaper smartphones to leap into the growing digital economy offered by 5G

African fintech is evolving rapidly

However, report notes that startups on the continent will face a number of hurdles

Olkaria II geothermal power plant in Kenya

Kenya’s rise as a regional geothermal power

As African countries warm to geothermal energy, the continent’s largest producer is positioning itself as a key role player in the industry

Why Africa’s crypto wave attracts funding

As Africa’s crypto adoption numbers continue to break records, startups in the space are attracting ever-more funding

Change: The Egypt stock exchange. The women-led Catalyst Fund is among investors in the country. Photo: Adam Berry/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Funds to chase more African unicorns

Venture capital firms are raising funds to secure high-impact African startups

Disillusioned: Kenyans queue for cash handouts at a rally in Kisumu. The number of young voters registered for Kenya’s August 2022 elections has
dropped since the last poll five years ago, pointing to disenchantment caused by economic hardship and corruption. Photo: Brian Ongoro

Africa’s chief executives focus on Francophone markets

Leaders at some African firms are looking at Francophone markets as a way to expand sales hit by Covid-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Interest-free ‘buy now, pay later’ takes hold in Africa

Short-term financing companies are offering pay-over-time loans as payment methods, often interest-free, in several cash-strapped countries

BERLIN, GERMANY – JUNE 01: Two electric cars charge at a public charge station on June 01, 2022 in Berlin, Germany. Germany is increasing its network of charging stations. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

South Africa, Kenya and Morocco invest in electric car charging stations

As demand for electric cars rises on the continent, public and private sector investors are lining up a series of charging stations on major highways, entertainment and…

An aerial view of the modern Nairobi cityscape, capital city of Kenya in East Africa. The name Nairobi comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyorobi, which translates to “place of cool waters”. Besides its beautiful architectural cityscapes, the city is adjacent to the Nairobi National Park, a large game reserve known for breeding endangered wildlife. (Photo by Boniface Muthoni/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Kenya upgrades it’s ‘Silicon Savannah’ drawcard

The country has lauded the upcoming launch of a new International Finance Centre in Nairobi as it looks to position itself as a tech startup hub