Archives

The New Guard
Nigeria, Senegal, Gabon, Burundi

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

NigeriaAsuquo Ekpenyong, the young, well-connected Cross River senator

SenegalAlbert Diatta, Dakar's low-profile private security expert

GabonDina Koussou, Libreville's new communications specialist

BurundiAppolinaire Nishirimbere takes on the private sector

Central African Republic
Two UAE firms vie for MINUSCA catering contract

Long-time contractor Ecolog is facing competition from Gulf Catering Services to supply the UN's mission in the Central African Republic. The tender was issued in June, but New York has put off making a decision.

Cameroon
Phoenix Mining settles differences with Yaoundé so as to resume cobalt project

The American buyer of the Nkamouna mining project is working to mend fences with its public partner, the SNI, and the Cameroonian authorities, which had been damaged by the previous owner's procrastinations. After an audit by Deloitte, the firm now has to patch things up with the tax authorities and recruit a new management team.

West Africa
Washington provides $1m to help West African states transition back to democracy

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is about to launch a new programme, financed by the State Department, to encourage the return to civilian rule in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Chad.

Kenya
Kenyatta sticks to the wings as Odinga-Ruto drama plays on

Little has been heard of the former president since the man he had hoped would succeed him embarked on a crusade against the eventual winner of last August's presidential election. Kenyatta's people worry that rocking the boat could jeopardise the family's sprawling business interests.

Benin, Rwanda
Beninese and Rwandan football federations tackle dispute over CAN qualifier

Several officials of the Beninese football federation have been irked by arrangements for a recent Benin versus Rwanda football match, and suspect Kagame had a hand in the affair. The match was a 2024 African Cup of Nations qualifying game and was supposed to be played in Cotonou, but after being delayed by 48 hours, was finally held in Kigali.

Namibia
Knowledge Katti set to make a killing on TotalEnergies and Shell Orange Basin discoveries

The intuition of Namibia's best-connected businessman, Knowledge Katti, could make him one of the country's richest people. He has positioned one of his firms in the heart of the promising blocks in the Orange Basin.

South Africa
Ramaphosa's Eskom power gamble backfires

A court case forced Cyril Ramaphosa to revoke the state of national disaster he had decreed in a bid to resolve South Africa's persistent electricity crisis. This was a slap in the face for the president, who was seeking to sideline heavyweight ANC ministers he holds partly responsible for the crisis.

Algeria
Tala Hamza zinc mine mired in irregularities

More than a year after the vast project was declared operational, opposition from local residents and the absence of environmental guarantees could sound its death knell.

Algeria
Cevital will not launch crushing plant before end of 2023

During his inspection of Cevital's new oilseed crushing plant in Bejaia on 16 March, the now former Minister of Industry Ahmed Zeghdar announced that production would begin in late April.