DRC
A 'dam' fine war over Grand Inga among Tshisekedi's advisors

DRC
World Bank puts pressure on Kinshasa

Three projects funded by the World Bank to the tune of a billion dollars face possible interruption. The international institution is unhappy with DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi's decision to dissolve the country's social fund and replace it with a new entity.

DRC
Westminster Group grows impatient over $200m airports contract

The British security services group is still waiting to implement a US$200m deal to secure five airports in the country it signed two years ago with the DRC's air transport authority.

The New Guard
South Africa, Seychelles, Comoros and Egypt

South Africa
The voice of industry, Busisiwe Mavuso

Seychelles
Anti-drugs champion, MP Sathya Naidu

Comoros
The AU chairman's spin doctor, Samir 'MH'

Egypt
PM's privatisations' promoter, Gehan Saleh

DRC
Despite Tony Blair's insistence, GIP finally says no to the Grand Inga project

The US-based Global Infrastructures Partners, owned by Nigerian businessman Adebayo Ogunlesi, has finally decided not to get involved in the scheme to build vast dams on the mighty Congo river.

DRC
Global Sovereign Advisory acts as sherpa for Tshisekedi in Washington

Global Sovereign Advisory, a small French boutique bank, is helping Kinshasa in its talks with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Sierra Leone
World Bank's IFC backs Freetown's quest for mining transparency

The International Finance Corporation is set to help Sierra Leone improve transparency and communications in the extractive sector, in line with the government's ambition to attract more investment.

DRC
The IFC comes to the rescue of the Maluku Special Economic Zone

Despite getting fresh backing from the World Bank's International Finance Corporation, the Maluku Special Economic Zone is struggling to take off.

DRC
CapitalKeys' ploy to make Kinshasa pay

After lodging an appeal last June, CapitalKeys is attempting some rather backhanded ways of recovering $16.6m in fees from the DRC.

DRC
Miga to the rescue of North Kivu's solar plans

Nuru (formely Kivu Green Energy), a DRC electricity company which is already active in North Kivu where it manages two solar mini-off-grids, has plans to expand in the area to raise its total output to 15.

Tanzania
Dar es-Salaam rail freight project still waiting for rolling stock

The planned start this year of a block train service between Dar-es-Salaam and Isaka 970 km to the west, where there is a dry port serving neighbouring countries, looks likely to be delayed.

Cape Verde
Cape Verde gets World Bank help to privatise its electricity company

The World Bank is to assist the government of Cape Verde to privatise national electricity company Electra by footing a $2m bill for consultancy services.

DRC
China's Three Gorges definitively ousted from Grand Inga

Three years after Chinese state-owned firm Three Gorges signed a contract with Joseph Kabila's government, the company has been told it will no longer be given exclusive rights to develop the Inga III dam.

Djibouti, DRC
Fortescue hopes to score double on hydrogen

Australian mining magnate Fortescue, which is scouring the continent for renewable energy projects, has its sights set on a large-scale hydrogen project in Djibouti.

DRC
AfDB wants Inga III mega-dam project put out to tender

The African Development Bank is in talks with DRC authorities over its support for one of the vast Grand Inga project hydro-electric dams and is keen to see companies compete to develop it. At stake is some $55m in financing and the bank's seal of approval.

DRC
Games budget soars as head honcho awards village contract without tender

Didier Tshiyoyo, the man suddenly in sole charge of the Francophone Games, has bypassed normal procurement procedures to get the athletes' village built in a no-bid contract worth $113m, more than the events' entire original budget.

DRC
Huafei Energy Investment keen to get cracking on Kalumba and Kibombo power plants

The private Chinese company Huafei Energy Investment has great expectations for its Kalumba and Kibombo dams, whose combined power could exceed 800 MW.

Burkina Faso
Transparency may shed harsh light on Burkina Faso's politicians

Ouagadougou is determined to disclose the identities of minor shareholders in Burkina Faso's mining companies, much to the dismay of the political class.

West Africa
IFC finances Ruggieri family's African hotels

Weighed down by Covid-19, the Ruggieri business dynasty's Onomo hotel network has received a loan from the World Bank's sister institution, the International Finance Corporation.

DRC
New cabinet make-up suggests new trajectory for Grand Inga

The Congolese president will likely reassert his control over the handling of the mega-dam, leaving little room for his new ministers to have much political sway.

Uganda
Mota-Engil sinks deeper in Tororo-Kamdini ordeal

Many obstacles remain before the Portuguese company can resume construction on the Tororo-Kamdini highway, which has been at a standstill for the past year and a half as problems with the Oruja quarry persist.

Senegal
State, Meridiam negotiate busway concession contract

As good progress is being made building the lanes for Dakar's bus rapid transit system, the Senegalese government is trying to make up for the delays in the operational side of the project, which is set to be entrusted to a French consortium including Meridiam.

DRC
Tshisekedi strives for unity among his advisors over Grand Inga

Félix Tshisekedi wants key players in the Grand Inga project to work in sync, while his special infrastructure advisor rushes ahead with Australian firm Fortescue to develop the mega-dams.

DRC
Fortescue in Kinshasa to negotiate Grand Inga mega-contract

Executives from the Australian mining giant Fortescue have flown into the Congolese capital to discuss the modalities of a deal to generate a total 70 gigawatts of electricity in the country. Their trip comes as President Félix Tshisekedi prepares to choose between the various bidders for the Grand Inga project.

China, DRC
Beijing beckons to Tshisekedi

Xi Jinping's regime has invited the Congolese head of state to visit Beijing later this spring to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries. The invitation comes as Washington, which has made a dramatic return to the DRC since the election of Felix Tshisekedi, is closely scrutinizing Chinese activity in the country.

In Focus | DRC
Tshisekedi's investment adviser Jean-Claude Kabongo does business on both sides of the Congo River

As well as being the DRC's ambassador to the business world, Felix Tshisekedi's influential special adviser is careful to take care of his own oil product trading interests. In this area, he relies on the close links he has forged with members of the Sassou Nguesso family.

DRC
Sama Lukonde envisages a 50-strong government

The Congolese prime minister Sama Lukonde Kyenge, who has just embarked on consultations to form his new administration, is envisaging several possibilities.

DRC
Blueprint of SPIC's plans for aluminium plant in Kongo Central

State Power Investment Corp plans source the bauxite it will need for the colossal aluminum plant it is trying to build in Kongo Central from its Coliah mine in Guinea.

Kenya
Tavaziva Madzinga gets off to a tricky start at the head of Britam

Executives at Kenyan insurance giant Britam were so put out by Zimbabwean national Tavaziva Madzinga being parachuted in to head the company that they forced the previous incumbent, Benson Wairegi, to postpone his retirement so as to ensure a smooth transition.

DRC
Tony Blair Institute set to provide consultancy services to Tshisekedi

Tony Blair's foundation is taking a close interest in the DRC and its Grand Inga hydroelectric project in particular. One of its directors, the Frenchman Antoine Huss, recently paid a visit to Kinshasa.

DRC
Gigawatts and metal ores: what Fortescue pitched to Tshisekedi

On a visit to Kinshasa on 16 September, the Australian metals giant Fortescue put forward an ambitious plan to develop electrical power and mining projects.

DRC
German businessman Gernot Wagner hopes Inga III will lead to hydrogen plant, but Kinshasa unconvinced

Congolese authorities are wary of the ambitions of the head of Evagor, who wants to develop a hydrogen plant on the back of the Inga III mega-dam and to build nearly 10,000 km of railway tracks.

DRC
Chinese firms omnipresent in new Inga III consortium

After ACS pulled out of the adventure in January, five other Chinese firms have joined China Three Gorges Corp and Spain's AEE Power Holdings in The Inga Unified Consortium.

DRC
Fund manager Global Infrastructure Partners wants in on Grand Inga dam project

The company owned by billionaire businessman Adebayo Ogunlesi is in talks with the Congolese authorities concerning a potentially huge investment in the mega-project to construct dams on the River Congo.