This year, for the first time, Africa’s two heavyweights, Nigeria and South Africa, were on the United Nations Security Council and both wanted to make their mark. The verdict is m...
The Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) in Perth, Western Australia, at the end of October attracted 1,500 delegates, 80 of them from China. British Prime Minister Dav...
Vol 52 No 20 |
- ECONOMY
- AFRICA
Asian demand for African agricultural and mineral commodities will not fully compensate the losses caused by the West’s economic slowdown
Africa has picked a really bad time to launch its economic boom, says one finance minister resignedly. In Washington for the World Bank and International Monetary Fund annual meeti...
It is the biggest economic success story in Africa. The growth of mobile telephony is phenomenal – in numbers, in jobs created and in the economic development it is driving. African software engineers are pioneering the development of payment systems over mobile telephones, first in Kenya, then Rwanda and South Africa, and now Nigeria. Until the late 1990s, few mobile phone operators regarded Africa as a viable mass market. They lacked accurate information about the continent’s spending power and a vision of how services could be developed. Initially, most companies – except for South Africa’s MTN – steered clear of Nigeria (AC Vol 43 No 20, Scrambling for Africa). Now it is one of the world’s biggest telecommunications markets
Between 1998 and 2008, the number of mobile phone subscribers in Africa increased from 4 million to 260 million while network coverage increased from 10% to over 60% of the contine...
Developed jointly by British software firm Sagentia and Kenya’s Safaricom with the help of a British grant, M-Pesa banking services are a success story. Pesa means ‘money’ in Kiswa...
Vol 52 No 17 |
- LIBYA
- AFRICA
Declaring victory after six months of war, the new regime in Tripoli has rejuvenated the Arab Spring and may promote political change further south
With its victory over the forces of Moammar el Gadaffi this week, the Transitional National Council (TNC) has proved it has more staying power than suggested by its initial hesitan...
Greeting four Francophone African leaders in Washington on 28 July, President Barack Obama pledged ‘stalwart’ support on economic and security matters, signifying growing US intere...
Vol 52 No 15 |
- AFRICA
- BRITAIN
Accusations of corruption against police chiefs, plans for state interference with the media and innuendo about politicians compromised by business associates – British Prime Minis...
Vol 52 No 11 |
- NIGERIA
- AFRICA
The United Nations’ latest projection of world demographic trends* predicts that Africa’s population will reach 2.2 billion by 2050, 24% of the global population. Nigeria’s populat...
Vol 52 No 9 |
- AFRICA
- BRITAIN
British companies fear that more rigorous laws on bribery could undermine their efforts to compete with Asian and European rivals
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development had
criticised the delays in implementing the new Act but stayed silent
when the guidance came out at the end of March...