African economy
Geopolitics hastens China’s Hunan-led shift in Africa trade and investment
Beijing’s Hunan-based Africa strategy gains urgency amid US-China tensions and Middle East disruptions to trade and energy flows
China’s Africa tariff reset: who wins, who loses
China grants zero tariffs to nearly all of Africa, but the gains are likely to flow to its more developed economies
Uganda faces higher fuel costs as US-Iran war roils oil markets
Uganda faces dearer fuel imports and currency pressure as the US-Iran war pushes oil prices higher, but first oil in H2 2026 offers a longer-term upside
The G20 must end the cost-of-capital penalty imposed on Africa
Africa's cost of capital crisis is not rooted in economics alone, but is perpetuated by perception and precedent, as well as the structural inertia of a global financial system that systematically overprices African risk
Africa’s debt crisis demands more than G20 declarations
African nations are trapped: spending more on debt servicing than on health or education, whilst climate shocks compound their struggles. South Africa's G20 tenure has highlighted the crisis, but substantive solutions remain elusive
IMF upgrades sub‑Saharan Africa forecast as reforms blunt external shocks
The IMF has raised its growth forecast for sub-Saharan Africa, crediting improved macroeconomic management in several large economies and resilience amid external pressures
Stronger currencies ease inflation pressures across sub-Saharan Africa
Strong currencies have helped curb inflation in several sub-Saharan African countries, giving central banks room to ease interest rates and stimulate business activity
What are the chances that African countries adopt a unified stance against Trump’s tariff assault?
Although some analysts and trade experts have called for a unified African response to Trump’s tariff assault, there has so far been no sign of one, either from the African Union or elsewhere
Why bartering Africa’s minerals for security is a bad idea
A US-brokered peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda binds the two nations in a worrying arrangement: one where a country signs away its mineral resources to a superpower in return for vague promises of securityMore African economy
Trump’s Africa summit: offshoring the US’s immigration problem?
Last week, US President Donald Trump hosted a mini-summit with five African leaders at the White House, which was surprising given his stance towards the continent
Open borders in East Africa: great strides, but still a long way to go
Compared to the rest of Africa, East Africa has made greater strides towards facilitating the free movement of people across borders in search of work
Four things every peace treaty needs, and how the DRC–Rwanda deal measures up
One agreement is rarely enough to resolve a complex conflict; deals are often part of a series, sometimes between different actors. They often refer to previously concluded ones, and will be referred to by subsequent ones
Critical minerals and technology dependency: key G20 issues for Africa
Thirty percent of the world’s critical minerals come from Africa, and their access is a priority for South Africa’s government during its G20 presidency this year
African finance ministers shouldn’t be getting involved in bond deals – that’s what the experts are for!
Recent developments show that most eurobonds owned by African countries have not been structured properly. As a result, African countries are paying way over the odds relative to their sovereign risks
China offers zero-tariff access to African nations
China’s President Xi Jinping has pledged to extend zero-tariff treatment to Uganda and 52 other African nations, in a move aimed at boosting Sino-African trade
African countries are not good at issuing bonds, which means the cost of debt is higher than it should be. What changes are required?
African countries face a puzzling paradox: although they are paying more for the debt they are raising, demand for these bonds is much higher than supply - often oversubscribed by over five times.
Is the war in Sudan the cause of the economic crisis in South Sudan? What is really going on with oil revenue?
South Sudan’s ability to attract new loans depends on the repayment of existing ones. These repayments largely depend on oil production. As the 2024-24 budget shows, South Sudan desperately needs new loans to keep even core state functions operational
Credit rating agencies and Africa: lack of people on the ground fuels bias against continent
The big three rating agencies have a thin presence in Africa, raising questions about analysts' workloads and the accuracy of their ratings — not to mention a bias towards their home regions
What’s driving Africa’s youth-led protests?
While many of the protesters' demands are unlikely to be met, the demonstrations underline the urgent need for fundamental reform, not just in Kenya or Nigeria, but across Africa
