BUSINESS - The African Mirror

Nov

07

2025

Hibiscus drink startups are empowering Senegalese entrepreneurs

BUSINESS

ONE would struggle to find someone in Senegal who doesn’t like bissap. Extracted from white or red hibiscus flowers, the cooled infusion is sweetened with several spoonfuls of sugar and pineapple juice, rounded out with orange blossoms, and flavoured with vanilla extract and fresh mint. In the Dakar suburb of Keur Mbaye Fall, social entrepreneur Astou Sakho, a proud Senegalese woman, has taken bissap to the next level, transforming the simple drink into a resource for the socioeconomic empowerment of women across Senegal. Sakho sits at the helm of an economic interest group called And Takhouwou Sougnou Gokh (which in…

Nov

07

2025

By ANDRINO AKUDA

Remote work is resistance for Eastern Congo’s techies

BUSINESS

WHEN many people hear “Kivu,” the images that come to mind are all too familiar: war-torn villages, waves of displaced families, women and children in camps, and the glow of lava from Nyiragongo’s eruptions. Mainstream media portrays this corner of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as being trapped in an endless cycle of conflict and survival. But beyond the headlines, a generation of Congolese Gen Z-ers and Millennials sustain their livelihoods in front of digital screens. Between power cuts and the sound of distant gunfire, they are coding programs, editing videos, designing graphics and connecting to clients around the…

Nov

07

2025

By SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

South Sudanese telco challenges old players

BUSINESS

SOUTH SUDAN’S telecommunications sector, long dominated by foreign multinationals, has a new contender as local operator Digitel makes inroads into one of the world’s least connected countries. The 2021 upstart helmed by De Chan Awuol from a spartan Juba outpost is clawing market share from the better entrenched MTN and Zain through aggressive capex and subscriber poaching. Internal tallies show it is outstripping rivals' net additions in a subscriber pool hovering at 4.4 million mobiles and 1.9 million internet users as of early 2025. Digitel’s initial bragging rights included the deployment of its own infrastructure and a 5G pilot conducted…

Nov

06

2025

By BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT

South Africa’s pension battleground: PIC and Holomisa in high-stakes showdown over R3.5-trillion

BUSINESS

A political firestorm has erupted over the future of South Africa's public sector pensions, as the country's largest asset manager squares off against a veteran opposition politician in a dispute that could determine whether millions of workers' retirement savings are secure or at risk. The Public Investment Corporation, custodian of R3.5-trillion in public money, has launched an unprecedented counteroffensive against United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa, dismissing his allegations of mismanagement and corruption as "false, malicious and reckless" attacks designed to undermine public confidence in an institution that manages the retirement futures of teachers, nurses, police officers and civil servants…

Nov

06

2025

By MISHECK MUTIZE

African countries need strong development banks: how they can push back against narratives to weaken them

BUSINESS

A quiet but consequential contest is playing out in the global financial architecture. One that could determine Africa’s ability to finance its own development. In recent months, powerful voices from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Paris Club and US investment bank JP Morgan have questioned the preferred creditor status of African multilateral development finance institutions. These institutions include the Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the Trade and Development Bank (TDB). Preferred creditor status is a long-standing practice in global finance. It gives multilateral development finance institutions priority in being repaid when a country faces financial distress. The idea is…

Nov

05

2025

By BEDASSA TADESSE

Africa’s trade deal with the US was left in limbo: what exporters can do about it

BUSINESS

THE US-Africa preferential trade deal – in place for a quarter century – expired on 30 September 2025. It’s far from certain if the trade deal will be renewed and, if so, how. Through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), roughly 35 sub-Saharan African countries could export thousands of products to the American market duty-free. First signed into law in 2000, it was designed to encourage African exports, create jobs, and deepen trade ties. Its usage varied widely: South Africa shipped cars and citrus; Kenya and Ethiopia focused on apparel; Lesotho and Eswatini relied heavily on garments; Mauritius sent…

Nov

05

2025

By STAFF REPORTER

African Development Bank boosts Congo partnership with $223 million portfolio ahead of 2026 Brazzaville summit

BUSINESS

THE African Development Bank Group is deepening its economic cooperation with the Republic of Congo, committing to accelerate key infrastructure and agriculture projects as the country prepares to host the Bank's 2026 Annual Meetings. A high-level Bank delegation led by Senior Vice President Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade held talks with President Denis Sassou Nguesso and senior government officials in Brazzaville from 26-28 October, reviewing the Bank's active $223 million sovereign portfolio in the country. The visit focused on fast-tracking strategic projects aligned with Congo's 2022-2026 National Development Plan, particularly in transport corridors, energy infrastructure, and agricultural value chains critical to the country's…

Nov

01

2025

By CONRAD ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

More African countries are embracing the yuan

BUSINESS

ETHIOPIA and Kenya are turning to the Chinese yuan, seeking relief from the high cost of dollar-denominated debts. They have become the first African countries to announce yuan-based debt-swap arrangements, signalling a shift in the region’s financial landscape as Beijing rushes to deepen its economic and monetary footprint. The two countries, both heavily indebted to China, said the move will allow them to partially repay Chinese loans in yuan instead of dollars, cushioning their economies against foreign exchange volatility and easing pressure on their reserves. A Kenyan economic analyst cautioned on the sustainability of these arrangements, saying they depend on…

Oct

30

2025

By PRITISH BEHURIA

Luxury tourism is a risky strategy for African economies – new study of Botswana, Mauritius, Rwanda

BUSINESS

HOW successful is luxury tourism in Africa? What happens if it fails to produce higher tourism revenues? Can it be reversed? And does it depend on what kind of government is in place? Pritish Behuria is a scholar of the political economy of development who has conducted a study in Botswana, Mauritius and Rwanda to find answers to questions like this. We asked him about his findings. What is luxury tourism, and how prevalent is it in Africa? Luxury tourism aims to attract high-spending tourists to stay at premium resorts and lodges or visit exclusive attractions. It’s a strategy that’s…

Oct

29

2025

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

In conversation with Francis Osifo on Africa’s emerging role in the global talent economy

BUSINESS

AFRICA’S young population is fast emerging as the world’s most valuable economic asset. The continent’s 440 million youth aged between 15 and 35 are not just the largest labour pool globally, they are the next frontier of global productivity. According to the African Development Bank, by 2030, young Africans will account for almost 40% of the world’s youth, forming a digitally skilled, multilingual, and globally connected workforce. This shift comes at a time when the global economy faces an escalating talent shortage. The World Economic Forum estimates that by 2030, over 85 million skilled workers will be needed worldwide, creating…