Nigeria – APC wins Osun governor's election
Rauf Aregbesola of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) has won re-election as governor of Osun State in the south-west. Mr Aregbesola won over 56% of the almost 700,000 votes cast in the […]
Technologically Speaking
Swaziland – Off with their heads… justice, Swazi style
The conviction and sentencing of two Swazi activists was a done deal before they walked into court on charges of contempt. However worrying the conviction of journalist Bheki Makhubu and human rights lawyer […]
Africa – Washington’s Africa Summit needs economic and trade clarity
The US agenda driving this week’s Africa Summit in Washington, where some 50 African states will be represented, remains something of a mystery. Africa’s agenda, by contrast, should be clear – economic ties […]
Nigeria – Monetary policy instruments left unchanged
The first Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting led by the new governor, Godwin Emefiele, was held on July 22. As at the May MPC meeting of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), all […]
Mali – Rocky start to Algiers negotiations
Negotiations between Mali’s government and northern separatists kicked off on in Algiers on Wednesday, July 16. There has been no sign that a rapid resolution of the Malian issue can be expected. The […]
Zambia – The president, his health, the possibilities, and the contenders
President Michael Sata returned home over the past week after apparently receiving treatment for an unknown health issue in Israel. While the debate over his actual state of health continues to rage unabated […]
Central Economy or Just Centralised…?
The Zuma administration cannot shake off the pull of the left President Jacob Zuma elevated the floundering South African economy to centre stage at his State of the Nation speech on June 17 […]
Zimbabwe – IMF’s diagnosis after Article IV consultations
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported on June 23 that it has concluded annual Article IV consultations with Zimbabwe. The multilateral organisation indicated that Harare has expressed a commitment towards implementing the policies […]
Malawi – Mutharika rewards ‘coup plotters’ with Cabinet posts
After a two-week delay, Malawi’s new president, Peter Mutharika, has finally named half of a proposed 20-member cabinet. In the process, the new president has raised a few eyebrows over his commitment to […]
Namibia – Trade deficit narrower, economic growth lower
The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) released its latest monthly Trade Statistics Bulletin on June 12. The NSA recorded a trade deficit of N$2.179bn for the month of April, reflecting a decrease of 46.8% […]
Swaziland – Lower reserves and cash flow problems
The Central Bank of Swaziland’s (CBS) Monetary Policy Consultative Committee (MPCC) held its latest bi-monthly meeting on May 23. Policymakers indicated that the short-term outlook for inflation includes notable upside pressures after the […]
Zimbabwe – Economic policy may be emerging from the quagmire, but…
Zimbabwe’s decision to review its controversial indigenisation policy could stimulate the economy and change the fortunes of the country. So far, all we have is words, but we also have some real sense […]
Nigeria – Boko Haram strikes in Jos
Yet another presumed Boko Haram terror attack took place on Tuesday, May 20, killing at least 188 people in Jos. The attack took the form of a double car bomb attack at Terminus […]
Swaziland – US to pull AGOA plug in January
Swaziland is set to lose its preferential access to US markets via the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). This is because the impoverished country has failed to meet a US deadline to […]
Zimbabwe – MDC disintegrates… much ado about very little
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai has sacked the party’s secretary-general, Tendai Biti. The sacking on Tuesday, April 29, is a sign of further disintegration on the part of the once-powerful […]
Kenya – Another bomb in Nairobi and the impact on Kenya’s political risk rating
Another bomb attack has taken place in Nairobi, three weeks after a night of grenade attacks. The incident on the night of Wednesday, April 23, killed two police officers and two other people […]
Namibia – Central bank keeps repo rate steady
The Bank of Namibia’s (BoN, the central bank) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) held its latest meeting on April 16. The BoN decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 5.5%. In justifying its […]
