Cybersecurity Joint Standard: Authorities announce likely commencement date

The FSCA and PA urge financial institutions to prepare for the standard’s implementation despite the provision for a transitional period.

Egypt’s Moursi sentenced to death

Former president Mohammed Moursi, cleric Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, and 104 other people have been sentenced to death. Among the others condemned on Saturday, May 16, were Mohamed Badie, the Supreme Guide of the Muslim […]

Nigeria mulls lifting forex restrictions as economic growth slows

The Nigerian economy expanded by 3.96% y-o-y during 2015 Q1, down from 5.94% y-o-y in 2014 Q4. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recorded a 11.57% q-o-q decline in real GDP during Q1, […]

IMF releases Regional Economic Outlook

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently released its Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The Fund expects the region to continue to record commendable growth in 2015, but notes that the recent […]

Zambian government compromises in mining royalties row

On Monday April 20, the Zambian cabinet approved proposed changes relating to the mining tax regime. The changes imply a reinstatement of the two-tiered tax system. The budget address for the 2015 fiscal […]

Kenya’s counterproductive anti-terror measures

In reaction to the Garissa massacre, Kenya is taking steps that threaten to do more harm than good. The devastating terror attack on April 2, in which 148 civilians were murdered by Al-Shabaab […]

Steadily increasing political tension in DRC

Recent events are indicative of the political pressure on President Joseph Kabila, and of how he reacts to it. On Wednesday, April 8, several members of the co-ordinating committee of La Lucha, an […]

New BoZ governor tasked with finding “magic wand” to stem Zambian kwacha slide

Denny Kalyalya was inaugurated as Bank of Zambia (BoZ) governor on Wednesday, March 18. The new central bank chief was appointed at a time of currency market turmoil, with the kwacha exchange rate […]

Egypt reshuffles cabinet and reduces corporate taxes ahead of investment summit

An investment summit in Sharm Al-Sheikh on March 13-15 has been preceded by some political switches at the highest level as well as changes to the tax rates on corporates. President Abdel Fattah […]

Another coalition in Lesotho is unlikely to last a term

While the hastily organised elections in Lesotho on February 28 were never going to produce an outright winner, the distorted results may bring even more instability than previously anticipated. The medium-to long-term prognosis […]

Nigeria makes progress in Boko Haram fight, sees weaker economic growth data

Amidst a brooding political environment ahead of the presidential elections on March 28, Nigerians received some good news this past week. After some notable military victories, President Goodluck Jonathan told Nigerians that the […]

Obasanjo quits Nigeria’s PDP; CBN closes forex window

Shortly after global rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) placed its credit rating for Nigeria on a negative outlook, the country’s politics and economics took further knocks. Former president Olusegun Obasanjo announced that […]

Local and international condemnation as Nigeria postpones elections

Nigeria’s election dates have been postponed by six weeks. The presidential and Federal National Assembly elections, which had been scheduled for Saturday, February 14, will now take place on March 28, and the […]

No postponement for Nigerian elections

Nigeria’s Council of State said on Thursday, February 5 that it is satisfied with preparations for the country’s presidential election on February 14, and the poll will not be postponed. The Council, a […]

Libya's security situation, lower oil production, and impact on regional FDI

The security trend in Libya remains negative since the General National Congress (GNC), which is based in Tripoli and contests power with the Tobruk-based House of Representatives, announced on January 21, that it […]

The cost of war in East Africa

The leaders of the two sides in South Sudan’s civil war signed a potentially important deal on Wednesday, January 21. The agreement was signed in Arusha, Tanzania (so it is being called the […]

Lesotho – Heading for a political train smash with SA in the driving seat

Lesotho’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says it is not ready for elections next month. Verified media reports on Thursday, January 8, quoted the IEC chairman, Justice Mahapela Lehohla, as stating that if the […]