African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has officially launched the inaugural cohort of its “Afreximbank Accelerator Programme,” bringing together eight high-potential startups from across Africa and the diaspora for an intensive kick-off week taking place in Cairo from 23-27 March 2026. Selected from a highly competitive pool of over 1,600 applications, the cohort represents some of the most promising ventures building digital infrastructure for intra-African trade from across the continent. These startups operate across key sectors including cross-border payments, digital logistics, agri-export platforms, AI-powered enterprise solutions, supply chain finance and diaspora investment mobilisation. Participating in the cohort are the startups Fincart.io of Egypt; OnePort…
Author: Newsdesk
Kenya has released the Draft Kenya Agricultural Data, Information and Digital Policy (March 2026), a comprehensive framework aimed at transforming the agricultural sector through integrated digital systems, improved data governance, and innovation-driven farming practices. The policy seeks to move the country away from fragmented digital agricultural initiatives toward a unified national ecosystem. A key component of the plan is the establishment of the Kenya Agricultural Digital Information Centre (KADIC), which will serve as the central institution responsible for coordinating digital agriculture programmes, managing sector-wide data, and driving innovation. The framework also aims to address long-standing challenges of poor interoperability among…
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has commissioned a $35 million industrial facility in Aba, marking a new addition to the state’s manufacturing sector. The development was disclosed in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, following the commissioning of the Ultimum Beverages production plant on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at the Osisioma Industrial Layout in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State. The facility, which is part of a planned $100 million investment in the area, is expected to strengthen industrial activity in Aba, a city with a long-standing reputation for commerce and manufacturing. Otti described the project as a sign of renewed private sector interest…
African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $5.65 million grant to fund Peace Renewable Energy Certificate (P-REC) mini-grid projects across 14 African countries, aiming to provide electricity to 856,000 people. This is contained in a statement on the bank’s website on Wednesday. The initiative will deploy renewable energy certificates as a direct funding instrument for a portfolio of mini-grids in Africa’s most fragile and energy-poor countries, the Bank said. Co-financed with an equal contribution of $5.65 million from the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), the $11.3 million facility will be managed jointly by Camco Clean Energy, a climate and impact fund…
Cassava farmers in Oyo State have warned of a deepening decline in cassava production across Nigeria, saying the trend is costing the country millions of naira annually. The farmers, who spoke in separate interviews, attributed the downturn to weak pest control systems, poor farm management practices, limited access to extension and field training, and increasing climate-related challenges. They added that these pressures have forced many producers to abandon their farms. The concerns came to the fore during a training programme for 6,000 cassava farmers drawn from seven local government areas of the state. The initiative, organised by the African Agricultural…
Nigeria must undertake a comprehensive overhaul of its transportation system to unlock economic growth, improve safety, and enhance efficiency, a Professor of Logistics and Transport at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Mobolaji Stephens, has said. Stephens made this assertion while delivering the institution’s 195th inaugural lecture on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at the Obafemi Awolowo Auditorium. His lecture, titled “Transportation Systems and Infrastructure in Nigeria: Transport Management Approach to Enhancing Efficiency, Safety and Sustainability,” examined the central role of transportation in national development. He noted that persistent inefficiencies in Nigeria’s transport infrastructure continue to constrain economic growth and…
WorldStage Nigeria has projected that inflation will moderate to 12.94 per cent, driven by ongoing economic reforms and improving macroeconomic conditions. The projection is significantly below the current inflation rate of 15.06 per cent, signalling cautious optimism for economic recovery and growth. The outlook was unveiled at the firm’s Macroeconomic Outlook 2026 event themed ‘Nigeria’s Economy: Getting it Right’, held on Thursday in Lagos. Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, who reviewed the publication titled ‘Turning the Corner’, described the report as a timely and valuable contribution to national economic discourse. Represented by the Director of…
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has intensified efforts to curb the prevalence of aflatoxins in locally processed food products destined for export markets. The Executive Director of NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, disclosed this during a one-day training on “Minimising Aflatoxin Contamination in Agricultural Produce” held in Owerri on Thursday. Represented by the NEPC Coordinator in Imo State, Mr. Anthony Ajuruchi, Ayeni urged farmers and food processors to remain vigilant, particularly during post-harvest handling, where contamination risks are highest. Aflatoxins—highly toxic and carcinogenic compounds produced by fungi such as Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus—commonly contaminate agricultural produce and pose serious health…
The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched the National Single Window, a digital reform designed to simplify trade processes, reduce costs, and improve efficiency across the economy. The Nigeria National Single Window (NSW) is a digital trade facilitation portal launched in March 2026 by the Federal Government to integrate all government trade-related agencies into one platform. It streamlines import/export processes, reduces documentation, enhances transparency, and reduces trade costs to boost economic growth and improve ease of doing business. The initiative was unveiled in Lagos by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun. The platform integrates multiple government…
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), has received 100 Nigerian returnees from Algeria. This is contained in a statement signed by Mr. Mohammed Olatunde, Head of Lagos Operations of NEMA, on Thursday in Lagos. Olatunde added that the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) also partnered with NEMA and IOM to receive the returnees. He said the returnees arrived at about 2:40 p.m. aboard an Air Algérie flight as part of the Assisted Voluntary Return programme facilitated by IOM in collaboration with the Federal Government and NCFRMI.…