Archives

The New Guard
Guinea, Morocco, Tanzania, Kenya

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

GuineaSaikou Amadou Diallo, helming the fight against graft

MoroccoAli Seddiki, investment champion

TanzaniaCharles Makakala, Francophile incubator

KenyaJustina Wamae, sights set on the middle classes

DRC
Double act takes over from Trafigura trader Economou to ensure cobalt continuity

The discovery of major fraud in Trafigura's nickel business, which could cost the Swiss firm up to $577m, pushed its trader Socrates Economou towards the exit. Mehdi Wetterwald and Daniel von Arx are taking over from him and will head to DR Congo to secure the group's supplies of cobalt.

Sao Tome and Principe
Block 4, eyed by TotalEnergies and Kosmos, still held by US junior ERHC

The Sao Tomé & Principe government formed last November by Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada is looking for a solution to the problem posed by Block 4.

Gabon
Gabon given plaintiff status in 'ill-gotten gains' case

The Paris Court of Appeal has granted plaintiff status to the state of Gabon in the "Ill-gotten gains" case, making it the first country involved in the case to obtain that status and providing it with access to the investigation file.

Nigeria
Key witness fails to show during $11bn P&ID vs Nigeria hearings

The High Court in London has ended six weeks of hearings in an $11bn dispute between the government of Nigeria and engineering firm P&ID during which it was revealed that a key witness in the affair, James Nolan, has fled Nigeria over fears for his safety.

Niger
World Bank boss David Malpass to make farewell visit to Niamey

The president of the World Bank David Malpass is expected to travel to Niamey at the end of March where he should meet with the Nigerien head of state Mohamed Bazoum.

Uganda
Museveni's scandal-hit government faces down parliamentary outcry

A series of government scandals is exasperating Ugandan MPs, who are calling in vain for the resignation of the ministers involved. This is an exceptionally tense time between the executive and legislative branches.

Sudan
Ex-rebels Minnawi and Ibrahim pressure Burhan for government jobs

The signing of a final governance agreement after Sudan's 2021 coup has stalled, partly due to tension between the potential signatories. Representatives of armed groups and their allies are taking advantage of the delay to try to secure positions in the future government.

Kenya
New hospital contract signals further warming of India-Kenya relations

Earlier this month, the Indian health consultancy group Astron Hospital & Healthcare Consultants signed a cooperation agreement with Kenyan consultancy firm Elite Edge Consult to support hospital management in Kenya.

Madagascar
Backroom adviser Romy Voos Andrianarisoa returns to the Iavoloha Palace

The appointment in early March of Romy Voos Andrianarisoa as President Andry Rajoelina's chief of (civilian) staff provoked surprise in Antananarivan political circles.

Algeria
Planned Franco-Algerian historical commission yet to take shape

Six months after the announcement of its creation, tensions between France and Algeria are delaying the establishment of a bilateral body that is supposed to resolve a row over the countries' shared past. The decrees appointing the commission's French and Algerian experts have still not been published.