Ethiopia
Castel buys out Diageo to strengthen its position against Heineken

Cameroon
CEMAC court to rule on Castel acquisition of Guinness Cameroon

Despite CEMAC's green light last year, Cameroonian brewers are continuing to contest the purchase, believing it would give Castel too dominant a position in the country's beer market.

The New Guard
Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, DRC, Ethiopia, Libya

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence reveals the next generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

SenegalMamadou Fall Kane, presidential oil adviser, branches out into mining

Guinea-BissauSaico Umaro Embaló, the president's nephew and Turkey envoy

DR CongoArthur Omar Kayumba, Tshisekedi's Grand Inga irritant

EthiopiaWintana Shimelis, in charge of the UK's Diageo in Addis

LibyaAhmed al-Sharkasi, the PM's low-key advisor

Africa, France
Castel's 'annus horribilis' runs on as it misses out on Africa Cup of Nations partnership

Under threat of losing its Coca-Cola bottling licence in Madagascar, French group Castel has suffered another setback in West Africa by seeing its lucrative partnership with the African Football Confederation snatched by a competitor ahead of the 33rd African Cup of Nations.

Central African Republic
Three firms at work to complete Castel's investigation into Sucaf RCA

Firms Gide Loyrette Nouel, ADIT and Mazars should complete the report commissioned by beverage giant Castel into its subsidiary Sucaf RCA by the end of the year. Sucaf was accused by the NGO The Sentry of funding the militia group UPC.

Cameroon
Castel launches corn processing plant to consolidate drinks market domination

Castel Group's SABC has launched the Compagnie Fermière du Cameroun, a subsidiary that specialises in grits production. This will enable it to secure its supply of one of the raw materials it needs to make beer and to consolidate its lead over its competitors.

Djibouti
Ethiopian war threatens Djibouti's cross-border trade

Fighting between Tigrayan forces and the Ethiopian army around one of the two main roads linking the small port country to its Ethiopian neighbour is posing a direct threat to cross-border trade, which is a vital part of the Djibouti economy.

Ethiopia
Changes to gemstone export rules are good news for India

The Ministry of Mines has ended the obligation to process a minimum number of gemstones mined in Ethiopia before selling them abroad. This decision is intended to reassure domestic producers, but at the same time pleases Indian buyers.

Ethiopia
Orange seeks to reconnect with Ethio Telecom

Between 2010 and 2013, the French telecoms giant tried to modernise Ethio Telecom. Now, as the state-owned company prepares to bring private-sector shareholders on board, Orange is hoping to set up a new deal with its former partner.

Ethiopia
Nekemte-Bure road project attempts to get back on its feet after Indian firm IL&FS fiasco

China's Chongqing International Construction Corp was roped in late 2020 to replace IL&FS Transportation Networks to upgrade a 258-km stretch of road between Nekemte and Bure, but it may struggle to make up for lost time.