An ailing packaging trade, identified as disadvantageous to Sierra Leone's export industry and exacerbated by the Ebola crisis, stands to be revitalized by a consultation to rebuild the nation's economy. With the ultimate goal of helping to jump start existing SMEs, the gathering will examine ways to improve the quality of packaging in fields and create an action plan. Read More »

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the ADFD will provide $46 million in funding to support renewable energy projects in both Africa and the Caribbean. The concessional loans will be divided among four projects expected to reduce emissions, improve energy access and create jobs.The funds will be used for a 3.6 megawatt solar project in Burkina Faso. Read More »

Offshore West Africa Conference & Exhibition in collaboration with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) will host its technology event Tuesday to Thursday for the oil and gas industry at Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos, Nigeria. Celebrating its 20th anniversary as it prepares for the annual conference, Offshore West Africa continues to benefit from its long partnership with the UKTI. Read More »

Guinea is reactivating health screenings on their borders following a new Ebola case in Sierra Leone. The Ebola case was confirmed on Jan. 12. Guinea will also reinforce their surveillance in Forecariah Prefecture. Guinea's National Emergency Operations Center and the Ministry of Health have requested that the IOM institute health screenings at the Pamelap checkpoint. Read More »

Golden Star Resources recently filed a technical report on the positive results of a feasibility study commissioned for its Prestea mine in Ghana. The feasibility study was conducted to evaluate the possibility of a low-cost non-mechanized mining operation in the mine's underground deposits. Company officials said surface mining at Prestea began late last year. Read More »

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) announced its New Deal on Energy for Africa plan Wednesday to provide universal access to energy in Africa by the year 2025. The New Deal on Energy for Africa is part of the AfDB's Transformative Partnership on Energy. The AfDB will work with the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to bring the plan to fruition. Read More »

ItsOn recently entered into an agreement with MTN Group to drive subscribers and revenue via its ItsOn cloud-based services. Africa's largest mobile operator MTN will launch ItsOn's technology beginning in South Africa, with expansion to other countries. ItsOn provides clients with a device application plus cloud service for e-commerce and payment methods and loyalty programs. Read More »

Nigeria-based Pan-African e-commerce website Jumia released an infographic Friday to highlight the past calendar year's "key facts and figures" for the nation. Significant sales data are displayed in a compact, easy-to-read format in addition to the company's customer engagement and its campaign to provide career opportunities and support emerging talent in every business sector. Read More »

Mali has entered into a global WTO Trade TFA Wednesday and ratified a 2005 amendment to the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). Following multiple other nations, Mali counts as the 68th. When two-thirds of the entire WTO membership signs off on the agreement, it will replace an older version of the protocol. Read More »

The ALSF is partnering with Benin to improve the management of the country's mining sector in Dakar. ALSF officials will review sample mining contracts with representatives of various state ministries. As more international companies negotiate deals for harvesting Africa's natural resources, ALSF officials said they were holding the training to increase African's acumen. Read More »

A diverse group of individuals have been appointed to raise awareness about the newly adopted SDGs. Known as the SDG Advocates, the group will be responsible for promoting the sustainable development agenda. Among the 17 SDGs are ending hunger, reducing inequalities, advocating for responsible consumption and production and promoting health and well-being for all. Read More »

Malawi and Nigeria will soon be receiving power plants from the environmentally conscious Nocart Oy. Two solar-diesel hybrid plants, a 2 MW and a 4 MW will be delivered to Malawi and a 1 MW solar-sawdust plant will go to Nigeria. The contracts total 12.9 million euros or approximately $14 million. Nocart's green solutions provide renewable distributed energy to off-grid locations. Read More »

The terrorist attacks on Jan. 15 and Jan. 16 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, which killed 30 and injured more than 56, did not harm any SEMAFO employees. SEMAFO announced Tuesday that its employees were not involved nor harmed in the tragic events at the Cappuccino Cafe and Splendid Hotel. The corporation added that it expressed its deepest sympathies to the victims. Read More »

Viber launched its latest social channel, Public Chats, Tuesday on the African continent. Viber users can have “public chats” or live discussions to like and share with their community. This feature offers a new social experience, entering into live conversations not just with family and friends, but also with celebrities, personalities, brands and organizations. Read More »

Cape Verde was recently awarded a grant in the amount of $930,000 by the African Development Bank-hosted SEFA to develop the world’s first wave-driven desalination system. Called Wave2O, the system will be located in Praia Grande, Cape Verde, and will operate completely “off-grid,” supplying more than 48,000 people with clean fresh water at a competitive cost. Read More »

Microsoft is teaming up with online education marketplace Udemy to increase youth employment in MENA. Under the agreement, young individuals in the MENA region will have access to Udemy's skills-based courses offered through a network of youth employability portals known as YouthWorks (or Ta3mal in the Arab world) led by Microsoft and regional social initiative Silatech. Read More »

Zoetic Global entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement with ECG to provide 100 megawatts of additive power generation at the nation's Akosombo Dam on Lake Volta. Zoetic Global deploys life-sustaining technology solutions in energy, water and food security worldwide. Its new project with ECG involves the deployment of several modular hydrokinetic turbines in Akosombo Dam. Read More »

Toga Gayewea McIntosh, vice president of ECOWAS Commission, declared ECOWAS the most dynamic regional economic community in Africa on Jan. 8. At the 35th meeting of the West Africa Monetary Zone (WAMZ) Convergence Council in Accra, McIntosh said the sub-region is a good reference point on economic growth, despite political, security, health and economic challenges. Read More »

The IFRC recently credited local volunteers in helping to bring about the end of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the end of Ebola virus transmission in Liberia Thursday. The other two countries, Sierra Leone and Guinea, affected by the virus from 2014 were declared free of the disease toward the end of last year. Read More »

Oluseyi Soremekun, national information officer for the UNIC in Lagos, recently asked Nigerian media outlets to back Africa's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Soremekun made an appearance this week on "Civil Society Weekly," a program on Radio One 103.5 FM, where he spoke on the subject. Soremekun pointed out that UNIC Lagos planned to translate the SDGs into four languages. Read More »