Guaranty Trust Bank of Africa recently partnered with AFD for the development of the N3 Billion ($15,070,080) Ariz Portfolio Guarantee Scheme. The initiative will finance small and medium business enterprises (SMEs) and development projects throughout Nigeria by providing a risk-sharing program on loan advances. The Ariz Portfolio Guarantee Scheme will provide a safety net to investors. Read More »

SGK Global has implemented a tracking system to give its clients who are shipping items to West Africa reliable service. Customers who need to ship a car or other cargo to West Africa can now make their orders online. Once they have put in the order, SGK's tracking system goes into effect, with the required payment being made after the delivered item has reached its destination.  Read More »

The additional USAID funding will go toward surveillance, epidemiological studies, prevention and control activities in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. A big chunk of the funds -- approximately  $50 million -- will allow FAO to identify potential reservoirs of carriers of Ebola, and Ebola-like diseases, including any role that livestock may play in transmitting the disease. Read More »

Research by Control Risk, a global consulting firm, indicated that 84 percent of Nigerian companies have policies in place forbidding bribes -- slightly below the global average of 87 percent -- yet, bigger gaps exist in other areas. For instance, only 25 percent of Nigerian companies have a board director or a compliance committee with accountability for anti-corruption. Read More »

Oil and gas explorer FAR Limited and its Senegal joint venture partners signed contracts for the use of the Ocean Rig Athena drill ship Wednesday for a drilling program in FAR's offshore Senegal Blocks. With Ocean Rig Athena being under a long-term contract with ConocoPhillips, ConocoPhillips will be a manager on the new drilling program, which will be operational in Senegal soon. Read More »

DHL Express was recently certified as Top Employer in 12 African markets for the second time at the Top Employer 2016 ceremony held in Johannesburg. The event aims to recognize companies that are investing in good working conditions. DHL Express received the Top Employers distinction for its offices in Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius and more. Read More »

Islamic Development Bank signed two developments financing agreements worth $91 million (USD) with Tajikistan and Togo during the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) annual meetings in Lima, Peru. The first agreement, totaling $70 million (USD), established between Tajikistan Minister of Finance Abdusalom K. Kurboniyon and IDB Group President Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali. Read More »

In Nigeria, they will build Four Points by Sheraton Abuja and Residences and the Westin Abuja and Residences; in Kenya, they will build Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport; in Senegal, they will build Aloft Dakar; in Tanzania, they will build Element Oyster Bay Dar es Salaam; in Mali, they will build Sheraton Bamako; and in Egypt, W Sharm El Sheikh and W Sharm El Sheikh.  Read More »

The Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Guinea will make unprecedented investments in infrastructure for their respective countries.For the Ivory Coast, its government is expected to invest $25 billion (USD) in infrastructure by 2020. Finance Minister Niale Kaba recently announced that 94 projects, including highways, would be invested in from 2016 to 2020 with public-private partnerships. Read More »

Teranga Gold Corporation completed a non-brokered $17,471,088 private placement with David Mimran, CEO of Grands Moulins d'Abidjan and Grands Moulins de Dakar, one of the largest producers of flour and agri-food in West Africa Wednesday. In addition to the Mimran family having a legacy of operating effectively in Africa, Teranga is looking to foster long-term growth of its company. Read More »

Kinross Gold Corporation officials responded to media inquiries Oct. 5 about the regulatory review occurring on its West Africa mining operations. Kinross says it is fully cooperating with the SEC and DOJ and continues to diligently pursue its own internal investigation, which, over the course of the past 25 months, is yet to identify any issues that would have an adverse effect. Read More »

The Organization for Cooperation and Economic Development (OECD) and the West African country of Mali will hold an international conference Thursday to discuss the peace and reconciliation agreement that was signed in June. The event will be held at the OECD Conference Centre in Paris and attended by government and private sector representatives and international partners. Read More »

Togo and United States have announced the establishment of a bilateral Open Sky agreement between the two countries. Read More »

Ericsson has announced the signing of its first managed rural coverage deal with MTN Berlin, bringing mobile coverage as a service to parts of central and northern Benin. Read More »

Lifting Businesses manufacturer Konecranes has received an order for 13 Rubber Tired Gantry (RTG) cranes from Bolloré Group. Read More »

The first building order is for the design, supply and supervision of an 8,500-square-meter manufacturing and services plant for General Electric-Emerald Oil & Gas in Calabar, Nigeria. The second building will be located in Anyama, Ivory Coast. About $6 million, the project includes buildings for a new Heineken brewery and is anticipated to be completed sometime in 2016. Read More »

CR2's BankWorld omnichannel suite has been selected to manage self-service bank software for Access Bank. Read More »

Savary Gold Corp., which oversees the Karankasso Project Joint Venture of Sarama Resources Ltd. and Savary, declared a maiden Inferred Mineral Resource estimate of 671,000 ounces of contained gold at the Karankasso Project JV in the West African nation of Burkina Faso Oct.8. Additionally, Savary as well as independent consultants conducted geological modeling work at the site. Read More »

Samsung Electronics launched its Galaxy Note 5, its newest smartphone, Oct. 7 in Nigeria. The device features a S-Pen, a suit of apps, a curved backside and 4GB of RAM. Due to the extended memory, apps work in the fastest memory available. The S-Pen comes with a clicky top and a nib, similar to ballpoint pens and also allows users to write without unlocking the device. Read More »

Ghana became an official OECD Development Centre member on Oct. 6, making it the 50th country to join the organization, which finds policy solutions to promote growth and boost life quality in emerging economies. As a member, Ghana will engage in the OECD Development Centre’s lead initiatives, such as the policy dialogue on Natural Resource-based Development. Read More »