BUSINESS
AFRICA – Signing of a $4 millions agreement between the ADB and ONU Women (By APO Group)
The African Development Bank and UN Women sign a $4 million financing agreement to support women entrepreneurs in West Africa. The collaboration agreement was signed by Oulimata Sarr, UN Women Regional Director for West and Central Africa and Marie Laure Akin-Olugbade in Dakar
The African Development Bank Group, through its Initiative to Promote Women’s Access to Finance in Africa (AFAWA), signed on 27 January in Dakar, A US$4 million funding agreement with UN Women to support women entrepreneurs’ access to government procurement in West Africa.
The financing agreement – the largest ever signed by the Bank in support of UN Women – will improve access to government procurement for women-led businesses and the development of gender-sensitive procurement initiatives. in the framework of inclusive post-Covid-19 recovery programmes in Senegal, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.
“The African Development Bank is extremely proud to have signed this project in partnership with UN Women with funding from the AFAWA initiative,” said Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, Bank Executive Director for the West Africa Region. “ We are committed to unlocking the entrepreneurial potential of women and seeing them grow. We are confident that this high-impact project will provide great opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Senegal and the region.”
The collaboration agreement was signed by Oulimata Sarr, UN Women Regional Director for West and Central Africa and Marie Laure Akin-Olugbade in Dakar. The signing took place in the presence of the President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr Akinwumi A. Adesina, on an official visit to Senegal, and the Senegalese Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation, Amadou Hott.
Government procurement accounts for a significant share of global demand for goods and services – a multi-billion dollar industry representing 15-30% of global gross domestic product. However, women-owned businesses have access to only 1% of public procurement. In West Africa, women are underrepresented as entrepreneurs accessing public procurement opportunities. A UN Women study found that in Senegal, for example, less than 10% of women entrepreneurs are informed about positive legislation on public procurement aimed at increasing women’s engagement, and less than 5% are effectively informed of the procurement process and methods.
Oulimata Sarr welcomed the strategic partnership between UN Women and the African Development Bank Group. “This project comes at the right time because women entrepreneurs need support for recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Oulimata Sarr. “ The public and private sectors have an essential role to play in enabling women-owned businesses to access larger contracts. In addition to interventions in Nigeria, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, the project will work with regional institutions to influence key continental processes that are important for women entrepreneurs’ access to markets, such as the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.” ,” she said.
The project aims to improve legislation and improve women’s ability to access public tenders – by ensuring that women have technical skills to access procurement opportunities. The project will also help mitigate the impact of the health crisis by helping women-led small and medium-sized enterprises improve their skills to manage their online operations, operate remotely and adjust their business models, including exploring opportunities for innovation.
As part of this project, UN Women will work with national procurement agencies, small- and medium-sized enterprise departments, and women entrepreneurs.
(Distributed by APO Group)
The presidency of Togo has announced that the project to exploit the manganese mine of Nayega, located in the Savanes region in the north of the country, is entering its operational phase. According to a statement issued on June 10, 2025, production is scheduled to start at the end of June 2025, with an initial volume of 4,000 tons per month, which should gradually double to reach 8,000 tons per month.
Keras Resources is the technical partner retained by the Togolese government to carry out this project. A statement from Keras, relayed by the presidency, details that the company signed a cooperation agreement in 2023 with the Togolese state, owner of the mine through the Togolese Manganese Company (STM). Under the terms of this agreement, Keras will receive a remuneration of 1.5% of the mine’s gross revenue for three years for its advisory services, as well as 6% for brokering services.
The reserves of the Nayega mine are estimated at 8.5 million tonnes, which would allow exploitation over a period of 11 years. The authorities of Lomé welcome the expected contribution of the mine to the national budget, a benefit that should be strengthened by the rigorous management of the generated revenues, as indicated by our colleagues from Agence Afrique.
With a growing global demand for manganese, particularly in steel alloys and renewable energy technologies, Togo is seeking to assert itself as an essential supplier of this strategic ore. This positioning could play a catalytic role for the national economy, always according to information from the Africa Agency.
Source: senego / Photo credit: Republicoftogo.com
The Gabonese government decided on Friday to ban the import of broilers in order to promote national poultry production and ensure food security, according to the final communiqué of the council of ministers chaired by the head of state, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema.
The ban will be effective from 1 January 2027, thus leaving a period of 18 months (1 year and 6 months) for actors in the sector to structure themselves, invest and prepare to meet national demand.
“This measure aims to restore domestic poultry production, boost agricultural investment, reduce food dependency and strengthen the trade balance,” the government hopes. Gabon also hopes to foster “the emergence of a network of rural jobs, the rise in quality of products consumed locally and the creation of an economic ecosystem around this sector”.
The government has also planned a detailed operational plan to be presented within 45 days by the ministers responsible for economy and trade.
Libreville dreams of reducing its dependence on poultry imports and strengthening the country’s food security. In addition, the promotion of local poultry farming should have a positive impact on rural areas, generating jobs and contributing to the development of a vibrant poultry ecosystem.
Imported frozen chicken is the most consumed food in Gabon because of its low price and packaging ready to be thrown into a pot.
“The star of the freezer” is how Gabonese people refer to frozen chicken because it is often the only food, if not the default food, found in the freezers of Gabonese families.
Frozen chicken and meat are generally imported from Latin America and Europe. Their massive presence on the market has destroyed local production.
The Council of Ministers also announced a ban on exporting crude manganese from 1 January 2029. The objective is to promote local industrial development, create jobs and maximize the value of this resource, of which Gabon is the world’s second largest producer.
Sources: gabonactu.com
Mauritania is in the spotlight. On Thursday, May 29, 2025, Sidi Ould Tah was elected president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), at the annual meeting of the institution held in Abidjan. He succeeds Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria, in office since 2015.
His election came after a hard-fought duel against Samuel Munzele Maimbo of Zambia, who finished in second place. The election, which was marked by major geopolitical and economic issues, took place against a background of high expectations regarding governance and development financing on the continent.
The Senegalese Amadou Hott, long perceived as one of the favorites, finishes in third place, followed by the South African Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala. Despite significant diplomatic support, notably for Hott, the momentum in favour of Sidi Ould Tah has prevailed in the last few rounds.
Former minister and general manager of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Sidi Ould Tah is recognized for his experience and strategic vision. He will officially take office on 1 September 2025.
Photo credit: Forbes Africa
