BUSINESS
IVORY COAST: BJKD Award Winners for Young Entrepreneurship Known.
The BJKD prize for young entrepreneurship was launched on 02 September 2017, with more than 847 participants at the start. 10 entrepreneurs were selected after a preselection, for the final held this Saturday, February 10 at the House of Chefs de companies, in Abidjan. The winners of this competition which aims to provide a technical and financial boost to entrepreneurs are now known.
The BJKD Prize for Young Entrepreneurship is a prize awarded after the selection by competition of the best development projects presented by young entrepreneurs, inventors or researchers. A ceremony was held this Saturday morning at the Entrepreneurs’ House in Abidjan to designate the winners. These are: Kouakou Silvere from Green Countries (Valorisation of household waste for the production of organic fertilizer); Arman Narcissus from Vivo Plants (Plantain Seed Production); Bénédicte Deborah N’cho from DEB’N’JO (Shoe production); Yvan Patrick Akré of Instant Chocolat (Chocolate production) and Kouassi Andrée – B.E.H (Sale of water point detection application and drilling). They earn respectively 10, 7, 5, 3 and 2 000 000 CFA francs, as well as laptops among others. They will also benefit from technical support during the coming months.
Note that the initiator and organizer of the BJKD prize, Bénédicte Janine Kacou DIAGOU is the Managing Director of the NSIA GROUP, the leading African financial group of reference. Passionate about art and finance, she is in the ranking of TOP 100 leaders of Africa of Tomorrow, the prestigious Institut Choiseul. A meritorious officer of the national order in Côte d’Ivoire, she is part of this new generation of Afro-optimists who believe that the success of Africa will come through its enterprising youth.
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
