Regional Economic Outlook 2026: Southern Africa Must Mobilise Development Finance at Scale to Close Annual $55 Billion Financing Gap
July 29, 2026--Southern Africa must urgently mobilise development financing at scale to turn a gradual and uneven economic recovery into real gains in living standards, according to the African Development Bank's 2026 Regional Economic Outlook for Southern Africa: Mobilising Southern Africa's Development Financing at Scale in a Fragmented World, released on Tuesday.
Africa's Private Capital Market Sees Mixed First-Half in 2026
July 29, 2026--Africa's private capital market posted a mixed first half in 2026. Deal volume fell 16% year on year to 211 transactions, the first H1 drop since 2023. Investment value rose 65% to $3.7 billion, the second highest first-half total in five years. The gap between average deal size, $32 million, and median deal size, $5 million, points to a market driven by a few large transactions rather than broad growth.
Africa's Blue Economy Generates Over $298 Billion Annually
July 22, 2026--The African Union (AU)'s Director of Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, Hersen Nyambe, stated on Wednesday (22,) in Luanda, that the continent's blue economy currently generates over 298 billion dollars in annual value, with projections pointing to USD 405 billion output by 2063.
Africa Can Grow Faster With AI-If It Moves Now
July 21, 2026--Artificial intelligence can boost productivity, create better jobs, and improve public services in sub-Saharan Africa, but realizing these gains will require reliable power, affordable internet, stronger skills, and rules people trust
A farmer in Kenya gets weather and planting advice on a basic phone. A teacher in Nigeria uses a chatbot to help students catch up in math. South Africa's revenue authority uses data analytics to better target tax audits. These are not futuristic examples from Silicon Valley.
South African business confidence edges up in May after April slump
June 30, 2026--In May the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) announced new rules designed to ensure more stringent oversight of how brokers and trading firms deploy "algo-trading" techniques on the exchange.
Chaka Launches Hisa, Rebrands Investment Platform
June 23, 2026--Chaka Technologies Ltd has launched Hisa, a new investment application that replaces the company's existing Chaka trading platform and introduces a range of new features aimed at making investing more accessible for retail users.
Stablecoins in Nigeria: A Growing Cross-Border Channel
June 16, 2026- U.S. dollar-pegged digital tokens reduce payment frictions but raise new policy trade-offs
Nigerian households and small firms are moving money across borders in a new way: via smartphones, digital wallets, and U.S. dollar-pegged crypto assets known as stablecoins.
South African business confidence edges up in May after April slump
June 11, 2026--South African business confidence remained largely unchanged in the third quarter of 2026, data showed on Wednesday, as companies await favourable conditions against the backdrop of geopolitical uncertainties stemming from the Iran war.
South African rand strengthens after surprise GDP growth data
June 9, 2026- The rand strengthened on Tuesday after South Africa's economy expanded more than expected in the first quarter of 2026, though the impact of the Iran war was likely to be reflected in the next release.
At 1415 GMT, the rand traded at 16.4325 against the U.S. dollar, up about 0.6%.
Africa's growth holds firm amid global turbulence, says 2026 African Economic Outlook
May 26, 2026-The continent recorded an estimated average GDP growth of 4.4 percent in 2025, with 22 economies posting rates above 5 percent.
In 2026, Africa is projected to grow at 4.2 percent, despite heightened geopolitical tensions and global supply shocks.