Expogroup Wins Big at the Tanzania Leadership Awards 2016

  On the evening of Friday 27th January 2017, members of the business community in Tanzania gathered at the Hyatt Regency Hotel to celebrate the most accomplished businesses of 2016. The event was the Tanzania Leadership Awards (TLA), which honors successful businesses that range from conglomerates with more than 500 employees, to small start-ups with a staff count of 2 to 4 employees.   Expogroup, a pioneer in the trade show industry in East Africa for the last 20.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 3rd February 2017

Expogroup Wins Big at the Tanzania Leadership Awards 2016

 On the evening of Friday 27th January 2017, members of the business community in Tanzania gathered at the Hyatt Regency Hotel to celebrate the most accomplished businesses of 2016. The event was the Tanzania Leadership Awards (TLA), which honors successful businesses that range from conglomerates with more than 500 employees, to small start-ups with a staff count of 2 to 4 employees.   Expogroup, a pioneer in the trade show industry in East Africa for the last 20 years,.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 3rd February 2017

Rwanda: RNRA to be split Into Independent Oil & Gas, Minerals and Forestry Bodies

LEGISLATORS in the Lower House, on Tuesday, passed a series of Bills that will see Rwanda Natural Resources Authority (RNRA) dissolved and replaced by three independent and specialised bodies focused on oil, gas, and minerals as well as land, water, and forestry.   The basis of the draft laws was unanimously approved by the House, last week, when tabled by the Minister for Natural Resources, Dr Vincent Biruta, who also sought and successfully secured the legislators' urgent.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 3rd February 2017

Kenya: Trump's Protectionist Policies Could Pose Threat to Kenya's Exports

US President Donald Trump's protectionist economic policies pose the biggest risk to Kenya's economy in the coming year, Central Bank of Kenya governor Patrick Njoroge has said.   Dr Njoroge said the Kenyan economy was facing more serious threats externally than locally, adding that the country would struggle to cover the export hole should the Trump administration roll back the African Growth Opportunities Act (Agoa) that has more recently given Kenya billions of shillings in.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 3rd February 2017

Ethiopia: Addis Bank Registers Huge Profits

Addis International Bank has had an impressive year, registering an annual profit growth of 100pc, since its establishment in 2011 as one of the late entrants into the banking industry. The Bank earned a net profit of 85.3 million Br in the 2015/16 fiscal year, a 46pc increase over its performance in the previous year.   The Bank currently claims to have over 8,370 shareholders with over 532,580 shares.   The Bank's major shareholders include Ethiopian Airlines.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 3rd February 2017

Ethiopia: Development Bank Begins Processing Commercial Farm Loans

Loan applications from close to 260 commercial agriculture investors have got the green light to be processed after a year long hiatus on agricultural loans. This was announced by Development Bank of Ethiopia, a major financier of such loans, on January 27, 2016.   The Bank announced that it would restart the process of issuing loans to commercial farm investments.   Aside from the existing loan applications, the Bank will start to receive loan applications on February.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 3rd February 2017

Rwanda: Parliament Passes Bill Splitting Natural Resources Authority Into 3 Independent Bodies

LEGISLATORS in the Lower House, on Tuesday, passed a series of Bills that will see Rwanda Natural Resources Authority (RNRA) dissolved and replaced by three independent and specialised bodies focused on oil, gas, and minerals as well as land, water, and forestry.   The basis of the draft laws was unanimously approved by the House, last week, when tabled by the Minister for Natural Resources, Dr Vincent Biruta, who also sought and successfully secured the legislators' urgent.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 3rd February 2017

Rwanda: New e-Waste Recycling Plant to be Operational End of the Month

Old computers, mobile phones and other electronic gadgets will soon be put to good use following the completion of a recycling plant scheduled to open in Bugesera District this month.   According to officials, final touches are being put at the plant that will dismantle and recycle electronic and electrical equipment to offer an 'end of-life' solution for out-of-use electronic waste.   Olivier Mbera, the programme manager of the project under the Ministry of Trade,.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 3rd February 2017

Ethiopia: Authority Awards Road Construction Contracts worth Billions

Six new roads are in the works in the Southern Nation Nationalities & Peoples' regional state, Somali regional state, Oromia regional state and Benishangul Gumuz regional state. The projects were awarded to three foreign contractors and three local private construction companies by the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA). All six projects are worth six billion Birr.   The award ceremony was held at the headquarters of the authority by presence the Director of ERA, Araya Girmay.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 3rd February 2017

Kenya tops East Africa with Maximum Mega Infrastructure Projects, Confirms Regional Powerhouse Status

Kenya had the highest number of mega infrastructure projects in East Africa in 2016, Deloitte has said, noting it helped the country to maintain its lead as the regional powerhouse.   There were 11 ongoing projects valued at $7.01 billion (Sh727.98 billion) in the country last year, the consultancy firm said in the 2016 Africa Construction Trends Report.   The top projects comprised both public and private investments such as the standard gauge railway, the Lamu port.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 2nd February 2017

Ethiopia, AfDB Sign 2 Billion Birr Finance Deal for Road Upgrades

 African Development Bank (AfDB) and Ethiopia concluded a financing agreement of 2 billion Birr. The agreement was signed on January 30, 2015. Out of the entire 2 billion Birr, 65 percent of it was extended as grant while the rest 780 million was loan.   The money obtained via loan and grant is expected to be used for Jimma – Chida and Sodo – Sawula Road Upgrading projects. The roads that stretch for 220 kilometers are going to be upgraded to all weather high.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 2nd February 2017

"Creating Jobs in Ethiopia is in UK's Interest" - UK International Development Secretary

Nowhere shows the profound way that Britain says it is looking to change and sharpen its approach to international development and aid for the poorest countries in the world than Ethiopia.   This is a country synonymous with food instability, drought and inevitably malnutrition and famine where tens of millions have been dependent on subsistence farming.   Very few will ever forget the worldwide humanitarian efforts spearheaded by the BandAid movement to help relieve the.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 2nd February 2017