Rwanda: First Phase of $1.5 Million Banana Juice Factory Complete

Banana beverage lovers will, beginning mid-2017, start enjoying high quality products from a factory being set up in Mwurire Sector in the Eastern Province's Rwamagana District.   According to the Director General for National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA), Dr. Joseph Mungarurire, construction works for the factory estimated to cost $1.5 million, started in March, 2016 and its first phase has been completed. It is expected to start production in May,.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 21st December 2016

Rwanda: Govt Lays Down Ambitious Plans for Electricity Generation

Rwanda targets to extend power to at least 70 per cent of the households in the country by 2018. To achieve this ambitious goal, government projects to boost electricity generation to 563MW within the next two years.   Presently, about 25 per cent of the Rwandan households are connected to electricity, while the country's total installed power capacity is around 190MW, an increase from 186MW in 2015. Despite this rise in generation, industrial energy users have continued to.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th December 2016

Rwanda: Govt, Businessmen Discuss Ways to Boost Revenue Through Exports, Manufacturing

Manufacturers and business experts have called on the government and the private sector to do more to boost Small and Medium Enterprises to significantly bridge the country's trade deficit.   They made the call yesterday during a Made-in-Rwanda Symposium organised by the Private Sector Federation (PSF) in partnership with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and EAC Affairs (MINEACOM).   They contended that effective economies of scale coupled with quality assurance in the.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th December 2016

Ethiopia Encouraging Investment in Meat Export to Increase Revenue

Nation encouraging investment in meat and meat product export as part of effort to increase hard currency earning.   Ethiopia is home to Africa's largest livestock population. A 2013 survey by the Central Statistical Agency on country's rural sedentary areas revealed the existence of over 53.99 million heads of cattle and 25.5 million sheep.   Despite a stark annual progress, the annual revenue the country gets from the export of meat and meat product stands asymmetrical.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th December 2016

Tanzania: Mining Firm to Get Finnish 'Smart Power Generation' Plant

Dar es Salaam — Wärtsilä, a Finnish corporation which manufactures and services power, has promised to supply a 40 MW 'Smart Power Generation' plant to Geita Gold Mining Limited in Tanzania in the beginning of 2018.   The company which is one of the Independent Power Producers operating in Tanzania said that the power plant will provide a reliable electricity supply to the gold mine, located in the Lake Victoria goldfields of the Mwanza.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th December 2016

Tanzania: USD 1.6 Billion Mega Resort to Come Up in Zanzibar

Zanzibar — China's MCC Overseas Company has signed a contract to build the Zanzibar Amber Resort in Matemwe Village. The resort will be one of the biggest in the East African region, say project owners.   The signing ceremony, witnessed by dignitaries including Speaker of the Zanzibar House of Representatives Zubeir Ali Maulid, his deputy, Mgeni Hassan Juma, legislators and ministers was held at Park Hyatt Hotel in Stone Town.   The ceremony saw exchange of.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th December 2016

Tanzania, Zanzibar Sign Historic Oil and Gas Bill

ZANZIBAR President Ali Mohamed Shein yesterday signed into law, the Oil and Gas Development/Management Bill, an important step that will empower the semi-autonomous part of the United Repub lic of Tanzania to manage its own natural resources.   The signing of the bill into law brings to an end weeks of anxiety, with the people, legislators and lawyers embroiled in heated argument on the legal powers Dr Shein had to sign the new law.    "An Act to provide for.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th December 2016

Tanzania: Agriculture Sector to Get USD 94 Million Boost

Dar es Salaam — The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund (ADF) has approved a loan of $93.51 million (over Sh200 billion) for on-lending to the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB).   The funding will contribute to supporting Tanzania's agriculture sector and achieving the country's development goals, the African Development Bank (AfDB) said in a statement.   The ADF is the concessional window of the AfDB Group which providing concessional.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th December 2016

Multi Billion Dollar Fertilizer Plant Coming To Tanzania

Construction of a multitrillion shilling fertiliser plant with envisaged daily production capacity of 3,850 tonnes is scheduled to start in Kilwa, Lindi Region, by next March. The petrochemical complex, a partnership project under a consortium of investors from Tanzania, Europe and Asia, is among the largest fertiliser investments in the continent.   Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Adelhelm Meru, told the 'Daily News' in Dar es.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th December 2016

Tanzania: New Dodoma LPG Plant to Help With Cleaner, Cheaper Cooking

ORYX Energies has completed the construction of a new Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinder filling and storage depot in Dodoma, to give families access to a cost effective and cleaner way of cooking.   Company's Country Director, Mr Nick McAleer said the filling and storage facility marks the end of a key phase of investment in new and upgraded LPG facilities across the country over the past 18 months. He said the choice of Dodoma coincides with the government's recent.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th December 2016

Tanzania: Over 1000 Industries Setup Since Magufuli Came to Power

Morogoro — A total of 1,423 industries have been set up in Tanzania within one year of President John Magufuli in office, it has been revealed.   Principal Trade Officer in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Wilfred Kahwa, made the revelation here yesterday, noting that the industries were developed between October 2015 and October 2016. Some 19 industrial development projects initiated within the year (October 2015 to October 2016) are also under.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th December 2016

Ethiopia: Reaping Benefits of the Great Health Reform

Edna lives in a village on the outskirts of Berhale, roughly 900 kilometres from Addis Ababa. Every day, she travels through the desert to deliver essential health services to families' doorsteps. As a front -line health worker, Edna is part of a historic movement that has extended primary health care to the poorest and most marginalised communities and saved millions of lives.   At the turn of the Millennium, for every 1,000 children born in Ethiopia, 166 would not make it to.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th December 2016