Kenya signs partnership to speed up intra-Africa trade

 Kenya has signed an agreement with her three other counterparts to hasten the stalled talks on boosting intra-Africa trade.   Yesterday Kenya's Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Dr Amina Mohamed led her counterparts of South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt to pen down the agreement that should see 'tangible' progress before the October 2017 deadline. These are Dr Rob Davis(South Africa), Dr Okechukwu Enelamah(Nigeria) and Amb Amgad Ghaffar(Egypt).   The four leaders took.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 29th August 2016

Tanzania upstages Mozambique on gas

 Tanzania, which won the geopolitics battle with Kenya, by snatching away the pipeline deal, has also upped its stake with its gas plant, trying to upstage Mozambique, which is still reeling from dampened investor confidence, following the $1 billion hidden funds scandal with IMF.   The start of the gas pipeline plant will also raise confidence on the Tanzania-Uganda oil pipeline deal championed by Paris-based Total, which was one of the riders Kampala received, allowing.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 29th August 2016

Japan pledges $10B for African infrastructure

 Japan will give $10 billion in infrastructural aid to Africa over the next three years, the country's leader told a major development summit in Nairobi, Kenya on Saturday. Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe told the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) the funded projects would include electricity generation and urban transport. Roads and ports will also be targeted for development.   Speaking in front of 34 African heads of state, Abe added that.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 29th August 2016

Tanzania receives $2m for water, power projects

 Tanzania is to develop irrigation and hydropower projects in the southern highlands after receiving $2.26 million under the Africa Water Facility (AWF) project for a 22-month pre-feasibility study.   The project will be funded by the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) and the government of Tanzania.   The Tanzania project is part of AWF’s $1.8 billion water and sanitation projects in Africa.   The Climate Resilient Infrastructure Development Facility will.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 29th August 2016

Japan looks to boost trade with Africa

 ”They’re being driven out by the Chinese,” said Caroline Mwazapi, a resident of Tanzania’s commercial capital. “The Chinese bikes are often less than half the price but people don’t mind if they don’t last as long. They’ll just buy another and still save money”, FT reported. Such trends are largely the result of Beijing’s aggressive approach to capturing African markets as it has flooded the continent with affordable.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 29th August 2016

Ethiopia and Tanzania agree on power export deal

 Tanzania is set to sign electricity power export deal with Ethiopia making it the fourth African country purchasing electricity from the latter.   Ethiopia’s national power company (EEP) on Saturday announced that Tanzania has agreed to purchase 400 MW of Ethiopia’s hydro-power processed electricity.   EEP’s Chief Executive Officer, Azeb Asnake said the agreement between the two countries will be finalized in the coming weeks.   Azeb said.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 29th August 2016

Tanzania to sign 400MW power purchase deal with Ethiopia

  Tanzanian authorities said on Saturday that the country will sign a 400 megawatts power purchase agreement with Ethiopia in the coming weeks.   Felchesmi Mramba, Managing Director of state-owned Tanzania Electric Supply Company, said the official signing of the power pact will be preceded by a meeting in Arusha of 10 member states of the Eastern Africa Power Pool.   Countries forming the Eastern Africa Power Pool are Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Ethiopia,.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 29th August 2016

Global Lighting Ballasts Market to Witness Growth Opportunities in APAC Through 2020, Says Technavio

 The global lighting ballasts market 2016-2020 is expected to decline from 1,403 units in 2016 to 872.7 units in 2020, according to Technavio’s latest report   In this report, Technavio covers the market outlook and growth prospects of the global lighting ballasts market for 2016-2020. The report presents the major vendors that manufacture lighting ballast in regions such as the Americas; Asia-Pacific (APAC); and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). It.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 27th August 2016

Create a designer home without breaking the bank

 THE diversity of South Africa’s design industry is good news for cash-strapped households who now have inexpensive options to freshen up their homes in a makeover.   Monique Nel, interior designer and showroom manager, as well as graduate of the Independent Institute of Education (IIE) and Design School Southern Africa (DSSA), explains.   According to Stats SA, South Africans now have less disposable income in their hands to spend on luxuries.   This.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 27th August 2016

Plastics – boring for some, but a thriving business for this East African company

 People generally don’t give much thought to the plastic bottle from which they drink their Coke, or the hangers they store their clothes on.   However, East African company Silafrica, established in 1967, has built a successful business from plastics, and is seeing plenty of scope for future growth.   Akshay Shah, managing director for Silafrica, says that while in the past consumers didn’t really care which brand of plastics they bought, they are.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 27th August 2016

Simulation Software Reduces Turbine Maintenance Downtime

 The maintenance arm of a South African electricity provider is better able to plan for ultrasonic testing of the steam turbine blades in its power plants.   Part of why people seem skeptical of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), in my opinion, is that they expect it to be some sort of magic pill, and then they don’t think it can possibly live up to the hype. Well, if you expect it to be a magic pill, then it won’t live up to the hype.   But if.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 27th August 2016

Kenya: Japan to Offer Technology Support to Kenya

 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said his country is focusing on sharing high-quality technology and skills with African countries to help boost agricultural productivity.   Mr Abe said by so doing, Kenya wouldl be able to improve the efficiency of human resources in industrialisation and development.   During a press briefing when he visited President Uhuru Kenyatta at Statehouse in Nairobi on Friday, Mr Abe said he was accompanied by 76 representatives from.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 27th August 2016