- The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has announced they may be forced to suspend essential aid in nearly 20 countries due to funding cuts from its major donors.
- The highly anticipated Africa Energy Bank (AEB) is set to launch in the first quarter of 2025, according to Nigeria's Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.
- Mali has introduced new taxes on mobile voice calls and mobile money withdrawals to help fund its fight against an ongoing Islamic insurgency threatening parts of the country.
- The announcement comes after US President Donald Trump froze all aid to South Africa due to the country’s new land expropriation law and its allegations of genocide against Israel.
- Zimbabwe currently holds the largest share of lithium deposits in Africa, with significant Chinese investments. But Nigeria is also eager to claim a piece of the global market. By 2030, Africa is projected to supply 20% of the world’s lithium.
- In a surprising move for Silicon Valley's tech ecosystem, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has openly rejected a $97 billion bid from Elon Musk to acquire the AI company.
- The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), established under the Trump administration and spearheaded by Elon Musk has blocked funding for Liberia.
- Affordability, as the years go by has become more of a primary concern for citizens in many African cities, as they attempt to strike a balance between their income and living expenses.
- Africa's crypto adoption continues to grow, increasing from 40.1 million to 43.5 million users, an 8.5% rise. But despite this steady climb, the continent has faced regulatory roadblocks.
- The Central African Republic (CAR) has introduced a meme coin, a move President Faustin-Archange Touadéra says will help boost the country's global profile.
- According to the IMF, Seychelles has the highest GDP per capita in Africa at $22,000, making it the continent’s leader in average income per person. Mauritius comes next with $13,100, while Gabon follows with $9,000.
- Tanzania is currently in the process of regulating the use of foreign currencies for local transactions, and instead opt exclusively for the use of the Tanzanian Shilling.
- S&P Global Ratings has cautioned that the intensifying conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could negatively impact their credit ratings, as the economic strain of war weakens both nations.
- Former U.S. President Donald Trump disbanded the Department of Justice unit specializing in tracing and recovering multibillion-dollar loot from corrupt foreign leaders.
- Ethiopia is the largest USAID beneficiary in Africa, receiving $1.20 billion in aid. The Democratic Republic of Congo follows closely with the same amount of $1.20 billion.
- U.S. President Donald Trump has frozen aid to South Africa over a controversial land expropriation law making it easier for the state to expropriate land in the public interest.
- With a growing population in many African countries and increased life expectancy, a solid pension system is essential not just for retiree well-being, but also for governments' long-term economic stability.
- Pollution in many regions and Africa most especially, leads to complex issues that go beyond environmental concerns, affecting both public health and overall productivity.
- Countries are often added to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list due to deficiencies in their anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) frameworks.
- Russia and Ethiopia are looking into the viability of trading in their local currencies, as well as bolstering their already budding bilateral relations.
- FlySafair, South Africa's largest airline, stands out as the only African airline featured in Cirium's latest "Most On-Time Airlines" rankings, at the regional level (Middle East and Africa).
- Moroccan authorities prevented 78,685 migrants from attempting to enter the European Union illegally in 2024, marking a 4.6% increase from the previous year.
- Known for its vast landscapes, cultural diversity, and vibrant ecosystems, Africa offers some of the most unforgettable travel experiences. Morocco and Botswana are ranked among the 25 best places to visit in 2025.
- Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi will join a joint summit of Eastern and Southern African leaders in Tanzania on February 7-8 to discuss the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo.
- The Senegalese government is seeking to redefine its long-standing relationship with its former colonial rulers, the French, by renaming public places.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he will not attend the G-20 summit in South Africa scheduled for February 20-21, citing concerns over South Africa’s newly enacted land-expropriation law.
- Given Zimbabwe’s extensive debt to China, and the West’s reluctance to do business with the Southern African nation, Zimbabwe over the last few years has been handed an olive branch by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
