Author: Ableditor

Cameroon is positioning its mineral resources for a new wave of investment, with an Australian company proposing to inject $10 million into the country’s Nkamouna cobalt-nickel-manganese project. Aeternum has agreed to invest the funds for a 50.1 per cent controlling stake in American Renaissance Minerals, which holds interests in the Nkamouna project. The transaction remains conditional on ARM securing a new mining permit. The proposed investment comes as Cameroon seeks to transform its mining industry and reduce its reliance on traditional sources of export revenue. Nkamouna is particularly significant because cobalt remains an important input in batteries and other advanced…

Southern Africa is facing a defining industrial challenge: how to turn its abundant mineral resources, growing consumer markets and infrastructure investments into a deeper manufacturing economy. The region’s manufacturing value added accounted for about 8.7 per cent of GDP in 2024, according to the African Development Bank’s Africa Industrialisation Index. The figure has changed little over the past decade, highlighting the difficulty of moving economies beyond commodities and low-value production. Yet there are signs of change. South Africa continues to attract major automotive investments, while Zimbabwe is seeing manufacturing benefit from lithium and other mineral investment. Botswana is developing leather…

Botswana is seeking to turn its strategic location in Southern Africa into a platform for regional manufacturing, with German organic baby-food company HiPP exploring the establishment of a production and distribution hub in the country. The proposed investment is expected to strengthen local manufacturing, create employment and position Botswana as a gateway to the Southern African market. Botswana’s Minister of International Relations Butale held discussions with HiPP executives in Munich in July as the company moved towards completing formalities and due diligence for the proposed investment. The project is significant because it represents the type of investment Botswana needs as…

Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector is showing signs of renewed momentum as investment in mining, particularly lithium, begins to generate wider industrial activity. The country’s economy grew an estimated 7.6 per cent in 2025, following a drought-induced slowdown the previous year. Manufacturing expanded by 4.2 per cent, while mining grew by 7.3 per cent, supported by continued lithium investment and stronger gold and platinum prices. The numbers point to an important shift. Zimbabwe has long struggled with industrial capacity, currency instability, infrastructure constraints and shortages of capital. But increased investment in mineral production is beginning to create demand for equipment, processing, construction,…

Botswana is betting on leather processing and value addition to diversify its economy and create a new manufacturing base around one of its traditional economic assets — livestock. The clearest example is Lobatse, where a major tannery revitalisation project is nearing completion. The P218 million Botswana Meat Commission Lobatse Tannery is expected to be completed in September 2026. The facility is designed to process up to 1,200 hides a day, allowing Botswana to capture more value from its cattle industry instead of exporting raw hides. The project is part of a wider industrialisation strategy for Lobatse, which has been designated…

South Africa’s automotive manufacturing sector has received another vote of confidence after Volkswagen Group Africa committed R4 billion to its Kariega plant in the Eastern Cape. The investment will support production of the new Volkswagen Tengo, which will become the third model manufactured at the facility alongside the Polo and Polo Vivo. The investment was welcomed by President Cyril Ramaphosa during Volkswagen’s 75th anniversary celebrations in South Africa. The announcement comes at an important moment for the country’s manufacturing industry. South Africa remains the continent’s most developed automotive manufacturing base, with a network of component suppliers, assembly plants, logistics companies…

Morocco has long sold travellers the romance of Marrakech — its ochre walls, souks, riads and bustling medina. But the country’s appeal stretches far beyond the Red City. For travellers looking for a more layered experience, Fes offers a journey into Morocco’s intellectual and cultural past. Its ancient medina, narrow lanes and traditional artisans make it one of the country’s most atmospheric destinations. Further north, Chefchaouen has become one of Africa’s most photographed towns. Its blue-washed buildings sit dramatically against the Rif Mountains, creating a destination that feels almost dreamlike. Then there is Tangier, where Africa meets the Mediterranean. Once…

The pyramids remain Egypt’s most recognisable attraction, but travellers who venture beyond Cairo discover that the country’s most enduring travel experience may actually be the Nile. A journey south from Cairo opens a different Egypt — one of temples, ancient settlements, desert landscapes and river communities. Luxor is the natural starting point. Often described as the world’s greatest open-air museum, the city sits beside some of ancient Egypt’s most important archaeological sites. Across the Nile is the Valley of the Kings, where pharaohs were buried in elaborate tombs carved into the desert mountains. Further south lies Aswan, a slower and…

Tunisia offers something increasingly valuable to modern travellers: the ability to combine Mediterranean beaches, ancient history, desert adventures and North African culture within a relatively compact country. The journey can begin in Tunis, where the old medina provides an introduction to the country’s Arab, Ottoman and Mediterranean influences. From the capital, travellers can head to Carthage, the ancient city whose ruins sit beside some of the country’s most desirable coastal neighbourhoods. Nearby Sidi Bou Said is perhaps Tunisia’s most recognisable postcard. Whitewashed buildings, blue doors and views across the Mediterranean have made the hilltop village a favourite for photographers and…

Algeria possesses something increasingly rare in global tourism: the feeling of discovery. Africa’s largest country combines Mediterranean coastline, Roman ruins, Ottoman architecture and some of the Sahara’s most extraordinary landscapes, yet remains less visited than its North African neighbours. Algiers provides the natural introduction. The capital’s white buildings climb the Mediterranean hills, while the historic Casbah offers a maze of streets, mosques, homes and markets that tell the story of centuries of Mediterranean and Ottoman influence. Outside the capital, Algeria’s Roman heritage is remarkable. Timgad, founded during the Roman Empire, is among the best-preserved ancient cities in North Africa. Its…