Major International Business Headlines Brief ::: 07 October 2025

[Bulls n Bears]

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Major International Business Headlines Brief :::  07 October  2025 

 


 


 


 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

 


 

 


 

ü  Ethiopia Intensifies Drive to Restore Abay and Red Sea Waterways for
Equitable Dev't - President Taye

ü  Uganda: Ministry Issues Caution to Motorists As Landslides Hit Kigezi
Roads

ü  Lesotho Families, Moved to Make Way for a Dam, Lose Court Battle

ü  Namibia's Value-Added Sectors to Feel Impact of Agoa Expiry

ü  South Africa: 'Operation Dudula' Hunts Down Illegal Migrants

ü  Nigeria: Federal Highways of Horror - Collapsed Roads Making Life
Unbearable for Travellers - Investigation

ü  Bitcoin Adoption Rises Across Africa Amid Shifting Global Market Trends

ü  Ethiopia, Pakistan Agree to Strengthen Defence and Aviation Cooperation

ü  Liberia: LERC, Afur Build Capacity of Mini-Grid Operators On Tariff Tool
and Methodology

ü  Tanzania: CCM Promises Major Road Upgrades in Busanda

ü  Tanzania: Coop Bank Issues Over 49bn/ - in Loans

ü  Tanzania: Seize Opportunities in Coffee Sector, RC Babu Tells Farmers

ü  Tanzania: ATM Fees Divide Banks, Scale Emerging As Key Factor

ü  Uganda: Three Remanded Over Online Scam Impersonating Businessman Hamis
Kiggundu

 


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Ethiopia Intensifies Drive to Restore Abay and Red Sea Waterways for
Equitable Dev't - President Taye

Addis Ababa — The government of Ethiopia is intensifying efforts to secure
the nation's rightful access to the Abay (Nile) and Red Sea waterways,
ensuring its fair and sustainable utilization, President Taye Atske Selassie
underscored.

 

Speaking at the joint opening session of the House of Peoples'
Representatives and the House of Federation for the fifth year, the
President underscored that Ethiopia stands as a nation strategically
positioned between Abay and the Red Sea.

 

According to him, Ethiopia's rise and fall have long been bound to the fate
of these two waters.

 

 

However, President Taye argued that Ethiopia has been unfairly denied access
to both water bodies, a nation close in geography yet distant in
utilization.

 

Given its geographical, historical, economic backgrounds, Ethiopia has
initiated discussions to secure a sea outlet based on the principle of
mutual benefits and partnership that provide amicable opportunities to
strengthen shared development.

 

This agenda has been steadily gaining momentum at the international stage,
it was learned.

 

Currently, the government is actively pursuing the restoration of Ethiopia's
rightful access to these waters, guaranteeing fair and sustainable benefits,
President Taye told the parliamentarians.

 

In that regard, the President stated: "Ethiopia has successfully established
itself as an active participant in the geopolitical dialogue on these two
waters. Moreover, the long-neglected issue of sea access has now been
elevated to the international agenda."

 

 

Looking ahead, President Taye stated that the government will pursue
diplomatic and peaceful initiatives to strengthen cooperation and
interconnectedness concerning the two waters -- the Abay and the Red Sea,
while considering the development interests of nations in the region.

 

He further affirmed that Ethiopia will work with regional partners on the
principle of give-and-take to secure a sea outlet.

 

The government will also engage with Nile riparian countries to foster
collaboration and build mutual trust over the Abay (Nile) waters.

 

Read the original article on ENA.

 

 

 

 

Uganda: Ministry Issues Caution to Motorists As Landslides Hit Kigezi Roads

The Ministry of Works and Transport has urged motorists to exercise caution
while driving through parts of the Kigezi sub-region after landslides
disrupted sections of key roads following heavy rainfall.

 

In a traffic update shared on X, the Ministry reported that the
Rubuguri-Katojo road and parts of the Kabale-Kisoro main highway were
affected by landslides that left debris across the road, hampering movement.

 

"Our Station team in Kabale is on ground and mobilising to clear the debris
to reopen the affected sections," the Ministry said, noting that efforts are
underway to restore normal traffic flow.

 

The Ministry also revealed that its gravel road network across Kigezi is
being closely monitored to ensure timely interventions and prevent further
disruptions as rains continue.

 

Motorists have been strongly advised to drive with caution along the
affected routes and throughout the sub-region during this rainy season.

 

Known for its mountainous terrain, the Kigezi sub-region frequently
experiences road blockages during heavy rains, posing risks to both drivers
and pedestrians. The Ministry assured the public that emergency response
teams remain on standby to manage such incidents and maintain safe travel
conditions.

 

Read the original article on Nile Post.

 

 

 

Lesotho Families, Moved to Make Way for a Dam, Lose Court Battle

Five families who were moved to make way for the Mohale Dam in the Lesotho
mountains have lost a court battle over compensation.

Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) policy is that families who
are moved must share compensation with their new community.

The families argued that their new community did not have the same assets,
such as grazing land, and they should not have to share their R1-million
compensation.

But the court ruled that the families, from Ha Seotsa village, must share
the funds with the community of Thuathe, where they now live.

After more than 20 years, five families displaced by the construction of the
Mohale Dam in the mountains of Lesotho have finally had their day in court,
only to be told they must share their long-awaited compensation with the
community where they live now.

 

 

At the centre of the dispute is a long-standing policy of the Lesotho
Highlands Development Authority (LHDA), which requires resettled families to
share compensation for lost communal assets with the community where they
are moved to.

 

In a recent High Court judgment, the families, who were moved to make way
for the construction of the Mohale Dam under the Lesotho Highlands Water
Project, lost their case against the LHDA. They had argued that the policy
was unjust because their new community did not have comparable communal
resources, such as grazing land, to reciprocate.

 

But the court upheld the LHDA policy as lawful, ruling that the displaced
families must share their lump-sum payment of more than M1-million
(R1-million) with the Thuathe community, where they were resettled between
2002 and 2004.

 

This decision, delivered by Justice M.S. Kopo on 21 August 2025, brings an
end to a legal battle that had dragged on since 2018. The five applicants,
Lakabane Mokoatsi, 'Malebohang Moqekela, 'Makopano Mokeki, Tsotang Moqekela,
and 'Mahalio Senne, were among families relocated from the now submerged Ha
Seotsa village in Ha Mohale.

 

 

Individual payment

 

In their court submissions, the families said their relocation to Thuathe
had caused them severe and irreversible losses, arguing that "their standard
of living and income has been lowered". The principle behind compensation,
they said, was to ensure that "the standard of living and the income of
persons displaced shall not be reduced" from where they were before the
displacement.

 

They told the court that Thuathe offered none of the communal resources they
once relied on. "There are no communal assets where [we] have been resettled
to be shared by us and the host community," they said.

 

"We are no longer able to keep animals due to the absence of grazing lands,
there are no brushwoods, medicinal plants, wild vegetables and useful
grasses in the host community."

 

 

They argued that it was unfair to force them to share compensation with
people who had not suffered similar losses. Being directly compensated for
the communal assets instead of allowing the compensation to be paid to the
community with them included, they said, was the only way to restore them
"as nearest as possible to their original standard of living".

 

To strengthen their argument, the applicants cited the case of the Matala
Resettlers affected by the same project, who had been moved to an urban area
under the Maseru City Council. In that case, the Ombudsman ruled in favour
of the families, finding that they had been resettled in an urban area and
there were no communal assets to be shared by the host community.

 

The Ha Seotsa families insisted their situation was comparable, as Thuathe
also lacked communal assets.

 

LHDA defence

 

In its response, the LHDA said its compensation programme was designed to
cover affected households and communities for the loss of "rights and access
to communal assets, including grazing, brushwood fuel, useful grasses, and
medicinal plants." It confirmed that the total compensation for the loss of
natural resources owed was M1,050,597.

 

However, the authority maintained that Thuathe is a rural area and therefore
subject to a clause in the 1997 Compensation Policy which provides that
communal compensation "shall be used for development purposes within the
communities".

 

The LHDA distinguished the applicants' case from the Matala one, stating
that individual payments were only made to urban resettled households
because there were no communal assets to share. In rural areas, however, the
policy aimed to "link the resettled households and the host community".

 

The LHDA conceded that the families had lost access to some resources from
Ha Seotsa, but disputed that Thuathe offered none. The families would
benefit from shared infrastructure funded by the compensation, such as water
supply systems, schools, community hall, administrative offices and clinics,
the LHDA said.

 

It would be "unfair to burden the resources of the host community with
resettled households whilst the resettled households will be enjoying
compensation for their communal assets alone."

 

The authority argued that it had followed the law and urged the court not to
"interfere with the decision of the LHDA to allocate the communal
compensation due to the rural community of Thuathe for the benefit of the
whole community."

 

In her ruling, Justice Kopo concluded that the LHDA's policy distinction
between rural and urban resettled households was lawful.

 

The court found that since the families had been resettled in a rural area,
the LHDA's requirement for shared compensation was "not against the parent
law".

 

"The host community together with the resettled households will share the
compensation," Kopo ruled.

 

The application by Lakabane Mokoatsi and the other families was dismissed
with costs.

 

Read the original article on GroundUp.

 

 

 

 

Namibia's Value-Added Sectors to Feel Impact of Agoa Expiry

The expiry of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) is expected to
weaken Namibia's export diversification and reduce investment incentives in
value-added industries, Simonis Storm warns.

 

The United States (US) trade framework officially expired on 30 September,
ending 25 years of duty-free access for goods exported from sub-Saharan
African countries to the United States.

 

Simonis Storm junior economist Almandro Jansen says the loss of US trade
preferences will make it harder for Namibian sectors such as fish
processing, beef, beverages and manufactured goods to compete globally.

 

 

"For Namibia, the direct exposure under Agoa has historically been modest,
given that its US-bound exports are concentrated in uranium, non-monetary
gold, copper and diamonds -- commodities that already attract low
most-favoured-nation duties," Jansen says.

 

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

 

He notes that Agoa's expiry marks a major shift in Africa-US trade
relations, with far-reaching implications for export growth,
industrialisation and regional strategy.

 

"Its lapse removes these preferences, subjecting African goods to
most-favoured-nation tariffs and, in some cases, additional US
sector-specific duties," he says.

 

Jansen says while Namibia's export mix cushions it from immediate tariff
exposure, the long-term risk lies in slower diversification and declining
investor confidence.

 

"Without Agoa, new manufacturing and processing ventures targeting the US
market are likely to slow. This reduces Namibia's incentives to channel
investment into higher-value exports, at a time when broadening beyond raw
minerals is a strategic imperative," he adds.

 

 

Across the continent, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
projects that the loss of Agoa could cut African exports to the US by nearly
9%, with the largest impact on countries that had used the scheme to move up
the value chain.

 

"The uncertainty around US trade policy -- magnified by the simultaneous
imposition of new tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada -- adds to the
volatility of global value chains," Jansen says.

 

He adds that the end of Agoa serves both as a warning and an opportunity for
Namibia.

 

"The warning lies in dependence on unilateral trade preferences that can
vanish overnight, while the opportunity lies in accelerating local value
addition, expanding agro-processing and leveraging Walvis Bay's logistics
hub under the African Continental Free Trade Area," Jansen says.

 

"Namibia's ability to capture greater value will depend less on preferential
access to distant markets and more on building resilient regional value
chains, improving industrial competitiveness and aligning with Africa's
broader trade integration agenda," he adds.

 

Read the original article on Namibian.

 

 

 

 

South Africa: 'Operation Dudula' Hunts Down Illegal Migrants

The South African anti-immigration movement Operation Dudula has opened a
new front in its crackdown on foreigners. Experts believe that
socio-economic disparities and ensuing problems fuel the group's popularity.

 

The South African populist, nationalist and anti-immigration group
"Operation Dudula" is once more making headlines, having recently launched a
campaign targeting migrant children.

 

By arguing that there are not enough school placements for South African
children, the overtly xenophobic group has called for the exclusion of
migrant children from public schools.

 

Operation Dudula is known for its head-turning publicity stunts. Members of
the group have, for instance, blocked access to public hospitals for
foreigners in the country, saying they should not use facilities funded by
taxpayers' money.

 

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

 

Operation Dudula's motto — "South Africans First" — continues to attract
growing numbers of people who appear to share their belief in taking the law
into their own hands.

 

 

Xenophobia: A leftover of Apartheid politics

 

Founded in 2021 as a vigilante movement against crime and drug trafficking
in the township of Soweto, just outside the country's economic capital of
Johannesburg, the populist movement even registered as a political party in
2023, but did not run in the 2024 elections in South Africa.

 

That year saw widespread unrest across the country, which severely impacted
the economy and resulted in more than 350 deaths.

 

Fredson Guilengue, a project manager at the left-wing Rosa Luxemburg
Foundation in Johannesburg, says that much of the violence at the time was
blamed on foreigners, which helped the group gain momentum.

 

"It ... joined the narrative that crime in South Africa, unemployment, and
poor access to health care are related to the number of foreigners in the
country," Guilengue told DW, adding that such xenophobic attitudes are more
prevalent in Johannesburg and Durban than in Cape Town.

 

 

Xenophobia is deeply rooted in South African society. Guilengue stressed
that blaming migrants for problems in the country is nothing new. "Apartheid
created two societies in South Africa: a white society with an abundance of
security, good health, education, and prosperity. And a society of black
people without rights, an unorganized society without employment, in which
people had to compete for the few resources available."

 

As a result, Guilengue believes that foreigners — especially those from
other African countries — have become the contemporary scapegoats for South
Africa's ongoing inequalities, 31 years after the end of Apartheid rule.

 

Are foreigners to blame for South Africa's unemployment?

 

 

However, South Africa's economy is highly dependent on cheap foreign labor —
especially in the face of the country's high unemployment rate of over 33%.
Foreigners often compete with locals for jobs and opportunities, but they're
also competing for the country's resources.

 

This had led to accusations that foreigners are stealing jobs that should go
to South Africans. Some South Africans have gone as far as accusing
foreigners of "stealing" people's wives.

 

According to Guilengue, Dudula merely picked up on this narrative and has
spread it further, encouraging an atmosphere of  discrimination and
hostility toward African migrants.

 

Operation Dudula supporters are known for their aggressive tactics,
including forcing their way into residential buildings, searching for
migrants, checking their ID cards, and blocking access to public services.

 

"It's really about protecting our civil rights. We are all Africans, we love
our brothers and sisters, but we simply don't appreciate how they behave in
this country," says Zandile Dabula, the leader of Operation Dudula.

 

"The escalating crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, that's bad,"
Dabula said, adding that someone had to stand up and save South Africa's
next generation. "We protect rather than persecute," she told DW, rejecting
the accusation that the group's methods amount to hunting down migrants.

 

In her view, the group's members only take action against people who are in
South Africa illegally, as these are the people who, according to Dabula,
cause widespread chaos. "People should tell us where to find them; we depend
on tip-offs," she added.

 

Number of foreigners in South Africa hugely exaggerated

 

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Pretoria published a paper in
2022, which found that many of Operation Dudula's claims are based on
exaggerations about the number and influence of foreign nationals in South
Africa.

 

"There are about 3.95 million migrants in the country, which is about 6.5%
of the population. This is in line with international standards," the
authors of the study wrote.

 

"The false claims that immigrants commit most crimes or overload public
services are often routinely made by politicians and government officials —
they reinforce this negative public sentiment," Lizette Lancaster, one of
the authors, told DW.

 

"This allows them [politicians and government officials] to distract from
the government's failure to provide services due to widespread corruption
and mismanagement," she added.

 

Research has indeed shown that immigrants do not commit more crimes than
South Africans. Only about 2.3% prisoners are foreigners, according to the
ISS, citing criminal justice data.

 

Distraction from government failure

 

But even some right-wing sympathizers will disagree with some of Dudula's
attention-grabbing actions, such as targeting the sick: in July, Dudula
supporters refused entry to a Malawian mother of a one-year-old child to a
healthcare facility.

 

The woman and her baby had been forcefully turned away in front of a health
center in the township of Alexandra in Johannesburg by members of Operation
Dudula as she could not produce a South African identity card.

 

Her sick child died shortly afterwards.

 

South Africa's Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), widely perceived to be
equally radical as Operation Dudula, has filed murder charges, with police
confirming that they had opened investigations.

 

Guilengue believes that Operation Dudula benefits even from such negative
press.  The group wants to be noticed more in an increasingly fragmented
political landscape, where it is not the only xenophobic movement.

 

According to his assessment, there is a "significant number of supporters in
South African society who primarily blame foreigners."

 

Ultimately, with the group registered as a political party, it might all
boil down to gaining more power.

 

ISS researcher Lancaster agrees that the current popularity of the group is
only exacerbated by what she calls a spike in the "toxic mix" of mistrust
toward migrants and corrupt police officers who specifically target
foreigners and collect bribes from them during ID checks.

 

However, she noted that the fringe movement poses no real threat to South
Africa's democracy. Most of Operation Dudula supporters are in urban areas
in communities where there are few jobs and many socio-economic problems.

 

"People feel marginalized and forgotten by the government," she says, adding
confidently that "most South Africans, over 90%, do not support violence
against migrants in their communities."

 

Thuso Khumalo in Johannesburg contributed to this article.

 

Edited by: Sertan Sanderson

 

 

 

 

Nigeria: Federal Highways of Horror - Collapsed Roads Making Life Unbearable
for Travellers - Investigation

By Emma Amaize, Soni Daniel, Dayo Johnson, Sam Oyadongha, Olasunkanmi Akoni,
Wole Mosadomi Ademola Akinyemi, Bashir Bello, Ndahi Marama, Peter Duru,
Therese-Marie Nanlong, Steve Oko, Jeff Agbodo, Charly Agwam, Femi Bolaji,
Idris Salisu, Haruna Aliyu, Musa Ubandawaki, Abel Daniel, Egufe Yafugborhi,
Ozioruva Aliu, Emma Unah, Dan Abia, Ochuko Akuopha, Ike Uchechukwu, Calabar
& John Alechenu

...We're doing our best, says Work Ministry

 

Daily reports across Nigeria have continued to feature this frightening,
albeit alarming, reality: there is a surge in fatal auto crashes nationwide
due to the deteriorating road network.

 

Indeed, more than 80 per cent of these accidents, according to findings by
Vanguard, have been linked to the appalling condition of major roads and
ineffective highway management authorities. These arteries, once considered
lifelines of regional trade and mobility, have now degenerated into craters
of chaos.

 

>From East to West, North to South, the surfaces of most of the roads are
scarred with deep, gaping potholes. Long stretches are virtually impassable
in many instances. Erosion has eaten away entire lanes, and the absence of
street lighting and signage leaves motorists vulnerable, especially at
night.

 

Traveling these roads is not just inconvenient; it is life-threatening. The
consequences of these infrastructural failures have been devastating.
Motorists routinely lose control while navigating the perilous motorways,
often leading to catastrophic outcomes.

 

 

Federal roads are owned and maintained by the federal government; they cut
across all the states in the country, with many of them connecting two or
more states in the country.

 

Currently, Nigeria has the largest road network in West Africa, with more
than 108,000 kilometres of surfaced roads recorded in the 1900s.

 

The figures have significantly increased, with federal roads taking a good
portion of that figure. However, the lack of maintenance has seen a
continuous decay in the road infrastructure in the country.

 

Federal roads are supposed to connect roads, which makes them among the
busiest roads in the country. It is expected that they be well maintained to
ease the movement of every kind of vehicle.

 

Unfortunately, most travelers often find themselves stuck for hours on these
roads which are in most cases difficult to navigate due to several failed
sections, as evidenced by potholes, thus rendering them inaccessible,
especially during the rainy season.

 

 

Lagos and other South-West states: Conflicting tales of the good, the bad

 

Over the years, motorists and residents in Lagos have faced a hectic time
navigating the state due to several failed sections of federal and link
roads.

 

The poor state of some roads and the trauma commuters experience daily
navigating through them can only be better imagined. Unfortunately, the
effect of recent heavy rainfall has further exposed shoddy works done on
most of the dilapidated roads in recent time.

 

Some of these federal roads include Lagos-Ota Road; Lagos-Sagamu-Ibadan dual
carriageway, Sections I & II; Apapa /Tin Can Port Road, Lagos State,
Nigeria; NNPC Depot (Atlas Cove) to Mile 2 Access Road, Lagos State,
Nigeria; Ikorodu-Sagamu, Ojota-Ikorodu Road; and Lagos-Badagry Road, among
others.

 

 

Despite recent public outcry, many federal roads in Lagos are still begging
for rehabilitation. It was gathered that contracts for either reconstruction
or rehabilitation of some of the roads were awarded only to be abandoned by
the contractors after moving to the site.

 

Many sections of Agege Motor Road in Lagos still remain deplorable. Some
neglected parts of the road in dire need of repairs are the Mushin-Olosha,
Bolade-Oshodi and Dorman Long sections. Agege Motor Road is a Federal
Government road connecting Oshodi, Mushin, Olosha, Ojuelegba, Ikeja Along
and other parts of Lagos.

 

Residents, motorists lament ordeals

 

Residents and motorists have, therefore, called for urgent rehabilitation
and reconstruction, where necessary, to save their lives and properties.

 

Some of the motorists expressed worry as many have died in accidents on bad
roads, while many others have been forced to abandon their homes due to the
collapse of the infrastructure.

 

In spite of the palliative work done on the Mushin-Olosha section of Agege
Motor Road, when Vanguard visited, some failed sections were clearly
exposed, particularly the road opposite Conoil filling station where granite
materials were used to fill the potholes, making driving difficult.

 

A resident around Olosha, Mr. Adeoye Bilesanmi, said hoodlums now take
advantage of the situation to attack motorists, especially at night,
dispossessing them of their valuables.

 

He also lamented the air pollution from dust raised by moving vehicles,
warning that this posed serious danger to the general public.

 

Another motorist, Damola Oloyode, a middle-aged man, lamented: "The poor
condition of the Old Agege Motor Road by Mangoro, inward Guinness, kept
damaging my Korope and has cost me huge amount of money in repair expenses.

 

"The road is not good, as you can see. I have spent over N150,000 on repairs
lately. The road has been in poor state for over five years, unattended. It
kept on degrading gradually until it got to this very bad stage."

 

Meanwhile, at the time of filing this report, messages sent to the Federal
Controller of Works and FERMA had not been responded to, days after they
were sent.

 

Residents, commuters decry deteriorating state of federal roads in Ondo

 

In Ondo State, the situation is not different as sesidents and commuters
plying federal roads across the state have expressed dismay over the
deplorable conditions of the roads.

 

The journey from Akure to Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, which used to
be between 25 and 35 minutes, has elongated travel time to over one hour 30
minutes due to gullies that now dot the road from the stretch of Ado motor
park in Akure.

 

Motorists now take the longer route through Igbara-Oke before accessing
Ekiti State through Igbara-Odo and Ilawe-Ekiti. Despite protests by
residents and commuters over the state of the highway, work on the road has
remained slow.

 

A motorist, Kunle Ajiroba, who said on account of this, they spend too much
on vehicle repairs, lamented: "The road is vital for business between Ondo
and Ekiti states. The government should complete it on time. We are really
suffering due to the delay in completion of the road."

 

Some commercial drivers interviewed lamented that business had been dull as
passengers now avoid the road for security reasons. One of the drivers, Ojo
Omoniyi, said many passengers and motorists have been robbed on the road.

 

They called on the federal government to urgently repair the Ipele- Ido
Ani-Isua Akoko-Abuja highway, saying the road had been abandoned for years.

 

Banji Olarinde, a local, said that the highway traverses three council areas
in the state, including Owo, Ose and Akoko South-East.

 

Olarinde said the road which used to be a short route to Kogi State and
Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, from the Southern part of the country,
has remained impassable. According to him, motorists traveling from Lagos to
Kogi State, now take longer routes.

 

He said the deplorable state of the road has added to the economic hardship
of the people in the communities and appealed to the federal government to
pay attention to the road in a bid to prevent incessant abductions on the
bad road.

 

Speaking on the state of federal highways in the state, the state governor,
Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has, however, assured that his administration was taking
steps to assume responsibility for some federal roads in order to ease the
burden on the people.

 

Aiyedatiwa said: "Beyond the Ikare-Akoko, Idanre-Akure, and
Okitipupa-Igbokoda road projects that are already in motion, we will not
hesitate to intervene in other critical road corridors to enhance
connectivity."

 

Same situation applies to such federal highways as the Ife-Ilesa axis;
Ikirun-Otan Ayegbaju-Ila-Oke Ila road in Osun State where many people now
prefer to travel on motorcycles to Oke-Ila, Ora-Igbomina to Ekiti State due
to bad roads.

 

It was gathered that rehabilitation of the road commenced during the last
administration, but had since been abandoned and had become worse by the
day.

 

When contacted, the Director of Highways in Osun State said the federal
government would mobilise contractors back to site. But in the meantime,
Governor Ademola Adeleke has approved rehabilitation of the road to Oke-Ila
and Ora-Igbomina.

 

Also the Senator representing Osun-East senatorial district, Francis
Fadahunsi, said he, along with his colleagues, have secured the
understanding of the President on the need to urgently attend to the state
of the Ilesa-Ife-Akure express road to alleviate the suffering of
travellers.

 

How neglect is turning Oyo's highways into death traps

 

In Oyo State, the Ibadan-Ogbomoso highway; Ibadan-Ife road (especially the
Oyo State axis), and the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode and Ibadan-Abeokuta roads have all
but collapsed, contributing to federal road crashes in the state.

 

In one such tragedy recently, three siblings were killed by a speeding truck
which hit the Celica car they were travelling in along the Ibadan-Ife road.
The shock and grief that followed were compounded by a sense of helplessness
among local residents who say accidents at the same spot had become
"routine."

 

Tales of woes on federal roads in Ekiti

 

In Ekiti State, crater-like potholes, broken shoulders and collapsed
drainages now define several federal roads. From the busy Ado-Akure axis to
the Ado-Ijan-Iluomoba, the hilly Efon Alaaye route and Ado-Aramoko-Itawure
road, weeks of commuter complaints have hardened into daily survival tactics
with slower speeds, higher transport fares and frequent vehicle breakdowns.

 

Also, Ifaki-Oye-Ikole-Omuo-Abuja road is another sad story as the road has
completely collapsed and in absolute state of disrepair.

 

Banjo Olajide, a commercial driver, stated that the worst sections force
dangerous swerves at night, saying "you dodge one hole and face oncoming
traffic".

 

Andrew Victor, who plies the Ado Akure route also said "when it rains, the
holes turn into ponds; you can't tell the depth".

 

Transport unions equally estimated a steady rise in breakdowns such as burst
tyres, bent rims, damaged suspensions, driving up fares for daily commuters
and inter-state passengers.

 

Spine-chilling experience of road users in South-South

 

Similarly, many federal roads in the South-South have become death traps,
with the only exception being Bayelsa State where motorways are in fairly
good condition.

 

Motorists have fled the Itu-Calabar federal highway, which connects Akwa
Ibom State, for the waterways because of the frequent and fatal accidents on
the road due to its very bad nature.

 

In Cross River State, contractors executing federal roads complain of lack
of funds, and in Rivers State, the East-West Road, which is the artery
linking the six states of the oil-rich region, remains dislocated at
different sections.

 

Motorists and commuters undergo excruciating experiences, pass the nights,
and face attacks on the highways, on some occasions, before they get to
their destinations.

 

Appalling situation in Edo, regardless of interventions

 

Federal roads in Edo State are in deplorable condition, despite numerous
assurances and announcements of interventions by the federal and state
governments.

 

The Benin-Auchi-Lokoja road is impassable except for the portions Edo State
government has partially rehabilitated between Benin and Iruekpen and from
Agbede to Auchi.

 

The intervention by BUA Cement Company from Iruekpen area to the Edo North
district is ongoing, but not as fast as the people desire. The 30-kilometre
distance is on a tax credit arrangement.

 

The state government commenced work on the Auchi-Igarra-Ibillo federal road
a few weeks ago, following series of protests by the people.

 

Rehabilitation works have not commenced as of the time of filing this report
but the contractor has mounted equipment on the spot where Governor Monday
Okpebholo flagged off the rehabilitation.

 

Kidnappings occur mostly in the bad spots on the federal roads in Edo North
senatorial district.

 

Apart from the Ekpoma axis in the Edo Central senatorial district, the
Benin-Auchi-Lokoja federal road has broken down.

 

>From Ewu to Uromi and Uromi to Agbor in Delta State, the motorways are
appalling.

 

In Edo South, the by-pass, popularly known as the Benin Outer Ring Road,
which the Obasanjo administration awarded, has not been completed and is in
an appalling state.

 

The road provides access to several communities, including Ikueniro, Ahor,
Uteh, Iguosagie, parts of Oluku, Idogbo, and Utese. Some remedial work was
ongoing when Vanguard visited the bypass, but motorists complained that the
level of dilapidation is not commensurate with the scope of rehabilitation
work.

 

The Federal Government launched reconstruction of the road from the Ring
Road in Benin City to the Onitsha Bridge Head in Delta State early this
year. Therefore, reconstruction work is ongoing along the Benin-Agbor Road.

 

It is a concession to a private company that will reconstruct the road, toll
it, and maintain it for 25 years under a public-private agreement. The
125-kilometre road project is expected to cost over N200 billion.

 

One of the contractors is already working from the bypass towards the
Abudu-Agbor axis of the road, and people in the area are yearning for speedy
completion of the project.

 

The collapsed Benin-Warri Road

 

The most frequently targeted federal road segment in the state is the
Benin-Warri Road. Many locals are upset about the state of disrepair.

 

The NNPC initially began the reconstruction, but it was sluggish, prompting
the federal government to take over through Works Minister, David Umahi.

 

Those who drive in Edo State's capital lament the cost and duration of the
trip, but people who travel outside the state have a worse experience. The
state government undertook to shoulder 20 kilometres of the reconstruction
project.

 

Death traps called roads in the Delta

 

In Delta State, federal roads are in such terrible shape that drivers and
commuters who travel on them have nightmares. Road users have told stories
of suffering as they travel for hours on end to reach their destinations,
from the collapsed sections of the Warri/Sapele/Benin Road through the Spare
Parts Market U-Turn in Effurun to Ohore Junction before Omenta Bridge in the
Uvwie and Okpe Local Government Areas to the Asaba-Benin-Onitsha Expressway
and the Amukpe-Abraka-Agbor Road.

 

In the meantime, drivers are now forced to use alternate routes due to the
collapse of the Abavo axis of the Amukpe-Abraka-Agbor Road.

 

Pastor Justine Onyeibe, President-General of Abavo Clan Union in Abavo
community, recently called on the federal government to complete the
dualisation to eradicate the problem of kidnapping in the community.

 

He pointed out that poor road infrastructure had hampered Abavo, which for
many years had been a major economic centre in the center of Delta State.

 

According to him, contractors were mobilised between 2015 and 2016 to start
work on the project, which was awarded in 2014. Onyeibe lamented hat 10
years later, the road had been a barrier, rather than a bridge to economic
transformation.

 

State of our roads unacceptable --Asaba, Idjerhe monarchs

 

Following the bad state of federal roads in Delta State, the Asagba of
Asaba, HRM Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN, and the Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom, King
Obukowho Monday Whiskey, expressed concern over the deplorable state of the
Asaba-Benin-Onitsha and Benin-Sapele-Warri federal expressways recently.

 

HRM Azinge, who hosted a delegation from the Federal Road Maintenance
Agency, or FERMA, in his palace, said the Asaba-Agbor-Benin expressway was
one of the most crucial roads in Nigeria, connecting the South-West,
South-South, and South-East zones.

 

Responding, Onimago Olushola, an engineer who led the delegation, disclosed
that plans were already afoot to address the problem.

 

He disclosed that FERMA had met with the Federal Ministry of Works to
discuss rehabilitation measures, saying positive action would be taken soon.

 

King Whiskey, who also bemoaned the deplorable state of federal roads in the
South-South, described them as "death traps," calling on the federal
government to "urgently address the deplorable condition of federal roads in
Delta State.

 

"Most of these roads have been endangering lives, stalling economic
progress, and fuelling insecurity. We no longer have roads in the
South-South. What we have now are not motorable roads; they are death
traps," he said.

 

Delta govt's intervention

 

Meanwhile, the Delta State government has awarded contract for the
reconstruction of part of the collapsed section of the Warri/Sapele/Benin
Road to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, CCECC.

 

The project spans the stretch from the Spare Parts Market U-Turn in Effurun
to just after Ohore Junction, before the Omenta Bridge.

 

Festus Ahon, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, asserted:
"As a government, we have awarded the contract for that stretch of the road
to CCECC."

 

He said the project would be completed within 12 months, adding that the
state government also intervened in some other federal roads, including the
Ughelli/Asaba Road.

 

Lots of talk, little action in Rivers

 

On the East-West Road, commuters have suffered for decades, particularly at
the Eleme Roundabout and the Trailer Park, which are close to Onne Town in
Rivers State.

 

Though the federal government announced it would complete phase three of the
East-West Road, work on the 15-kilometre dual concrete carriageway from
Eleme to Onne in Rivers State is, however, very slow.

 

Also, the entire stretch of the road from the Eleme area down to the Aleto
Bridge, extending to the trailer park, needs urgent attention, as the
deplorable state of the road not only consumes man-hours but has also taken
many lives.

 

Consequently, rights activist, Franklin Eyo, called on the federal
government to stop playing politics with the road project and ensure that
the users of the all-important road enjoyed plying it.

 

Funding stalls federal roads in Cross River

 

Cross River State has five federal roads, including the
Calabar-Itu-Ikot-Ekpene Highway; the Calabar-Bakassi Road; the Ikom-Obudu
Road, the Abakaliki-Ikom-Cameroon Trans African Highway; and the
Ogoja-Ikom-Ugep-Calabar Highway.

 

Except for the Abakaliki-Ikom-Cameroon highway, built by African Development
Bank in collaboration with the federal government and other development
partners during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, majority
of the roads are in appalling condition.

 

The Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene, Ikom-Obudu, and Ogoja-Ikom-Calabar highways
have been the most severely dilapidated. They are death traps, causing
frequent accidents that have claimed lives, damaged property, and left many
maimed.

 

Since President Olusegun Obasanjo's time, the Calabar-Itu-Ikot-Ekpene road
has been awarded multiple times, but no construction has taken place.

 

The initial stages of work began under Buhari's leadership. The contract was
split between SERMATECH and Julius Berger. The company left after building
roughly five kilometers. Julius Berger was in charge of the Calabar axis and
was supposed to finish work at Ikot Offiong, in front of the Niger Delta
Power Plant.

 

"SERMATECH has been given the contract, but it appears the Calabar-Uyo Road
project is holding the company back," Kingsley, a Calabar Federal Ministry
of Works official, told Vanguard.

 

Another federal road that has remained in poor condition is the Ikom-Obudu
Road. The road is 100 kilometers long, with deep craters and broken bridges.
It has collapsed completely.

 

The rural community of Akpabong, where former Senate Leader, Victor
Ndoma-Egba resides, was marked with a sign indicating that FERMA was
responsible for its upkeep.

 

The road is a nightmare along its whole length, and there are shocking
images of cars falling off, bridges collapsing, and some locals farming on
parts of the road.

 

The Niger Delta Development Commission is working to restore the
Calabar-Bakassi Road.

 

Only yesterday, members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Works
called for a declaration of national emergency over the deplorable state of
federal roads in the state.

 

They also vowed to summon contractors handling federal projects, as well as
officials of the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Roads Maintenance
Agency, FERMA.

 

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Akinola Alabi,
who led other committee members on an inspection tour of the Calabar-Itu
highway, one of the major routes connecting Cross River State to other parts
of the region and the country, said: "As Chairman of the House Committee on
Works, I have seen different projects and roads across the country, but this
is the worst I have ever seen. I have never seen anything as terrible as
this," Alabi lamented.

 

He noted that the decision to switch from asphalt to concrete construction
had slowed down progress on the project and questioned the competence of
some of the contractors handling various sections of the road.

 

Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator
Rufai Hanga, supported the call for a national emergency and immediate
intervention.

 

"I am one hundred per cent in support of the call for a national emergency
and a public hearing. I have seen it all, and I am not satisfied. Something
must be done urgently," Hanga stated.

 

In his remarks, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing the Cross Rivers
Southern senatorial district, recalled that he had earlier moved a motion on
the Senate floor drawing attention to the deteriorating state of the
Calabar-Itu road.

 

"I raised this motion almost a year ago because this road has remained in a
state of disrepair for several years. We summoned the ministry and the
contractors and mounted pressure for its reconstruction. But one year after,
there has been no significant progress." he said.

 

Ekpenyong lamented the social and economic losses caused by the poor
condition of the road, including reduced commercial activity and
agricultural setbacks.

 

A Federal Ministry of Works official said: "All of those roads you mentioned
are under one project scheme or another. As a matter of fact, all of them
will soon be okay."

 

Motorists abandon federal roads for waterways in Akwa-Ibom

 

The Itu-Calabar Road stands out as the most dilapidated federal road
connecting Akwa Ibom State. From trucks falling on passenger vehicles to
crashes into craters and ditches, travelling on this road, which has
suffered years of non-completion, is such a nightmare for travelers. Many
have abandoned the death trap for the Oron water route to Calabar, the
capital of Cross River State.

 

A commercial vehicle said of the road: "As a commercial driver, I cannot use
my vehicle on that road any more. The last time I plied it, it cost me over
N100,000.00 in repairs. Passengers suffer too."

 

It was learned that even with three contractors engaged on the
reconstruction of the road, the project continues to move at snail's pace.

 

We're doing our best, says Work Ministry source

 

Efforts to get the reaction of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, have been
unsuccessful as he is said to be travelling around the country with his
team, inspecting road projects.

 

However, a source in the ministry who pleaded anonymity for fear of
retribution, told Vanguard that the enormity of the challenge of maintaining
the over 35,000 kilometres of federal roads in the country was overwhelming.

 

The source said: "The current administration is doing a lot but we are
stretched thin by so many factors, such as poor funding and the not too tidy
contractual arrangements signed by previous administrations.

 

"Recall, our current Minister, Engr. David Umahi, recently got approval from
the President to terminate (the contract of) sections of the
Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road from the initial contractor, Julius Berger. We had
disagreements over the issue of cost and completion timeline.

 

"In the past, some contractors, who neither had the equipment nor man power
to execute, were awarded multiple jobs, leaving them to struggle after
collecting mobilization funds.

 

"Some became notorious for demanding for VOP (variation of project costs)
even when there is little, if anything, to show for the work they claimed to
have done.

 

"Somehow, they come up with certificates asking to be paid. Certificates
worth billions of naira are on the shelf. We simply cannot pay for now for
two reasons: One, some have not or cannot be verified. Secondly, there are
simply no funds to pay. We have to untangle some of these issues to forge
ahead."

 

The source further explained that for roads such as the Makurdi-Otukpo-Enugu
Road; Benin-Auchi-Lokoja; Benin-Asaba; Abuja-Lokoja; and Owerri-Onitsha,
among others initially awarded at various times by President Jonathan and
the Buhari-led administrations, had their contracts reviewed and some
sections re-awarded because they weren't properly funded.

 

"There are also roads that were initially awarded under the tax credit
system but had to be taken over and rewarded when companies like the NNPCL
backed out. The process of taking over, revoking and re-awarding them takes
time," he added.

 

He implored Nigerians to exercise more patience with the government which
was as worried about the state of the roads as most well meaning citizens.

 

Vanguard News Nigeria

 

Read the original article on Vanguard.

 

 

 

 

Bitcoin Adoption Rises Across Africa Amid Shifting Global Market Trends

As the globe shifts, Africa has seen a marked increase in the adoption of
Bitcoin. Increasing volumes of trade, investments from leading institutions,
and new policies are changing the continent’s cryptocurrency environment.

 

As of August 2025, the total cryptocurrency market had a market
capitalization dip of 1.7 per cent. This was due to the PPI coming in
stronger than anticipated. According to Binance, Bitcoin dropped to a market
share of 57.3 per cent while Ethereum’s jumped above 14.2 per cent. This was
due to speculation on a rate cut alongside a shift into altcoins.

 

Corporate treasuries kept buying Ethereum, and now they hold about 4.44
million ETH or 3.67 percent of the total supply. Over the years, September
has shown market weakness as the time when investors start taking profits
over periodic cycles. This will likely impact the rest of the world’s
trading, including Africa, which is still an active cryptocurrency user.
This article aims to demonstrate how African markets respond to the
prevailing global conditions, including live data on the  bitcoin price
today , increases in trade volumes, investments from institutions, and the
impacts of legal policies on market accessibility.

 

Growing Interest in Cryptocurrency Across African Markets

 

The rapid expansion in the adoption of Bitcoin across Africa south of the
Sahara has stirred considerable discussion. The recent report by Binance
Digital Assets claims that the increased use has little connection with U.S.
monetary policies and claims that domestic factors like unstable local
currencies, easier banking services, reduced barriers to electronic
payments, and cheaper remittance services play a central role.

 

It goes on to claim that monotonically linking interest rate cuts to
Bitcoin’s rate of growth is a faulty framework. Binance cites the recent
dramatic expansion of user interest in Africa as evidence that the
digitization trends Africa is pioneering in the multi-dimensional digital
economy are changing the monetary and economic relations in ways that
monetary regimes underestimate. The cited user interest did not exist in the
past few years.

 

This means that, even though there are global trends, Africa uses
cryptocurrency first and foremost for self-interest. The phenomenon of
Bitcoin in the region illustrates the deepening ability of adoption, which,
in turn, is conditioned more by local than global financial changes.

 

Bitcoin Trading Volumes See Notable Changes

 

Per Binance's records, by August 2025, Bitcoin's market cap dropped to about
57.3 percent while Ethereum's market cap increased to more than 14.2
percent. This underscored altcoin rotation, which was buoyed by market
speculation about Fed easing. Simultaneously, Ethereum corporate treasuries
globally continued to hoard, approaching 4.44 million ETH, representing 3.67
per cent of the total supply.

 

>From an African perspective, these developments are starting to influence
local engagement. Traders and financial institutions in countries such as
Nigeria, Kenya and  South Africa  have begun to shift from merely holding
Bitcoin and are showing more interest in Ethereum. The Ethereum accumulation
by corporate treasuries, as noted by Binance, is a phenomenon which captures
just the emerging pattern of African adoption: the shift from Bitcoin
centricism to a more diverse portfolio of digital currencies.

 

According to historical records, September has typically recorded weakness,
as profit realization has destroyed value, a trend that might also apply to
African markets, particularly those with high retail participation. Although
cycles in international markets steer the rest of the world, adoption in
Africa is unique in its sensitivity to external and internal factors, which
means the shift from Bitcoin to Ethereum is a multifaceted strategy that is
probably already discernible in the region.

 

Institutional Investments Influence Local Adoption

 

As noted by Binance, historical data dating back to 1988 shows that when the
Federal Reserve  starts a policy cycle, the scale of its actions almost
always exceeds what the bond market had predicted during the early years.
The policy rate has moved farther than what was possible frequently, which
created a great deal of uncertainty for global investors. For African
institutions, the unpredictability related to the US monetary policy has
increased the attractiveness of diversifying into alternative assets,
including cryptocurrencies.

 

As David Princay, President of Binance France, explains: “If or when BTC
prices plateau, Additional diversification into crypto assets by
institutions and corporations will also be of interest. It will be
fascinating to see how an altcoin season within a more mature and regulated
crypto world will turn out.” This is especially useful for Africa which has
seen a growing interest in Ethereum as well as other tokens. Institutional
portfolios are now beginning to reflect not only Bitcoin reserves but also
other digital assets, as a result of cycles in different countries, as well
as domestic market inflows.

 

Amid these global policy changes and corporate strategies, it appears that
Africa is now moving past the initial experimentation stage of adoption. As
highlighted by Binance, these changes indicate that Africa is beginning to
integrate more with international investment trends, all the while servicing
unique regional financial needs.

 

Regulatory Developments Shape Market Participation

 

Africa’s cryptocurrency markets are subject to closer scrutiny. The Federal
Reserve will hold a payments innovation conference on October 21 to discuss
use cases of stablecoins, the convergence of payments using AI, and the
tokenization of finance to inform future regulation frameworks. African
regulators watch digital asset initiatives.

 

Digital assets frameworks being developed in countries such as Nigeria and
South Africa seek to manage, foster, and balance innovation. The approval of
Polymarket by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is an example that
illustrates clarity in regulation for DeFi, and a guiding example for
African regulators to promote digital finance ventures.

 

African countries are actively observing and studying international changes.
Such actions are meant to control market activities, promote cryptocurrency
use, and reduce risks of participation. Such actions are a testament to the
growing propensity for African nations to engage in proactive and
well-organized frameworks for cryptocurrency regulations.

 

 

 

 

 

Ethiopia, Pakistan Agree to Strengthen Defence and Aviation Cooperation

Addis Abeba — Ethiopia and Pakistan have agreed to enhance cooperation in
defence and aviation as part of efforts to further strengthen their
bilateral relations, Ethiopia's Embassy in Islamabad announced.

 

The agreement was reached on Monday, 6 October 2025, during a meeting
between Jemal Beker Abdula (Phd), Ethiopia's Special Envoy and Ambassador
Extraordinary to Pakistan, and Khawaja Asif, Pakistan's Federal Minister of
Defence.

 

According to the Embassy, the discussions focused on expanding bilateral and
multilateral cooperation in several areas, including peace and security,
defence, aviation, climate change, trade and investment, culture, and
tourism.

 

 

During the meeting, Ambassador Jemal briefed the Minister on the recent
inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), emphasizing that
the project is based on the principle of equitable and reasonable
utilization of water resources and aims to foster regional integration
without causing significant harm to other countries.

 

The Ambassador also highlighted Ethiopia's progress in the aviation sector
and expressed interest in expanding flight destinations to Pakistan beyond
the existing Karachi route.

 

According to the Embassy's statement, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif
commended what he described as the "visionary leadership" of Prime Minister
Abiy Ahmed, praising Ethiopia's socio-economic transformation efforts. He
also acknowledged Ethiopia's "pivotal role in promoting peace, security, and
stability in the Horn of Africa," reaffirming Pakistan's support for these
efforts, the statement added.

 

 

Addis Standard reported on 27 August 2025 that Lieutenant General Yilma
Merdassa, Commander of the Ethiopian Air Force, met with Air Chief Marshal
Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force
(PAF), in Islamabad.

 

Upon arrival at Air Headquarters, Lieutenant General Yilma was received with
a guard of honor by a PAF contingent. The two commanders held discussions on
areas of professional interest and reaffirmed their commitment to
strengthening cooperation between the two air forces.

 

Lt. Gen. Yilma commended what he described as the PAF's "robust operational
readiness, evolving multi-domain capabilities, and credible deterrence
posture," adding that the Ethiopian Air Force seeks to learn from the PAF's
"rich combat experience, integrated command systems, and technological
innovations" to enhance its operational capacity.

 

He also expressed Ethiopia's interest in technology transfer in the aviation
sector, focusing on development and modernization.

 

 

The Ethiopian delegation received briefings at the National ISR & Integrated
Air Operations Centre and PAF Cyber Command, where Lt. Gen. Yilma was
briefed on PAF's application of advanced technologies in modern warfare.

 

Air Chief Marshal Sidhu pledged Pakistan's readiness to expand cooperation
through joint training programs. He assured the Ethiopian delegation of the
PAF's "steadfast support to the Ethiopian Air Force in its professional
pursuits." Pakistan "deeply cherishes its cordial relations with Ethiopia
and remains firmly committed to providing comprehensive assistance in
capacity building, advanced training, and operational domains," he said.

 

Recently, it was also reported that Ethiopia discussed military cooperation
with Belarus. To advance interstate and military ties with Ethiopia,
Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin held a working meeting with
Commander of the Ethiopian Air Force Lt. Gen. Yilma Merdassa Gnapa, with
Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Karankevich also attending the
meeting, according to the BelTA news agency.

 

Prior to Lt. Gen. Yilma's visit to Belarus, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met
with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Moscow to discuss a
cooperation roadmap. During their talks, Prime Minister Abiy acknowledged
Belarus' military-technical expertise and the support it could extend to
Ethiopia, BelTA reported.

 

Last year, Ethiopia and India agreed to finalize a defence cooperation
agreement--pending India's general elections--aimed at boosting Ethiopia's
military capabilities through training and financial support. The
cooperation is "part of India's broader strategy to expand defense
partnerships across Africa," according to Indian defence media dispatches.

 

The Ethiopian Air Force is also in talks with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF)
to explore the joint development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and
expand their defence partnership. From 1-3 July 2025, a NAF delegation led
by Air Commodore Ali Hussaini Idris, Director of Training, visited Ethiopia
to strengthen cooperation in aerospace technology, joint training, and the
co-production of indigenous UAVs.

 

Read the original article on Addis Standard.

 

 

 

 

Liberia: LERC, Afur Build Capacity of Mini-Grid Operators On Tariff Tool and
Methodology

MONROVIA — The Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC) on Monday 6
October 2025 commenced a four-day capacity-building workshop on the
Mini-Grid Tariff Tool and Methodology, organized in collaboration with the
African Forum for Utility Regulators (AFUR).

 

The training, held at a local hotel, brings together policy makers and key
electricity sector stakeholders from the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME),
Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), and
representatives of mini-grid operators including Totota Electric Cooperative
and Energicity (Starlight Inc.), among others.

 

 

Delivering the opening remarks, Commissioner Amara M. Kamara of LERC
welcomed participants on behalf of the Board of Commissioners and
management, describing the training as a milestone in strengthening
Liberia's regulatory capacity for off-grid electrification.

 

"Your presence today demonstrates our shared commitment to advancing
Liberia's off-grid electricity future," Commissioner Kamara said. "This
training builds on our collective vision to ensure transparent, data-driven,
and cost-reflective tariffs that give developers the clarity and confidence
they need to invest."

 

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

 

He noted that LERC joined AFUR two years ago as part of its commitment to
regional collaboration and regulatory excellence, adding that the Commission
has since participated in several AFUR capacity-building programs, including
the Mini-Grid Project Adopter Training held in Accra, Ghana earlier this
year.

 

Commissioner Kamara emphasized that achieving Liberia's 2030 electricity
access target of 75%, up from the current 32%, requires both grid expansion
in urban areas and rapid mini-grid development in remote communities.

 

 

"The AFUR mini-grid tariff tool will support our collective effort to
accelerate energy access by ensuring fairness and predictability in tariff
setting," he stated. "Let us take full advantage of this opportunity to
learn, share experiences, and build lasting partnerships that drive our
sector forward."

 

In remarks, Mr. Samuel S. Bunnya, a representative of AFUR, explained that
the Mini-Grid Project emerged from the recognition that governments alone
cannot achieve universal electrification, underscoring the vital role of
private sector investment.

 

"Mini-grids are essential to bridging Africa's electricity gap," Bunnya
said. "However, inconsistencies in tariff methodologies across countries
have hindered private sector expansion. AFUR's mini-grid tariff tool
provides a harmonized, flexible framework that balances investor confidence
with consumer protection."

 

He added that the tool was developed through collaboration with partners
such as the Africa Minigrid Developers Association (AMDA), United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), African Development Bank (AfDB), and others,
with the goal of standardizing and streamlining tariff setting across
Africa.

 

Mr. Amon Ngure Mwadime of the Africa Minigrid Developers Association (AMDA)
highlighted the association's efforts to enhance policy, finance, and
regulatory environments for mini-grid operators.

 

"Since our founding in 2018, AMDA has worked to accelerate the pathway to
scale and profitability for mini-grid companies," Mr. Mwadime noted. "With
over 61 members across 24 countries, our focus remains on policy
coordination, access to capital, and data-driven research to support
investment readiness across the continent."

 

Also speaking, Mr. Nunudeh S. Johnson, acting Director for Economic
Regulation at LERC, welcomed participants on behalf of the Commission's
Management. She encouraged participants to engage fully in the hands-on
training sessions, noting that the knowledge gained will enhance the
regulatory framework for mini-grids in Liberia.

 

"Your active participation and engagement are essential to unlocking the
full potential of this training," she said. "Together, we can build a
stronger, more harmonized regulatory environment that accelerates mini-grid
investment and moves us closer to achieving our 2030 target."

 

Read the original article on Liberian Investigator.

 

 

 

Tanzania: CCM Promises Major Road Upgrades in Busanda

Geita — CCM has reaffirmed its commitment to improving the road network in
Busanda Constituency, aiming to enhance public and private transport, boost
business opportunities and improve communication.

 

CCM's parliamentary candidate for Busanda, Dr Jafari Rajabu made the pledge
during a recent campaign rally in Bukoli Ward, as part of his ongoing
efforts to present the party's policies ahead of the 2025 General Election.

 

Dr Jafari said one of the constituency's top infrastructure priorities is
the upgrading of the Mpomvu-Nyarugusu-Nyaruyeye-Bukoli-Butobela road, which
is already included in the government's road tarmacking plan.

 

 

He revealed that, due to the road's strategic importance, the government has
allocated 112.74bn/-for the 61-kilometre stretch, which will link several
wards and connect to Ilogi, addressing long-standing transportation
challenges in the area.

 

 

"Another road scheduled for routine upgrades is the Nyamalimbe-Kamena- Ikina
road, which links Busanda to Bukombe Constituency--a move aimed at
strengthening inter-constituency connectivity," Dr Jafari explained.

 

ALSO READ: Journalist safety highlighted ahead of 2025 General Election

 

He also mentioned that the Bujura-Nyamigogo road has already been included
in the government's broader development plan, pledging to ensure its full
implementation if elected.

 

"My main goal is to advocate for the transfer of these roads from Tanzania
Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA) to Tanzania National Roads Agency
(TANROADS) to ensure they are passable during both the rainy and dry
seasons.

 

 

That way, people can safely ride motorcycles, drive vehicles and continue
with development activities," he said.

 

CCM's candidate for the Bukoli Ward Councillor seat, Mr Faraji Self, echoed
Dr Jafari's commitment, promising to collaborate with both the party and the
Member of Parliament's office to ensure all planned projects in the ward are
completed efficiently.

 

Meanwhile, Geita Regional CCM Chairperson, Mr Nicolous Kasendamila,
confirmed that the construction contract for the Mpomvu-Butobela tarmac road
through Bukoli was officially signed on October 1st, this year.

 

He also said that all impassable roads in the constituency will be
prioritised, including the Bukoli-Bugogo-Bujura road, along with roads
connecting Busanda to Nyang'hwale, Mbogwe and Bukombe districts.

 

"Opening up these roads is a critical step towards unlocking economic
potential and improving service delivery in the region," Mr Kasendamila
said.

 

Read the original article on Daily News.

 

 

 

 

Tanzania: Coop Bank Issues Over 49bn/ - in Loans

Dodoma — The Cooperative Bank of Tanzania (Coop Bank) has issued loans worth
over 49bn/- to members of various cooperative unions since it began
operations following its official launch by President Samia Suluhu Hassan,
this year.

 

Coop Bank's Acting Managing Director and CEO, CPA Kinyaki Obby Kinyaki,
revealed this yesterday in Dodoma during the launch of the 2025 Customer
Service Week at the bank's headquarters.

 

He said the bank's total deposits have now surpassed 50bn/-, while total
transactions have reached 98bn/-, attributing the steady growth to the
public's trust despite the bank being a new player in the financial sector.

 

 

CPA Kinyaki said Coop Bank will continue to spearhead the financial
inclusion drive to ensure that no one is left behind.

 

"We will continue to support the government's efforts to achieve this goal,
bearing in mind that cooperative unions are the majority shareholders,
holding 51 percent of the stake. When we talk about cooperatives, we mean
people at the grassroots," he said.

 

During the Customer Service Week, he noted, the bank's officials will go
into the streets to meet people from various groups, identify the financial
challenges they face, and find solutions that allow more people to benefit
from the bank's services.

 

Despite having only three branches in Moshi, Tabora, and Tandahimba, CPA
Kinyaki explained that Coop Bank has extended services to other regions,
including Songwe, Manyara, and Lindi, through agents and the COOP Pesa
application, thanks to technological advancements.

 

 

Moving forward, he said the bank plans to open new branches in Mtwara,
Kagera, Mwanza, and Mbeya to ensure every Tanzanian can access its services.
The bank currently works with 58 agents and plans to recruit more to
strengthen its network across the country.

 

One of the bank's customers, Mr Justine Mogendi, who attended the Customer
Service Week launch, commended Coop Bank for supporting members of
cooperative unions engaged in the agricultural sector.

 

"You don't need to have collateral to get a loan. Your deposits alone can
enable you to qualify," said the Dodoma resident.

 

Coop Bank was formed following the successful merger of two prominent
cooperative banks, the Kilimanjaro Cooperative Bank (KCBL) and the
Tandahimba Cooperative Bank (TACOBA).

 

The bank joins other service providers around the world in commemorating
Customer Service Week, an internationally recognized event celebrated
annually during the first full week of October to honor the importance of
customer service and the people who serve and support customers every day.

 

The week is meant to appreciate customers for their loyalty, recognize
employees who deliver excellent service, raise awareness of the critical
role customer service plays in organizational success, and strengthen the
culture of quality service within institutions.

 

Read the original article on Daily News.

 

 

 

Tanzania: Seize Opportunities in Coffee Sector, RC Babu Tells Farmers

Kilimanjaro — KILIMANJARO Regional Commissioner Mr Nurdin Babu has urged
farmers in the region to seize the numerous opportunities provided by the
government to boost coffee production and improve their livelihoods, as well
as contribute to national economic growth.

 

His remarks were delivered over the weekend by Rombo District Commissioner
Raymond Mwangwala, during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Kahawa Festival
held in Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region.

 

"In recent years, the government has implemented various strategies to
improve coffee production. It is important for farmers to make use of these
opportunities to enhance both the quantity and quality of our coffee," said
RC Babu.

 

 

He commended the Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) for its pivotal role in
transforming the coffee sector, noting that its efforts have inspired more
people to engage in coffee farming, generating income and boosting the
economy.

 

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

 

Mr Babu also praised the collaboration between TCB and Moshi Cooperative
University (MoCU), particularly in offering coffee-related education that
has opened up new employment opportunities in the sector.

 

"Barista and cupping training at MoCU has enabled Tanzania to produce its
own coffeetasting professionals and baristas, a significant achievement
considering that in the past, these experts had to be sourced from abroad,"
he said.

 

He also applauded the sponsors of the festival for contributing to its
growing success, affirming that the Kilimanjaro Regional Administration will
continue to support TCB and other stakeholders to ensure the event continues
to grow in quality and reach.

 

 

Speaking at the same event, Chairman of the Kahawa Festival Organising
Committee, Mr Denis Mahulu said the festival is held annually through a
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

 

This year's theme was "Coffee: Your Daily Tradition, Our Shared Journey."

 

Mr Mahulu revealed that over 2,000 people attended the 2025 event, a
significant increase from the 1,200 attendees recorded last year.

 

"Participants, including farmers, were able to tour coffee farms and gain
practical knowledge related to coffee production," he said.

 

"They also attended workshops covering the entire coffee value chain, from
farm to cup to empower them to increase production," he said.

 

TCB Chairperson, Professor Aurelia Kamuzora urged stakeholders to embrace
modern technologies and innovations in order to diversify coffeebased
products and create more value.

 

"There are many emerging opportunities beyond the beverage itself. Coffee
beans are now used to make products such as chocolate, soap and nutritional
supplements. TCB is ready to support all efforts that broaden the benefits
of this crop for all stakeholders," said Prof Kamuzora.

 

Earlier, TCB Director General, Primus Kimaryo announced that plans are
underway to elevate the Kahawa Festival into an international event starting
next year, in collaboration with the entire organising committee.

 

Read the original article on Daily News.

 

 

 

 

Tanzania: ATM Fees Divide Banks, Scale Emerging As Key Factor

Dar es Salaam — ATM withdrawal fees in the country reveal a growing divide
between banks, with larger institutions able to charge far less than smaller
lenders.

 

The latest Bank of Tanzania dataset shows that tierone banks such as CRDB
and NMB maintain some of the lowest charges for customers using their own
ATMs, while smaller and foreign-owned banks levy significantly higher fees,
particularly for offnetwork withdrawals According to the BoT data, CRDB Bank
and NMB Bank continue to offer some of the most affordable ATM withdrawal
charges, typically around 1,000/- per transaction at their own ATMs.

 

 

CRDB's maximum charge stands at 3,390/-, while NMB caps at 1,800/-. The
exception is Equity Bank charges the lowest minimum fee for own ATMs at
400/- while its maximum is 1,600/-, though it levies a flat rate of 4,500/-
for other banks' ATMs.

 

Analysts said the banks' extensive nationwide networks, with hundreds of
ATMs across both urban and rural areas, enable them to keep fees low and
competitive. Economist-cum-investment banker Dr Hildebrand Shayo said larger
banks benefit from economies of scale, which allow them to spread fixed
costs such as technology, ATM maintenance, and regulatory compliance across
millions of transactions. He said this efficiency enables them to charge
lower fees while still remaining profitable.

 

 

"Tier-one banks like CRDB, NMB, and NBC operate hundreds of ATMs
countrywide, which reduces their reliance on interbank networks such as
UmojaSwitch or TIPS," Dr Shayo said.

 

"They avoid incurring additional switching or access costs, allowing them to
pass these savings on to customers through lower withdrawal fees." United
Bank for Africa (UBA) Tanzania charges as low as 1,000/- per withdrawal from
its own ATM but goes up to 8,000/- plus 1.0 per cent for off-us
transactions--the highest in the market followed by Ecobank Tanzania minimum
at 1,000/- own ATMs others up to 6,000/-.

 

 

The most reasonable bank is I&M Bank, which charges a flat rate of 1,500/-
for both own and other ATM withdrawals. It is followed by KCB Bank, with a
flat rate of 1,000/- for own and 2,500/- for off-us. Selcom Microfinance
charges a flat rate of 2,500/- for any withdrawal.

 

Vertex International Securities Research and Analytics Manager, Frank Abel,
said the larger ATM footprint of tier-one banks is a key reason for their
lower withdrawal fees.

 

"Their scale enables them to spread operational costs across a higher number
of transactions, effectively lowering the unit cost per withdrawal," he
said.

 

In contrast, smaller and foreign-owned banks -- with fewer ATMs and smaller
customer bases -- continue to post higher withdrawal charges. Their limited
infrastructure and lower transaction volumes mean they face higher
per-transaction costs, often passed on to customers.

 

ALSO READ: Seize opportunities in coffee sector, RC Babu tells farmers

 

"Smaller banks rely heavily on transaction fees as a source of income," Dr
Shayo said.

 

"Their customers often use other banks' ATMs, attracting switching fees that
raise overall withdrawal costs." Other tier-one players such as NBC and
Stanbic Bank also keep their ownATM fees relatively low, between 1,400/- and
1,500/-, though charges for customers using other banks' ATMs range from
3,000/- to 5,000/-.

 

Leonard Joseph, a Dar es Salaam-based economist, said ATM withdrawal fees
have become a competitive differentiator in Tanzania's banking landscape.

 

"Larger banks leverage their scale to maintain low fees, while smaller
banks, unable to justify the investment in wide ATM networks, pass the costs
to customers," he said.

 

The BoT's disclosure on bank charges has increased transparency, enabling
consumers to compare withdrawal fees and make more informed choices.

 

Analysts said that for larger banks like CRDB and NMB, low ATM fees
reinforce customer loyalty and competitive strength, while for smaller
lenders, rising charges may risk alienating clients who could switch to
bigger players offering cheaper access.

 

Read the original article on Daily News.

 

 

 

 

Uganda: Three Remanded Over Online Scam Impersonating Businessman Hamis
Kiggundu

The Buganda Road Chief Magistrate's Court has remanded three individuals --
including two minors -- on charges of impersonating prominent businessman
Hamis Kiggundu and defrauding members of the public through fake social
media accounts.

 

The accused, identified as Master Don Sharif, 24, and two juveniles aged 16
and 17, appeared before Magistrate Ronald Kayizi on Monday and pleaded not
guilty to charges related to online impersonation and fraud.

 

Sharif was remanded to Luzira Prison, while the minors were sent to Naguru
Juvenile Remand Home until October 20, 2025, when the case returns to court
for mention.

 

 

According to state prosecutors, the trio allegedly ran a network of
fraudulent accounts on TikTok, Facebook, and WhatsApp, posing as Dr.
Kiggundu and representatives of his company, Ham Group of Companies.

 

They reportedly used these platforms to entice victims with false promises
of job opportunities, education sponsorships, youth loans, and other
financial aid schemes -- ultimately defrauding unsuspecting individuals of
millions of shillings.

 

Investigations revealed that all three suspects are residents of Iganga
District, a region in eastern Uganda that authorities say has become a
growing hotspot for cybercrime.

 

This marks the sixth case this year involving individuals accused of
impersonating Dr. Kiggundu online -- a troubling trend that continues to
undermine public trust in genuine philanthropic and business initiatives.

 

 

In response to the case, Karim Sserugo, Public Relations Officer for the Ham
Group, issued a strong warning to the public about scammers using Dr.
Kiggundu's name to exploit vulnerable citizens.

 

"We want to categorically state that Dr. Hamis Kiggundu and the Ham Group of
Companies do not operate any job recruitment drives, loan schemes, or school
fees support programs. Anyone making such claims is a fraudster. We urge the
public to verify information only through our official platforms," Sserugo
said.

 

Authorities have also urged the public to exercise caution when interacting
with unsolicited offers online, especially those involving financial
promises. They encouraged victims or those suspecting fraud to report cases
immediately to law enforcement.

 

"These scams not only rob people of their savings but also damage the
credibility of legitimate business and charitable efforts," police said.

 

Read the original article on Nile Post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 


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Bulls n Bears 

 

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INVESTORS DIARY 2025

 


Company

Event

Venue

Date & Time

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


Companies under Cautionary

 

 

 


 

 

 

 


CBZH

GetBucks

EcoCash

 


Padenga

Econet

RTG

 


Fidelity

TSL

FMHL

 


 

 

 

 


 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

 


 

 


DISCLAIMER: This report has been prepared by Bulls ‘n Bears, a division of
Faith Capital (Pvt) Ltd for general information purposes only and does not
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been compiled from s believed to be reliable, but no representation or
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companies typically involve a higher degree of risk and more volatility than
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other member of Bulls ‘n Bears nor any other person, accepts any liability
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investigation into the business, financial condition and future prospects of
any companies referred to in this report. Other  Indices quoted herein are
for guideline purposes only and d from third parties.

 


 

 


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