Latest news with #Africa-focused
Business Insider
11 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Ghana, UAE sign $1bn deal to build AI and tech hub hosting Microsoft, Meta, others
Ghana and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a technology and innovation hub aimed at accelerating Ghana's digital transformation and positioning the country as a regional leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies. Ghana and the UAE have jointly established a plan for the 'Ghana-UAE Innovations and Technology Hub.' This initiative aims to foster digital transformation in Ghana and position it as a leader in AI and emerging technologies. Major global tech companies, such as Microsoft and Alphabet, are expected to engage in this expansive project. Ghana and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a technology and innovation hub aimed at accelerating Ghana's digital transformation and positioning the country as a regional leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies. The agreement was signed by Ghana's Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, and the Chairman of the UAE's Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC), Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem. Ghana's growing tech reputation The initiative, named the 'Ghana-UAE Innovations and Technology Hub,' is expected to attract over 11,000 global technology firms, including global tech giants like Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, IBM, and Alphabet seeking to expand their presence in the country and across the continent. The companies under the PCFC umbrella will serve as a regional base for AI engineering, business process outsourcing (BPO), knowledge process outsourcing (KPO), and data generation for Africa-focused machine learning. The PCFC will fully fund the first phase of the project in collaboration with leading AI firms involved in Dubai's AI transformation. This phase will include the development of a 25 square kilometre (Km2) site in Ningo-Prampram with the government providing the land for the initiative. Ghana has earned a growing reputation as one of Africa's emerging tech hubs, driven by proactive government policies, vibrant startup activity, and increasing international interest. In April 2019, Google opened Africa's first centre for artificial intelligence (AI), in Accra, Ghana.
Business Insider
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
APO Group celebrates Africa Day with a bold reminder: We've been leading strategic communications across the continent for almost two decades
But for some of us, Africa is not a campaign. It's not a market. It's home. At APO Group, we don't just 'show up' for Africa Day. We've been here, every day, for almost two decades, amplifying African stories, building brands and reputations, and connecting the continent to the world. Africa is not a monolith. It is 54 nations, over 2,000 languages, and countless nuances that demand deep respect. Understanding it takes commitment. And APO Group, the leading, award-winning pan-African media relations and communications consultancy, has it. APO Group has helped thousands of African CEOs land global coverage, launch pan-African unicorns, and turn local brands into international headlines. This Africa Day, we're not launching a campaign. We're just reminding everyone that if you want to do communications in Africa, it helps to know Africa. At a time when global PR firms headquartered in the USA are announcing their new Africa-focused teams — complete with four pins on a map and a flurry of buzzwords — APO Group is celebrating the one thing no one can copy overnight: authentic, home-grown, on-the-ground experience. From Dakar to Dar es Salaam, Cairo to Cape, APO Group's pan-African team has been delivering real impact across the continent; not just in press releases, but in powerful results. With expert consultants in every region, local insights and expertise, and a reputation built on trust, APO Group is more than a communications consultancy. It is Africa's most established strategic communications powerhouse. 'Africa Day is a reminder of what makes this continent extraordinary – its people, its voices and its unstoppable momentum', said Rania El Rafie, Vice President of Public Relations and Strategic Communications at APO Group. 'Africa is more than a continent to us — it's our home, our expertise, and our commitment.' 'While others are hiring team members for Africa, our people are already embedded in the culture, language, and industries that drive the continent forward.' With clients spanning multinational corporations, African companies and organisations, public sector institutions, NGOs, and other stakeholders, APO Group has earned its reputation as the leading communications partner of choice for organisations serious about Africa. What sets us apart is our remarkable performance: A network that spans all 54 African countries, with local experts in every region; Strategic guidance grounded in local insight; A legacy of hundreds of successful campaigns, from strategic communications to crisis response; Longstanding media partnerships that foster transparency, credibility, and positive storytelling. 'We believe great communication in Africa starts with listening, not just broadcasting. And it takes consistency, not just campaigns,' said Laila Bastati, Chief Commercial Officer at APO Group. 'This is why we've built trust with stakeholders from all over, by showing up year after year, and delivering every time.' While others are just mapping out how to enter Africa's fast-moving markets, APO Group is already there — co-creating growth stories with African businesses, institutions, and communities. 'For us, Africa isn't a new frontier — it's the centre of everything we do,' added Bastati. 'Our track record speaks for itself. This Africa Day, we're building on a legacy.' APO Group is reflecting on a proven track record and preparing for the next decade of growth and storytelling that elevates Africa on the global stage. 'This Africa Day, we're not launching — we're reaffirming,' said Bastati. 'Reaffirming our commitment to the continent, to our clients, and to the people and stories that shape Africa's future.' Work with the team that's already there! Happy Africa Day. From Africa's strategic communications leader. About APO Group: Founded in 2007, APO Group ( is the leading award-winning pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service. Renowned for our deep-rooted African expertise and expansive global perspective, we specialise in elevating the reputation and brand equity of private and public organisations across Africa. As a trusted partner, our mission is to harness the power of media, crafting bespoke strategies that drive tangible, measurable impact both on the continent and globally. Our commitment to excellence and innovation has been recognised with multiple prestigious awards, including a PRovoke Media Global SABRE Award and multiple PRovoke Media Africa SABRE Awards. In 2023, we were named the Leading Public Relations Firm in Africa and the Leading Pan-African Communications Consultancy Africa in the World Business Outlook Awards, and the Best Public Relations and Media Consultancy of the Year South Africa in 2024 in the same awards. In 2025, Brands Review Magazine acknowledged us as the Leading Communications Consultancy in Africa for the second consecutive year. They also named us the Best PR Agency and the Leading Press Release Distribution Platform in Africa in 2024. Additionally, in 2025, the Davos Communications Awards 2025 awarded us the Gold Award for Best PR Campaign and the Bronze Award for Special Event. APO Group's esteemed clientele, which includes global giants such as Canon, Nestlé, Western Union, the UNDP, Network International, African Energy Chamber, Mercy Ships, Marriott, Africa's Business Heroes, and Liquid Intelligent Technologies, reflects our unparalleled ability to navigate the complex African media landscape. With a multicultural team across Africa, we offer unmatched, truly pan-African insights, expertise, and reach across the continent. APO Group is dedicated to reshaping narratives about Africa, challenging stereotypes, and bringing inspiring African stories to global audiences, with our expertise in developing and supporting public relations campaigns worldwide uniquely positioning us to amplify brand messaging, enhance reputations, and connect effectively with target audiences.
Business Recorder
26-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
African Development Bank to pick new head to confront US funding cuts
NAIROBI/ABIDJAN: The African Development Bank is meeting in Ivory Coast this week to pick a new president at a time when the continent's biggest multilateral lender faces unprecedented challenges from funding cuts by the U.S. government. Washington wants to cut $555 million in funding to the AfDB and its African Development Fund, which offers low-priced financing to the continent's poor nations. 'This is going to be a major task and it is effectively the new president's first test,' said Hannah Ryder, founder of Development Reimagined, an Africa-focused consultancy. The annual gathering of heads of state and finance officials, taking place this year in Abidjan, is one of the biggest finance meetings on the continent. It comes as heavily indebted governments in the region are searching for new sources of financing to bankroll their development projects. AfDB, which is Africa's largest development finance institution with $318 billion capital, is owned by 54 African states and G7 nations such as the U.S. and Japan. Its biggest shareholder is Nigeria. The next round of replenishment for the ADF, which is held on a three-year cycle, is scheduled to take place in November. It is targeting to raise $25 billion, up from $8.9 billion in the last round. The new president will have to try to persuade the U.S. to reinstate the funding, seek additional funds from non-regional members of the bank like China, or Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, in return for more say, or ask African states to contribute more, Ryder said. Five candidates - from South Africa, Senegal, Zambia, Chad and Mauritania - are vying to replace outgoing President Akinwumi Adesina, who will step down in September after serving the maximum two five-year terms. AfDB will focus on boosting electricity connections, increasing food production, fostering industries, integrating economies on the continent and lifting people's living standards over the next decade, Adesina told a media reception at the meeting on Monday. The winner, who must secure at least 50.01% of the votes from the 54 African member states of the bank, and in a second vote from all 81 members, including non-African ones, will be announced on Thursday. The bank is grappling with the challenges of a changing global economy after U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House, including higher U.S. import tariffs. 'We expect the meeting to discuss implications of current global events arising from the Trump administration,' said Fred Muhumuza, a lecturer at Makerere University's business school in Kampala. 'Many of the key contributors have been cutting bilateral support to African countries.'
TimesLIVE
26-05-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
African Development Bank to pick new head to confront US funding cuts
The African Development Bank will meet in Ivory Coast this week to pick a new president at a time when the continent's biggest multilateral lender faces unprecedented challenges from funding cuts by the US government, analysts said. The US federal government wants to cut $555m (R9.92bn) in funding to the AfDB and its African Development Fund (ADF), which offers low-priced financing to the continent's poor nations. "This is going to be a major task and it is effectively the new president's first test," said Hannah Ryder, founder of Development Reimagined, an Africa-focused consultancy. The annual gathering of heads of state and finance officials, taking place this year in the Ivorian city of Abidjan, is one of the biggest finance meetings on the continent. Africa's largest development finance institution is owned by 54 African states and G7 nations like the US and Japan. Its biggest shareholder is Nigeria. The next round of replenishment for the ADF window, which is held on a three-year cycle, is scheduled to take place in November this year. The new president will have to try to persuade the US to reinstate the funding, seek additional funds from non-regional members of the bank like China, or Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, in return for more say, or ask African states to contribute more, Ryder said. Five candidates from South Africa, Senegal, Zambia, Chad and Mauritania, are vying to replace outgoing President Akinwumi Adesina, who will step down in September after serving the maximum two five-year terms. The winner, who must secure 50.01% of the votes from the 54 African member states of the bank, and in a second vote from all 81 members, including non-African ones, will be announced on Thursday. The bank is grappling with the challenges of a changing global economy after US President Donald Trump returned to the White House, including higher US import tariffs. "We expect the meeting to discuss implications of current global events arising from the Trump administration," said Fred Muhumuza, a lecturer at Makerere University's business school in Kampala. "Many of the key contributors have been cutting bilateral support to African countries."
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chariot regains 75% interest in two Moroccan offshore licences
Chariot, the Africa-focused transitional energy group, has regained operatorship and a 75% working interest in the Lixus Offshore and Rissana Offshore licences in Morocco. This development comes after Energean completed the transfer of its subsidiary, which held a 45% and 37.5% interest in the respective licences. The Anchois gas field, situated within the Lixus Offshore licence, has seen three wells drilled to date. The completion of the Anchois-3 well in September 2024 did not yield the additional volumes anticipated for the expansion of the Anchois development. However, the appraisal revealed multiple high-quality gas-bearing reservoirs. With the operatorship now restored, Chariot is set to advance the licence work programmes in collaboration with ONHYM, the national hydrocarbons and mines office of Morocco, which retains a 25% stake. The partnership will re-evaluate and adjust the Anchois development plan in line with the resources discovered. Chariot CEO Adonis Pouroulis said: 'We are pleased to have completed the transfer of these licences and regained operatorship as we see material value within our diversified Moroccan position, both offshore and onshore. The Anchois gas discovery still offers the potential for a rescaled development and our next steps are to scope this based on the core resources found in the three wells underpinned by our previous work on engineering design, environmental and regulatory approvals, project financing and gas sales. 'Gas market fundamentals in Morocco are robust with strong gas demand and excellent fiscal terms and we will look to work with all stakeholders, including our partner ONHYM and the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, to advance these important domestic projects.' Chariot's commitment extends to exploring the further potential of the Lixus and Rissana licence areas, with updates to be provided as progress is made. Additionally, Energean has terminated its divestment agreement with Carlyle International Energy Partners. The cancellation, announced in March, was due to unmet regulatory approvals in Italy and Egypt. The initial deal, which included Energean's assets in Egypt, Italy and Croatia, was valued at up to $945m (£729.33m). According to Energean, the necessary regulatory approvals outlined in the sale and purchase agreement, signed on 19 June 2024, were not obtained or waived, leading to the termination of the agreement. "Chariot regains 75% interest in two Moroccan offshore licences" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
