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Afreximbank Launches 2024 African Trade Report and African Trade and Economic Outlook Report at Afreximbank Annual Meetings (AAM) 2024

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Afreximbank

The Report, titled ‘A Resilient Africa: Delivering Growth in a Turbulent World,’ provides an analysis of the economic environment, trade patterns, debt scenarios, and future projections for African economies

NASSAU, The Bahamas, June 13, 2024/APO Group/ — 

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) today launched its African Trade Report 2024 and African Trade and Economic Outlook Report 2024 at the Afreximbank Annual Meetings (AAM) 2024 in Nassau, The Bahamas.

The latter report forecasts that African economies will grow on average by 3.8% in 2024 – slightly ahead of predicted global growth of 3.2% – prior to increasing by 4% in 2025. The Report, titled ‘A Resilient Africa: Delivering Growth in a Turbulent World,’ provides an analysis of the economic environment, trade patterns, debt scenarios, and future projections for African economies.

Dr. Yemi Kale, Afreximbank’s Group Chief Economist and Managing Director of Research and International Cooperation, said ongoing global challenges undermined the performance of Africa’s trade, which contracted by 6.3% in 2023 after expanding by 15.9% in 2022, while intra-African trade expanded by 3.2% over the same period.

Our analysis in the report also revealed large untapped potential in intra-African trade, especially with respect to machinery, electricity, motor vehicles, and food products

The Chief Economist said: “This performance is reflective of the resilience of the African economy and the potential impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area’s (AfCFTA) single market for the continent as a tool to protect them from global shocks,” adding, “Our analysis in the report also revealed large untapped potential in intra-African trade, especially with respect to machinery, electricity, motor vehicles, and food products.”

The report also revealed that African economies face several downside risks, including increasing levels of sovereign debt and associated sustainability risks, excessive exposure to adverse terms-of-trade shocks, escalating geopolitical tensions in some cases, volatile domestic political environments in certain African countries, high commodity prices and inflationary pressures, and potential food insecurity.

The outlook for the African Continent in 2024 remains positive despite the challenging economic environment of 2023. Most macroeconomic indicators are expected to improve in 2024 and 2025. Growth in the Continent is projected to be higher than the global average, and although inflation is currently high, it is expected to decrease, with this downward trend continuing into 2025.

In the African Trade Report 2024, titled “Climate Implications of the AfCFTA Implementation,” the Chief Economist stated that the report concludes that the AfCFTA offers a path to achieving the developmental goals of African nations while also addressing climate change concerns.

Dr. Kale indicated that while the benefits of the AfCFTA can be seen, the debate on its impact on climate change is still ongoing. He said: “One group believes that increased urbanisation and industrialisation associated with the AfCFTA will worsen carbon emissions, and the second group believes that by emphasising intra-African trade and reducing extra-African trade, carbon emissions will be eliminated through shorter shipping distances.”

Overall, the report states that optimising the AfCFTA can result in potential gains through increased intra-African trade and investment, creating economic prosperity and fulfilling the vision of the founding fathers.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Liquid Intelligent Technologies revitalises access to cloud and cyber security services in support of improved national digital resilience

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Liquid Intelligent Technologies

These services will be available to existing and potential customers in Botswana, and at the centre of the new offering is Secure360, the company’s integrated security framework

GABORONE, Botswana, May 13, 2026/APO Group/ –Liquid Intelligent Technologies (https://Liquid.Tech), a business of Cassava Technologies, a global technology leader, brings cloud and cyber security solutions and services to businesses and enterprises of all sizes in Botswana. The announcement comes as Liquid celebrates a decade of operations in the country.

 

These services will be available to existing and potential customers in Botswana, and at the centre of the new offering is Secure360, the company’s integrated security framework that enables organisations to move beyond reactive breach response towards proactive intelligence, protection and assurance. The solution combines local delivery with continental-scale infrastructure and global technology partnerships to provide organisations with enterprise-grade digital security and cloud capabilities aligned with national digital priorities.

When organisations engage with Liquid Intelligent Technologies in Botswana, they are connecting to the strength of Cassava’s integrated digital ecosystem

“Over the last decade, Liquid has deployed over 1174.08 km of fibre, bringing multi-terabit capacity and unmatched resilience to the region. By establishing a 730km backbone along the A1 road, we’ve positioned Botswana as a critical hub, linking networks from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan,” said Odirile Tamajobe, Managing Director of Liquid Intelligent Technologies Botswana. “Now, by bringing the cloud and cyber security services into the country, we are empowering local businesses with world-class digital solutions, ensuring they can compete and win on the global stage.”

The expansion of Liquid’s offerings in the market reflects the broader Cassava strategy to deliver integrated digital infrastructure and platforms through its One Cassava approach.

“When organisations engage with Liquid Intelligent Technologies in Botswana, they are connecting to the strength of Cassava’s integrated digital ecosystem,” said Ziaad Suleman, CEO of Cassava Technologies SA and Botswana. “Beyond cloud and cyber security, customers can access data centres, AI readiness reviews, and tailored technology journey roadmaps, all within a unified platform designed to support secure innovation and long-term digital resilience”.

As Botswana advances on its Vision 2036 ambitions to expand digital services across government, financial services, telecommunications, and critical infrastructure sectors, Cassava’s digital services aim to strengthen national digital resilience, fostering pride and confidence in the country’s progress.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Liquid Intelligent Technologies.

 

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Verdant IMAP Act as Financial Advisor and Arranger to Metro Africa Xpress (MAX) on its USD 8 Million in Debt Capital Raise

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Verdant IMAP

The transaction establishes a foundation for further institutional capital deployment into the business

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, May 13, 2026/APO Group/ –Metro Africa Xpress (MAX), Africa’s leading electric mobility platform, has secured USD 8 million in debt funding from Triple Jump, marking a key milestone in scaling its clean mobility operations.

Triple Jump, a Netherlands-based impact investment manager with a strong track record of financing inclusive financial institutions and clean energy businesses across emerging markets, represents one of MAX’s first international institutional lenders. Its participation underscores confidence in MAX’s operating model, asset-backed lending structure, and long-term scalability within Africa’s evolving mobility sector.

The funding will support:

  • Expansion of MAX’s electric vehicle (EV) fleet
  • Rollout of battery swap infrastructure
  • Continued development of its Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) financing platform

MAX’s model is designed to lower barriers to asset ownership for commercial drivers (“Champions”), enabling income generation through access to productive mobility assets while reducing operating costs relative to internal combustion alternatives.

Operating across Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon, with Nigeria as its core market, MAX is building an integrated ecosystem comprising:

  • Purpose-built EVs adapted for local conditions
  • Battery swapping infrastructure to address charging constraints
  • IoT-enabled fleet management systems
  • Embedded financing solutions for underserved drivers

Verdant IMAP acted as sole financial advisor and arranger on the transaction, supporting structuring, investor engagement, and execution. The transaction establishes a foundation for further institutional capital deployment into the business.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Verdant Capital.

 

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Rhino Resources Joins African Energy Week (AEW) as Gold Sponsor as Southern African Exploration Expands

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African Energy Chamber

Rhino Resources will participate at the 2026 edition of the African Energy Week conference and exhibition – Africa’s premier event for the energy sector – as a gold sponsor

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 8, 2026/APO Group/ –Exploration company Rhino Resources has joined the African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 Conference and Exhibition as a Gold Sponsor, reinforcing its role as one of Africa’s emerging independents driving frontier and greenfield exploration across Southern Africa.

 

Scheduled for October 12–16 in Cape Town, AEW 2026 comes as Rhino Resources accelerates exploration activity across Namibia’s Orange Basin while broadening its footprint into South Africa’s Karoo Basin. The sponsorship reflects the company’s strategy to deepen engagement with investors, service providers and policymakers as it advances multiple assets toward development readiness and future final investment decisions.

At the core of Rhino Resources’ upstream momentum is its multi-well deepwater drilling campaign in Namibia’s Orange Basin – one of the world’s most prolific frontier exploration hotspots. The company is targeting FIDs between late 2026 and early 2027 across operated and partner-led assets, including the co-development of the Volans and Capricornus discoveries in Petroleum Exploration License (PEL) 85.

Rhino Resources represents a new generation of African-focused independents that are willing to take on frontier risk to unlock long-term energy value

Recent drilling results have strengthened the commercial case of these Namibian assets. The Volans-1X well delivered strong gas-condensate flow rates in February 2026, while the earlier Capricornus-1X well confirmed the presence of light oil, positioning Rhino Resources among the key players contributing to Namibia’s ambition of achieving first oil production by 2030.

Beyond Namibia, Rhino Resources is broadening its portfolio through onshore exploration in South Africa’s Karoo Basin. The company is advancing a six-well campaign targeting helium, methane and hydrogen resources in the Free State Province – a move that reflects both geographic diversification and a wider strategy to support a more resilient and diversified regional energy mix.

This expansion comes at a time when Southern African economies face energy security challenges due to ongoing disruptions to global shipping routes, reinforcing the importance of unlocking domestic resource potential to support industrial growth and reduce external vulnerabilities.

Rhino Resources’ role as Gold Sponsor at AEW 2026 therefore comes at a pivotal stage in its growth trajectory. The event provides a platform to showcase its exploration progress, strengthen partnerships and position its projects within the broader African energy investment landscape.

At AEW 2026, Rhino Resources’ executives are expected to participate in high-level panel discussions, offering insights into frontier basin development, cost-efficient exploration strategies and pathways to fast-tracking project commercialization across emerging African markets.

“Rhino Resources represents a new generation of African-focused independents that are willing to take on frontier risk to unlock long-term energy value,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The company’s recent discoveries in Namibia and expanding exploration strategy in South Africa highlight the scale of opportunity across the continent and the critical role independents play in translating resources into production, investment and economic growth.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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