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Benin: The African Development Bank Supports a Study Aimed at Strengthening the Textile Industry Through the Private Sector

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Benin

The meeting helped to identify opportunities and make core proposals to strengthen efforts to dynamize the cotton industry

I am especially pleased to see that it is now possible for young designers to get financial and other forms of support for their initiatives in the textile sector

COTONOU, Benin, August 2, 2024/APO Group/ —

The Country Office of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) in Benin – one of Africa’s leading cotton producers – organised a workshop in Cotonou on 31 July 2024 to provide feedback about a study on private sector players bringing fresh momentum to the country’s textile industry.

The meeting marked the end of a process that began on 9 March 2023 with a workshop dedicated to the sector. This has led to collecting important data for a better understanding of the issues in the industry faced by the West African country.

Attendees at the workshop included several experts and national authorities, including the Vice-President of Benin, Ms Mariam Chabi Talata Zimé Yérima, private-sector players operating at all stages of the local cotton value chain, support functions (finance, training, transport, logistics, etc.) and representatives from the country’s technical and financial partners.

The meeting helped to identify opportunities and make core proposals to strengthen efforts to dynamize the cotton industry.

The study revealed multiple opportunities for developing the textile value chain, ranging from production units for accessories to making, logistics, distribution and solutions for taking care of textile items. Other opportunities relate to producing textile items for medical use or for furnishing, cosmetics or the automotive or food industries. The sanitary towels sector alone could generate annual revenue of over USD 13 million (8 billion CFA francs) for the country.

The study emphasised the numerous opportunities for creating tens of thousands of skilled jobs for young people and women.

The report also highlighted the opportunities for the Bank to contribute to the socioeconomic development of the textile industry in Benin and called on senior leaders to take decisions that would support the development of new local industries.

As well as cotton-based textiles, the study pointed to the colossal economic potential and the opportunity to create over 45,000 jobs in a new industry based on pineapple-leaf fibre.

Ms Nathalie Daouda, an expert consultant in the private-sector textile industry at the African Development Bank’s Country Office in Benin, who carried out the study, commented: “The potential additional revenue for the Beninese economy is over USD 5 billion (FCFA 3,000 billion) a year. And it would not take much to make the forecasts a reality, since Benin already has the natural and human resources needed to do the work. The next step is to produce and implement a national plan. The Beninese government has provided ample evidence of its ability to tackle ambitious challenges.”

The Vice-President of the Republic, Ms Mariam Chabi Talata Zimé Yérima, congratulated the Bank on its commitment to supporting an inclusive economy in Benin but above all, for the “realism, completeness and feasibility” of the study. “This report (…) is a sort of strategic plan for strengthening our economy through the textile industry and is relevant to us because developing our economy by building on this sector will help create a large number of jobs,” she emphasized.

“This strategic plan is the first of the steps we need to take to move from ideas to action and from theory to practice,” added Ms Yérima. She highlighted the job-creation opportunities for women and young people but also the economic and social potential of the strategic use of pineapple-leaf fibre for the Beninese textile industry.

Ms Faridatou Yekini, the founder of Mod’Ukpè, which specializes in woven pagne cloth and producing clothes for women, recognized that several actions are underway to boost local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a particular focus on women-led businesses. “I am especially pleased to see that it is now possible for young designers to get financial and other forms of support for their initiatives in the textile sector. This development marks a significant step towards the growth and sustainability of our industry,” she said delightedly.

“The African Development Bank has done well to create a favourable environment to encourage collaboration, particularly with visits to the Glo Djigbé industrial area and capacity-building sessions for small and medium-sized businesses. These initiatives helped to formalize and organize my business, Safari Textiles Afrique, and develop positive partnerships. The logical next step would be continuing to fund businesses that are working to bring themselves into line, backed by serious monitoring to ensure good management of the funds,” advocated Caleb Menou, co-founder of the Safari Textiles Afrique brand.

The head of the Bank’s Country Office in Benin, Robert Masumbuko, highlighted the economic and inclusive social development potential of the industry, which is a real windfall for Benin in his view. “The Beninese ecosystem is full of talented women and men who produce really beautiful textile items on a daily basis. But all of them have commented frequently on the need for a clear plan to help them increase not only volumes but also the quality of their training. They need help to acquire or access modern, quality equipment for processing and production and above all, to get access to local and international markets with high-quality, competitive textile solutions,” he commented.

One of the Bank’s missions in relation to the private sector is to intervene financially in a smart, agile manner to provide efficient support for actors in various value chains, concluded Mr Masumbuko. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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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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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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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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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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