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Make Domestic Resource Mobilization Work for Africa’s Structural Transformation (By Adamon Mukasa and Anthony Simpasa)

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African Development Bank

The implementation of the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 for sustainable development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 hinges on Africa’s ability to mobilize sufficient and timely financial resources

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, August 27, 2024/APO Group/ — 

By  Adamon Mukasa and Anthony Simpasa

The implementation of the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 for sustainable development (https://apo-opa.co/4g2kWSb) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 (https://apo-opa.co/4767Ak0) hinges on Africa’s ability to mobilize sufficient and timely financial resources. The recently released African Economic Outlook (AEO) 2024 (https://apo-opa.co/3yWpFEs) report by the African Development Bank estimates that the continent needs to close, by 2030, an annual financing gap of US$402.2 billion to fast-track its structural transformation process. Scaling up domestic resource mobilization (DRM) will be key to achieving that objective. 

African governments have always recognised the central role of increased mobilization and effective use of domestic resources to achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) and other national development objectives. Through the 2015 Addis Ababa Action Agenda (https://apo-opa.co/4cG67ly), African leaders reaffirmed their commitment to “further strengthening the mobilization and effective use of domestic resources”, underscored by the principle of national ownership established in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness (https://apo-opa.co/3WZXZ9v). African governments have thus stepped up their policy levers towards improvement of DRM and combatting tax evasion and avoidance. These initiatives include, for example, the work of the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) (https://apo-opa.co/3ARAhEU), the High-Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) (https://apo-opa.co/4cK2efo), the African Union Assembly Special Declaration on IFFs (https://apo-opa.co/4g1ixXN), the Africa Initiative of the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for tax purposes (https://apo-opa.co/4gfrvRJ), the African Tax Administration Forum (https://apo-opa.co/4dWXpA9), and the establishment of Medium-Term Revenue Strategies (MTRS) (https://apo-opa.co/3MjW4HY). These initiatives emphasize the need for mobilization of domestic resources at scale and addressing resource leakages. 

Scaling up resources to fast-track structural transformation in Africa will require addressing underlying challenges and constraints to domestic resource mobilization

Stocktaking of Africa’s DRM progress 
Africa has increasingly mobilized its domestic resources to finance its development priorities in sectors such as health and education, infrastructure development, industrialization, and agriculture. In absolute terms, Africa’s government revenues (tax and non-tax revenues, excluding grants) increased by almost 40 percent from about US$435 billion in 2015 to US$604 billion in 2022 and are projected to reach about US$626 billion in 2025. Tax revenues account for more than 75 percent of the continent’s total domestically generated revenues. However, in relative terms, the continent underperforms its peers. Data from the AEO 2024 indicate that Africa’s average general government revenue declined substantially from 23.5 percent of GDP in 2010 to 19.3 percent of GDP in 2021. This is due to a steady decline in tax revenues, over the same period, from 16.1 percent of GDP in 2010 to 14.2 percent of GDP in 2021. In particular, since 2015, Africa’s average tax revenue ratio relative to GDP has consistently been below the 15 percent minimum (https://apo-opa.co/3X4DYPi) required for a developing country to adequately finance its SDGs. Africa’s revenue ratio is well below the average for Latin America (23.9 percent) and less than half the average for Europe and Central Asia (31.7 percent). Africa’s average low tax revenue ratio mask significant heterogeneity among individual African countries. As shown in figure 2, the average tax-to-GDP ratio over 2015-2025 falls short of the 15 percent threshold in 34 countries, spread across all of Africa’s five regions, calling therefore for urgent actions to scale up DRM and align it with financing needs for structural transformation. 

Aligning DRM with financing needs for structural transformation 
According to findings in the AEO (2024), African countries need to increase their tax-to-GDP ratio by a median value of about 13.2 percentage points—bringing the current median ratio to 27.2 percent of GDP—to be able to close the estimated financing gap for structural transformation. This is under the assumption that additional mobilized tax revenues are efficiently deployed and allocated to financing structural transformation. While the estimated tax effort may be within reach of many African countries, it remains unattainable for others given their relative low potential tax-to-GDP ratio. Hence, out of the 39 African countries with data on tax capacity, the report found that in 18 countries (46.2 percent of them), the level of tax-to-GDP ratio required to mobilize resources for structural transformation exceeds the maximum amount of tax revenues that could be collected given socioeconomic and institutional factors (Figure 3). This means that even if those countries exhaust their current tax capacity, they may not be able to close their respective estimated financing gap by 2030. 

Scaling up resources to fast-track structural transformation in Africa will require addressing underlying challenges and constraints to domestic resource mobilization. These challenges  include inter alia: i) High levels of informality (about 86 percent of total jobs on the continent are informal) (https://apo-opa.co/3T4YKwQ); ii)  Weak tax administration capacities (https://apo-opa.co/4cKmfm3), leading to inefficient tax collection; iii) Complex tax law and rules, which reduce compliance rates; iv) Low domestic savings (prior to the pandemic, Africa had one of the lowest gross domestic savings rates in the world, at 13.6 percent of GDP)1; v)  Endemic corruption (https://apo-opa.co/4g2luaH) (Africa loses annually in IFFs about US$89 billion) (https://apo-opa.co/3MmfvzX); and vi) Inefficient and expensive tax collection systems. 

On the last point in particular, data suggest that between 2000 and 2021 African countries collected only 24 percent of the VAT revenues annually – the lowest rate in the world – that they could otherwise have collected with full compliance and without tax exemptions. The AEO (2024) report has therefore estimated that by just increasing the VAT efficiency ratio to the level currently achieved by high-performing developing countries in other regions—those with a VAT efficiency rate of at least 70 percent—African countries could raise their current median VAT revenues (as a share of GDP) by as much as 7.9 percentage points, equivalent to a median value of about US$1.9 billion. In aggregate terms, improving VAT efficiency ratio could translate into additional VAT revenues of US$171 billion (or 42.5 percent of Africa’s US$402.2 billion financing gap).    

There is a long way to go to make DRM work for Africa’s structural transformation. To move fast, policy priority should be given to improving the transparency of the tax system, widen the tax base, enhance enforcement, mitigate compliance risks, and ultimately stimulate voluntary compliance by strengthening the social contract via enhanced provision of public goods and services to address widespread implicit taxation and increase compliance; increasing non-tax revenues such as property income, royalties, fines, penalties, forfeits, and business permits; enhance the formalization of the informal economy and, digitalization of tax collection systems to curb corruption, thereby enhance revenue collection.  

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

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Sierra Leone’s PDSL to Host Strategic Investor Roundtable at Paris Energy Forum

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March 24, 2026

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The Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone will lead a targeted roundtable at Invest in African Energy 2026, spotlighting upstream potential and cross-regional partnerships

PARIS, France, March 24, 2026/APO Group/ –The Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone (PDSL) is set to convene an investor roundtable at Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum 2026 in Paris, underscoring growing interest in West and North African energy markets and the need for deeper capital engagement across exploration, renewable and offshore services. The session reflects a strategic effort by Sierra Leone to connect its emerging upstream prospects with established operators and project developers as the country moves to unlock the full potential of its emerging oil and gas industry.

 

Sierra Leone is increasingly positioning itself as a frontier oil and gas market with significant offshore potential, and part of the PDSL’s mandate is to catalyze investment interest in its offshore acreage through direct engagement with global capital. Recent data suggest the country holds estimated recoverable resources in the tens of billions of barrels, backed by discoveries and extensive multi‑client seismic datasets that prospective investors are evaluating. The PDSL is actively promoting licensing opportunities and drilling plans, emphasizing fiscal terms and exploration readiness to attract strategic partners.

 

A cornerstone of this strategy is the anticipated launch of the country’s sixth licensing round. Offering a rare early-entry opportunity into a largely untapped deepwater terrain with considerable upside, the upcoming bid round is backed by fresh 3D datasets which de-risk exploration and support new drilling campaigns. Just this month, GeoPartners announced that the final Pre-Stack Time Migration data for its recently acquired 3D multi-client seismic survey in the country was complete and is now available for licensing. The dataset provides a 3D window into the hydrocarbon potential of the underexplored northern Sierra Leone region.

 

Sierra Leone’s licensing drive comes as major operators advance exploration activities. In 2025, Eni signed a Reconnaissance Permit Agreement with the PDSL, securing rights to conduct reconnaissance and technical evaluation activities across offshore blocks G113, G129, G130, G131 and G132. The acreage covers 6,790 square kilometers within Sierra Leone’s territorial waters. Nigeria’s F.A. Oil Limited is pursuing drilling following its award of six offshore blocks through the country’s fifth licensing round in 2023. The company is currently seeking a farm-in partner to advance the project from exploration to production, offering a 40% stake in each of the G Blocks 53, 54, 55, 71, 72 and 73.

 

As these development unfold, the upcoming roundtable at IAE 2026 offers a unique opportunity for operators and policymakers to engage potential investors. The IAE 2026 Forum has become a strategic bridge between African upstream opportunities and global investors, with sessions like the PDSL roundtable designed to foster deeper dialogue and provide clarity on project pipelines and investment prerequisites. Discussions are expected to cover mechanisms for de‑risking exploration activity, optimizing fiscal and contractual frameworks and identifying synergies between hydrocarbon investment and renewable energy commitments.

 

For investors seeking differentiated exposure to African energy markets, the Sierra Leone roundtable represents both a focused exploration of frontier oil potential and a broader conversation about regional infrastructure, partnerships and the evolving demands of energy capital in the years ahead.

 

IAE 2026 (www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com) is an exclusive forum designed to connect African energy markets with global investors, serving as a key platform for deal-making in the lead-up to African Energy Week. Scheduled for April 22–23, 2026, in Paris, the event will provide delegates with two days of in-depth engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or register as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Cape Town Prepares for African Mining Week 2026 as Draft Program Reveals Continent’s Mineral Drive

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March 24, 2026

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African Mining Week returns for its 2026 edition with an expanded three-day program, bringing together African mining leaders and global partners to shape the future of the continent’s mining sector

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 24, 2026/APO Group/ –Global economic trends – from record-breaking commodity prices to intensifying geopolitical competition for resources – are reshaping the strategic importance of Africa’s mineral wealth. As global countries race to secure supply chains for energy transition metals – which are expected to triple by 2030 – Africa is positioning its 30% share of the world’s critical minerals as a key pillar of economic growth. African governments are modernizing mining codes, developing industrial corridors and investing in mineral processing facilities to support local beneficiation, job creation, workforce development and regional mineral markets.

 

Against this backdrop, the upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) Conference & Exhibition – Africa’s premier gathering for mining stakeholders – has launched the draft program for its 2026 edition {https://apo-opa.co/3NneKLj}. Scheduled to take place October 14–16 in Cape Town, the event provides a platform where policymakers, global investors, project operators, technology providers, academia and mining service companies examine Africa’s mining opportunities, challenges and long-term strategic direction.

Under the theme ‘Mining the Future: Unearthing Africa’s Full Mineral Value’, the three-day, multi-track agenda reflects the growing urgency among African markets to strengthen value addition across the mining value chain.

Regional Cooperation and Policy Alignment in Focus

A key feature of the agenda is the Ministerial Forum, where African mining ministers will provide updates on regulatory reforms and policy alignment initiatives aimed at unlocking greater value from the continent’s mineral resources. Discussions will examine how harmonized regulatory frameworks and regional cooperation can accelerate investment flows and strengthen Africa’s position in global mineral supply chains.

The inclusion of regional policy integration reflects a growing continental push to leverage frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to enhance cross-border mineral cooperation and trade.

We are acting to enhance regional integration through frameworks such as the African Mining Vision and the Africa Mineral Strategy Group

“Africa’s integration is not only a political objective but a strategic economic vision,” stated Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Ghana’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, in remarks reported by Energy Capital & Power – organizers of AMW – in February 2026. “Our natural resources require coordinated policies. Isolated legal frameworks cannot fully unlock their value. Through integration and initiatives such as the ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] Mining Code and the African Mining Vision, we can build a stronger and more competitive mineral economy.”

Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Henry Alake, echoed this emphasis on regional cooperation and beneficiation.

“We are acting to enhance regional integration through frameworks such as the African Mining Vision and the Africa Mineral Strategy Group,” he stated. “We must develop mineral corridors that connect resources, infrastructure and markets across the continent. Our goal is not to simply export raw materials, but to develop industrial hubs that create jobs and value across borders.”

Connecting Global Investors with African Opportunities

Strategic roundtables and Country Focus sessions form a key part of the AMW 2026 program, connecting African mining jurisdictions with international partners from the U.S, Europe, the Middle East and China. These sessions will provide African stakeholders with a platform to showcase exploration opportunities and project pipelines across the mining value chain.

Meanwhile, technical workshops and the exhibition floor at AMW 2026 will provide a platform for equipment manufacturers, technology providers and engineering firms to showcase innovations designed to enhance operational performance across mining operations.

By combining high-level policy dialogue with technical expertise and investment matchmaking, AMW 2026 positions itself as a critical marketplace where Africa’s mineral potential converges with global capital, technology and strategic partnerships – helping shape the next phase of growth for the continent’s mining sector.

AMW serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2026 conference from October 12-16 in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Tony Elumelu Foundation Selects Seven North African Entrepreneurs in 2026 Cohort

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March 24, 2026

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Seven North African entrepreneurs in technology, education, professional services and agriculture selected from 265,000 applications at historic Abuja ceremony

Hope is not just a feeling — it is a system we can build

ABUJA, Nigeria, March 24, 2026/APO Group/ —
  • 7 North African entrepreneurs selected from Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt
  • 51% of the 2026 cohort are women, all selected purely on merit, without any quota in place
  • 3,200 total entrepreneurs selected from 265,000+ applications across 54 African countries
  • USD 5,000 in non-refundable seed capital for each selected entrepreneur
  • Selection conducted independently by Ernst & Young

 

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) (www.TonyElumeluFoundation.org), the leading philanthropy empowering young African entrepreneurs, announced on Sunday, 22 March 2026 the 12th cohort of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme at a ceremony held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. The announcement was made by Founder Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R.

 

Among the 3,200 entrepreneurs selected from 265,000 applications received from all 54 African countries: seven from North Africa. Three from Tunisia, two from Morocco, two from Egypt. Spanning technology, education, professional services and agribusiness, they represent a generation of North African founders building businesses that address the urgent needs of their communities. Their selection, which was conducted independently by Ernst & Young, places them among the most rigorously assessed young entrepreneurs on the continent.

 

This year’s cohort carries a historic signal: 51 percent of the 2026 entrepreneurs are women. They were selected purely on merit, without quota. Across hundreds of thousands of applications, women distinguished themselves through the strength of their ideas, the clarity of their business models and the ambition of their vision.

 

In 2026, the Foundation is empowering a total of 3,200 entrepreneurs across all its entrepreneurship programmes:

 

  • 1,751 entrepreneurs through Heirs Holdings Group: Heirs Energies, Transcorp Power, Transcorp Hotels, and United Capital;
  • 1,049 entrepreneurs in partnership with the European Commission, OACPS, BMZ and GIZ;
  • 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with Sèmè City Development Agency;
  • 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with DEG, the German Development Agency;
  • 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with the IKEA Foundation, UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited and the Dutch Government; and
  • 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with UNDP and the Rwandan Ministry of Youth and Arts.

 

 

Each selected Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur will receive USD 5,000 in non-refundable seed capital, access to world-class business management training on TEFConnect, one-on-one mentorship, and entry into a powerful network of investors, partners and fellow entrepreneurs.

 

In his annual letter (https://apo-opa.co/4uOFepM), “A Story of Hope,” Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R., Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, shared a powerful message to the new cohort:

 

“For a long time, I believed luck was something that simply happened to you. Then I came to understand: luck can be engineered. Opportunity can be democratised. Hope is not just a feeling — it is a system we can build.” — Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R., Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation — 2026 Annual Letter

 

The Tony Elumelu Foundation has empowered over 2.5 million young Africans with access to business management training on TEFConnect (https://TEFConnect.com), and disbursed over USD 100 million in seed capital to more than 24,000 selected entrepreneurs.

 

Collectively, these entrepreneurs have generated USD 4.2 billion in revenue and created more than 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs. Through its support for African entrepreneurs, TEF has lifted 2.1 million Africans above the poverty line and positively impacted more than 4 million African households, with 46% of supported entrepreneurs being African women. Eighty percent of TEF-supported businesses survive and scale, against a global average of ten to twenty percent.

 

 

The announcement ceremony was broadcast live in English (https://apo-opa.co/3PWLiML), French (https://apo-opa.co/3PWLiML), Portuguese (https://apo-opa.co/4t4Y7Da) and Arabic (https://apo-opa.co/4bYHlQl).

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

 

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