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The $10 Billion Mega-Airport Financing Partnership Between Ethiopian Airlines and African Development Bank Takes Off

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Ethiopia’s ambition to build a new international airport that will rival some of the world’s biggest, took off on Monday with a monumental signing ceremony marking the African Development Bank’s role (www.AfDB.org) as the initial mandated lead arranger, global coordinator and book runner to mobilize nearly $8 billion of the $10 billion needed for the mega project.

The Bank plans to provide financing of $500 million, subject to Board approval.

The mandate letter was signed by Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Commercial Officer Lemma Yadecha and the President of the African Development Bank Group Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, in the presence of Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance, Hon. Ahmed Shide.

Other guests at the ceremony included Ethiopian Airlines Group Board Chair Hon. Lt General Yilma Merdessa, Malawi’s Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Simplex Chithyola, South Sudan’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Boutros Thok Deng, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Chargé d’affaires in Ethiopia Exkael Kabongo, his Togolese counterpart Thomas Deji, and Zambia’s Nawa Sibongo.

Located 40 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, the new greenfield Bishoftu International Airport (BIA) will have an initial capacity of 60 million passengers, eventually expanding to 110 million, and transport 3.73 million tons of cargo annually.

“The African Development Bank is proud to partner with Ethiopia in its vision to expand the operational and fleet capacity of the Ethiopian Airlines,” Adesina said, praising Ethiopia for putting “Africa at the top in global aviation.”

“With its 75 years of operational history, Ethiopian airlines is Africa’s oldest and best airline. It is critical for regional economic integration, connecting capitals, people and markets, with its globally rated cargo facilities,” the Bank Group chief said.

Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew, who was represented at the signing ceremony by Chief Commercial Officer Yadecha said, “The signing of this mandate letter marks a decisive step toward realizing a world-class pan-African gateway that will boost intra-African trade, regional integration, tourism, and global connectivity.”

Groundworks are expected to begin late 2025, with Phase I expected to be completed by November 2029. The multi-billion-dollar project will include an airport city with facilities such as shopping malls, hotels, recreation areas, as well as direct rail and expressway links to Addis Ababa.

Adesina, making his last official visit to Ethiopia, praised the “visionary leadership” of Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, who he noted is transforming the country “every hour, every day, every week, at scale. Speed and scale are now the hallmarks of Ethiopia.”

The African Development Bank is proud to partner with Ethiopia in its vision to expand the operational and fleet capacity of the Ethiopian Airlines

He summed up the financing partnership between Ethiopian Airlines and the Bank as a fitting one between Africa’s largest airline—with an especially noteworthy record of supporting the global response to the Covid19 pandemic—and the continent’s biggest infrastructure financier, to deliver a “game changer” for African and global aviation.

“In the past ten years under my Presidency, the Bank has financed over $55 billion in infrastructure,” Adesina said, pledging to “do all we can to support Ethiopia to achieve its dream.” He noted that the African Development Bank in 2016 extended a $160 million corporate loan to support the modernization and expansion of Ethiopian Airline’s fleet.

“I wish to assure you that the African Development Bank will deliver, so that this project can be delivered by Ethiopia for its people,” said Adesina.

The Ethiopian Airlines Group and the African Development Bank signed a Letter of Intent on 24 March 2025 to partner for the financing of this flagship project.

The Bank has a track record of responsibly structuring and mobilizing financing from commercial banks, development finance institutions, and institutional investors for structured projects across the continent.

It supports several transformative infrastructure projects as a mandated lead arranger, including the Aysha Wind Power Project in Ethiopia and the Tanzania-Burundi-DR Congo Standard Gauge Railway Project.

Over the years, the Bank has successfully executed debt-raise mandates for limited-recourse infrastructure projects as well as state-owned transport companies such as Transnet, Portos e Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique, and Ghana Airports Company.

The Bishoftu International Airport will serve international passenger and cargo traffic, complementing Bole International Airport, which will retain Ethiopian’s domestic operations.

Ethiopian Airlines hub-and-spoke network, with subregional hubs, is driving connectivity across Africa and with the rest of the world.  With the planned airport, the speed, frequency and scale of connections for people, goods, and services is set to increase significantly. The expansion is also in line with one of the African Development Bank’s High 5 priorities, which is to Integrate Africa by breaking down barriers, building cross-border links, and enabling African economies to trade, travel, and thrive together in a globally competitive environment.

Ethiopian Airlines Group, Africa’s most successful airline, with more than 75 years of operational history, is the seven-time consecutive winner of Skytrax’s ‘Best Airline’ in Africa’ award. In the fiscal year ending 30 June 2025, the airline reported record revenues of $7.6 billion, reflecting an 8% year-on-year growth. It transported 19.0 million passengers, with 15.1 million on international routes and 3.9 million within the country.

The company has allocated a total of $350 million for livelihood restoration and resettlement of communities that will be affected by the construction.

To read President Adesina’s speech, click here (https://apo-opa.co/3UtVYBL).

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

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Aurionpro expands its multi-country transaction banking engagement with Diamond Trust Bank (DTB)

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Aurionpro’s upgraded iCashpro platform for DTB delivers a unified digital experience across payments, trade, virtual accounts, and real-time reporting, enhancing straight-through processing, visibility, and control for both the bank and its corporate customers

MUMBAI, India, April 30, 2026/APO Group/ –Aurionpro Solutions Limited (www.AurionPro.com) (BSE: 532668 | NSE: AURIONPRO)a global leader in banking technology, announced the expansion and upgrade of its transaction banking engagement with Diamond Trust Bank (DTB), to modernize and enhance the bank’s corporate transaction banking capabilities across multiple countries.

Download Document: https://apo-opa.co/4edHUaC

This multi-country transaction banking upgrade covering Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania aligns with DTB’s intent to enhance customer experience, streamline operations, and support growing transaction volumes as it expands its regional corporate banking footprint. DTB continues to focus on building a more agile, ‘digital-first’ banking experience, particularly around payments for its corporate customers across Africa, and is now well positioned to scale these capabilities. As part of its broader transformation agenda, the bank has been steadily investing in platforms that enhance scale, reliability, and service consistency across markets.

Through this partnership, we are proud to lead the next era of transformation in transaction banking, helping DTB enhance operational agility

Aurionpro’s upgraded iCashpro platform for DTB delivers a unified digital experience across payments, trade, virtual accounts, and real-time reporting, enhancing straight-through processing, visibility, and control for both the bank and its corporate customers. By enabling DTB to standardize and scale its transaction banking operations across countries, the platform ensures consistent service levels, stronger control, and improved efficiency. It also supports enhanced user experience, advanced security, and the flexibility to introduce new features as DTB expands its regional transaction banking footprint.

Murali Natarajan (https://apo-opa.co/48trPdk), Managing Director & CEO, DTB Kenya   commented: “We are delighted to strengthen and broaden our partnership with Aurionpro Solutions as part of DTB’s ongoing digital transformation journey across multiple markets. Our focus on innovation, operational excellence, and customer-centricity continues to guide our technology investments. This upgrade strengthens our transaction banking capabilities, enabling us to deliver greater value to our customers through robust digital channels and seamlessly integrated experiences.”

Ashish Rai, Group CEO, Aurionpro Solutions, commented: “We are pleased to deepen our multi-country engagement with Diamond Trust Bank and support the next phase of its transaction banking modernization. As DTB continues to scale across markets, platform resilience and consistency become paramount. Through this partnership, we are proud to lead the next era of transformation in transaction banking, helping DTB enhance operational agility, deliver superior experiences to corporate customers, and create long-term value across geographies.”

He added, “Aurionpro’s iCashpro lays a strong digital foundation for transaction & wholesale banks across the globe to grow their corporate and SME client portfolio today, while creating a clear roadmap for next- generation capabilities in AI-driven insights, advanced automation and API-led connectivity for businesses in Kenya and across Africa.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Aurionpro Solutions Ltd.

 

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Minerals Council Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joins African Mining Week (AMW) as South Africa Improves Sectorial Investment Climate

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Minerals Council CEO to share insights on policy, infrastructure and investment trends shaping South Africa’s mining industry

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 30, 2026/APO Group/ –The upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) conference will feature Mzila Mthenjane, CEO of the Minerals Council of South Africa, as a speaker. Scheduled for October 14 – 16, 2026 in Cape Town, the event will bring together global investors, policymakers and industry leaders, with Mthenjane’s participation highlighting the council’s commitment to engaging international stakeholders and promoting investment across South Africa’s mining sector.

His participation comes at a critical moment as the Minerals Council works closely with government on finalizing the Mineral Resources Development Bill 2025, a policy framework aimed at strengthening the country’s mining investment climate and the sector’s contribution to GDP. According to the council, the revised legislation will support new investment across the value chain as South Africa seeks to mobilize R2 trillion over the next five years to unlock its critical minerals potential.

The policy reforms come amid shifting production trends in the sector. In 2025, South Africa recorded declines in gold and platinum group metals output of 1.9% and 4.1%, respectively. The new regulatory framework is expected to strengthen public-private partnerships and stimulate investment, enabling South Africa to increase production and capitalize on strong global commodity prices. Increased private sector investments is crucial with South Africa seeking targeting to unlock an estimated R40 trillion in untapped iron ore potential as well as maintain its position as the world’s leading producer of chrome and manganese.

At AMW 2026, Mthenjane is expected to outline these trends, providing insights into how the council is contributing to addressing challenges disrupting the sector. Infrastructure and energy costs remain key concerns for industry players. To support the energy-intensive sector, South Africa approved a 35% reduction in electricity tariffs for major ferrochrome producers, helping stabilize an industry that has faced significant cost pressures after electricity prices surged by roughly 900% since 2008.

Logistics constraints are also a priority area for reform. South Africa’s economy is losing an estimated R1 billion per day due to inefficiencies across rail and port infrastructure. As a result, the government is considering measures supported by the Minerals Council to increase private sector participation in logistics. Planned reforms include rail modernization initiatives targeting 250 million tons of freight capacity by 2029, alongside port upgrades and private operator participation aimed at strengthening mineral exports and improving supply chain efficiency.

Beyond infrastructure and policy reforms, the Minerals Council is advocating for stronger exploration investment to support long-term industry growth.

At AMW, Mthenjane is expected to highlight these developments and outline the steps required to reinforce South Africa’s position in the global minerals supply chain. His insights will offer investors and stakeholders a timely perspective on opportunities within the country’s mining sector.

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

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Seychelles Targets Energy Investment Push as Minister Jérémie Joins African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 as a Speaker

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African Energy Chamber

Seychelles energy minister will speak at AEW 2026, positioning her to highlight reforms, renewable projects and investment opportunities as the island nation advances its transition toward a diversified energy system

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –Marie-May Jérémie, Minister of Environment, Climate, Energy and Natural Resources for Seychelles will participate as a speaker at this year’s African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, taking place from October 12–16 in Cape Town. Her participation underscores the country’s growing role in shaping Africa’s small-island energy transition agenda.

Minister Jérémie’s presence at AEW 2026 comes at a critical time as Seychelles accelerates efforts to reduce its heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels. The event provides a platform to attract investment, strengthen policy alignment and showcase bankable projects, positioning the country as a viable destination for private-sector participation in island energy systems.

Seychelles is demonstrating how policy reform and innovation can unlock investment in constrained environments

In May last year, international finance institution the World Bank approved the Renewable Energy Acceleration Program, a seven-year initiative aimed at modernizing the grid and increasing renewable energy penetration to 15% by 2030. The program focuses on unlocking private capital while strengthening transmission infrastructure to accommodate variable renewable energy sources.

Project development is gaining traction in the country, particularly in innovative technologies suited to Seychelles’ land constraints. The 5.8 MW Seysun Lagoon floating solar PV project, developed by independent renewable power producer Qair, is under construction and expected online in 2026.

Alongside renewables, Seychelles continues to pursue upstream opportunities to diversify its economy. The government approved new exploration entrants in 2025 and extended exiting petroleum agreements, while securing an infrastructure partnership with China. Multilateral estimates suggest over $800 million in investment will be required over the next 25 years.

Regulatory reform is central to this transition, with Seychelles introducing an independent power producer framework to open the market to private developers. Standardized power purchase agreements, grid access reforms and strengthened public-private partnership structures are being implemented to improve transparency, reduce risk and accelerate project bankability across solar, storage and emerging wind opportunities.

“Minister Jérémie’s participation highlights the strategic importance of island nations in Africa’s broader energy transition,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber. “Seychelles is demonstrating how policy reform and innovation can unlock investment in constrained environments. Her insights will be critical to advancing dialogue on resilient, low-carbon energy systems across the continent.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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