Can Dangote’s IPO Live Up to The Hype?

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has finally launched the much anticipated IPO of part of his refinery business, and it's generated so much hype that many investment apps were overwhelmed by demand. The company hopes to raise as much as $2 billion from retail investors and with a minimum invest…

Replay: China's Growing Grip on Africa's EV Fastlane

We wanted to bring you one of our favourite episodes from the last 12 months this week. In Ethiopia, the share of electric vehicles on the road has jumped to 6% from just 1% after a 2024 ban on new gasoline-car imports.  Across Africa, EV adoption is now among the fastest-growing globally — with …

Why Investors Are Bullish on Kenya

A sovereign-rating upgrade and a stabilizing currency are helping restore Kenya’s appeal investors. Two years after deadly protests rattled sentiment, the markets have staged a recovery. Kenya’s all-share index has more than tripled in dollar terms since the start of 2024 making it the world's thir…

What If You Give Everyone $700?

A $200 million project in Malawi, one of the world’s poorest countries, is testing a radically simple approach to aid: giving about $700 directly to as many as 230,000 adults and letting them decide how best to spend it. The hope is that recipients will use the money to start businesses, invest in…

How Zambia’s ‘Better Democracy' Has Come Under Threat

Zambia had been the shining light for democracy in sub-Saharan Africa, but president Hichilema's recent reelection has been tainted by accusations of irregularities, the killing of a former minister and what the UN has called arbitrary arrests.  On this week’s Episode, Bloomberg’s Matthew Hill who…

How the Iran War Reshaped Africa’s Oil Trade — At A Cost

As the Iran War broke out and the Strait of Hormuz closed, fuel prices surged and supplies became disrupted. The African countries that thought they had supply deals in place found deliveries being cancelled.  But the world’s largest oil trader turned the Hormuz crisis to its advantage. Vitol was a…

Why The Deadly Ebola Outbreak Is Accelerating

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has become the country’s worst ever, with more than 2,000 confirmed deaths and a fatality rate of more than 46%. The World Health Organization says it's the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record, and has warned that contact tracing isn't kee…

Why South Africa's $220 Billion Pension Fund Manager Is in Crisis

South Africa's Public Investment Corp., the $220 billion manager of civil servants' pensions and a major shareholder in many of the country's biggest companies, has lurched from one crisis to another. Its chief executive was suspended before a court ordered his reinstatement, while the chairman — w…

Why African Stocks Are Beating the World

Nigeria's stock market is the world's best-performing equity market this year. Its benchmark index has outpaced every major market, including South Korea, delivering the highest dollar returns to investors. Ghana, Tunisia and Kenya have also ranked among the world's top-performing markets, as econ…

How USAID Cuts Caused Floods in Kenya

Eighteen months after the Trump administration shut down USAID, a painstaking Bloomberg investigation into abandoned water projects in Kenya using interviews, satellite imagery and data analysis has revealed the stark consequences of that decision. On this week’s Next Africa podcast, Bloomberg’s S…