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Nigeria Expands Agro-Industrial Footprint with New Processing Hub in Oyo State

Source: APO – Report:

  • Oyo SAPZ will host up to 40 agro-processing industries, create over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, and benefit half a million farmers.
  • A great honour to do this on my last official visit to Nigeria as President of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) – Adesina

Nigeria has launched a new Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in Oyo State, marking a major milestone in the country’s efforts to boost agricultural transformation, job creation and rural industrialization.

The groundbreaking ceremony, held in the Ijaiye community near Ibadan on Saturday, was attended by national and international dignitaries, including the President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina who was making his final official visit to Nigeria in that role. Also in attendance were the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, and Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari.

The Oyo site is the third to be developed under the national SAPZ program, and the first in southwest Nigeria. It follows earlier launches in Kaduna and Cross River States in April 2025.

According to Dr. Adesina, “I believe that Nigeria can and must be a global powerhouse in agriculture. But you need investments to be able to do that. You also need industrial platforms that will connect primary agricultural production all the way to how you store products, how you process and add value, and how you ship to be able to sell. And that is what the special agro-industrial processing zones are really about.”

The program is financed by the African Development Bank, in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and Nigeria’s federal and state governments. Together, they have committed $538 million to the first phase of the program, covering seven states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Covering 3,000 hectares, with 300 hectares designated for immediate development, the Oyo SAPZ is expected to host up to 40 agro-processing industries, create over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, and benefit half a million farmers.

Oyo State Governor Makinde hailed the launch as a fulfilment of promises made: “Today is about promises kept. It is a strategic step on the journey of sustainable development. These hubs bring producers closer to processors and link farms to markets. They reflect our government’s belief that agriculture is not just about food, it is about infrastructure, enterprise and national relevance. We’re building a future where agriculture feeds not just homes, but industries; where it doesn’t just sustain families but entire economies.”

Representing Vice President Kashim Shettima, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari highlighted the SAPZ initiative’s alignment with national priorities: “Today’s event exemplifies the spirit of partnership and shared vision that is vital to our nation’s progress. The SAPZ initiative is one of the cornerstones of the renewed hope agenda championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a vision rooted in restoring Nigeria’s dignity, unlocking our vast potentials and creating opportunities for every citizen.”

Dr. Adesina underscored the transformative vision behind SAPZs, calling them essential to unlocking agricultural value chains and lifting millions out of poverty.

“The export of primary commodities is the door to poverty. The export of value-added commodities and products is a highway to wealth. It doesn’t really matter what you have in terms of agricultural commodities, whether it is cocoa or coffee, or grains; if you’re not adding value to it, it’s actually going to make you poor. So, what we’re doing here is to be able to unlock that value,” Adesina stressed. “Our goal is very clear. It’s to reduce massive post-harvest losses, develop logistics, and improve linkages between farm production, agro-processing, and value addition, transform rural economies, and, of course, to create jobs.”

He outlined three critical pillars for the success of the SAPZs: political will, resource mobilization, and strategic partnerships. “What we are witnessing today would not have happened without intense collaboration,” he noted.

Reflecting on his 10-year tenure as President of the African Development Bank, Adesina highlighted milestones achieved under his leadership, including the Bank’s capital increase from $93 billion in 2015 to $318 billion in 2024, and the two-time ranking of its sovereign portfolio as the most transparent among multilateral development banks globally

The SAPZ initiative is a flagship of the Bank’s ‘Feed Africa’ strategy, launched by Adesina in 2015. The zones are being developed in 28 sites across 11 African countries, with the Nigerian program being the largest.

The chairperson of the Ijaiye Farm Settlers Association, David Olatunji, described Saturday’s groundbreaking ceremony as “a memorable opportunity” for the community and the state. “We have a lot of unbroken forests around us, and the farmers are ready to work!” he declared.

Dr. Adebowale Adeyeye, an agripreneur specializing in soyabean and cashew production and processing, said: “The SAPZ project in Ijaiye is a strategic boost for businesses like ours. With targeted government support in areas like power, road access, and security, it creates the kind of enabling environment we need to scale operations, reduce costs, and attract long-term investment. It’s a move that will strengthen agribusiness value chains and enhance overall competitiveness.”

The SAPZ Programme is working to transform Nigeria’s rural economy into zones of prosperity, by facilitating industrial processing, expanding market access, and attracting private sector investment. The Zones are being developed in 28 sites across 11 African countries, with the Nigeria program being the largest.

Dr. Kabir Yusuf, National Coordinator of SAPZ Nigeria, announced plans to expand the program to an additional 10 states from September 2025, marking the beginning of the second phase that will cover the remaining States in the country.

Adesina was accompanied by senior Bank officials, including the Director General for Nigeria, Dr. Abdul Kamara; Senior Special Adviser on Industrialization, Prof. Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka; and Director of Agricultural Finance and Rural Development Department, Richard Ofori-Mante.

– on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Media Contact:
Tolu Ogunlesi
Communication and External Relations
African Development Bank
Email: media@afdb.org

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Le Nigeria étend son empreinte agro-industrielle avec une nouvelle zone de transformation dans l’État d’Oyo

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

  • La SAPZ d’Oyo pourra accueillir jusqu’à 40 industries de transformation agricole, créer plus de 100 000 emplois directs et indirects et bénéficier à un demi-million d’agriculteurs.
  • « C’est un grand honneur de réaliser cela lors de ma dernière visite officielle au Nigeria en tant que président du Groupe de la Banque africaine de développement » (www.AfDB.org) – Akinwumi Adesina.

Le Nigeria a inauguré une nouvelle Zone de transformation agro‑industrielle spéciale (SAPZ, sigle en anglais pour Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones) dans l’État d’Oyo, marquant une étape majeure dans ses efforts de transformation agricole, de création d’emplois et d’industrialisation rurale.

La cérémonie de pose de la première pierre s’est tenue samedi 02 août 2025 à Ijaiye, dans la localité d’Ibadan. Elle a réuni de hauts responsables nationaux et internationaux, notamment le président du Groupe de la Banque africaine de développement, Akinwumi Adesina, qui effectuait sa dernière visite officielle au Nigeria en tant que président du Groupe de la Banque. Étaient également présents le gouverneur d’Oyo, Seyi Makinde et le ministre nigérian de l’Agriculture, le sénateur Abubakar Kyari.

Le site d’Oyo est la troisième SAPZ développée dans le cadre du programme national, et la première dans le Sud-Ouest du Nigeria. Les Zones de transformation agro‑industrielle spéciales ont été lancées en avril 2025 dans les États de Kaduna et de Cross River.

« Je suis convaincu que le Nigeria peut – et doit – devenir une puissance agricole mondiale. Mais cela nécessite des investissements. Il faut aussi des plateformes industrielles qui relient la production agricole primaire jusqu’à la manière de stocker, de transformer, de valoriser et d’exporter les produits. C’est exactement ce à quoi servent ces zones agro‑industrielles spéciales », a déclaré M.  Adesina.

Le programme de Zones de transformation agro‑industrielle spéciales est financé par la Banque africaine de développement, en partenariat avec la Banque islamique de développement (BID), le Fonds international de développement agricole (FIDA), le gouvernement fédéral du Nigeria et les États fédérés bénéficiaires. La première phase du programme couvre sept États et le Territoire de la capitale fédérale pour un financement total de 538 millions de dollars mobilisé par l’ensemble des parties prenantes.

La SAPZ d’Oyo est un site qui s’étend sur 3 000 hectares, dont 300 hectares destinés au développement immédiat. Il devrait accueillir jusqu’à 40 industries de transformation, générer plus de 100 000 emplois (directs et indirects) et profiter à 500 000 agriculteurs.

Le gouverneur Seyi Makinde a salué le lancement comme l’accomplissement de promesses électorales :

« Aujourd’hui est la concrétisation des promesses. C’est une étape stratégique vers un développement durable. Ces hubs rapprochent les producteurs des transformateurs et relient les fermes aux marchés. Ils incarnent notre conviction : l’agriculture, ce n’est pas seulement nourrir, c’est bâtir des infrastructures, des entreprises et renforcer notre importance nationale. Nous construisons un avenir où l’agriculture nourrit non seulement les foyers, mais aussi les industries ; où elle soutient non seulement des familles, mais toute l’économie », a-t-il souligné.

Le ministre nigérian de l’Agriculture, le sénateur Abubakar Kyari qui représentait le vice‑président Kashim Shettima, a souligné l’alignement de l’initiative SAPZ avec les priorités nationales : « L’événement d’aujourd’hui illustre l’esprit de partenariat et de vision partagée essentiels à la progression de notre pays. Le programme SAPZ est l’un des piliers de l’Agenda de l’« espoir renouvelé » lancé par le président Bola Ahmed Tinubu, une vision fondée sur la restauration de la dignité du Nigeria, la libération de notre immense potentiel et la création d’opportunités pour chaque citoyen. »

M. Adesina a souligné la vision transformatrice des SAPZ, essentielles pour valoriser les chaînes de valeur agricoles et sortir des millions de personnes de la pauvreté.

« L’exportation de produits agricoles bruts fait entrer dans la pauvreté. L’exportation de produits à valeur ajoutée ouvre la voie à la richesse. Peu importe le type de cultures – cacao, café, céréales – sans valeur ajoutée, elles enrichissent peu. Ce que nous faisons ici, c’est libérer cette valeur », a-t-il insisté.

« Notre objectif est clair : réduire les pertes post-récolte, développer la logistique, améliorer la filière de la production agricole, de la transformation et de la valorisation, transformer les économies rurales et, bien sûr, créer des emplois », a détaillé le président du Groupe de la Banque africaine de développement.

Il a souligné trois piliers essentiels au succès des SAPZ : volonté politique, mobilisation des ressources et partenariats stratégiques.

« Ce que nous célébrons aujourd’hui n’aurait pas été possible sans une collaboration intense », a-t-il observé.

Revenant sur ses dix années à la tête du Groupe de la Banque africaine de développement, M. Adesina a rappelé des réalisations marquantes, notamment l’augmentation du capital de la Banque, passée de 93 milliards de dollars américains en 2015 à 318 milliards de dollars en 2024, et le classement à deux reprises du portefeuille souverain du Groupe de la banque comme le plus transparent parmi les banques multilatérales de développement au monde.

L’initiative SAPZ est une composante phare de la stratégie « Feed Africa » (Nourrir l’Afrique), lancée par M. Adesina en 2015. Ces zones sont en développement dans 28 sites répartis dans onze pays africains, le programme nigérian étant le plus important.

Le président de l’Association des installés agricoles de Ijaiye, David Olatunji, a qualifié la cérémonie de « moment mémorable » pour la communauté et l’État : « Nous avons beaucoup de forêts intactes autour de nous, et les agriculteurs sont prêts à travailler ! »

« Le projet SAPZ à Ijaiye est un coup de pouce stratégique pour des entreprises comme la nôtre, a déclaré Adebowale Adeyeye, agripreneur spécialisé dans la production et la transformation de soja et de cajou. Avec un soutien ciblé de l’État (électricité, voirie, sécurité), il crée un environnement propice pour étendre nos activités, baisser les coûts et attirer des investissements à long terme. C’est une initiative qui renforce les chaînes de valeur de l’agrobusiness et améliore la compétitivité globale. »

Le programme SAPZ vise à transformer l’économie rurale nigériane en zones de prospérité en facilitant la transformation industrielle, en élargissant l’accès aux marchés et en attirant l’investissement privé.

Le coordonnateur national du programme SAPZ du Nigeria, Kabir Yusuf, a annoncé l’extension du programme à dix États supplémentaires à partir de septembre 2025, marquant le lancement de la seconde phase couvrant les États restants du pays.

M. Adesina était accompagné de hauts responsables du Groupe de la Banque. Il s’agit notamment du directeur général pour le Nigeria, Abdul Kamara, de son conseiller spécial principal à l’industrialisation, Oyebanji Oyelaran‑Oyeyinka et du directeur du Département de la finance agricole et du développement rural, Richard Ofori‑Mante.

Distribué par APO Group pour African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Contact médias :
Tolu Ogunlesi
Département de la communication et des relations externes
media@afdb.org

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Private sector commits to help women participate in economy

Source: Government of South Africa

As South Africa marks the beginning of Women’s Month, private sector institutions have reaffirmed their commitment to work with government to ensure women’s full participation in the economy.

The commitment was made by representatives from various institutions during the official launch of Women’s Month 2025, held in Johannesburg on Friday.

Absa Group’s Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer, Punki Modise, emphasised the importance of building on the legacy of iconic women leaders, such as struggle stalwart Charlotte Maxeke and the women of the 1956 march.

“Every step forward for one woman should be a path easier for the next woman. It would be a missed opportunity for Absa not to build on the legacy they left. As we think about solutions, particularly for women, we make sure we don’t forget where we are coming from,” Modise said.

In 2024 alone, Absa spent approximately R3.8 billion procuring goods and services from women-owned businesses. However, she noted that the financial system was not originally designed with women in mind.

“We still continue to challenge the status quo, because the [financial] institutions that we work in today were not built for women [but] under completely different dispensation. As we go forward, government should open the policies and ensure that women can be effectively supported,” Modise said.

Modise stressed that unlocking economic value, measured in trillions, depended on giving women access to opportunity and right spaces.

She said partnering with government was a stepping stone to ensure that women’s opportunities are unlocked in the right way.

Access to global market and finance

Dr Sindiswa Mzamo, Co-Chairperson of the Women20 (W20) Presidency, agreed there was a need for tangible economic inclusion, especially through access to finance and international markets.

Mzamo noted that women remain significantly underrepresented in global trade, with only about 50% participating in the export markets.

She said technology was a game-changer, which breaks down trade barriers and provides a platform where women can trade, and showcase their products directly.

“Once you actually put these products in the marketplace, there is no issue about trade barriers because everything is already in the platform. Women can trade amongst each other [and] can showcase their products with other women across the board,” Mzamo said.

She stressed the importance of supporting women in rural and township communities by ensuring that their businesses are being registered and protecting their intellectual and artistic work.

“These beads that we see, we see them in New York, and some of them [artists] are exploited, because they don’t know the numbers and how much it is costing. They [buyers] go and buy beadwork in places like Ingwavuma [located in Umkhanyakude District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal] for R2 and resell them in New York for $700. We need to make sure that in this platform, we cut that,” Mzamo said.

Standard Bank’s Executive Head of Strategic Partnerships, Lindeka Dzedze, reaffirmed the financial sector’s dedication to women’s economic advancement.

“You are not alone. We are with you,” Dzedze told the businesswomen.

Tackling gender-based violence through economic inclusion

The speakers acknowledged the enduring legacy of the 1956 women’s march and the critical link between economic empowerment and the fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

It was noted that GBVF thrives in environments of poverty, which is exacerbated by women’s exclusion from economic opportunities.

Pillar 5 of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide aims to address the economic dimensions of GBVF, including economic dependence and abuse, by enabling women, including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) community to participate fully in the economy, – SAnews.gov.za

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Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Receives Report on the Implementation Status of Projects of Information Infrastructure Center for Egyptian Planning System

Source: APO – Report:

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Development of 380 technology centers in local municipalities, villages, cities, and new urban communities has been completed.

156 government services are available through the fixed “Khadamat Masr” centers in Sharm El Sheikh, Mokattam, Aswan, and Alexandria; citizens have completed over 300,000 transactions as of the end of June 2025.

The development and delivery of 276 centers within the Mobile Technology Centers project for providing government services to citizens has been completed.

H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, received a report on the implementation status of projects for the Ministry’s Information Infrastructure Center for the Egyptian Planning System. 

The center is executing several projects, including the integration of spatial information infrastructure to develop the Egyptian planning system, projects for developing health services and initiatives (sustainability of births, deaths, and vaccinations), the project for developing financial and banking information systems at the National Investment Bank, and improving government performance in cooperation with the Administrative Prosecution Authority. 

Other projects include the development of technology centers in districts, cities, and new urban communities, improving the operational efficiency of real estate registry offices, as well as the mobile technology centers and fixed “Misr Services” centers.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat emphasized the pivotal role of the Information Infrastructure Center for the Egyptian Planning System, in light of the significant importance the state places on digital transformation and developing services provided to citizens. This is aimed at the comprehensive development of government policies and performance, to keep pace with the aspirations and challenges of the next phase, and to continue the path of structural and institutional reform. 

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat noted that the Ministry is working to advance economic development efforts and close sectoral development gaps by relying on data-driven policies, which reflects the importance of digital transformation in the state’s vision.

_*Technology Centers in Local Municipalities*_

The report highlighted the project to develop technology centers in local municipalities and new city authorities. This project aims to provide citizens and investors with civilized, fast, accurate, and integrated services by coordinating with governorates to establish technology centers. 

These centers provide services to citizens and send them through a smart system to back-end departments, linking them with participating government bodies. This enhances performance efficiency, tightens control, and improves monitoring methods using information technology at the level of governorate general offices, centers, cities, districts, rural units (Haya Karima), and new city authorities. 

The development of service delivery locations in local municipalities (general offices, cities and centers, districts, and new city authorities) for 380 centers has been completed. This includes 316 centers in cities and districts, 30 centers in rural units, and 34 centers in the New Urban Communities Authority to improve the level of services provided to citizens.

Moreover, development efforts have contributed to reducing the time for service delivery to citizens by 60% and decreasing crowding rates at fixed technology centers by supporting governorates with 37 mobile technology center vehicles, which had a positive impact on increasing citizen satisfaction.

_*”Khadamat Masr” Center Project*_

The report highlighted the “Khadamat Masr” project, which aims to enhance financial and digital inclusion, reduce the time and effort required to obtain government services, and provide a package of government services from a single location. 

Fixed “Khadamat Masr” branches have been opened in Sharm El Sheikh, Alexandria, Aswan, and Mokattam in Cairo, with a number of other branches in other governorates nearing completion for opening.

According to the report, new services have been added, bringing the total number of government services provided in “Khadamat Masr” centers to around 156 by the end of the fourth quarter of the 2024-2025 fiscal year. It is expected that these services will reach about 200 in the next fiscal year, ranging from real estate registration and notarization services, civil affairs, the Egyptian Public Prosecution, social solidarity services, the General Department for Passports, Immigration and Nationality, the General Department of Traffic, social insurance, and electronic payment, among other services.

The report revealed that the number of transactions citizens have completed at “Khadamat Masr” centers reached over 300,000 by the end of the fourth quarter of 2024-2025, with an average service time of 30 minutes. The goal is to reduce this average service time to about 20 minutes.

The report mentioned that the project for integrating the spatial information infrastructure to develop the Egyptian planning system is a comprehensive national project aimed at improving the efficiency of developmental investment decisions, increasing the efficiency of government spending, optimizing resource utilization, and directing state investments in an efficient and effective manner. This is achieved by using the latest technologies and advanced satellite and aerial imaging to produce unified base maps for the state and all spatial reports.

_*Mobile Technology Service Centers*_

The report reviewed the progress of the Mobile Technology Centers project, which aims to provide government services to citizens in a civilized and dignified manner, reduce crowding at government service offices, and improve the business environment. This is achieved by providing digitized services that ensure citizen satisfaction. It was noted that 276 mobile technology centers were delivered by the end of last March, out of a total target of 326 centers, comprising 198 centers for government agencies and 78 mobile centers as part of the “Khadamat Masr” project, in cooperation between the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation and various government entities.

_*Health Projects Information Infrastructure Project*_

Regarding the Health Projects Information Infrastructure Project (sustainability of birth and death systems and development of the vaccination systems’ information infrastructure), it aims to enhance the efficiency and transparency of the health system and improve the quality of healthcare services. This is done by developing an integrated information infrastructure that supports the accurate and efficient registration of vital statistics. The project also contributes to enhancing the state’s capacity for sustainable health planning, rationalizing spending, and improving vaccination registration mechanisms. The number of health offices linked electronically is 4,666, and the operational capacity of 2,000 health offices has been increased (providing devices and equipment). All vaccination offices have also been linked and are operating on the electronic system. The number of electronically linked vaccination offices has reached 5,434, and the number of vaccination offices supported with devices as part of the 2024/2025 plan has reached 2,000.

_*Government Performance Improvement Project*_

The report also covered the project to improve government performance in cooperation with the Administrative Prosecution. This project aims to improve the performance of public facilities nationwide and enhance the quality of life for Egyptian citizens by evaluating and measuring government performance. It also supports decision-makers with accurate data that contributes to improving the performance of public employees and government entities. The project aims to link 273 administrative prosecution offices to the complaints system, and by the end of June 2025, 22,946 complaints had been registered through the system.

_*Electronic Voting Project*_

The report outlined the electronic voting project, which aims to establish the first electronic voting system in the Arab Republic of Egypt, in cooperation with the Administrative Prosecution Authority, and to create an integrated digital platform for managing and operating the electoral system electronically.

_*Supporting the Operational Capacity of Real Estate Registry Offices*_

The report referred to the project to support the operational capacity of the Real Estate and Notarization Authority’s offices. This project contributes to the rapid entry of data for registration and publicity requests for properties in accordance with Law No. 9 of 2022, and the quick completion of property registration procedures for citizens. This leads to an increase in the state’s public treasury revenues due to the rise in accepted registration requests and collected fees. The operational capacity of 28 offices, 293 sub-offices, and one main office of the Real Estate and Notarization Authority has been improved.

_*Supporting the Operational Capacity of Public Prosecution Offices*_

Regarding the project to support the operational capacity of Public Prosecution offices, it aims to facilitate litigation procedures and ensure that stakeholders can obtain their rights without hardship, within a framework of constitutional and procedural legitimacy. This is achieved by automating 640 offices over four years from the start of the project and converting 50 million documents into digital documents that are easy to access and store. The number of offices targeted for the first year, 2024-2025, is 123 public prosecution offices (19% of the total number of offices), and the number of digitally converted documents has reached 2,375,000.

– on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation – Egypt.

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Tanzania: Ambassador Chen Mingjian Attends the Official Launch of the East Africa Commercial and Logistics Center

Source: APO – Report:

On August 1, Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania H.E. Chen Mingjian attended the official launch of the East Africa Commercial and Logistics Center (EACLC) in Dar es Salaam. President H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, Minister of State in President’s Office Planning and Investment Hon. Kitila Mkumbo, Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Hon. Mahmoud Kombo, Minister for Trade and Industrial Development Zanzibar Hon. Omar Shaaban, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Hon. Albert Chalamila and over 4,000 people were present at the event.

The EACLC is invested by China’s Weihai Huatan Company, with a total investment of over 170 million US dollars. It is expected to create over 50,000 local jobs, generate significant tax revenue and reduce regional trade costs by a large margin.

– on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United Republic of Tanzania.

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Côte d’Ivoire – Protection sociale : le Ministère célèbre 20 millions d’enrôlés a la Couverture Maladie Universelle (CMU) et renforce son action sociale

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

En prélude à la célébration du 65ᵉ anniversaire de l’indépendance de la Côte d’Ivoire prévue se tenir à Bouaké, le ministère de l’Emploi et de la Protection sociale a célébré, ce vendredi 1er août 2025 au terrain Ndakro de la ville, 20 millions d’enrôlés à la Couverture Maladie universelle (CMU), tout en renforçant son action sociale. Placée sous le signe de la solidarité et de la protection sociale, cette rencontre a été marquée par trois temps forts.

D’abord, la célébration du cap historique de 20 millions d’enrôlés à la Couverture Maladie Universelle (CMU), le vendredi 18 juillet dernier, représentant près de 70 % de la population. Cette avancée illustre la volonté du Gouvernement de rendre effectif le droit à la santé pour tous. Dans ce cadre, le ministre Adama Kamara a rappelé l’importance de la mesure exceptionnelle de CMU sans cotisation, ouverte du 1er mai au 31 août 2025, qui a déjà permis de quadrupler l’accès aux soins pour les populations, en particulier celles du secteur informel.

Ensuite, la cérémonie a été marquée par un important don de 2 500 matériels orthopédiques — fauteuils roulants, cannes blanches, béquilles, pommades et machines à coudre — destinés aux personnes en situation de handicap. Cette initiative, portée au nom du Président de la République, vise à bâtir une société plus inclusive et respectueuse de la dignité de chacun.

Enfin, cette activité s’inscrit dans une dynamique de proximité et de décentralisation de l’action sociale, à travers le « Village Protection sociale » installé à Bouaké, qui permet de rapprocher les services de l’État des citoyens.

À travers cette journée, la ville de Bouaké devient un symbole de la Côte d’Ivoire solidaire, où protection sociale, justice et équité sont au cœur de l’action publique.

Distribué par APO Group pour Portail Officiel du Gouvernement de Côte d’Ivoire.

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Drones, disinformation and guns-for-hire are reshaping conflict in Africa: new book tracks the trends

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Alessandro Arduino, Affiliate Lecturer, King’s College London

Alessandro Arduino has researched Africa’s security affairs with a particular focus on the use of private military companies and other guns-for-hire across the continent. In his latest book, Money for Mayhem, Arduino examines how military privatisation intersects with international power dynamics. Drawing on fieldwork, interviews and firsthand data, he tracks actors from Russia, China and the Middle East to explore how they profit from instability across Africa.

What war trends did you identify in your book?

In Money for Mayhem, I chart the rise of mercenaries, private military companies and hackers-for-hire, alongside emerging technologies like armed drones.

Nowhere does this rise ignite more readily than in Africa. The continent is flush with abundant natural resources that offer lucrative gains, but is hobbled by weak post-coup states desperate for foreign support. The continent has also been fractured by power vacuums, creating ineffective or weak regional and continental institutions that enable militant networks.

As a result, mercenaries and contractors have returned to the central stage in Africa. They were once the not-so-hidden hand in post-colonial civil wars, such as in Angola in the 1970s and Sierra Leone in the mid-1990s where highly trained mercenaries profited from the conflict.

Today, guns for hire wield profound geopolitical influence.

What did you find out about the key players?

Take Russia’s Wagner Group. It continues to be active from Libya to Sudan. The group is known for deploying paramilitary forces, conducting disinformation campaigns and supporting powerful political figures from Mali to the Central African Republic. Following its leader’s death in 2023, the Wagner Group shifted its operations. Rebranded as the Africa Corps,the group serves as a key instrument of Moscow’s influence on the continent.

Then there are Turkish private military outfits operating from Tripoli to Mogadishu. Turkey’s private military companies are fast becoming a key instrument in President Recep Erdogan’s foreign policy. What sets these companies apart is their ability to pair boots on the ground with Turkey’s battle-proven armed drones. This fusion of a rentable army and an off-the-shelf air force could become a powerful export, serving Ankara’s political and economic ambitions in Africa.

Then there are the Chinese private security companies, protecting Chinese investments and citizens in Africa. Their rise mirrors Beijing’s deepening footprint, where it is pouring billions into infrastructure and mining projects. In volatile nations like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan, weak and unreliable local security forces have created a vacuum that’s being filled by Chinese security contractors.

Through the ages, the mercenary’s paradox has endured: despised yet indispensable. Their business thrives on perpetual chaos. Every ceasefire threatens their livelihood.

This dynamic was evident after Muammar Gaddafi’s fall in 2011 in Libya. Both the Government of National Accord in Tripoli and the rival Libyan National Army in the east turned to international mercenaries such as the Wagner Group and fighters from sub-Saharan Africa. This heavy dependence on foreign fighters obstructs national reconciliation.

The Wagner tale is instructive. Once a Kremlin proxy in resource-rich Africa, the group amassed its own power. It was dismantled when it outlived its usefulness. The dispatch of Russian generals to negotiate Wagner’s fate in 2023 from Libya to Niger was a lesson in power: the puppeteer remains firmly in control.

Russia’s foreign and defence ministries moved swiftly to reassure Middle Eastern and African partners that operations would continue uninterrupted after the death of Wagner’s leader. This signalled that unofficial Russian forces would maintain their presence on the ground.

What is happening that’s new?

The revolution in modern warfare is evident across Africa. Mercenaries, armed drones and AI-driven disinformation campaigns are redefining conflict. Today’s battlefields are evolving at such a dizzying pace that even seasoned military experts are routinely caught flatfooted.

The speed of change is unprecedented.

Drones, once the province of great powers, have become commonplace. Inexpensive, lethal, versatile and ever more autonomous, they patrol the skies daily, ushering in a remote-warfare era that upends ethical, strategic and tactical norms.

The cost of a suicide drone, for instance, typically runs into a few thousand US dollars. A battle tank averages US$3–4 million. Three such drones and a skilled pilot can destroy a single tank, dramatically shifting the cost-benefit equation on the modern battlefield.

Africa was an early proving ground: drones shaped the Libyan civil war. Since 2019, multiple incidents of precision air strikes conducted by unknown aircraft have occurred in apparent violation of a United Nations arms embargo.

In early 2025, drones served as an off-the-shelf air force in the bombing of Port Sudan. Explosions rocked the vital humanitarian gateway in Sudan’s ongoing civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Sudan’s army pinned these strikes on the Rapid Support Forces, highlighting the paramilitary group’s deadly embrace of drone warfare. Lacking a formal air force, drones offer the Rapid Support Forces a low-cost, high-lethality shortcut that delivers devastating blows while cloaking its operators in plausible deniability.

How else is the warfare landscape changing?

War is now being waged on other fronts as well.

Africa’s youthful population consumes information primarily via social media. This provides fertile ground for propaganda, disinformation and misinformation – amplified by artificial intelligence (AI) at minimal cost.

Deepfakes have burst onto the scene as a dire cybersecurity threat. AI-driven disinformation at an industrial scale is already a reality, magnifying hate speech and targeting the message to intended audiences with precision and at very low cost.

For example, TikTok’s own recommendation engine has already come under fire from African human rights groups for amplifying toxic rhetoric.

Already, false narratives thrive in Africa all on their own. AI’s true danger lies in its ability to turbocharge disinformation.

Governments recognise that defending the homeland no longer means guarding cables and servers alone. It also means safeguarding the integrity of information itself.

What needs to be done?

Based on my findings, I argue that the fractures today are tomorrow’s global crises. War has irrevocably changed, and its next phase is already upon us.

Marshalling global vigilance is a categorical imperative – or the world risks ceding control over violence. Building international consensus on already available enforcement mechanisms to regulate non-state armed actors is needed. There is also a need to strengthen global intelligence sharing to track the movements and influence of mercenaries across conflict zones.

– Drones, disinformation and guns-for-hire are reshaping conflict in Africa: new book tracks the trends
– https://theconversation.com/drones-disinformation-and-guns-for-hire-are-reshaping-conflict-in-africa-new-book-tracks-the-trends-262256

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Ubuntu matters: rural South Africans believe community care should go hand-in-hand with development

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Simphiwe Gongqa, PhD candidate, Rhodes University

The failure of many development initiatives has led some scholars, especially those associated with the post-development and decolonial schools of thought, to call for alternatives to development.

The idea of development is a very influential way of explaining inequalities between different parts of the world. Most people think of some parts of the world as ‘developed’ and others as ‘developing’ and believe that those in the ‘developing’ world need to follow in the footsteps of those ahead of them on a universal path to development.

However, critics of development reject this way of thinking. They believe that development damages the environment and is a form of cultural imperialism and that people should rather look to Indigenous concepts and practices to find alternative ways to live a good life. The African concept of Ubuntu is often mentioned.

This term can be explained with reference to the isiZulu saying ‘umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu’ which means ‘a person is a person through other people’. It entails an ethics of care, compassion and cooperation.

Concepts like Ubuntu are often contrasted with the idea of development. Advocates of alternatives believe that people in the Global South can draw on these concepts, rather than the idea of development, in order to improve their lives.

We both study development and are interested in how communities in Africa understand development, including the question of whether or not people in Africa are pursuing alternatives to development.

Based on our work, we contributed a chapter to a recent book which explores the question of alternatives to development in the Global South. Our contribution to this book looks specifically at the question of how South Africans understand development and Ubuntu and whether they see Ubuntu as a possible alternative to development.

We spoke to people living in four marginalised communities in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. Such communities would be regarded by mainstream development thinkers as in need of development. These communities were also chosen because the people living there would be likely to have some understanding of the concept of Ubuntu as residents are isiZulu or isiXhosa speakers, two of the sociolinguistic groups commonly associated with the idea of Ubuntu.

We found that people in these communities value both development and Ubuntu and see the two concepts as related to each other, but not necessarily in the way that either development or post-development theorists imagine. This study supports our previous research suggesting that people continue to value development.

Respondents’ views on development and Ubuntu

There were some differences in the way in which the communities spoke about development and Ubuntu. The KwaZulu-Natal communities placed emphasis on infrastructure, education and health, when asked to define how they understand development.

Typical responses of KwaZulu-Natal residents to the question ‘What is development?’ included:

  • We want development … in order to have roads, [government housing], clinics and farming initiatives.

  • When we say that a place is developed, we see schools, libraries, roads, churches and clinics.

  • Things like water, houses [government housing], electricity, and sewerage systems.

  • There should be libraries, schools, houses [government housing], water, electricity, sewerage systems and hospitals.

In the Eastern Cape, where only rural respondents were interviewed, residents mentioned infrastructure (roads, houses and schools) less often than those in KwaZulu-Natal and placed greater emphasis on income-generation opportunities, employment opportunities and support for farming. Some of the responses are given below:

  • Development means the creation of jobs to me.

  • Development means building. For example, building creches in the village, planting crops and creating jobs.

  • Development is growth. For example, rearing chickens and other animals for you to grow financially.

When defining Ubuntu, respondents emphasised care, compassion, cooperation, helpfulness, mutual respect, harmony, consideration, dignity and a willingness to share.

Here are some of the typical responses given when people were asked to define Ubuntu:

It is being able to live with one another, you see. A person is a person because of other people kind of thing, and you must get along with all people and there shouldn’t be a person that you hate. You must be able to help another person in need if you can and there must be harmony with everyone. Ubuntu is about unity and empathy and love, yes. If we speak of Ubuntu, we speak of thinking for each other, and helping each other.

When asked about the relationship between Ubuntu and development, most respondents suggested that Ubuntu and development can and should work together.

Respondents commonly argued that development could best be advanced if people showed Ubuntu, which was presented as an ethic of care and cooperation. Consider the following comment:

[Development and Ubuntu] go hand in hand because when I have something, I have to pull up a person that I see who is struggling and place them at an equal footing with me or maybe higher than me. I don’t look down on them because they are struggling, and I shouldn’t watch them walk to town everyday whilst I have a car that can help them because they are disadvantaged. If I have food, and a fellow person is hungry; I must give them food for free, yes, that is Ubuntu.

The strong sense from our interviews is that people want development (understood as the provision of basic services and the general improvement of their lives) and they want it to be brought about in a way that is characterised by an ethics of Ubuntu (understood as an ethic of care and cooperation).

Advocates of alternatives need to be cautious

Our research suggests that at least some Global South communities engage with concepts like Ubuntu and development in ways that do not support claims that people should abandon development and live according to Indigenous concepts and practices to have a better life. Rather than viewing Ubuntu as an alternative to development, the people we interviewed suggest that development and Ubuntu are complementary.

When seeking to articulate alternatives, it is important to be attentive to what people mean by development and Ubuntu so that activists and scholars from different communities can work together to build better lives for all.

We acknowledge the role of Nhlanhla Mkhutle who conducted the KwaZulu-Natal fieldwork for this study and who co-authored the chapter upon which this article is based.

– Ubuntu matters: rural South Africans believe community care should go hand-in-hand with development
– https://theconversation.com/ubuntu-matters-rural-south-africans-believe-community-care-should-go-hand-in-hand-with-development-259422

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Économie et intégration régionale : Le Bénin et le Nigéria traduisent leur vision en actions

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


À l’invitation du Gouvernement de la République du Bénin, une délégation conduite par Son Excellence Docteur Jumoke Oduwole, Ministre de l’Industrie, du Commerce et de l’Investissement  et comprenant Madame l’Ambassadeur Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, Ministre délégué aux Affaires Etrangères, a séjourné à Cotonou, du 31 juillet au 02 août 2025, dans le cadre de la poursuite des échanges bilatéraux initiés par les deux pays au cours du Sommet économique de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (WAES 2025), tenu à Abuja le 21 juin 2025, sur le thème : « Une voix, un avenir ».

Au cours de la rencontre conjointe  avec la délégation béninoise composée de Messieurs Romuald WADAGNI, Ministre d’Etat, Ministre de l’Economie et des Finances chargé de la Coopération, Yvon DETCHENOU, Ministre de la Justice et de la Législation, Olushegun ADJADI BAKARI, Ministre des Affaires étrangères et Madame Alimatou Shadiya ASSOUMAN, Ministre de l’Industrie et du Commerce, les deux Parties sont convenues du  Cadre de référence de négociation  d’un Accord de coopération Economique Renforcé ainsi que de l’extension des mesures de facilitation des flux des échanges le long des frontières des deux pays.

Les deux délégations se sont félicitées des résultats d’étape qui ont abouti à la signature par les Ministres en charge du Commerce des deux pays du Cadre de référence de négociation dudit Accord.

En outre, la délégation nigériane a été reçue en audience par Son Excellence Monsieur Patrice TALON, Président de la République du Bénin. A cette occasion, elle lui a transmis le message d’amitié et de fraternité de son homologue, Son Excellence Monsieur Bola Ahmed TINUBU, Président de la République Fédérale du Nigeria. Son Excellence Docteur OJumoke Oduwole a également exprimé au Président Patrice TALON, la sincère gratitude de sa délégation pour l’accueil chaleureux et toute l’attention dont elle a bénéficié depuis son arrivée à Cotonou. 

Les deux Parties ont salué l’exemplarité de la collaboration entre les deux administrations douanières et s’engagent à poursuivre leur coopération dans la même dynamique.

Par ailleurs, la délégation nigériane a visité successivement le Port autonome de Cotonou et la frontière de Sèmè-Kraké, qui lui ont permis de s’enquérir des réformes importantes opérées par le Gouvernement béninois pour accroître et faciliter les échanges entre les deux pays.

Les deux délégations ont convenu de coopérer dans le domaine du transbordement et d’éviter la fraude douanière. Le groupe de travail sur les questions douanières prévu par le cadre de référence devra respecter l’esprit de franche collaboration ainsi que les instructions de leurs administrations douanières respectives.

Enfin, les deux délégations sont convenues d’engager les négociations sur le texte de l’Accord de Partenariat Economique Renforcé entre le Bénin et le Nigeria, dès le mois de septembre 2025.

Distribué par APO Group pour Gouvernement de la République du Bénin.

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Filets sociaux productifs : le programme améliore les conditions de vie des familles vulnérables

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


Veuve et mère de six enfants, Anne-Marie N’Dah peinait à joindre les deux bouts. Identifiée par les agents communautaires du Programme des Filets Sociaux Productifs comme ménage vulnérable, elle a bénéficié d’une aide trimestrielle de 36 000 FCFA pendant trois ans. Grâce à cet appui, elle a pu lancer une activité de vente de linge de maison au nouveau quartier d’Abengourou.

« Aujourd’hui, je parviens à couvrir les besoins essentiels de ma famille. Mes enfants sont scolarisés, bien nourris, et les jours difficiles sont désormais derrière nous grâce aux Filets Sociaux », affirme-t-elle avec soulagement.

À quelques rues de là, dans le quartier Cafétou, Dozagnon Taïba, également veuve, est passée du commerce ambulant à la gestion d’une boutique d’articles divers. Les Filets Sociaux lui ont permis d’agrandir son activité et de retrouver son autonomie financière.

« À la mort de mon mari, je n’avais plus rien. Ce programme m’a aidée à me relever et à retrouver ma dignité », confie-t-elle.       
                                                 
À l’échelle nationale, entre 2017 et 2024, plus de 457 000 ménages ont bénéficié des Filets Sociaux Productifs dans les 31 régions du pays.

Le 18 juin dernier, le gouvernement a lancé le paiement de ces subventions à 70 000 nouveaux ménages à très faibles revenus.

Distribué par APO Group pour Portail Officiel du Gouvernement de Côte d’Ivoire.