Nigerian Transportation Minister Tells Local Contractors “They Are Not Qualified” To Build Infrastructure Like the Chinese Do

Nigeria's outspoken transportation minister Rotimi Amaechi delivered a blunt message to local construction companies who've long complained that they're shut out of bids for the large infrastructure projects that often go to Chinese contractors: "We are not using our local contractors because they are not ...

Transsion is Crushing the Competition in Africa’s Rebounding Mobile Phone Market

While African economies continue to grapple with the effects of the COVID-19-induced economic slowdown, consumer spending on mobile phones is on the rebound with Shenzhen-based device giant Transsion leading the way, according to the latest figures published by the global technology consultancy IDC.

The Powerful Head of Ghana’s Cocoa Industry Tells Farmers Not to Worry About China’s Entrance in the Market

Joseph Boahen Aidoo (photo) is working hard to allay fears among Ghanaian farmers that China's (still very small) emergence as a cocoa exporter is not a threat to their livelihoods.  The CEO of the Ghanaian Cocoa Board, a group that represents ...

MTN CEO Tells Shareholders He Wants to Try Again To Get an Ethiopian Telecom License

MTN chief executive Ralph Mupita told his company's shareholders on Friday that if given the chance, he'd like to resubmit a bid for an Ethiopian telecom license. MTN and its backers from the Silk Road Fund of China were outbid last ...

Uganda Wants to Make It Big in China’s Booming Coffee Market

Uganda, like many African countries, suffers from an enormous trade deficit with China. Last year, according to UN figures, Uganda exported just $40 million worth of goods to China but imported more than $1.3 billion in return. The government in Kampala ...

South Africa’s MTN and Its Chinese Backers Look Like They’re Going to Mount Another Bid For An Ethiopian Telco License

South African telecom company MTN together with the state-owned Silk Road Fund of China are reportedly preparing to make another bid to secure a telecom license in Ethiopia. MTN was outbid last week by a Kenyan-Japanese consortium ...

Even If the DRC is Able To Re-Negotiate Its Mining Contracts With The Chinese and Others, It’s Still Not Going to Help Ordinary People, Says Expert

A leading Congolese mining expert wants to dispel the notion that President Félix Tshisekedi's efforts to renegotiate foreign mining contracts is going to benefit ordinary people. "It is, of course, a first step," acknowledged Jean Pierre Okenda, a well-known expert in DRC mining issues and head of the extractive ...

Oppo is the Latest Chinese Phone Maker to Set Its Sights on the South African Market

China's largest mobile phone maker Oppo is targeting South Africa's youth market with a new mid-range device, the A74 5G. Oppo's announcement comes less than a week after another Chinese company, Transsion's Itel division, announced that it too is targeting a similar ...

Glencore’s CEO Warns Western Automakers About China’s Control of Congolese Cobalt

The CEO of the world's largest cobalt mining company issued a stern warning to U.S. and European automakers that they had better get their acts together to secure supplies of this precious metal or else risk becoming dependent on China for batteries to power their electric vehicles. ...

Chinese Automakers Are Making New Inroads Across Africa

Geely, China's largest independent automaker, launched its new Coolray SUV in Nigeria in what's become a big push by Chinese auto companies to expand their presence in Africa. The SUV category is especially popular, as evidenced by the strong performance in South ...

Shenzhen-Based Transsion Targets South African Youth Market With New Low-Priced Offering

The Chinese-owned African mobile phone giant Transsion is targeting South Africa's youth market with the launch of the Vision1 Pro smartphone from its Itel brand -- a 6.5-inch waterproof device that costs around $120. Although Transsion's suite of brands dominates the ...

Tech Digest: How Chinese, Kenyan, and Swedish Music Streaming Apps Are All Battling Out in Africa

2021 has been a big year for music streaming in Africa. Global streaming giants are flocking to the African market with Swedish music streaming provider Spotify announcing a sweeping expansion to 40 new countries on the continent. As Spotify attempts to expand its reach in Africa, ...
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