Africa Business News

The United States government has faulted Nigeria for the continued delay in approving import permits for American agricultural products, describing the situation as a longstanding trade barrier that has hindered access to the Nigerian market. The Office of the United States Trade Representative says that despite repeated efforts to secure market access, Nigeria had not acted on several pending requests concerning food and agricultural imports from the US. The Nigeria Customs Service however countered the claims by the United States government that the NCS still operates a largely manual system, describing the assertion as unfair and misinformed. The USTR noted that Nigeria’s weak capacity to review certificates, inspect goods, and conduct testing had contributed to long clearance delays, forcing many traders to rely on informal channels. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission slammed the tech giant with a $220 million fine, last year accusing it of exploiting user data and enforcing unfair privacy policies through Facebook and WhatsApp. Nigeria’s Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal ruled against Meta, upholding the fine and rejecting its arguments of “technical infeasibility. In the ruling, the tribunal noted that Meta “cannot threaten regulators” just because compliance would be inconvenient. Meta must now pay the $220 million fine, overhaul its data practices, and submit proof of compliance to regulators—or face further sanctions. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

A top Chinese economic official says Beijing was on the right side of history in its gruelling trade war with the United States. US President Donald Trump has imposed 10 per cent tariffs on most US trading partners and a separate 145 per cent levy on many products from China which Beijing has responded with 125 per cent tariffs of its own on US goods. Senior economic planner Zhao Chenxin says Beijing was on the right side of history adding that the United States play cards out of thin air, bully and go back on their word. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday defended Trump’s tumultuous tariff policy as a way of creating “strategic uncertainty” that gives Washington the upper hand. Beijing, however, has vowed to fight a trade war “to the end” and denied US claims it is in talks with Washington. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

South Africa’s Financial Sector Conduct Authority has slapped African Bank with a $38,000 fine for false advertising after a December 2023 social media campaign blurred the lines between loans and investments. The ads, featuring a popular South African celeb, pitched personal loans with the tagline: It’s not debt, friend! It’s an investment The FSCA says this marketing move misled consumers by painting a credit facility as an investment product, violating section six of its conduct standards that require financial ads to be clear, fair, factually correct, and free from false promises or forecasts. The regulator also flagged oversight failures in African Bank’s governance process, over the approval and review of advertising materials, further breaching another part of section 6 of the Conduct Standard. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

Kenyan Wall Street reported that the country’s central bank is looking to add gold to its foreign exchange reserve in hopes of giving its struggling reserves some buffer. Gold hauled in over 180% in the last month, summing up an impressive rally that started in January to cross $3,000 for the first time in decades. Gold (in ounces) now costs $3,218. Trump’s inspiring policy-making and the ongoing will-they-won’t-they situation with China. This drove up a gold cash grab, with investors backing the asset against piling up the greenback. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

Nigeria will join senior diplomats from BRICS countries to meet in Brazil to present a united front in the face of threats emerging from US President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policies. The meeting comes at a critical moment for the world economy after the International Monetary Fund slashed growth forecasts over the impact of the American leader’s sweeping new tariffs this week. Brazil’s BRICS representative, Mauricio Lyrio, says the ministers are negotiating a declaration to reaffirm the multilateral trading system's centrality and importance. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

Flipkart, the Walmart-owned Indian e-commerce startup that closely fights Amazon in the South Asian market, is preparing to shift its headquarters back to India from Singapore as the company prepares to file for an IPO on Indian stock exchanges. Flipkart says the move “represents a natural evolution, aligning our holding structure with our core operations, the vast potential of the Indian economy.” The startup says the relocation is subject to requisite approvals without disclosing a specific timeline however, Flipkart is expected to file for an IPO in the country sometime next year. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming that its freezing of federal grants worth billions of dollars is unlawful. Its president, Alan M Garber, announced the action to the university community,y which said the $2bn funding freeze would hamper critical disease research. Harvard, the world's richest university, last week rejected a list of demands that the Trump administration said was designed to curb diversity initiatives and fight anti-semitism at the school. In response to the lawsuit, the White House said the "gravy train of federal assistance" was coming to an end. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

Global shipping giant DHL will “temporarily” suspend the shipping of parcels worth more than $800 from businesses to individuals in the United States citing delays in US customs clearances. DHL says that due to recent US Customs regulatory updates, we are experiencing multi-day transit delays to the US from any origin for shipments with a declared customs value exceeding USD 800. The company added that the suspension would not affect business-to-business shipments, though they may also face delays. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

Niger State has officially waived right-of-way (RoW) fees for fibre optic infrastructure, becoming the twelfth Nigerian state to implement the policy to incentivise telecom operators and expand internet access. The policy, formalised in a government gazette dated September 2, 2024, and signed by Governor Muhammed Umar Bago, is part of a broader effort to attract private-sector investment, extend internet access to remote communities, and digitise public services. Under the new policy, telecom operators will pay a one-time, non-refundable application fee of ₦500,000 ($311.80). Niger State’s Commissioner for Communications Technology and Digital Economy, Suleiman Isah, says the fee covers both initial network deployment and any future expansions. He added that even if a company received its permit ten years ago, they are not required to pay again for expansion—just notify the state. Niger, the state with the fifth largest fibre infrastructure (3,681.66km), now joins the list of states—Zamfara, Katsina, Ana

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, generated N6.96bn in mining fees and registered 118 new private mineral buying centres in the first quarter of 2025. The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, says the revenue reflects the outcome of the Ministry’s efforts to raise awareness and attract investors. He says the mining fees collected by the licensing parastatal, Mining Cadastral Office, came from 955 applications for title grants. He noted that 651 title applications were approved for exploration, 270 for small-scale mining, 49 for quarrying, and 24 for reconnaissance permits. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that the US is immediately revoking visas issued to all South Sudanese passport holders due to the African nation refusing to accept its citizens who have been removed from the US. Rubio added that the US will also block any arriving citizens of South Sudan, the world's newest country, at US ports of entry. He blamed the failure of South Sudan's transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner. He says It is time for the Transitional Government of South Sudan to stop taking advantage of the United States Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced he will suspend tariffs on goods imported from the US to build a "positive relationship" with President Donald Trump's administration. The move comes days after Trump imposed 18% tariffs on Zimbabwean exports to the US. Zimbabwe has had strained diplomatic relations with the US since it adopted a controversial land policy about 25 years ago, and because of its poor human rights record. Trade between the two countries amounted to only $111.6m (£86.6m) in 2024, US government data shows. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

The Federal Government has raised concerns over the potential negative consequences of newly imposed U.S. tariffs on Nigerian exports. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, warned that the move could significantly impact both oil and non-oil trade flows to one of Nigeria’s key markets. Oduwole emphasised that the newly introduced tariffs could undermine the competitiveness of Nigerian products in the U.S. market and disrupt business activities, particularly within the non-oil export sector. She noted that Nigeria’s exports to the United States over the past two years have consistently ranged between $5 billion and $6 billion annually. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

The National Health Insurance Authority has directed Health Management Organisations to authorise the treatment of patients within one hour from the time of requests by hospitals and other healthcare providers. A spokesperson for the NHIA, Emmanuel Ononokpono, says the authority's mandates included reducing delays in accessing services and ensuring that enrollees receive quality healthcare services. He says the delays in authorising treatment and issuing codes continue to negatively impact beneficiaries’ experiences. He says though the changes regarding authorisation of care were initially approved at a stakeholders’ meeting in February 2025, it came into operation on April 1, 2025. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

United States President Donald Trump says his soon-to-be-announced reciprocal tariffs will apply to all countries. Trump says that his long-anticipated tariff announcement on April 2 would “start” with all countries. Trump’s remarks come after his administration had played down the scope of the tariffs set to be unveiled on April 2, which the US president has dubbed liberation day. White House economics adviser Kevin Hassett suggested earlier this month that the measures would be heavily focused on 10 to 15 countries that account for the bulk of the US trade deficit. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

Tunisia’s transport ministry says it has seized 12 million dinars ($3.8 million) from accounts linked to several platforms, including Bolt, claiming the funds were illegally transferred abroad. Bolt says the accusations are “completely unfounded” and that the government’s actions are procedurally flawed adding that all local authority actions have been taken without the involvement of an investigating judge. The transport ministry claims its actions are part of a broader effort to “reform the transport sector” and protect the local market from foreign apps that transfer profits abroad. Bolt, however, warned that pushing out international players sets a dangerous precedent for market competition. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

Marketforce has been ordered to pay $16,000 to a former employee for wrongful termination. In 2024, ex-employees filed a now-dismissed case against Wasoko, a B2B e-commerce company, which merged with Egypt’s MaxAB in August 2024, while former business process outsourcing company Sama faces an ongoing lawsuit from its former employees. This ruling is a rare win for workers in a space where startups usually hold all the power. It sends a message: employees can push back, and courts are willing to hold companies accountable. For startups, it’s a warning—cutting costs the wrong way can end up costing more. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.

Five months after blocking the Vodacom-Maziv merger deal, South Africa’s Competition Commission is standing firm on its decision to prevent the country’s second-largest telecom operator’s attempt to acquire a co-controlling stake in Maziv, the parent company of Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa. The anti-competition watchdog argued that allowing Vodacom to take control would cement its dominance in mobile and give it undue influence over the fibre market, an industry over which it previously had limited control. Another complication for the telecom operator is that it does not have any precedent to make an argument. Telecom operators with fibre businesses have created their vertical businesses from scratch. A potential compromise for Vodacom could be to consider building a fibre business from scratch or reduce its stake in Maziv to a non-controlling position. That way, it could invest in fibre without wielding unchecked power over the market. The Competition Commission is holding its ground and the case wil

Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland has rejected an attempt by the central government to give the US exclusive control of a port and airbase in Berbera. The city lies on the strategic Gulf of Aden, on the northern coast of Somaliland. The territory, which declared independence in 1991 as Somalia descended into civil war, says the facilities are not Mogadishu's to give away. Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud also offered port and airbase within Somalia, saying all four would strengthen US security operations. Somaliland's Foreign Affairs Minister Abdirahman Dahir Aden dismissed the move as desperate. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/africa-business-news--4166630/support.