insert_link Business / Economics Bank of Namibia keeps repo rate at 7.75% The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Namibia has decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 7.75 percent, with the prime lending rate holding steady at 11.50 percent. Governor of the Bank Johannes !Gawaxab says this policy stance will continue to safeguard the one-to-one link between the Namibia Dollar and the South African Rand and support domestic economic activity. UNAM economics lecturer, Dr. Omu Kakujaha-Matundu, believes that consumers […] todayJune 19, 2024 20
insert_link Africa Ghana’s economic crisis was caused by government borrowing – the central bank did the best it could: economist By Emmanuel Ameyaw, Tohoku University Ghana is going through its worst economic crisis in a generation. The past two years have seen record high inflation in the country. Ghana’s central bank (the Bank of Ghana) has been criticised in some quarters for its role in the country’s economic malaise, which has hit the profitability of Ghanaian banks. The Conversation Africa’s Godfred Akoto Boafo speaks to […] todayJune 17, 2024 11
insert_link 2 Africa Zimbabwe urges swift adoption of new but ‘scarce’ currency Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has ordered all government agencies to accept payments in the newly introduced gold-backed currency amid reports of acute shortage. Ncube in a statement said the Zimbabwe Gold, introduced last month, was now the official unit of exchange for transactions in the country. He the BBC that the government would soon introduce regulations to ensure businesses stick to the official rate. todayMay 9, 2024 4 2
insert_link Business / Economics South Africa’s Reserve Bank keeps repo rate unchanged The South African Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee has decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 8.25 percent. This keeps the prime lending rate in SA at 11.75 percent. SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago. todayMarch 27, 2024 22
insert_link Africa Nigeria’s fuel subsidy removal was too sudden: why a gradual approach would have been better By Stephen Onyeiwu, Allegheny College Nigeria removed fuel subsidies entirely in May 2023. This came as a surprise because of the political risks associated with subsidy removal. Previous administrations were reluctant to jettison the subsidies. The subsidies had been in place since the 1970s, when the government sold petrol to Nigerians at a price below cost – though most consumers weren’t aware of this. The 1977 […] todayMarch 20, 2024 7
insert_link Business / Economics Economists break down revised tax reforms and national budget With Finance and Public Enterprises Minister Ipumbu Shiimi having announced in yesterday’s National budget that the government has revised tax reforms that will put N$646 million back in the pockets of taxpayers by exempting all individual taxpayers from paying tax on the first N$100,000 of their income, starting 1 March 2024, we asked Cirrus Capital Economist Robert McGregor for a breakdown of the numbers. Namibia's largest-ever annual budget on Wednesday […] todayFebruary 29, 2024 34
insert_link Africa Africa’s debt crisis needs a bold new approach: expert outlines a way forward By Danny Bradlow, University of Pretoria It hasn’t been easy for African states to finance their developmental and environmental policy objectives over the past few years. Recent events suggest that the situation may be improving. For the first time in two years, three African states have been able to access international financial markets, albeit at high interest rates. Kenya, for example, is now paying over 10% compared to […] todayFebruary 22, 2024 5
insert_link Uncategorized SA’s Finance Minister proposes infrastructure financing reforms in budget speech South Africa’s annual consumer price inflation rose to 5.3% in January from 5.1% in December last year, the first jump after two-consecutive months of moderation. Separately, SA’s Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has announced proposed reforms to infrastructure financing aimed at optimising the sectoral value chain to be effective and efficient. todayFebruary 21, 2024 5
Paying it forward: Kenyan coastal doctor Bashrahil Mohammed Mafudh has made it his life’s work to care for the most vulnerable in his community, at no cost.
