insert_link Africa Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger hint at a new west African currency: what it’ll take for it to succeed By Thierno Thioune, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar On 11 February 2024, the head of Niger’s ruling military junta, General Abdourahmane Tiani, spoke of the possible creation of a common currency with Burkina Faso and Mali. “The currency is a first step toward breaking free from the legacy of colonisation,” he said on national TV, referring to the CFA franc inherited from French colonisation. Burkina Faso, […] today15 March, 2024
insert_link Africa Inflation in Nigeria is still climbing while it has slowed globally: here’s why By Stephen Onyeiwu, Allegheny College Just as Nigerians were gradually digging out from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were hit by high inflation. The Nigerian economy contracted by 6.1% at the peak of COVID in the second quarter of 2020. Unemployment rate rose from 27% in the second quarter of 2020 to 33% in the fourth quarter of the same year. The World Bank estimated […] today14 March, 2024
insert_link Africa Nigerian workers plan cost-of-living strike Nigerian labour unions will embark on a two-day strike on Tuesday against the spiralling cost of living. According to the BBC, inflation in Africa's largest economy is at almost 30% whilst the local currency, the naira, is rapidly depreciating. Electricity shortages are compounding the hardship. The African Development Bank has warned that conditions are ripe for social unrest. today27 February, 2024
insert_link Videos IMF urges vigilance on monetary policy https://youtu.be/UG1rZkT_FsQ The IMF is urging vigilance on monetary policy globally and says the job is not yet done when it comes to keeping inflation in check despite some weakening in key economies, a spokesperson for the Fund said Thursday (February 22) in Washington, DC. “Broadly speaking, because inflation has been coming down, but it's not yet at target or close enough to target our line, or our view remains the […] today23 February, 2024
insert_link Africa African Development Bank warns of social unrest in Nigeria The African Development Bank, ADB says rising prices of food and petrol could lead to social unrest in the country. today19 February, 2024
Africa Tech-savvy Africans are hedging against inflation by going digital By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency The recent announcement by Opera MiniPay that it had signed up over one million users in Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana just five months after its launch is the clearest indication yet of the rising popularity of decentralised finance, or DeFi tools, across the continent. “MiniPay makes it easier and more affordable for individuals across Africa to acquire, send and receive Mento […] today19 February, 2024
insert_link Business / Economics Oxford Economics Africa Economist Explores Key Drivers Influencing Namibia’s Inflation Economist Theo Klein from Oxford Economics Africa in South Africa examines the impact of specific macro and microeconomic factors on Namibia's inflation rate. Delving into the intricacies of these influences, Klein sheds light on the dynamics shaping the country's inflation landscape. today16 February, 2024
insert_link Business / Economics Market Watch – 13 February 2024 Michelle speaks to Oxford Economics economist Theo Klein about how inflation in our neighbouring countries affects us too. https://iono.fm/e/1405946 today14 February, 2024
insert_link Business / Economics Bank of Namibia expected to cut repo rate by 25bps as inflation cooling By Josef Kefas Sheehama At its first Monetary Policy Committee meeting of 2024, on the 14 February 2024, the Bank of Namibia is expected to cut its Repo Rate by 25 basis points. All of Namibian’s banks now expect the Bank of Namibia to cut its Repo Rate target by 0.25 basis points on the 14 February 2024, which would bring its key lending rate to 7.50%. This […] today13 February, 2024
