Global Scans · Africa · Weekly Summary

• [New] Fast-Growing Segment: Biomass power is forecast at a 11% CAGR (2026-2033), driven by baseload reliability advantages, waste-to-energy synergies, and robust demand in biomass-rich markets across Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Persistence Market Research
• Children in sub-Saharan Africa will be 18 times more likely to die before their fifth birthday than children in high-income countries. United Nations
• Port authorities in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa represent an actionable investment opportunity for technology vendors willing to structure turnkey deployment contracts tailored to sovereign infrastructure programmes. Persistence Market Research
• The population in South Africa might expand into other temperate and subtropical regions of Africa. Center for Invasive Species Prevention
• Climate variability, crop disease, ageing plantations and concentrated sourcing from West Africa will continue to affect the availability and cost of cocoa. ConfectioneryNews.com
• Fastest Growing Region: Middle East & Africa is identified as the fastest-growing region through 2033, fueled by improving birth rates and rising awareness of infant nutrition in the GCC countries. Persistence Market Research
• We expect rising sustainability requirements and value addition initiatives in West Africa to gradually reshape global cocoa trade flows over the medium-to-long term. Fitch Solutions
• In Africa, the NSS states there will be no long-term American presence or commitments. Default
• StartCredits is truly unique in its risk modelling division, which is revolutionising private sector credit in Africa. FinTech Weekly
• In Africa, various conflicts are simmering, with the potential for spillover effects that could draw in global powers. Mwakilishi
• Africa offers longer-term potential as digital infrastructure and AI adoption expand, with South Africa and other digitally advanced markets providing initial opportunities. MAXIMIZE MARKET RESEARCH
• Fast growing: Middle East & Africa stands as the fastest-climbing region through 2033, backed by cheap stranded gas feedstock and firm state-backed export strategy investment across major producing nations. Persistence Market Research
• The Middle East and Africa are opening new opportunities through sovereign AI programs, smart city investments, and critical infrastructure protection work in countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Mordor Intelligence
• Eskom, the state utility responsible for the bulk of generation, plans to build 32 GW of renewables by 2040 and retire 21 GW of coal-fired generation capacity, while grappling with a debt load of approximately US$ 22 billion and regulated tariffs below cost-recovery thresholds. / South Africa OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION ( ORF )
• The share of the global middle class in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to increase significantly through 2030, creating first-time buyers for smart consumer electronics. Persistence Market Research
• As American multinational food companies have extended their activities to virtually all corners of the world, Africa, a continent projected to have the fastest population growth in the world in the years to come, has now become a particularly attractive prospect. Impakter
• Kenya could adopt WHO's nutrient profile model and enforce marketing bans around schools; Nigeria may introduce fiscal measures and front-of-pack labels; Ghana could strengthen structural interventions; South Africa might expand marketing restrictions and accelerate labeling reforms. Impakter
• Al Shabaab represents a regional security threat with its evolving and expansive illicit revenue generation schemes traversing East Africa and the Red Sea region. Africa Center
• In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), corporate partnerships can play an important role in helping startups scale by providing access to customers, industry expertise, and commercial opportunities. Hub71
• For cassava alone, which Africa produces at 60% of global output, processing it into industrial starch, high-quality flour and ethanol could displace billions in imports. African Leadership Magazine
• ADNOC Drilling deployed its first AI-enabled island rig ahead of schedule, Borouge brought the first Borouge 4 facility into commercial operation, and Fertiglobe continued to execute its 2030 growth strategy, supported by XRG. / South Africa CB Insights
• The Middle East and Africa are projected to grow tremendously as several governments engage in enormous construction operations, and cities expand on a broader scale. Straits Research

Last updated: 13 September 2026