Breaking News Today - Wednesday 2 September 2026

African Start-up News Headlines:

Education technology company Abwaab has acquired Egyptian edtech software provider Eduact. The purchase extends Abwaab's business model beyond direct-to-student digital learning and into the supporting technology infrastructure utilised by educators in physical learning centres. The financial terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed. Founded in Egypt in 2020, the Eduact provides tools that allow education providers to manage content, student assessments, grading, payments and workflows involving both classroom and digital learning
Spiro, Africa’s top electric mobility startup company, has announced the appointment of Auroasish Choudhuri as the managing director for West and Central Africa. Choudhuri will oversee the company’s expansion across a region that includes several of its largest markets. He brings more than two decades of automotive leadership experience, gained across Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. Most recently, he served as CEO of DAG Industries, leading the business across Nigeria and Benin.

Business Headline News Today

Gold Dividend Boosted by Ghana's Regulatory Changes

Ghana has received its first gold mining dividend after implementing a new sliding scale royalty system this year. The system includes stronger local-content rules to ensure higher returns in times of high gold prices. Ghana received a $35 million dividend from Perseus Mining, equaling a sevenfold increase from last year's $5 million payout. The sharp rise in earnings is attributed to the company's improved profitability, and aligns with Ghana's efforts to gain more from its mineral wealth. From September 2026, all gold doré handled by licensed aggregators must be refined in Ghana before export, reinforcing domestic retention of value. The government has implemented a sliding-scale royalty system and stronger local-content rules to ensure higher returns in times of high gold prices.

Payment System Reforms Heading for Finalisation in South Africa

South African Reserve Bank governor, Lesetja Kganyago speaking at the opening of MTN Group Fintech’s 2026 summit in Johannesburg yesterday, announced that the long-awaited National Payment System Bill will soon go out for public comment. The new reforms aims to bring the extensive fintech sector under the same regulatory framework as the banking sector, and moving the regulations from an entity based focus to a financial activity based focus.

The National Payment System Bill is meant to replace the 1998 NPS Act. It would let the Reserve Bank licence and supervise payment activities (not just banks): e-money/wallets, merchant acquiring, payment initiation, third-party payments, remittances, clearing/settlement access. Same activity, similar rules — whether the firm is a bank or a fintech. Non-banks could get their own authorisation instead of only riding on a sponsoring bank.

Namibia to Launch 5G Mobile Network Service

Majority state-owned operator Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) has made plans to launch 5G in selected parts of Gaborone, beginning in October 2026, marking its first entry into Botswana's commercial 5G market. To strengthen its network infrastructure, the company has committed more than 240 million Botswanan Pula (US$17.8 million) for the 2026/27 financial year, focusing on 5G deployment, 4G expansion and increased network capacity. According to BTC CEO Jürgen Peschel, the company has fully modernized its mobile network. He said that data services are now available at all sites where it previously offered only voice services, while capacity at existing data sites has increased by up to fivefold.

Breaking Business and Market News Shorts:

The International Monetary Fund has reached an agreement with Senegal on a new $2.2 billion debt programme, after a prior deal was suspended following discovery of previously unreported debt. The 36-month arrangement is meant to support the country's "economic and financial reform program for the 2026–2029 period."

India’s BSE Sensex fell about 0.8% to 76,339 on Wednesday, hitting its lowest level since July 24, as escalating US-Iran tensions pushed oil prices higher and triggered a broad selloff. Brent crude rose about 1% to $95.40 a barrel after briefly touching a near six-week high, as renewed US-Iran military strikes heightened fears of supply disruptions.

Coal prices rallied to around $145 per ton today, reaching their highest levels in eleven weeks amid robust global energy demand and persistent supply risks. The fossil fuel also advanced despite China reporting that solar power had become the country’s single largest source of electricity capacity

Platinum futures fell below $1,740 an ounce today, hitting a two-week low as rising global bond yields and a stronger US dollar weighed across the precious metals complex. Platinum’s mine supply remains constrained, while industrial demand is expected to rise 9% this year to 2.24 million ounces, according to the World Platinum Investment Council.

Mozambique’s President Daniel Chapo, has appointed economist Felisberto Dinis Navalha as governor of the Bank of Mozambique yesterday (Tuesday 1 September), reversing the appointment of Waldemar Fernando de Sousa as governor, that had been announced only a day earlier.

Markets by Numbers

Currency markets indicate the US dollar gaining momentum today . The Greenback is trading against the Euro at 1.15796 while trading against the Pound at 1.35015 The Yen is currently trading at 159.92 to the dollar. The rand (ZAR), is currently trading around the 16.16 mark against the US dollar this morning.

Commodities:

Gold futures are marginally lower this morning, and currently trading at around $4323.52 per ounce.
Copper prices are just over -0,8% lower today, with prices currently around $6.4500 per pound
Silver futures are flat today, after a drop yesterday, and currently trading at around $64.040 per ounce.
Platinum futures are down around % this morning, currently trading at $1750.00, While Palladium is marginally higher today, and currently trading around $1379.50 per ounce.
Lithium is trading -2% lower today and currently at CNY/T 156 500
Brent crude oil prices are trending 0.8% Higher today, and currently trading around $95.44, with WTI trading at $90.63 currently
Cocoa futures have dropped by over -2.8% today, and currently trading at $6571 per ton.
Coffee futures are -0.6% lower today, and currently trading at around $3.0945 per pound

Crypto Currencies:

Bitcoin prices are 0.34% higher today, and trading at around $77 654 per coin currently
Ether prices are 0.13% higher this morning, and currently trading around $2420.57

(All prices quoted at approximately 07H55 Central African Time)

African General News Briefs:

Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema was sworn in for a second term yesterday, while the main opposition leader, who was the runner-up in last month's elections, sits in jail, charged with treason. The election, held on 13 August was followed by allegations of intimidation, pro-government bias and restrictions on the opposition. Hichilema has however been credited with steering Zambia through a major economic turnaround during his first five-year term, which started in 2021. He has pursued market-friendly reforms, and abolished the death penalty and has also made primary and secondary education free in Zambia.
A Brussels court has ordered Belgian biometrics company Semlex and 13 other defendants to stand trial over alleged corruption, money laundering ‌and tax fraud linked to a contract to produce passports in the Democratic Republic of Congo, civil parties involved in the case said. A spokesperson for the Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office confirmed that Semlex and an unspecified number of employees were among those referred by the prosecutor to the criminal court, without giving further details.