Interview with Adam Molai – Africa Trade Engine Founder In probably one of the most important discussions I have had on No Free Lunch, I spoke with The Adam Molai The Chairmen and co-founder of Africa Trade Engine about where the opportunities for growing intra-African trade and industrialisation opportunities lie. The interview delves into the intricacies of intra-African trade and the potential for economic transformation through industrialisation and value addition. Adam Molai, a prominent entrepreneur, shares insights from his experiences in the African trade sector, emphasizing the importance of beneficiation and local manufacturing to enhance economic growth and create employment…
Author: Greg Stewart
The 2025 Commodity Surge: Winners and Laggards 2025 has been a banner year for commodities, propelled by geopolitical tensions, central bank gold hoarding, and the unrelenting march of the green energy transition. Precious metals have dominated this growth trajectory in 2025, with platinum and silver posting explosive gains amid safe-haven demand and industrial rebounds. Critical minerals, essential for batteries and renewables, showed mixed results, with copper’s steady climb outpacing lithium’s slump from oversupply. Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) benefited from auto catalyst demand, though palladium lagged somewhat. Year-to-date (YTD) performance as of November 28, 2025 (Jan 1 close to current spot):…
Business News Today Exxaro Resources Expands its Energy Assets JSE listed mining group, Exxaro Resources, has entered into binding agreements with Acciona Energía to acquire majority interests in two fully operational renewable energy assets. The assets are the 138 MW Gouda Wind Farm in the Western Cape as well as the 75 MW Sishen Solar generation facility in the Northern Cape. The deal also involves Exxaro’s Cennergi, its wholly owned Cennergi subsidiary, will be the entity responsible for the full operational and maintenance management of both assets. The deal positions Exxaro beyond a predominantly coal producing company, to being an energy company…
Business News Today Vodacom -Massiv Deal Finalised Vodacom can finally move ahead with the acquisition of a 30% co-controlling stake in Maziv, the holding company that houses Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa. This after the transaction now has received approval from communications regulator ICASA. For Vodacom, the transaction marks a key strategic move with the operator now sitting directly inside South Africa’s largest fibre network group. There are significant advantages for South Africa’s largest telco, with fibre is now the key market lead in the home broadband and business connectivity market. Maziv’s network reach gives Vodacom deeper integration opportunities. With…
The Africa Digital Assets Report 2025, published by Absa Corporate and Investment Banking, is a timely analysis aligning with Africa’s current financial evolution. The benchmark study, the first of it’s kind, dissects the maturation of digital assets from fringe speculation to institutional cornerstone, amid Africa’s burgeoning tech ecosystem. The report underscores a central thesis: the future of digital assets will be forged on trust. As demand surges across businesses, investors, and consumers, confidence however lags, creating a chasm that trusted institutions must bridge. Drawing on market-specific data, user behaviour insights, and strategic analyses, the report positions Africa as a global…
Business News Today Space-Tech Boosting Mining Exploration Success Australian space Startup Fleet Space made a break-through announced yesterday with its satellite exploration technology proving it can deliver vastly reduced mining exploration time. The Space-tech group used its satellite AI tech to expand Quebec’s Cisco lithium project beyond its current 329 million metric ton estimate. The startup’s orbital sensors cut drilling decision time from weeks to 48 hours using electromagnetic and gravity sensing. In context, around 3 in 1,000 mineral prospects become commercially viable, and it can take years to prove it by drilling core samples. Fleet Space aims to dramatically improve those…
The North African states of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso are all governed by military juntas following a series of coups d’état between 2020 and 2023. These Sahel nations, collectively known as the “coup belt,” have suspended their countries constitutions, dissolved parliaments, and extended “transitional” periods indefinitely, citing security threats from jihadist insurgencies as justification. None of these ruling junta’s have held promised elections, drawing international criticism for democratic backsliding and human rights abuses. The three, formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023 as a mutual defence pact, evolving into a confederation amid ECOWAS isolation. Summary of…
Tackling South Africa’s Infrastructure Deficits with SAICE’s Ceo – Sekadi Phayane-Shakhane In the latest episode of “No Free Lunch,” host Greg Stewart engages with Sekadi Phayane-Shakhane, the pioneering CEO of the South African Institute of Engineers (SAICE), to discuss the pressing issues surrounding South Africa’s infrastructure. The conversation delves into the deteriorating state of infrastructure, the high costs associated with transport, and the challenges faced by the public transport system. Sekadi highlights the critical need for lifecycle-based maintenance strategies to combat the crumbling infrastructure. She emphasizes the importance of integrating maintenance into long-term planning and ensuring that funds are allocated…
Business News Today Dangote Inks Deal with Honeywell Nigeria’s Dangote oil refinery, has inked an agreement with Honeywell, the industrial automation and tech group, to provide services aimed at doubling its already impressive refining capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028. The move is the clearest indication yet that Aliko Dangote, Africa’s top industrialist’s plans to become the world’s largest petroleum refinery are being accelerated.The agreement will allow Dangote to process a broader range of crude grades to help support the planned expansion in output with the help of Honeywell’s catalysts and equipment, the companies announced on Tuesday. The…
The Ansarada 2026 Global Merger & Acquisition (M&A) Predictions Report, authored by Managing Director Justin Smith, aggregates insights from 26 leading dealmakers across key markets to forecast mergers and acquisitions trends amid persistent geopolitical volatility, economic uncertainty, and technological disruption. Drawing from 2025’s resilience, highlighted by mega-deals like Blackstone’s AirTrunk acquisition and Lactalis’s Fonterra stake, the report emphasises M&A’s adaptability. Despite trade wars, inflation, and policy shifts (e.g., U.S. tariffs under Trump), the market is, according to the report, set for deliberate growth in 2026, driven by stabilising interest rates, sector-specific tailwinds, and AI integration. The report spans APAC, New…
