Author: Roy Mulenga

Ford South Africa has added an Extra Long Wheelbase (ELWB) derivative to its Transit Van line-up, pushing the platform to the upper limit of what a van can handle before operators need to move into light truck territory. The model targets businesses that move large volumes and heavier loads but want to avoid the regulatory, access, and operating costs associated with trucks. This new derivative joins the fourth generation Transit range alongside existing variants and targets logistics, construction, and service operators running high-utilisation routes. The Transit nameplate has been in production for decades, but this latest addition responds to present-day…

High interest rates have clearly become a structural challenge for African SMEs enterprises. In many African markets, commercial bank lending remains expensive, short term, and collateral heavy. For many SMEs particularly those without property or long operating histories access to affordable debt is limited. As a result, businesses are increasingly looking beyond usual bank loans to sustain operations and finance growth. Patient capital, equity, and flexible ownership One alternative lies in development finance institutions and impact-focused lenders. These institutions are designed to absorb longer timelines and higher perceived risk, particularly in sectors linked to employment, energy access, food security, and…

Demand for African minerals linked to electrification, energy storage, and industrial growth has rarely been stronger. Copper, lithium, graphite, rare earths, and battery metals sit at the centre of global supply concerns, and Africa holds many of these resources. However, despite favourable commodity narratives, junior mining companies operating on the continent continue to struggle to raise capital. The problem is not demand. It is credibility, structure, and risk alignment. One of the main constraints is project maturity. African junior miners remain stuck at early exploration or preliminary study stages. Investors have grown more selective after years of funding losses across…

French energy giant TotalEnergies has restarted construction of its $20 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Mozambique, nearly five years after violence in the country’s northeast forced the company to suspend operations. Company executives and Mozambican officials announced the relaunch on Thursday at a ceremony near the Afungi construction site in Cabo Delgado province. TotalEnergies chief executive Patrick Pouyanné and Mozambique’s president, Daniel Chapo, attended the event. The move follows TotalEnergies’ confirmation in late January 2026 that it would resume all onshore and offshore activities on the Mozambique LNG project. TotalEnergies halted construction in April 2021 after attacks linked…

Impact investing has moved from a niche strategy used by development focused investors to a recognised asset class within global private equity, venture capital, and development finance, and Africa has become one of its most active markets. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) funds are increasingly directing capital toward businesses that deliver measurable social and environmental outcomes alongside financial returns. For African scalers companies that have moved beyond startup stage and are focused on expansion this move is opening new pathways to growth that were previously constrained by expensive debt and risk-averse traditional lenders. At the heart of the impact investing…

For decades, African governments, mining indabas, and African critical minerals beneficiation advocates have spoken about moving beyond the export of raw minerals toward local processing, refining, and manufacturing. Smelters and refineries sit at the centre of this ambition. In theory, they promise higher export earnings, skilled jobs, technology transfer, and stronger industrial bases. In practice, building and sustaining mineral-processing facilities across Africa has proved far more difficult than policy statements suggest. The first obstacle is cost. Smelters and refineries are capital intensive, long-term investments that require billions of dollars upfront and stable operating conditions over decades. Investors need certainty on…

Chery has recently outlined plans to expand its manufacturing footprint outside China, including a proposed acquisition of Nissan South Africa’s Rosslyn production plant. While that transaction remains in progress, the automaker is also evaluating additional production options beyond the African market. UK Production Discussions with Jaguar Land Rover A report by the Financial Times says Chery is holding early discussions with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) about assembling Chery, Omoda, and Jaecoo vehicles at one of JLR’s facilities in the United Kingdom. The talks remain at an exploratory stage, and neither company has reached any commitment . These discussions coincide with…

Chevron has reported a new hydrocarbon discovery in Nigeria through its partnership with Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, following the successful drilling of the Awodi-07 well in the shallow offshore Niger Delta. Local reports indicate the well intersected multiple hydrocarbon-bearing intervals containing both crude oil and natural gas. While the results suggest commercially viable reservoirs, recoverable volumes have not yet been disclosed. Exploration Status and Development Outlook The Awodi-07 discovery adds to ongoing drilling activity in the Niger Delta basin, one of Africa’s longest-producing oil and gas regions. Chevron Nigeria Limited, the group’s local subsidiary and technical operator, has not…

Rio Tinto and Chalco have agreed to acquire a controlling stake in Brazilian aluminium mining and processing company Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio (CBA), thereby expanding their exposure to downstream Aluminium production in a key industrial market. In doing so, the transaction strengthens access to value-added processing capacity and, at the same time, points to ongoing consolidation as major producers seek greater control over supply chains linked to energy transition demand. Copper Breaks Above US$14,000/t Meanwhile, copper prices surged above US$14,000 a metric ton as investors increased exposure amid strong demand expectations and a weaker US dollar. As a result, the…

For many small business owners, bookkeepers, bookkeeping, and tax compliance often only come into focus when something goes wrong. Deadlines creep up, cash flow feels tight, and SARS becomes a source of stress instead of structure. Lindsay has built her work around changing that reality. As the Founder of Bookkeepers South Africa, Lindsay is helping entrepreneurs treat compliance as a foundation for growth, not a last-minute scramble. Building a firm that makes compliance practical To make compliance less intimidating and more useful, Lindsay built Bookkeepers South Africa to support small and medium-sized businesses with bookkeeping, accounting, tax, payroll, and statutory…