AFRICA

Fuelling Africa
Engen Petroleum Limited, one of South Africa's leading petroleum companies, is set to extend its African footprint even further by signing a sale/purchase agreement to buy out Shell Petroleum Company Limited's downstream petroleum business in Gabon.

USAID, AfDB sign MOU to support African entrepreneurs
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to launch a partnership in support of entrepreneurs in Africa.

AFRICA

Joburg to host International Broadcasting Centre in 2010
[Bathandwa Mbola] The City of Johannesburg will host the International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and develop a multi-million Rand precinct around Nasrec.

Bob Scarpelli gets ready to step out of his shoes at Cannes this year - Gallo Images
Getty Images Ultimate Brief competition for agency creative teams is open and the brief is simple and exciting.

Tanzania: Sun-Flag closes factory
Sun-Flag (Tanzania) Limited is closing down its Unga-Limited textile plant, signalling another major blow to the already suffering local textile industry.

EAST AFRICA

Kenyan bank enters Uganda
[Carole Kimutai] Equity Bank's cross-border acquisition marks start of its regional foray.

ITU Secretary General lures bankers
[Remmy Nweke] The first African Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) telecommunications regulator, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Dr. Hamadoun Toure has tasked financial institutions on the continent to invest in the telecommunications sector.

AFRICA

Burkina Faso welcomes the second ICT Best Practices Forum
Personalities from the public and private sectors, international community of donors and non-governmental and intergovernmental sectors will join the Burkina Faso government to welcome the second African ICT Best Practices Forum, which will be held in Ouagadougou, the capital, from 21st to 23rd April 2008.

Scan Display Botswana moves and expands into printing - Scan Display
Scan Display's Botswana branch has moved to new offices in Broadhurst, Gaborone. The exhibition and display specialist has been operating in Botswana since 1999 and the company's recent growth was the motivation for the move to bigger premises.

EAST AFRICA

Sudanese put an end to censorship
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has welcomed an agreement by Sudanese authorities to end censorship after journalist union leaders brought together a group of newspaper editors in a concerted effort to strengthen ethical journalism and media independence in the country.

Bulawayo blogger arrested in media clampdown
[Lindie Whiz] A Bulawayo woman was set free on bail Monday, 14 April 2007, after prosecutors charged her with practising journalism without accreditation during and after the 29 March general elections.

Mobile company has new MD for Malawi
[Gregory Gondwe] Celtel Malawi, one of Malawi's two mobile phone companies announced the appointment of a new Managing Director over the weekend. Fayaz King has taken over from Charles Zouzou who has left Celtel Group after a five-year stint as MD for Celtel operations in Malawi and Gabon.

Web video viewership balloons by two-thirds
[Walaika Haskins] Viewership of online video shot up 66% in February over the year-ago period as Net surfers watched over 10 billion clips, shows and movies throughout the month. This is according to a comScore report released Wednesday, 16 April, at the annual meeting of the National Association of Broadcasters in Las Vegas, USA.

AFRICA

Africa, get interactive
Africa Interactive, the online publisher of www.AfricaNews.com and http://voicesofafrica.africanews.com/, has a new website.

AFRICA

How to succeed in the African market
Want to do successful business with Africa? Here are some tips to help you do just that...

World Bank commits to deepen reforms to benefit middle-income countries in Africa
The World Bank Group has reiterated its commitment to reduce the non-financial costs of doing business with it and to expand the menu of products and services serve middle-income countries (MICs) in Africa better.

Kenya calls for increased intra-Africa trade
[Judith Akolo] Kenya has called for an increase in intra-Africa trade in order to provide a market for exports from the African countries. Kenyan Trade and Industry Ministry Permanent Secretary, David Nalo said this will in turn help boost economic development on the continent. He was addressing the re-launch of the Proctor and Gamble Company's products on the local market on Thursday, 17 April 2008.

Inflation soars to 165,000%
Zimbabwe's annual rate of inflation soared to an all-time high of almost 165,000% in February, according to the latest government statistics obtained Wednesday, 16 April 2008.

Botswana and NW to develop economic relations
[Bathandwa Mbola] Mmabatho - A trade and investment seminar aimed at strengthening ties and developing economic relations between Botswana and the North West Province of South Africa is scheduled to take place this month.

ZIMBABWE

Zim manufacturing sector crisis escalates; govt issues ultimatum
[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe's manufacturing sector is tottering on the brink of an unprecedented crisis due to alleged government threats and non-payment of critical foreign currency receipts from exports.

EAST AFRICA

Kenyan retail outlet eyes Rwanda
[Carole Kimutai] Kenya's retail supermarket Nakumatt Holdings has announced the completion of its plans to open a US$3million supermarket in the heart of Rwanda, Kigali by July 2008. It is also undertaking a US$18million Gateway mall development in conjunction with Virunga Property development for its second outlet - a 75,000m² hypermarket, the Gateway Mall.

Fear grips Zimbabwe's manufacturing and retail industries
[Dumisani Ndlela] Consumer products manufacturers are battling to distance themselves from high commodity prices on the market, fearing a fresh clampdown by President Robert Mugabe's regime.

AFRICA

Farming families in Angola to benefit from UN scheme
Some 126,000 farming families in Angola, one of the world's poorest countries, will benefit from a $49.5 million United Nations-backed agreement to improve agricultural productivity and revitalise markets.

Malawians like new TV bouquet
[Gregory Gondwe] Malawians are excited about what they have described as very affordable subscription fees for the newly introduced bouquet by pan-African pay-TV satellite service GTV. The service will cost them K1,480 (US$10.57) a month.

SOUTH AFRICA

Big Brother back by popular demand
M-Net has announced entries for the third season of the blockbuster show, Big Brother Africa. The show boasts audience involvement of in excess of 900 000 SMS's, over 14 million page impressions and over 4 million video clips viewed online for their 2007 season. M-Net is on a drive to highlight sponsorship and product placement opportunities as a results-driven advertising medium with figures like that.

Latest trick from the channel's hat
[Carole Kimutai] New TV package costs KSh790 per month.