Africa

Some companies grow by spreading their wings; but one South African company is continuing to focus on the original business sector it started with.

Nestlé has opened two new production sites in South Africa to support the growth of its business in the region.

The two facilities will enable the company to manufacture Milo and Cheerios breakfast cereals, and Maggi noodles, for the first time in South Africa. The majority of ingredients and packaging materials will be sourced from local farmers and suppliers, the company said.

Kenya is to develop new mass rapid transport systems to reduce traffic congestion in Nairobi and other major cities and to improve the country’s regional competitiveness.

The National Urban Transport Improvement Project (NUTRIP), which has received approval from the World Bank, will help to expand the capacity of Uhuru highway, which bisects Nairobi’s central business district, and to initiate rapid bus transit and commuter rail systems.  

The World Bank will invest $300 million in the project, while Kenya’s government will contribute $113 million.

Italy’s Eni has announced a giant new natural gas discovery offshore Mozambique.

The discovery was made in the eastern part of Area 4 at the Mamba North East 2 exploration prospect, the fifth exploration well successfully drilled in the area.

Mamba North East 2, where Eni will now conduct a production test, was drilled in 1,994 metres of water, reaching a total depth of 5,365 metres. The well is located approximately nine kilometres east of Mamba North East 1 and approximately 23 kilometres from Mamba South 1, 60 kilometres off the Capo Delgado coast.

Since the launch of its improvement programme in 2008, TAAG Angola Airlines has done much to earn the loyalty of its customers. Director Rui Carreira talks about plans to expand the airline’s international, regional and domestic footprint.

Anglo American is to acquire an additional 40 per cent interest in De Beers for a total cash consideration of US$5.1 billion.

The move comes after Botswana’s government declined to take up its pre-emptive rights to acquire an additional shareholding in De Beers.

Anglo’s additional interest now takes its total stake to 85 per cent.

The World Bank has approved US$85 million of funding to help the government of Senegal and the Senegal National Power Utility (SENELEC) to improve electricity services in the country.

The financing will be used over a five-year period to upgrade and modernise electricity transmission and distribution components; create more transparency and accountability within the energy sector; develop a medium and long term strategy for the energy sector; and upgrade SENELEC billing systems to reduce high collection costs and losses related to fraud.

Submarine fibre-optic cables are helping Africa keep up with rapacious growth in consumer demand and fulfil the ambitions of the Connect Africa Summit.

Africa experienced an explosion in demand for mobile voice services in the first decade of the 21st century, but if broadband Internet access is to come of age in the second decade, it will require a considerable amount of investment in infrastructure.

Broadband growth is strongly linked to GDP growth, job creation, and ultimately, economic health. And although Africa’s mobile industry has come a long way over the past few years, there is still much work to be done.