The COVID-19 pandemic could be a game changer for digital financial services. Low income households and small firms can benefit greatly from advances in mobile money, fintech services and online banking. Financial inclusion as a result of digital financial services can also boost economic growth. While the pandemic is...
Although it seems like ancient history, it hasn’t been that long since economies around the world began to close down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Early in the crisis, most people anticipated a quick V-shaped recovery, on the assumption that the economy merely needed a short time-out. After...
Globally, COVID-19 has put several supply chains, businesses, schools, and public services on the brink of collapse. Beyond the disruptions caused by COVID-19, local and international business activities are frequently interrupted by fire outbreaks, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, terrorism, cyber-attacks, supply and demand market volatility among others.
In the particular case...
As COVID-19 slows in developed countries, the virus’s spread is speeding up in the developing world. Three-quarters of new cases detected each day are now in developing countries. And as the pandemic spreads, governments face juggling the health consequences with economic ones as this shifts to becoming an economic...
… calls for sustainable fisheries management decision-making
Illegal fishing is considered globally as a fundamental driver of overfishing threatening marine ecosystems. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing puts food security and regional stability at risk. On a broader perspective, West Africa’s IUU accounts for approximately 40% of fish caught.
This estimated...
A shift from Africa’s traditional approach to power generation is needed to unleash the continent’s clean energy potential and secure an African future free from blackouts. A strategy centred around energy storage and flexible power systems will be the key to guaranteeing the reliability of a high-renewable grid, while...
Business resilience remains one of the most important and relevant ways for organisations to bypass legacy challenges and explore new opportunities
The recent months have likely been the biggest challenge for all organisations across the continent. With almost no warning, millions of businesses – indiscriminate of size or stature –...
When I set out as a student of communication, one of the many acronyms I quickly learnt was K.I.S.S. For the purpose of this discussion, we expand K.I.S.S. to mean Keep It Simple and Sweet, with other variations that substitute simple for ‘short’.
Given that you are talking with a...
Economic activity this year will be significantly lower than projected in the April 2020 Regional Economic Outlook for sub-Saharan Africa. Real GDP is now forecast to contract by 3.2 percent in sub-Saharan Africa, double the contraction envisaged in April.
The downward revision of the growth projections reflects the impact of...