Business
Africa’s Business Heroes Summit Returns to Kigali
The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Summit, backed by Alibaba Philanthropy, will convene in Kigali on 12–13 December 2025, bringing together over 1,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders. Finalists will compete for $1.5 million in grant funding, showcasing Africa’s innovation potential CAJ News Africa.
South African Rand Shows Resilience
The South African rand traded near 17.1 per USD, marking an 8% appreciation year‑to‑date. Gains are driven by rising gold and platinum prices and expectations of US rate cuts. However, domestic manufacturing sentiment has dropped to its weakest level since 2020 Business Tech Africa.
Technology
Nigeria’s ISP Market Consolidates
New data shows Spectranet, Starlink, and FibreOne now control 65% of Nigeria’s ISP market, leaving many smaller providers dormant. Out of 224 licensed ISPs, only 133 remain active, serving 313,713 customers. Analysts warn of a shrinking market despite rising broadband demand insidebusinessafricang.com.
Google Investment in Digital Transformation
Nigeria has received a ₦3 billion investment from Google.org to advance digital transformation, focusing on youth empowerment and connectivity. The initiative aligns with Africa’s broader push for meaningful digital access, as highlighted in the ITU Global Connectivity Report 2025 TechAfrica News.
Geopolitics
Africa’s Sovereign Wealth Funds Near $1 Trillion
African state‑owned assets under management have reached $1 trillion, driven by pension funds, central banks, and new sovereign wealth funds in Botswana, DRC, Eswatini, Kenya, and Nigeria’s Oyo State. The Libyan Investment Authority remains the largest, with $68 billion in assets WardheerNews.
G20 Fractures Highlight Africa’s Role
The 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg marked the first time the forum met on African soil. Despite consensus on debt relief and climate resilience, the summit was overshadowed by US and Argentina boycotts and geopolitical fractures. Leaders warned of challenges to global solidarity Yahoo Finance Singapore Beyond the Horizon ISSG.
Security
Rising Terrorism in the Sahel
The UN Secretary‑General has warned that terrorism in Africa is a “growing global threat.” The Sahel now accounts for 19% of global terrorist attacks and over half of terrorism‑related casualties worldwide. More than 4 million people are displaced across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and neighbouring states UN News.
Egypt–Türkiye Defence Pact
Egypt and Türkiye have signed a landmark $5 billion defence co‑production deal, marking one of the most significant bilateral military‑industrial partnerships in modern history. The agreement aims to accelerate military modernization and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers africansecurityanalysis.org.
Human Rights
African Court to Deliver Key Judgments
The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights will deliver decisions on 4 December 2025 during its 79th Ordinary Session in Arusha, Tanzania. Cases include the long‑running Ogiek land rights case against Kenya, with rulings expected to set important precedents AFCHPR MSN.
Somalia–UK Human Rights Talks
Somalia and the UK held high‑level talks in Mogadishu on 2 December 2025, focusing on governance reforms and human rights cooperation. The UK pledged continued support for Somalia’s debt relief and its return to the UN Human Rights Council dawan.africa.
Broader Implications
- Economic resilience: Africa’s sovereign wealth funds and currency gains highlight growing financial autonomy.
- Digital divide: Consolidation in Nigeria’s ISP market underscores challenges in equitable connectivity despite new investments.
- Geopolitical leverage: Africa’s hosting of the G20 and rising state assets show increasing global influence amid fractures.
- Security volatility: Terrorism in the Sahel and new defence pacts reflect both risks and strategic realignments.
- Human rights accountability: Court rulings and bilateral talks emphasize the continent’s struggle to balance governance with rights protections.
