With strong demand for platinum group metals (PGMs) continuing, Bank of America Securities Global Research has raised its 2026 platinum price forecast to $2 450/oz from $1 825/oz and its 2026 palladium price forecast to $1 725/oz from $1 525/oz. Key takeaways from the bank’s latest Global Metals Weekly dated January 9 are that the [...]

Ethiopian Airlines on Saturday officially started a $12.5-billion construction project for what officials say will be Africa's biggest airport when completed in 2030 in the Ethiopian town of Bishoftu. The state-owned airline got the contract to design the four-runway airport in the town located around 45 km (28 miles) southeast of Addis Ababa.

Egypt has signed renewable energy deals worth a combined $1.8-billion, state TV reported on Sunday. Among the deals were contracts with Norwegian renewable energy developer Scatec and China's Sungrow.

The Democratic Alliance has expressed concerns that South Africa is deepening ties with Russia and Iran, following recent naval exercises involving Brics+ countries, in Cape Town. According to the Department of Defence, the drill forms part of a China-led joint, inter-agency, inter-departmental, multinational exercise that is being hosted in South Africa between January 9 and [...]

In Friday’s Diamond Industry Updates email to Mining Weekly, the South African Diamond Producers Organisation carries this global warning from international diamond luminary Ronnie VanderLinden: “If we don't gather our wares and if we don't work together, and if we're splintered, we're not going to see a positive end to 2026.” VanderLinden is vice president [...]

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Observatory (SKAO) has announced the successful conclusion of a key test of its South Africa-based SKA-Mid instrument. The SKA-Mid (Mid being short for mid radio frequency), being constructed in the Karoo region in the Northern Cape province, would, when completed, be composed of 197 dishes (including those of South Africa’s [...]

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy and Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa have welcomed the High Court's declaratory order that sets aside the Driving Licence Card Machines tender. The Gauteng North High Court, on January 6, declared that the tender was irregular, invalid, unlawful and unenforceable.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) invites members of the public to submit comments on its consultation paper on 'Nersa Redetermination of Eskom's Sixth Multi-Year Price Determination (MYPD6) Regulated Asset Base (RAB) for the Generation Business for Financial Years 2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28'. This is to comply with a High Court judgment received [...]

Nigeria's 650 000 bL/D Dangote refinery has dismissed reports of a shutdown, saying production remained stable and uninterrupted despite ongoing maintenance. Africa's largest oil refinery said late on Monday it continued to supply 40-million to 50-million litres of gasoline daily through January and February, subject to demand.

The 1 300 km Lobito Atlantic Railway connecting the Port of Lobito on Angola’s Atlantic coast to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border to strengthen regional integration and improve access to global markets has secured a $753-million financing package. The regional infrastructure project will rehabilitate, upgrade and operate the brownfield rail corridor.

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and Nedbank Group have announced a landmark financing agreement aimed at improving access to affordable housing in South Africa and expanding trade across Africa. The partnership consists of two components: a R2.5-billion social bond subscription through Nedbank’s Sustainable Finance Fundraising Framework, and a $60-million trade finance Risk Participation Agreement [...]

South Africa’s State-owned Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) says its $200-million funding contribution to a larger $753-million loan agreement with the Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) concessionaire is in line with its regional integration strategy. The DBSA funding was confirmed at a signing ceremony in Washington DC on December 17, alongside a $553-million loan from [...]