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Breaking News Today – Tuesday 19 May 2026
African Start-up News Headlines: Business News Today Bitcoin Drops to Two-Week Low Yesterday saw Bitcoin prices fall to its lowest level in over than two weeks as a pullback in demand amid turmoil in the Middle East prompted traders to cut back on their holding positions. In a volatile trading day, over $800 million in
Financing Women’s Digital Entrepreneurship in Africa – Closing the Economic Gender Gap
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report Financing Women’s Digital Entrepreneurship in Africa, released yesterday (19 May 2026), paints a concerning yet actionable picture of gender dynamics on the continent. The report highlights a recent setback in women’s economic participation while positioning digital entrepreneurship as a promising lifeline, that is, if financing barriers can be overcome.
Shell Advances Libya Oil Field Studies as Global Majors Return
Shell is expected to submit an assessment report on several Libyan oil and gas fields to the National Oil Corporation (NOC) before the end of May, according to Libya Herald, which cited NOC Chairman Masoud Suleiman. The timeline was discussed during a meeting in London involving Shell executives and NOC technical teams. Shell reportedly presented
Elon Musk Loses Lawsuit Against OpenAI
Elon Musk’s legal challenge against OpenAI and Sam Altman has collapsed after a California jury unanimously ruled that the case had been filed too late for the claims to proceed. The lawsuit centred on OpenAI’s shift from its original non-profit structure into a more commercially driven artificial intelligence company. Musk argued that Altman moved away
Is “Smart Mining” Just a Cost-Cutting Tool Disguised as Innovation?
“Smart mining” has become a common phrase in mining, especially across African mining investments and operations, almost to the point of becoming a mantra. Companies repeat it consistently in presentations, pilot projects, and investor briefings, usually alongside automation, sensors, and data systems promising better performance. The language around it is familiar efficiency, optimisation, and real-time
Breaking News Today – Tuesday 19 May 2026
African Start-up News Headlines: Business News Today Web Summit Expands into Africa Global Tech event group Web Summit, will host its first-ever event on the African continent this December, with Cabo Verde chosen as the location. Web Summit runs the world’s largest technology events, connecting people and ideas that change the world. Web Summit’s mission
Harmony Gold Delivers Strong Q3 Recovery
Harmony Returns to Net Cash Position in latest Q3 Operational Update Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited (Harmony) has reported a robust operational performance for the nine months ended 31 March 2026 (9MFY26), marked by a standout third quarter that saw a return to a net cash position in the group, and reaffirmed full-year guidance. Supported
Talent Acquisition and Retention in Competitive African Tech Hubs
Hiring in African tech hubs has changed over the past few years. In cities like Lagos, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Johannesburg, the same developers and product leads are now being approached by local startups, established firms, and remote employers at the same time. The pool has not necessarily grown at the same pace as demand,
Why Africa’s Energy Systems Cannot Rely on Generation Alone
In software systems, failures rarely happen because Most energy planning across Africa still focuses on the visible side of infrastructure generation projects, transmission corridors, and renewable rollout targets. But adding capacity does not automatically create a more stable or responsive grid. The discussion around energy in Africa often centres on infrastructure buildout: adding generation, extending
Transport Strike Disrupts Nairobi as Fuel Prices Rise
Transport operators in Nairobi, including ride-hailing drivers, public transport crews, and long-distance truckers, went on strike on Monday over rising fuel prices and reported shortages, disrupting movement across Kenya’s capital. The action adds to growing pressure on the country’s economy as fuel costs continue to climb amid tensions in the Middle East. A spot check
Block Energy Expands Into Gabon With Offshore Licence Deal
Block Energy PLC is moving into Gabon’s offshore oil sector through a conditional agreement with UK-based Pilgrim Exploration Limited, targeting two production sharing contracts (PSCs) covering the Ndjila (G4-269) and Mpari (G4-270) blocks. The deal gives Block Energy access to adjacent offshore licences spanning roughly 5,331 square kilometres. The blocks already contain four identified oil
Startup Mondays: When to approach investors
It’s common practice for startups to think about and approach investors sooner than they should. Once something begins to show promise, the next step feels obvious raise capital and push forward. In practice, that step changes how the business operates, what is expected, and how decisions are made. Timing matters. Investors look beyond the idea
Breaking News Today – Monday 18 May 2026
African Start-up News Headlines: Business News Today Oil Prices Spike While Bond Yields Lift on Middle East Conflict Escalation Asian share markets are sliding this morning as fresh drone attacks in the Arabian Gulf has pushed oil prices and bond yields higher, while the AI boom is set to be tested by earnings from Nvidia
Learning Fast from Startup Failures in Africa’s Tough Markets
Across Africa’s volatile startup ecosystem, failure is certainly not the exception. Rather, it is a brutal but essential teacher. History indicates that more than 60% of African startups fold within their first five years, with shutdowns jumping by 50% in 2025 amid funding selectivity, currency swings, inflation, and infrastructure gaps. Yet the founders who ultimately
ISUZU’S NEW D-MAX BAKKIE – Built and Tested For Africa – 400,000 Km In Durability Tests
When it comes to finding a reliable workhorse bakkie that suits African driving conditions, this is often the most critical aspect of purchase. Reliability, proven ruggedness and overall resilience despite tough road conditions should be a top consideration. And it is in this department where ISUZU has gone beyond simply a tick-box process with their
Founder Fridays: Everlectric.
South Africa’s electric vehicle conversation is usually discussed at a policy level white papers, incentives, long-term targets and infrastructure. But that view often misses how things play out in practice. For Ndia Magadagela, the entry into electric mobility came from a different place. It was not a planned career path but driven by curiosity and
No Free Lunch Podcast – AI's Impact on Investment and Insurance Management
How AI Is Transforming Investment Management: Chat with Daniel Micali from Santi4 Are traditional investment platforms ready for the seismic shifts driven by artificial intelligence? Many industry experts believe that AI will fundamentally change how investment management operates, reduces costs, and delivers better value to clients. If you're curious about how innovation, especially AI, is
THE MINING WRAP
Mining startup MinersAI is refining its geoscience platform by organising scattered exploration data into structured models that support more accurate drill targeting. The system brings together geological, geophysical, and assay data into one working environment, making it easier for teams to interpret results. This reduces time spent cleaning and reconciling datasets. It also limits unnecessary
Orange Backs New Subsea Cable Project Linking Europe and West Africa
Orange has signed a memorandum of understanding with a group of telecom and digital infrastructure players to move forward with the Via Africa subsea cable project. The agreement, signed on Tuesday, May 12, brings together a consortium that includes Canalink, GUILAB, International Mauritania Telecom, Orange Côte d’Ivoire, Sonatel and Silverlinks. The partners will co-invest in
Creator Pulse – Forget the charts, the real magic in SA podcasting is in the growth curve
The most-streamed podcast in South Africa is hosted by a man whose most viral moments tend to also be his most condemned. Meanwhile, data shows that locally produced, women-hosted podcasts have grown 273% in listenership since 2019. To my eyes and ears, the charts and the audience are telling two very different stories about what we want