According to recent reports the economy in Zimbabwe is being boosted by above-average crop yields. Trading companies and retailers such as hardware suppliers appear to be doing relatively well but the industrial scenario appears gloomy with factories continuing to close.
The recent signing of a memorandum of understanding establishing the Nigeria-Kenya Chamber of Commerce & Industry augurs well for intra-African trade and investment. The two prominent anglophone countries on the western and eastern sides of the continent are developing a number of bilateral business initiatives.
In order to determine the potential for renewable energy projects in sub-Saharan countries, it is (apart from project flow) necessary to examine the country’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) legislation, the existence of a renewable energy programme and the strength of the electricity regulator. Initial findings indicate that while many countries have nominally ticked the boxes by introducing these elements, many of them lack sufficient independence and the resources to implement them. There are however a number of institutions that are assisting including the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) of Germany.
A major constraint to the African coking coal industry is the great distances to the world’s steel manufacturing centres. There is no steel producing centre of a sufficient size in Africa outside South Africa.
Africa Project Access is a South African company providing specialist consulting services and information regarding projects in Africa. For more information, contact Paul Runge on +2711 465 6770 or afric.projs@pixie.co.za
