In The Spotlight
Nigeria launches US$50mn fund to support startups. (Image credit: NSIA)
Nigeria is taking a significant step to strengthen its startup ecosystem with the launch of a new US$50mn Impact Innovation Fund.
The initiative is a joint effort between the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, designed to support early stage businesses working to solve key social challenges.
The fund will focus on startups operating in areas such as agriculture, healthcare, education, energy, waste and water management. By targeting these sectors, the initiative aims to support solutions that directly improve everyday life while also driving economic growth.
JICA will contribute US$14mn in grant funding, while NSIA will provide up to US$20mn to match the support. The fund will operate as a public investment platform within Nigeria, combining financial backing with technical support. This approach is intended to help startups develop their products, strengthen their operations and expand into new markets.
Beyond funding, the initiative is expected to play a wider role in job creation and improving livelihoods. By backing innovative businesses at an early stage, the fund aims to unlock new opportunities and encourage long term development across the country.
Aminu Umar Sadiq,Managing Director and CEO of NSIA,said, “The Fund represents a transformative step for Nigeria’s startup ecosystem. By providing early-stage ventures in high-impact sectors with the capital and support they need to grow, we are enabling innovators to tackle some of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges. Our collaboration with JICA underscores our commitment to entrepreneurship, inclusive growth, and sustainable development.”
Work is already underway to put the fund into action, with plans to identify and support promising startups ready for investment. The focus will be on building a strong pipeline of businesses that can deliver real impact while also scaling sustainably.
NSIA continues to position itself as a key driver of economic progress through partnerships that expand access to funding, encourage innovation and support inclusive growth across Nigeria.
Ethiopia pushes private investment to strengthen agribusiness. (Image credit: ENA)
Ethiopia is increasing its focus on transforming the agribusiness sector, with government leaders encouraging greater private investment to improve food security and reduce dependence on imports.
The move reflects a wider national effort to strengthen domestic production and build a more resilient agricultural system.
Agriculture Minister Addisu Arega highlighted the important role private investors play in driving change across the sector. Speaking at a stakeholder consultation forum in Addis Ababa, he noted that Ethiopia’s Medemer State philosophy places strong emphasis on achieving food self sufficiency and supporting long term growth.
“The concept of Medemer is primarily focused on ensuring that the country achieves sufficient food production and becomes self-sufficient,” Addisu said.
The country is currently rolling out reforms under its updated Agricultural and Rural Development Policy, where agricultural investment has been identified as a key priority. The government is looking to increase both the scale and quality of production by encouraging more participation from private businesses.
At present, around 8,742 investors are active in the sector, with close to 2.3 million hectares of land allocated for agricultural use. However, performance remains uneven, with only a portion of the land being fully utilised.
“Only about 45 percent of the allocated land is currently under active use, which shows the need to strengthen productivity and operational efficiency,” he said.
Addisu also pointed out that Ethiopia still trails behind several countries in agribusiness development, particularly in adopting modern technology and innovative farming methods. He referenced Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia as examples where innovation has helped boost productivity and competitiveness.
State Minister of Agriculture Meles Mekonen reinforced the sector’s importance to the national economy, especially in creating jobs and supporting livelihoods.
“Agriculture not only provides a foundation for food security but also creates employment opportunities, particularly for a large number of youths and women,” Meles said.
He added that improving access to modern techniques, better land use and continued government support will be key to unlocking the sector’s full potential and ensuring reliable access to safe and affordable food.
Dangote Gas Deal signals new era for Ethiopia’s fertiliser industry. (Image credit: Dangote)
Dangote Group has moved decisively to reshape Ethiopia’s agricultural future by securing a long term gas supply agreement to support a major fertiliser project in the east of the country.
The deal, announced on 16 March, spans 25 years and was signed with GCL Group. Valued at around US$4.2bn, it will provide the energy needed for a large fertiliser plant currently being built in Gode.
Gas for the project will come from the Calub field and will be transported through a 108 kilometre pipeline directly to the plant. This direct link is expected to reduce supply risks and improve efficiency, something that has often been a challenge for industrial developments across the continent.
Aliko Dangote, chairman and chief executive of Dangote Industries Limited, said, "Through seamless integration and strategic cooperation with GCL, we will achieve an efficient closed-loop value chain from natural gas extraction to fertiliser production, taking a crucial step toward enabling Africa to secure greater autonomy over its food security."
GCL has been working with the Ethiopian government on the Ogaden gas project since 2013. The first phase began operations on 2 October 2025 and can produce 111 million litres of liquefied natural gas each year. Plans for a second phase aim to increase output significantly, although no timeline has been confirmed.
The fertiliser plant in Gode is expected to start operating by 2029, with an annual capacity of three million tonnes of urea. The project represents an investment of US$2.5bn and is intended to reduce Ethiopia’s reliance on imported fertilisers while supplying neighbouring markets.
At present, Ethiopia produces no inorganic fertilisers domestically and imported about 2.32 million tonnes in 2024. Once completed, this project could transform the country’s agricultural supply chain and strengthen food production across the region.
Mozambique Turns to Thailand to Build a Homegrown Rice Industry.
Mozambique has set its sights on a future where it no longer depends on costly rice imports, and it is looking to Thailand to help make that vision a reality.
The ambition was laid out clearly at a meeting in Maputo between a Thai business delegation and local leaders, where agricultural cooperation took centre stage and the conversation quickly turned to what it would take to unlock Mozambique's considerable but largely untapped farming potential.
The Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique made the case with conviction. The country sits on roughly 36 million hectares of arable land, enjoys plentiful water resources, and benefits from climatic conditions that could support multiple harvests each year. Yet despite these advantages, only a fraction of that capacity is currently being put to work. In the meantime, Mozambique imports hundreds of thousands of tonnes of rice annually, much of it from Thailand itself, a situation that its business community is increasingly eager to reverse.
Amâncio Gume, vice-president of the CTA, was forthright about the opportunity this presents. He argued that a ready domestic market already exists for investors willing to commit to local production, irrigation, mechanisation, and agro-processing. His ambitions stretch further still, with a vision of Mozambique becoming a fully fledged agro-industrial hub serving the wider Southern African Development Community.
Government officials pointed to specific regions ripe for development, including northern coastal areas, the established rice-growing province of Zambézia, and the Chókwè Valley in the south. Mozambique's logistics assets, particularly its internal transport corridors and the deepwater Port of Nacala, were also highlighted as meaningful advantages for scaling up production and reaching export markets.
The Thai delegation responded with genuine enthusiasm. Their offer goes well beyond selling rice. Thailand is positioning itself as a knowledge partner, ready to share expertise across the entire value chain from cultivation and fertiliser use to climate adaptation and processing techniques.
Both sides acknowledged that rising global food costs and supply chain instability have made the case for domestic production stronger than ever. The meeting ended with a networking session focused on identifying concrete joint ventures, and the momentum, at least for now, feels real.
Ghana Opens Timbuktoo AgriTech Hub to Power Digital Agriculture.
Ghana has taken a bold step towards reshaping its agricultural future with the official launch of the Timbuktoo AgriTech Hub, a purpose-built initiative designed to bring digital innovation to the heart of the country's farming sector.
The hub arrives at a time when Africa's agricultural landscape is crying out for practical, technology-driven solutions, and Ghana is positioning itself as a serious contender in leading that charge.
The launch ceremony in Accra drew considerable attention, with the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George (MP), lending his presence and voice to the occasion. His message to African entrepreneurs was unambiguous: technology holds the key to transforming agriculture and building stronger, more resilient food systems across the continent.
The hub is not operating in isolation. It brings together a compelling mix of innovators, investors, incubators, and ecosystem leaders from across Africa, with partnerships already in place with the United Nations Development Programme, 500 Global, and Seedstars. That kind of backing signals serious intent and gives the initiative a solid foundation from which to grow.
The problems the hub is set up to tackle are well known to anyone familiar with African agriculture. Climate pressures, fragmented supply chains, poor market connectivity, and restricted access to financing continue to hold farmers and agribusinesses back. The Timbuktoo AgriTech Hub aims to chip away at these barriers through data-driven tools, mobile platforms, artificial intelligence, and improved digital infrastructure, all geared towards boosting productivity and expanding market reach.
Beyond supporting startups directly, the hub will run a capacity-building bootcamp for incubator managers, investing in the institutions that nurture early-stage businesses. Access to both catalytic and commercial capital will be made available to participating startups, addressing one of the most persistent obstacles to scaling agricultural innovations across the continent.
The minister rounded off proceedings with a call to action, urging governments, investors, and innovators to work more closely together and turn promising ideas into tangible, lasting development outcomes. It was a fitting note on which to close a launch that felt less like a ceremony and more like the beginning of something genuinely significant.
South Africa Pledges Support for One Million Small Businesses. (Image Credit: Capital business)
South Africa has made a firm public commitment to backing its small business sector, with the government outlining a clear agenda to make it easier and more financially viable for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises to operate and grow across the country.
The announcement came at the 14th annual Proudly South African Buy Local Summit and Expo held in Johannesburg, where Minister of Small Business Development Stella Ndabeni took to the stage to lay out what the government intends to deliver during its current term in office. The target is an ambitious one: supporting one million MSMEs through a combination of financial assistance and practical non-financial interventions.
The minister was direct about why this matters. "MSMEs play a crucial role in addressing unemployment and inequality in our country," Ndabeni said, adding that the sector employs millions of people and is a major driver of job creation and inclusive growth.
The reform agenda has several moving parts. On the regulatory side, the government is pushing ahead with a red-tape reduction framework and expanding its e-registration system to make the process of starting a business less cumbersome. Administrative burdens at the municipal level have long been a sticking point for small business owners, and these measures are aimed squarely at addressing that frustration.
Access to finance is another priority area. The government plans to deepen its work with development finance institutions, banks, and non-bank lenders to widen the funding pipeline available to small businesses. This will be complemented by stronger post-investment support, helping businesses not just to access capital but to make the most of it once they do.
Legislative progress is also on the cards. "We will continue to improve the business environment, including by advancing the Business Licensing Bill to make it easier to start and operate small businesses," Ndabeni added.
Taken together, the measures paint a picture of a government that recognises small businesses not as a peripheral concern but as a central pillar of economic recovery and long-term inclusive growth. Whether the ambition translates into meaningful change on the ground remains to be seen, but the direction of travel is clear.
Africa’s Organic Expo connects brands with buyers. (Image credit: CVLC Communication)
Cape Town is set to host one of Africa’s most important gatherings for the organic and natural products industry as the Organic & Natural Products Expo Africa returns to the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 17 to 19 April 2026.
Now backed by Standard Bank Business and Commercial as headline sponsor, the event continues to strengthen its role as a key meeting place for businesses across the continent’s growing green economy.
Now in its third year in the city, the expo brings together producers, buyers and decision makers from across Africa. It reflects a wider shift towards healthier and more sustainable living, as both consumers and industries rethink how products are made and sourced. The addition of the Sustainable Hospitality Expo has further widened its reach, creating new links between organic brands and the hospitality sector. This growing connection highlights how sustainability is becoming a business priority rather than just a trend.
South Africa’s organic market is already valued at billions of rand, while demand for wellness products continues to rise steadily. At the same time, the hospitality sector is under pressure to adopt greener solutions, from guest amenities to energy and water use. The expo sits at the centre of these changes, giving exhibitors direct access to buyers who shape these markets. Over three days, brands can engage with retailers, distributors, and procurement leaders from hotels, lodges and short stay accommodation.
For many small businesses across Africa, the expo offers more than just visibility. It creates a practical route to growth. “The Organic & Natural Products Expo Africa is a commercial catalyst for the entire African natural products value chain,” says Warren Hickinbotham, co-founder of the expo.
“The majority of exhibitors are small and emerging businesses, from start-up skincare and haircare brands to family-run food producers and innovators in household and agricultural products. Recognising that these enterprises often struggle to reach buyers on their own, the expo has been built to lower barriers to entry and amplify their reach.”
Support from financial institutions and government programmes ensures that smaller brands can take part with reduced costs, helping them present themselves professionally and compete on a larger stage.
“This gives smaller brands a professional presence on the show floor, complete with exhibition infrastructure and support services. For many, the expo becomes the point at which a kitchen-table business turns into a fully-fledged commercial operation,” Hickinbotham explains.
“Beyond the three days at CTICC, every exhibitor is profiled on the Organic & Natural Products Portal for 12 months at no additional cost. This digital listing allows buyers who met a brand at the show - or heard about it afterwards - to locate, contact and trade with them long after the doors close, turning a single exhibition into a year-long sales and lead-generation opportunity.”
With strong interest already building, the 2026 edition is expected to further connect African businesses with real commercial opportunities and long term growth.
4th Africa Food Systems Transformation in Accra, Africa. (Image credit: UN food system hub)
Africa will take another important step towards reshaping its food future as leaders, partners and institutions gather for the 4th Africa Food Systems Transformation Meeting in Accra, Ghana, on 4–5 May 2026.
The hybrid event will bring together National Food Systems Convenors and representatives from across the continent to review progress and strengthen action on national food systems pathways developed in recent years.
The meeting comes at a crucial moment following key regional developments such as CAADP Kampala in January 2025 and the UN Food Systems Summit +4 Stocktake (UNFSS+4). It aims to provide a practical, country driven space where governments and partners can assess what has worked, identify persistent challenges and coordinate stronger support for food systems transformation as the continent moves towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Organised by the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub in partnership with the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the African Union Commission, AUDA NEPAD and other regional institutions, the gathering will bring together a wide range of voices. Participants will include government leaders, UN agencies, development partners, civil society organisations, youth networks, Indigenous Peoples’ groups, research institutions and private sector representatives. Their shared goal is to create stronger collaboration and deliver solutions that reflect Africa’s realities.
Since 2021, more than forty African countries have designed national pathways to transform their food systems. These strategies show a growing political commitment to improving nutrition, supporting livelihoods, strengthening climate resilience and driving economic growth. Yet the pace of implementation remains uneven. Fragmented governance, gaps in financing, climate shocks, conflict and limited investment in science, innovation and technology continue to slow progress.
Recent regional dialogues, including the 2024 Africa Food Systems Transformation Meeting and the 2025 regional gathering ahead of UNFSS+4, underlined the need to shift from planning to delivery. There is increasing recognition that stronger policy alignment, greater investment and locally driven solutions are essential. Women, young people, smallholder farmers and community organisations are expected to play a central role in this transition.
The Accra meeting will focus on sharing lessons between countries, strengthening partnerships and promoting scalable solutions through the Ecosystem of Support and the Hub’s flagship initiatives. Discussions will be guided by the six priority areas outlined in the UNFSS+4 Secretary General’s Call to Action, with the aim of accelerating meaningful food systems transformation across Africa in the years leading to 2030.
Africa’s Organic Expo connects brands with buyers. (Image credit: CVLC Communication)
Where Africa's Agricultural Future Takes Shape: Agritec Africa 2026 Opens Tomorrow in Johannesburg. (Image credit: Agritech Africa)
Vaccine arrival strengthens South Africa’s fight against foot and mouth disease.
South Africa has stepped up its response to Foot and mouth disease with the arrival of one million high potency vaccines at OR Tambo International Airport.
The shipment was received under the supervision of John Steenhuisen, Agriculture Minister marking a significant boost to the national vaccination drive already under way in affected regions.
The vaccines were supplied by Biogénesis Bagó in Argentina and form part of a broader supply programme. Further consignments are expected in the coming weeks from BVI in Botswana and Dollvet in Turkey. By the end of March, more than five million doses from these three international suppliers are set to arrive in the country.
At home, the Agricultural Research Council has committed to producing 20 000 vaccines per week, with plans to increase output to 200 000 per week in 2027. The expanded supply will allow authorities to move beyond targeted outbreak response and work towards wider suppression of the virus in high risk areas.
Steenhuisen said, “Vaccination has already begun in affected areas, but supply has limited the speed and coverage. With this arrival, we can now accelerate protection across priority provinces and stabilise the livestock sector.”
Outbreaks have been reported in every province, prompting quarantine measures, movement restrictions and ongoing surveillance. A risk based vaccination strategy will focus first on outbreak centres in KwaZulu Natal and parts of Gauteng, Free State and North West, before extending to other high risk and border regions.
The initial one million doses will be shared across all provinces, with KwaZulu Natal and Free State receiving the largest allocations. However, the minister warned that vaccines alone will not end the crisis.
“Quarantine rules, movement permits and biosecurity measures exist to protect every farmer in the country. Those who deliberately move animals illegally, conceal infections, or ignore restrictions threaten the recovery of the entire sector. Where there is wilful non compliance, we will work with law enforcement authorities and the full might of the law will be applied,” Steenhuisen added.
He will visit Mooi River in KwaZulu Natal on 27 February to vaccinate dairy cattle alongside veterinarians and farmers. “The dairy industry has been among the hardest hit with significant production losses, disrupted markets and immense strain on farming families. That visit marks the practical beginning of recovery at farm level. Each vaccinated herd means stability returning to a business, wages returning to workers and milk returning to shelves.”
“We are moving step by step from crisis management to control,” Minister Steenhuisen concluded. “Vaccines are arriving, the system is scaling up, and compliance will be enforced. Working together, we will stabilise the sector and rebuild confidence in South Africa’s animal health system.”
Natasha Hall as Vice President VIV Worldwide. (Image credit: VIV WORLD)
Ntungamo battles to contain foot and mouth disease as markets close and tensions rise.
Dangote Gas Deal signals new era for Ethiopia’s fertiliser industry. (Image credit: Dangote)
Dangote Group has moved decisively to reshape Ethiopia’s agricultural future by securing a long term gas supply agreement to support a major fertiliser project in the east of the country.
The deal, announced on 16 March, spans 25 years and was signed with GCL Group. Valued at around US$4.2bn, it will provide the energy needed for a large fertiliser plant currently being built in Gode.
Gas for the project will come from the Calub field and will be transported through a 108 kilometre pipeline directly to the plant. This direct link is expected to reduce supply risks and improve efficiency, something that has often been a challenge for industrial developments across the continent.
Aliko Dangote, chairman and chief executive of Dangote Industries Limited, said, "Through seamless integration and strategic cooperation with GCL, we will achieve an efficient closed-loop value chain from natural gas extraction to fertiliser production, taking a crucial step toward enabling Africa to secure greater autonomy over its food security."
GCL has been working with the Ethiopian government on the Ogaden gas project since 2013. The first phase began operations on 2 October 2025 and can produce 111 million litres of liquefied natural gas each year. Plans for a second phase aim to increase output significantly, although no timeline has been confirmed.
The fertiliser plant in Gode is expected to start operating by 2029, with an annual capacity of three million tonnes of urea. The project represents an investment of US$2.5bn and is intended to reduce Ethiopia’s reliance on imported fertilisers while supplying neighbouring markets.
At present, Ethiopia produces no inorganic fertilisers domestically and imported about 2.32 million tonnes in 2024. Once completed, this project could transform the country’s agricultural supply chain and strengthen food production across the region.
Nigeria launches US$50mn fund to support startups. (Image credit: NSIA)
Ethiopia pushes private investment to strengthen agribusiness. (Image credit: ENA)
(Image credit: Power Factor Systems)
When it comes to practical farming technology built for African conditions, PFS Power Factor Systems has quietly been doing something rather impressive.
Since setting up shop in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga back in 1998, the company has grown into a trusted name across the continent, serving farmers in countries ranging from South Africa and Zambia to Kenya, Angola and beyond.
At the heart of what PFS offers is the VSD Starter, a variable speed drive designed and built entirely in-house and purpose-made for irrigation systems. It is not a generic piece of kit adapted for farm use. Every feature on this machine was thought through with the farmer in mind, from the automatic priming function to the gradual pipe filling sequence that protects pipelines from sudden pressure surges.
Dry pump protection and current limiting come as standard, meaning the system constantly keeps an eye on motor performance and shuts things down before any costly damage can occur. A safety switch input adds another layer of control, and can be connected to external devices like a GSM modem for remote operation or a float ball to manage dam levels automatically.
What really sets the VSD Starter apart is its flexibility. Seven programmable pressure settings mean farmers can deliver precisely the right pressure to different fields without relying on mechanical pressure regulating valves. Pair that with seven auto-irrigate programmes and you have the ability to run up to 49 scheduled irrigation cycles every week, all managed through a clean and intuitive touch screen interface.
Electricity costs are a very real concern for farmers across the region, and the VSD Starter addresses this head on. Running at 97% efficiency and drawing only the power needed to maintain the selected pressure, most users see a full payback within 9 to 14 months. The Eskom tariff control feature allows the pump to run exclusively during off-peak periods, cutting costs even further.
A tamper-proof event history log records every action with a time and date stamp, giving farmers complete visibility over their irrigation activity and making any troubleshooting straightforward.
The company officially launched its Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) equipment and services at its Africa headquarters in Kempton Park, Johannesburg.(Image credit: xylem)
The redesigned New Holland T7 Standard Wheelbase tractor, now available in the new Dynamic Blue colour. (Image credit: New Holland)
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