In light of current unrest in Egypt, we turn our attention southwards to Sub-Saharan Africa, where political risk is rising in Cote d’Ivoire following last year’s disputed election, and in Uganda and Nigeria ahead of elections in February and April, respectively. Meanwhile, higher inflation threatens to bring instability to other countries in the region. BMI’s… [Read more]
Following recent troubles in North Africa, speculation has been rife about which countries will be next in the line of fire. Many commentators have rightly pointed the finger elsewhere in the Middle East; a few others have suggested that contagion risks are actually more acute South of the Sahara. In one of the ludicrous but… [Read more]
On this week’s Business Monitor Podcast we are joined by Lisa Lewin, Head of Africa Analysis, to hear about her ‘on the ground’ impressions after returning from a trip to Kenya. A burgeoning middle class and growing trade integration among East African nations suggest that several sectors stand to benefit from the highly attractive economic… [Read more]
For decades, oil and gas investors in Africa have focused on exploiting the riches of the continent’s established producers Nigeria, Angola, Libya and Algeria. In recent years, however, spurred on by large discoveries offshore Ghana and in the Lake Albert region in Uganda, the industry has been looking beyond the traditional oil markets to a… [Read more]
Having lagged much of the global rally that kicked off in March 2009, Sub-Saharan African equity markets are at long last beginning to perk up. Interestingly, the major markets are also moving with a much greater degree of correlation than in previous years, suggesting that they are creeping onto the collective radar of international investors…. [Read more]
Risk Watchdog is not shy about promoting his views to anyone who will listen. Yesterday, I had the opportunity yesterday to talk to a group of potential exporters to East Africa at an event organised by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and hosted by Barclays, about why I and my colleagues at Business… [Read more]
As the rally in the more common emerging market assets starts to look shaky, I see a number of reasons to like what’s on offer in frontier markets, Africa in particular. To my mind, the two assets that really stand out are Nigerian equities, and the Ugandan shilling. In the case of Nigerian stocks, I… [Read more]
