East African Business Notifier

Giulio Boccaletti LONDON—Europe today faces an increasingly hostile geopolitical landscape, yet the European Union is struggling to unite its member states around a shared political project.  Security, competitiveness, migration, and democratic values have all been invoked as grounds for deeper integration. None has proved sufficient. Meanwhile, the environment—once at the heart of Europe’s political project—has fallen by the wayside, a casualty of the  rupture  between the certainties of the past and an increasingly uncertain future.  But dismissing environmental priorities like climate action as outdated misunderstands both the crisis they represent and their significance for Europe’s political union. Consider the historical roots of European unification. Speaking at the Peace Congress of 1849, Victor Hugo gave voice to the aspirations of generations of European intellectuals who envisioned a federal republic that would bring  peace and stability  to the ...

  Saliem Fakir CAPE TOWN—As the world pursues decarbonization, the concept of a “just transition” has become ubiquitous, particularly when describing the shift away from fossil fuels in emerging and developing economies.  Emissions targets at the global and national levels are viewed as the main drivers of the energy transition, and the climate policies developed to meet those targets must balance environmental and social objectives. But decarbonization is not always the product of a planned emissions-reduction pathway. In fact, with the cost of renewables continuing to fall, many emerging and developing countries now see phasing out fossil fuels as a matter of economic survival and energy security. For example, in January 2024, Ethiopia  banned the import  of petrol and diesel vehicles with immediate effect. The move was striking precisely because it was framed not as a climate commitment, but as a way to reduce its annual fossil-fuel import bill of more than $5 bil...

BY PAUL TENTENA   Anzana Electric Group (“Anzana”) has raised a $20 million senior secured portfolio debt facility from British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, to accelerate the construction of run-of-river hydropower projects across Africa.   Run-of-river hydropower projects in Africa can play an important role in expanding access to electricity. But smaller projects under 10MW often struggle to secure long-term debt financing. This facility is designed to reduce the high upfront costs and long timelines that usually come with arranging project-specific financing.   The BII facility will provide construction financing to Anzana’s well-developed hydropower portfolio, focused on small- and medium-scale plants with potential solar hybridization, in East, Central and Southern Africa.   Through this facility, Anzana expects to unlock 10MW of newly installed distributed baseload generation capacity by 2030, gen...

BY PAUL TENTENA   Africa must urgently close the financing gap for water and sanitation investments if the continent is to accelerate progress on sustainable development, climate resilience and economic transformation, Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, said at the African Development Bank Group 2026 Annual Meetings. Gatete, who was speaking at a high-level event on Financing Africa’s Water Investments, commended the African Development Bank Group, the African Union Commission, the African Ministers’ Council on Water and partners for convening what he described as a timely and strategic discussion on Africa’s water future. “The challenge is not a lack of solutions; it is about how we prioritize, finance and implement them at scale,” Gatete said, noting that the discussions had highlighted practical experiences, concrete pathways and the urgent need to translate ambition into action. He said the event came at a critical moment for the implement...

By Priscilla Najjuma Forget the stiff, corporate headshots and the formulaic social media feeds. In Uganda, where hospitality runs deep, the entrepreneurial spirit is vibrant, and the handshake still holds weight, personal branding is less about a manufactured persona and more about an authentic, deeply rooted legacy .  It’s about being the delicious, consistent, and memorable "matooke"  in a world of fast-food trends. My own journey into this topic was recently enriched by finishing an in-depth course on personal branding , which crystallized the theoretical brilliance and inspired me to translate it into a distinctly, wonderfully Ugandan reality. A brand so rich and true to who you are that people won't just notice  you, but actively seek you out. Your journey begins with a deep knowledge of your own landscape, much like a Boda-Boda driver knows every shortcut and roadblock. Instead of copying Western influencers, weave your unique value into your own story, culture, an...

  By Elijah Tumusiime Agriculture is a major pillar in the Ugandan economy, contributing to over 25% of the country’s GDP.  However, a large portion of the industry has depended on antiquated techniques for decades, which restricts market access and productivity. As internet connectivity starts to change how farmers grow, harvest, and market their produce, a shift in how things are done is taking place. The internet is increasingly becoming as crucial to farming in Uganda's rural villages as rainfall and rich soil.  Farmers now have access to pest alerts, crop management guidance, and real-time weather forecasts via connected mobile phones and internet platforms. They can reduce losses and increase yields by using this information to make better decisions about when to plant, water, or harvest. Another significant benefit of connection is the availability of market data. In the past, many farmers relied on intermediaries to update prices and find buyers, which frequently ...