Newscast - Africa

President Muhammadu Buhari launched the national policy on 5G for Nigeria’s digital economy, with a clear directive to all the security agencies to immediately leverage the technology to enhance security in the country when it has been deployed.
President Buhari also allayed fears over health safety of 5G, affirming that such issues had been effectively addressed in developing a policy that suits the country.
The president stressed that it would support virtually every sector of the economy, including enhanced connectivity, improved healthcare, support for education while fostering smart cities, and boosting agriculture, among other advantages.

The Central Bank of Nigeria’s Monetary Policy Committee retained the Monetary Policy Rate at 11.5% and kept all other parameters unchanged.
CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele made the announcement while addressing journalists at the bank’s headquarters in Abuja.
Lowering the rate could have stimulated more borrowing while raising the rate could have signalled the CBN’s intention to reduce the economy’s money supply.

The Federal Government will outline its policy position for the marginal field bid round to eligible awardees who have fully or partly complied with signature bonus payment in the 2020 marginal field programme.
It says the policy position would be made public at a forum being planned by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission in Abuja.
It says all eligible awardees and relevant international oil companies associated with the MFBR were expected to attend the meeting.

The International Monetary Fund has retained its 2022 growth forecast for Nigeria at 2.7 per cent and increased the 2023 projection by 0.1 per cent to 2.7 per cent.
The IMF had in its October report last year projected a 2.7 per cent growth rate for 2022 and 2.6 per cent for 2023.
The IMF downgraded its growth forecast for sub-Saharan Africa to 3.7 per cent and 4.0 per cent for 2022 and 2023 respectively from 3.6 per cent and 3.9 per cent forecast in its October 2021 WEO report.
The IMF also reduced its forecast for global economic growth to 4.4 per cent in 2023, representing 0.5 percentage points lower than the 4.9 per cent projected in October.

Serbia and the Belgium-based Euroclear signed an agreement to make the Balkan country’s local debt euroclearable or clearable through the Euroclear international settlements system, which would help lure foreign portfolio investments.
Finance Minister Sinisa Mali says the Euroclear membership was vital for the future sales of European Union candidate countries’ bonds.
Mali says Serbia’s membership in Euroclear would bolster the development and liquidity of the domestic money and capital markets and lower financing costs. It would also lure more foreign portfolio investors.

An alliance of airlines and airports called for changes to the European Union’s planned climate change legislation on Monday, arguing it will make them less competitive with non-European rivals.
The alliance argues long-haul flights via non-European hubs would not be subjected to the same associated costs, leading to a potential shift in business to such carriers.
The alliance rejects a kerosene tax outright and proposes that the environmental protection surcharge be based on the entire flight route, not just feeder flights bringing passengers from the EU to international hubs such as Istanbul or Dubai.

Taliban and Western diplomats are holding a meeting outside Norway’s capital Oslo for talks focused on Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis.
The closed-door discussions with representatives of the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Italy, the European Union and Norway.
The Taliban earlier met with Afghan civil society members, including women activists and journalists, for talks on human rights.

Ghanaian authorities have shut down Maxam Mining Company Limited responsible for manufacturing, storing, and transporting explosive materials for mining operations in the country following a deadly explosion last week.
Investigations are underway, the authorities say, into Thursday's blast near the mining town of Bogoso, that killed at least 14 people and injured dozens of others.
The National Disaster Management Organisation says more than 40 critically injured people are being treated in hospitals, and more than 500 homes have been destroyed.

Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera has sacked his entire cabinet over corruption concerns.
The president vowed to confront all forms of lawless conduct by public officials. He says a new cabinet would be announced in two days.
Three ministers are facing charges including the minister of lands who was arrested last month in a bribery case.
The labour minister has been accused of diverting Covid funds and the energy minister of meddling with fuel deals. All have denied the allegations.

Mali's government has called on Denmark to immediately withdraw a contingent of troops deployed to the West African nation as part of an international counter-terrorism force.
The military government says the deployment of about 90 Danish soldiers had taken place without its consent.
Denmark says it's in touch with the government in Bamako and is working intensely to clarify the situation.
The government has denied their presence, saying Russian trainers were in the country to support the national army.