Africa's Green Economy Summit

24/02/2026

Sovereignty at Sea: Jahazi Project Unites South West Indian Ocean Nations Against Illegal Fishing 🌊⚓

For decades, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the South West Indian Ocean was treated as a technical fisheries issue. Today, it is firmly recognised as a matter of sovereignty, food security and economic resilience.

Through coordinated engagement across Tanzania (Mainland and Zanzibar), Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Comoros, Seychelles and Madagascar, the Jahazi Project has catalysed a regional shift — reframing IUU fishing as a shared development and governance challenge.

The stakes are high:
💰 An estimated US$415 million is lost annually in the region due to illegal fishing.
🐟 Coastal fisheries support more than three million livelihoods across 4,600 km of East African coastline.
📉 Declining fish stocks threaten food security, marine biodiversity and national revenues.

Momentum built through the Blue Voices Roundtable in Dar es Salaam and culminated in the Blue Voices Regional Summit in Zanzibar (January 2026), co-hosted by the Government of Zanzibar. The Summit concluded with the signing of the Resolutions and Recommendations Pact — committing countries to:

✅ Harmonise regulations and penalties
✅ Strengthen intelligence sharing
✅ Align enforcement systems
✅ Close jurisdictional loopholes

With leadership from institutions including the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute and Zanzibar’s Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries, maritime sovereignty is now being advanced collectively.

The message is clear: illegal fishing does not respect borders — and neither should the response.

The South West Indian Ocean’s future depends on unified action, stronger governance, and a shared commitment to protect both livelihoods and marine ecosystems. 🌍

Read the full story by IPP Media here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0s1_M_0

24/02/2026

Southern Africa’s Low-Footprint Lodges Redefine Sustainable Luxury Travel 🌿✨
Luxury travel is evolving — and excess is no longer the ultimate status symbol. Across Southern Africa, discerning travellers are choosing smaller, low-footprint lodges that prioritise conservation, community impact, and thoughtful design over scale.

Industry insights from the Virtuoso Luxe Report and the American Express Travel Global Travel Trends Report confirm the shift: sustainability is now a key driver of luxury travel decisions heading into 2026.

Two standout examples from Isibindi Africa demonstrate what this looks like in practice:

🌊 Thonga Beach Lodge
Located within the UNESCO-listed iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Thonga operates with capped guest numbers, raised wooden structures, reduced lighting during turtle nesting season, and a strong community employment focus — with 93% of staff from the local Mabibi community.

🦓 Tsowa Safari Island
Set on the Zambezi River, Tsowa hosts a maximum of 18 guests, runs fully on solar power, and was built around existing vegetation — without removing trees — following careful environmental assessment.

Both lodges integrate:
♻️ Reduced single-use plastics
💧 Responsible water sourcing and filtration
🌍 Active community investment and conservation partnerships

The result? High-end, experience-led travel that works precisely because it understands restraint.

Read the full story here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0s1_z_0

24/02/2026

AGES 2026 Opens in Cape Town with US$3.09bn Green Investment Pipeline 🌍💰

Africa’s flagship green investment forum, the Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES), opens today in Cape Town with a deal-ready pipeline seeking US$3.09 billion in climate funding across more than 25 African countries.

Taking place from 24–27 February 2026, AGES 2026 will showcase 40+ projects spanning:
⚡ Renewable energy & battery manufacturing
♻️ Waste & circular economy solutions
🚜 Sustainable agriculture
🌊 The blue economy
🏗️ Built environment & nature-based solutions

Of the total capital raise, approximately $90 million targets early-stage SMMEs, while nearly $3 billion supports expansion and infrastructure-scale projects.

Now in its fourth year, AGES is hosted by the African Union, with key partners including Sanlam Investments and Standard Bank. The summit features investor roundtables, deal rooms, and curated matchmaking sessions designed to move capital — not just conversations.

With biodiversity credits, blended finance, decentralised hydrogen, AI-driven energy systems and circular industrial solutions in focus, AGES 2026 underscores a clear message:

Africa’s green transition is investable — and the pipeline is ready. 🚀🌱

Read the full story by News Ghana here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0s1_-N0

19/02/2026

SONA 2026: From Stabilisation to Transformation 🇿🇦

South Africa is positioning 2026 as a decisive turning point.

Delivering the State of the Nation Address at Cape Town City Hall, President Cyril Ramaphosa signalled a shift from economic stabilisation to ambitious structural reform.

📈 Economic recovery taking hold
* Four consecutive quarters of GDP growth
* Inflation at a 20-year low
* Removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list
* Improved credit outlook and a strengthened Rand

⚡ Energy & infrastructure reform
* Load shedding brought to an end
* R1 trillion committed to infrastructure over three years
* Expanded public-private partnerships and transmission reform
* Target of 40% renewable energy by 2030

🌱 Growth sectors driving the next phase
* Critical minerals and beneficiation
* Agriculture and blended finance for emerging farmers
* Green manufacturing (including a 150% tax incentive for new energy vehicles)
* Digital economy expansion and data centre investment
* Tourism rebound

🚨 Governance & service delivery focus
* Intensified action against organised crime and corruption
* National Water Crisis Committee and major sanitation investment
* Local government reform and strengthened accountability

The address sets a clear mandate: build a capable state, crowd in investment, create jobs at scale, and ensure that growth is inclusive.

2026 is framed not as incremental progress...but as a year of structural transformation.

Read the full report by Brand South Africa here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rVXXd0

19/02/2026

Green Economy & Critical Minerals: South Africa’s Path to Prosperity 🇿🇦🌱

South Africa is positioning the green economy at the center of its growth strategy.

In his 2026 State of the Nation Address at Cape Town City Hall, President Cyril Ramaphosa outlined an ambitious pivot: transforming South Africa into a leading supplier of the green products the world will depend on in the decades ahead. 🌍

Key signals include:

⚡ A 150% tax deduction for investment in new energy vehicles starting March 2026 — alongside support for local battery production.
🏗️ A Just Energy Transition Investment Plan now standing at R250 billion, targeting manufacturing, infrastructure and skills.
⛏️ A renewed push on exploration and geological mapping to unlock critical mineral reserves valued at over R40 trillion.

South Africa already holds some of the world’s largest reserves of platinum group metals and other critical minerals essential for smartphones, lithium batteries and clean energy systems. The Industrial Development Corporation has committed at least R300 million to the Frontier Rare Earths Project — a move that could position the country among the world’s lowest-cost producers of key minerals. 🔋

At this week’s Mining Indaba in Cape Town, renewed investor confidence was visible across gold, copper, rare earths and platinum.

The message is clear: green growth is not just an environmental imperative — it’s an industrial and economic strategy.

Read the full article by SA News here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rVYbN0

17/02/2026

MTN & WWF Announce Winners of 2025 Africa PachiPanda Challenge 🌍🐼

Youth-led climate innovation is thriving across Africa.

In collaboration with MTN and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the 2025 Africa PachiPanda Challenge has crowned its winners after attracting 2,484 SMEs from across the continent.

Under the theme “Nourishing Tomorrow: Innovation for Food, Energy and Water Security”, the competition spotlighted scalable, commercially viable solutions powering Africa’s green economy.

🏆 Top Winners:
• Arnaud Njita (Cameroon) – nTron STEM Kit transforming plastic waste into 3D-printing filament for STEM education
• Ndaman Joshua Olayinka (Nigeria) – BuyScrap, a tech-enabled e-waste recycling platform ♻️
• Bill Agha (Cameroon) – AgriCheck, a climate-smart digital agriculture solution 🌱

🌍 Special Recognition:
• Flame Innovation Zambia – Circular economy & waste-to-energy solutions
• EcoDrop Project (Uganda) – Incentivised community recycling model

Beyond prize funding, winners will receive structured mentorship from Deloitte and executive immersion training at Wits Business School — strengthening governance, scalability, and investment readiness.

The message is clear: Africa’s youth are not just adapting to climate challenges — they are building businesses that convert environmental pressure into economic opportunity.

Read the full story by Funds for NGOs here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rPMBr0

17/02/2026

The Holy Grail of Green Hydrogen? A Mega-Scale GH2 Plant in Kenya Targeting Local Value Creation 🌱

Could Kenya host one of Africa’s first mega-scale green hydrogen (GH2) hubs — designed not just for export, but for deep local industrialisation?

A new thought piece by researchers from Strathmore University explores the case for a GW-scale green hydrogen project in Kenya, leveraging the country’s exceptional renewable energy mix:

⚡ Geothermal potential exceeding 10,000MW
🌬️ Strong onshore and offshore wind resources
☀️ High solar irradiation
🚢 Strategic export access via the Port of Mombasa

The concept goes beyond hydrogen exports.

It proposes a dual-purpose model:
🔹 Large-scale green hydrogen production (ammonia, methanol, LOHCs) for export
🔹 Clean power supply for a 100+ MW data centre
🔹 Potential downstream fertiliser and industrial applications

The real “holy grail” isn’t just scale — it’s local added value.

The authors argue that success depends on:
• Localising manufacturing and electrolyser assembly
• Building Kenyan engineering and technical capacity
• Linking hydrogen to green steel, fertiliser and advanced materials
• Embedding skills development through university and TVET partnerships

In a world still dominated by fossil fuel externalities and subsidies, green hydrogen economics remain challenging. But with the right policy signals and market reforms, Kenya could position itself as a continental leader in climate-aligned industrialisation.

Read the full article by ESI-Africa here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rPMcx0

16/02/2026

Tanzania & Liberia Forge Maritime Alliance to Strengthen Africa’s Blue Economy 🌊⚓

A new chapter in African maritime cooperation is taking shape.

Tanzania and Liberia have forged a maritime alliance aimed at unlocking opportunities within Africa’s growing blue economy.

The partnership is expected to enhance collaboration in shipping, port development, maritime regulation, training, and investment — strengthening Africa’s position in global trade while promoting sustainable ocean resource management.

With Tanzania strategically positioned along the Indian Ocean and Liberia home to one of the world’s largest ship registries, the alliance signals a shared commitment to:

🔹 Boost maritime trade and logistics efficiency
🔹 Promote sustainable use of ocean resources
🔹 Strengthen regulatory and institutional capacity
🔹 Advance Africa-led solutions in the global shipping ecosystem

As African nations deepen South–South cooperation, maritime partnerships like this could play a pivotal role in accelerating intra-African trade under the AfCFTA framework and expanding the continent’s blue economy footprint.

The message is clear: Africa’s oceans are not just transit routes — they are engines of growth.

Read the full story by The Citizen here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rNpMd0

16/02/2026

Malawi Explores Geo Pomona Partnership to Advance Waste-to-Energy Solutions in Africa ♻️⚡

Regional collaboration in sustainable infrastructure is gaining momentum.

Malawi is exploring a potential partnership with Geo Pomona Waste Management following a high-level tour of its waste-to-energy facility in Harare by Malawi’s Minister of Local Government, Ben Phiri.

The visit underscores Malawi’s push for practical, African-led solutions to mounting urban waste challenges. After touring the facility, Dr Phiri described the project as an innovative and scalable model capable of transforming waste management systems across the continent.

Under President Arthur Peter Mutharika, Malawi is prioritising cleaner, better-managed cities and plans to establish a technical task team to assess how the Geo Pomona model can be adapted to local conditions.

For Geo Pomona, led by Executive Chairperson and CEO Dilesh Nguwaya, the visit reflects growing regional interest in its waste stabilisation and energy recovery approach — positioning the company as a continental player in waste management innovation.

As African cities grapple with rapid urbanisation and landfill pressures, partnerships like this highlight a critical shift: solutions designed in Africa, for Africa.

Read the full story by the Herald here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rNp0B0

13/02/2026

Angola fast-tracks blue economy partnership with Bayelsa State to boost fisheries, ports and investment 🌊⚓📈

A delegation sent by President João Lourenço has moved to accelerate implementation of a blue economy cooperation pact between Bayelsa and Namibe Province. Talks with Governor Douye Diri focused on fisheries, aquaculture, port infrastructure, gas-based industrialisation, and two-way trade.

Officials say the renewed push is aimed at turning existing agreements into practical, bankable projects — and strengthening sub-national Nigeria–Angola economic ties 🤝🌍

Read the full story here:

By Sarafina Christopher

13/02/2026

South Africa urged to treat water, energy and climate risks as core economic priorities ahead of SONA 🌍⚡💧

Ahead of the State of the Nation Address by Cyril Ramaphosa, the National Business Initiative — led by CEO Shameela Soobramoney — is calling for a national “delivery compact” to tackle what it describes as a triple threat: water insecurity, energy instability, and climate risk.

With the upcoming Africa’s Green Economy Summit in focus, business leaders are pushing for policy certainty, accountable public-private partnerships, and faster ex*****on to unlock green investment, strengthen competitiveness, and protect economic stability 📈🤝

Read the full story by Eurasia Review here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rKG290