West Africa

Three workers killed in an accident have caused the Simandou iron-ore project to be halted.

Winning Consortium Simandou, the project's co-developer, announced on Thursday that three foreign workers had died in an accident at a construction site in Guinea. The company said it has suspended its operations and conducted a safety review. The incident occurred at a WCS construction site in Kerouane Province, according to the Chinese-controlled firm. WCS and Rio Tinto are developing Simandou under the close supervision of the government, with monthly progress reports filed by both companies, according to a source. The mine hopes to reach a deadline of November for the first exports. The source said that missed production deadlines would
Transportation

Nigerian oil union agrees with Dangote Petroleum to end strike
France investigates suspected offenders by sanctioned Oil Tanker

The French Navy said on Tuesday that authorities were investigating an alleged infraction committed by the Benin flagged oil tanker Boracay. This vessel is listed as a Russian sanctioned vessel under British and European Union sanctions. A report was sent to the Brest public prosecutor office following a suspected offense by the Boracay vessel. The Navy announced in a press release that an investigation was underway. The crude oil tanker was sanctioned separately by the UK and EU in October 2024, and again in February 2025. The EU stated that the vessel was involved in the transportation of Russian crude
Transportation

Nigerian oil union strikes nationwide after Dangote refinery fires workers
Nigeria to certify C919 jets for local airlines

Director general of the Nigerian civil aviation authority said that they are looking at certifying China’s C919 jets for Nigerian carriers. This is because Nigerian airlines have taken on more aircraft, and relations with Beijing are warming up. COMAC, a Chinese planemaker, is currently producing the C919 narrow-body aircraft to compete with the leading Western planemakers Airbus & Boeing and has had several discussions with Nigeria about the aircraft. This month, the Nigerian aviation minister said that Nigeria is open to COMAC to use the country as an access point to the larger African market. COMAC, the state-owned company, faces
Passenger Transportation Services

Nigeria to certify C919 jets for local airlines

Director general of the Nigerian civil aviation authority said that they are looking at certifying China’s C919 for Nigerian carriers. This is because Nigerian airlines have taken on more aircraft, and relations with Beijing have been warming. COMAC, a Chinese plane manufacturer, is currently producing the C919 narrow-body aircraft to compete with the leading Western planemakers Airbus & Boeing and has had several discussions with Nigeria about the aircraft. COMAC, a state-owned company, is facing challenges in its bid to expand into the African market. The two models of its planes do not have benchmark certifications by Western regulators and
Nigerian FOB levies on imports are suspended after industry protest

Transport Infrastructure

Lawyer for Greek owner of cocaine-loaded ship seized in 2023 says that he denies the charges

His lawyer stated on Friday that the former Greek owner of a cargo vessel, which was seized by Spain 2023 after it was found to have carried more than four tonnes of cocaine and coffee beans from Latin America into Europe, denied any connection to drugs. The Spanish authorities found cocaine worth approximately $200 million aboard the Blume vessel, which was then Greek-operated and Togo-flagged, when they intercepted it in January 2023 off the Canary Islands. This was one of Spain's largest cocaine hauls for that year. The crew was arrested and Blume, the ship that had left Brazil to...

Transport Infrastructure

Three Greeks arrested over ship loaded with cocaine seized by Spain 2023

Three people with knowledge of the investigation confirmed on Thursday that Greece had arrested three individuals linked to a cargo vessel seized in 2023 by Spanish authorities near the Canary Islands for transporting more than 4.5 tonnes of cocaine from Latin America into Europe. Blume (a Togo-flagged vessel operated by Greece) had arrived from Brazil with a cargo of 200 tonnes, which was far less than its capacity. This raised suspicions. The Spanish authorities seized the drugs, worth hundreds of millions, and arrested the entire crew on January 18, 2023. They then took the ship to Santa Cruz, Tenerife, where...

Transport Infrastructure

Nigeria secures $747-million Deutsche Bank-led syndicated loan for coastal highway

The Nigerian Finance Ministry announced on Thursday that the country has received a $747-million syndicated loan led by Deutsche Bank to fund the construction of the 700-km (435 miles) first phase of the planned coastal highway project. Mohammad Manga, spokesperson for the Finance Ministry, said that the loan was the first of this size in Nigeria. The syndicate includes First Abu Dhabi Bank as the global coordinator, African Export-Import Bank (AEIB), Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEO), ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (ECOWAS Bank) and Zenith Bank. Manga reported that the first section of the highway to be financed with...

Transport Infrastructure

Cocoa grinders cut their purchases in Ivory Coast by 20 percent as margins contract

Sources from the industry said that cocoa grinders have cut their purchases of cocoa beans by 20% in Ivory Coast since January due to shrinking margins caused by a surge in global prices. Exporters and grinders have told us that the drop in cocoa production has also affected processing volumes. This has increased competition between exporters, processors and blenders. Five Ivory Coast grinders and eight Ivory Coast exporters claim that the beans of the current mid-crop are lower quality with less fat and butter, which prevents factories from operating at full capacity. The processors now only buy what they need...

Transport Infrastructure

Ivory Coast targets 50% cocoa production locally within two years

The head of the national regulator announced that Ivory Coast will increase its domestic cocoa production to 50% within two years. This is up from the current 42%, he said. Yves Brahima Kone, the managing director of Ivory Coast’s Coffee and Cocoa Council, said that cocoa processing was essential to boost local industry and support economic growth. Kone, who spoke at the opening of the Abidjan plant in Abidjan, the commercial capital of Ivory Coast's country, said that the Ivory Coast has invested to boost the domestic industry. He said that five plants will be completed and operational in two...

Transport Infrastructure

Ivory Coast cocoa imports are below exporter expectations, says regulator

Yves Brahima Kone said that cocoa arrivals in ports of Ivory Coast, the top producer, reached 1,540 million metric tonnes at the end May. This compares to exporters' estimated 1.624 millions tons for the same time period. Exporters reported that last month the quality of cocoa was low and buyers refused to buy more beans, resulting in low volume. Six exporters said that although some trucks carrying poor-quality cocoa were returned by exporters, their beans were still recorded in the records. This explains the 5% discrepancy between the figures supplied by the regulator and those of exporters. This is a...

Transport Infrastructure

Panama removes more than 650 vessels from its registry amid sanctions and stricter rules

Panama's Maritime Authority said that it has removed more than 650 ships from its registry since 2019, as part of a campaign to comply with U.S. sanction and enforce stricter regulations for the vessels it flags. The authority said that since last year, 214 ships have been removed from Panama's register, which is among the largest in the world with over 8,500 vessels. Once removed from the registry, ships cannot sail under Panamanian flag. Panama has responded to criticism from non-governmental group United Against Nuclear Iran. UANI, which said last week that Panama had taken insufficient action against sanction violations...

Transport Infrastructure

Panama removes more than 650 vessels from its registry amid sanctions and stricter rules

Poor bean quality is a problem for weekly cocoa deliveries in Ivory Coast

Exporters estimate that cocoa arrivals in ports of Ivory Coast, the top producer, had reached 1,582 million metric tonnes by May 18 compared to 1.437 millions tons a year ago. The weekly arrivals in the two major ports of the country between May 12 and 18 were down sharply compared to the same period the previous season. This drop was attributed by buyers to the fact that they rejected more beans due poor quality. Between May 12 and 18, approximately 7,000 tons of bean were delivered to Abidjan and 15,000 to San Pedro, for a total 22,000 tons. This is...

Ivory Coast Port Operator to invest in inland logistic

Africa Global Logistics, the company that operates Ivory Coast’s main port plans to invest more than 60 million euros ($67million) in inland logistic over the next five year to enhance its position as a gateway and transport hub for landlocked West African countries. Regional Director Asta Rosa Cisse said that the company intends to develop dry warehouses with cooling facilities and establish operational hubs throughout Ivory Coast. Africa Global Logistics, which operates Abidjan, the main port of Ivory Coast - the world's largest cocoa and cashew producers - also handles shipments from and to landlocked neighbours Burkina Faso, and Mali....

Access to the back sea for landlocked Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger through Morocco

Morocco's official news agency reported that the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso and Niger, three Sahel-dominated states ruled by military forces, said they endorsed an initiative on Monday offering them access through Morocco's Atlantic port to global trade. It said that the foreign ministers of their respective countries expressed their positions during a meeting in Rabat with Morocco's King Mohammed VI. Last year, the West African nations run by juntas who have been in power through coups for the past few years withdrew themselves from ECOWAS and formed a new alliance called the Confederation of Sahel States. Morocco, a major...

Morocco expresses interest in LNG terminal

Morocco, in an effort to diversify the energy sector that is heavily dependent on coal, made the first steps toward the location of a terminal for liquefied gas near the Mediterranean City of Nador. The Moroccan energy industry has expressed interest in the LNG terminal. Morocco is also pushing forward with a plan to increase renewable energy from 45% of installed capacity now to 52% by 2030. In a press release, the ministry announced that the terminal would be connected to an existing pipeline linking Morocco with Spain, as well as to industrial zones in Mohammedia, and Kenitra in the...

Bollore Group targeted by anti-corruption groups over old Africa assets and demanded restitution

Twelve anti-corruption campaigners filed a complaint with the French Financial Prosecutor against logistics group Bollore, and its former CEO. They accused them of using their connections and influence peddling to secure lucrative African Port concessions. The first step to a possible criminal prosecution in France is filing a complaint. The complaint of the campaigners, who demand restitution, claims that Vincent Bollore and the Bollore Group used their connections with leaders in West Africa for several decades to secure contracts and create a vast business network. According to the review of the complaint, "corruption and favouritism" were used to secure port...

Passenger Transportation Services

In the next few days, we should see a resolution to the US-Mexico Aviation dispute

The CEO of Mexican airline Volaris said that he believes a solution to the dispute between the U.S.A. and Mexico in aviation may be reached within the next few days. The U.S. Department of Transportation issued orders on Saturday requiring Mexican Airlines to submit their flight schedules. Threatening to reject requests If the Mexican government does not respond to U.S. concerns about flight changes in Mexico City. Mexico was governed by the previous government. Move cargo flights The main airport in the capital city is being moved to a more distant, newer site. cutting passenger flight slots Enrique Beltranena, CEO...