Breaking News Today – Friday 22 May 2026

African Start-up News Headlines:

• The Africa Finance Corporation, has approved up to $100 million to invest in Africa-focused technology fund managers, with a strong emphasis on African-owned firms. Initial anchor commitments went to Lightrock Africa Fund II and Future Africa Fund III, spanning early-stage VC to growth capital. This move aims to mobilize more local and patient capital for high-growth startups, reduce reliance on foreign funding, and accelerate digital industrialization. It targets sectors like fintech, logistics, healthtech, climate, and deep tech.
• South Africa has a new Lottery operations provider that officially launched in Johannesburg yesterday – Sizekhaya – who will officially take over the national lottery from Ithaca on 1 June 2026. The company has developed new tech driven purchasing and redemption tech platforms including a QR code purchase channel that will shorten queues for tickets at retailers. Additional innovations such as direct payment of winnings into a digital wallet have been developed and live draws on SABC and ETV will return to the lineup of lottery changes expected.

Business News Today 

New Angolan Bond Draws Major Investor Interest

Angola has issued its second Eurobond this year, raising $1.5 billion after receiving an oversubscribed funnel of around $4 billion in orders, according to Angola’s finance ministry, who released a statement yesterday. The issue was structured in two tranches, with maturity set for 2031 and 2037, with interest rates set at 8.250% and 9.5%, respectively. Angola said the latest debt sale reflected confidence in the country’s macroeconomic trajectory. Angola previously raised $2.5 billion in its first Eurobond issuance of 2026, with a demand level of over $5 billion.

The Angolan, one of Africa’s oil producing nations, has an economy growth rate of 1.9%, which is expected to accelerate due to the rise in global oil prices and the upside of the Lobito corridor developments which will see the pPort of Lobito upgraded and become a central supply chain link for critical minerals from African states such as DRC and Zambia.

Cocoa Prices Slide on Production Up-side

The the head of the Coffee ‌and Cocoa Council (CCC) in Ivory Coast has revealed that they expect cocoa production in the 2025/2026 season, to reach between 2 and 2.1 million metric tons. The current season runs through to the ​end of September 2026, with the crop estimate up 10.5% from last season. The growth will be the first increase in cocoa crop output for the world’s largest cocoa producer in three seasons, after production fell sharply due to adverse weather, ageing plantations and the rapid spread of swollen ​shoot disease in prior seasons. Cocoa prices have slid by -10% in the last week and are down around 63% compared to this time last year.

Malawi’s Fuel Shortages Hurting Economy

Fuel shortages are increasingly disrupting daily life and economic and business activity in Malawi, as global oil supply shrinks and prices rise amid ongoing instability in the Middle East. ransport companies say the scarcity is already affecting their operations, slowing the movement of goods and threatening supply chains across the country. The Transport Association of Malawi has indicated, the crisis is linked in part to global market pressures and disruptions in key shipping routes in the Middle East, which have driven fuel prices sharply higher.

With trucks unable to operate at full capacity, businesses warn of wider knock-on effects, including shortages in shops and delays in agricultural distribution during a critical season. Malawi’s latest annual inflation rate, released yesterday, accelerated to 24.3% in April 2026, up from 23.8% in March. This marks the highest level in three months, as non-food inflation rose to a record high of 33.2%, from 30.7% in March, driven by higher petrol and diesel prices and reflecting higher costs in transport, housing and utilities. 

Breaking Business and Market News Shorts:  

• Lenovo Group has reported ​a better-than-expected 27% jump in quarterly revenue today, as strong consumer demand for ‌PCs ahead of potential price hikes helped the world’s largest computer maker expand its market share.Lenovo shares surged 15% this morning and were the biggest percentage mover on the Hang Seng Index today.
• US stocks finished higher yesterday after a volatile trading session, as renewed hopes for a potential US-Iran agreement to end the conflict pushed oil prices lower for a third consecutive day. The S&P 500 gained 0.2%, the Nasdaq edged up 0.1%, and the Dow Jones rose 276 points to close at a fresh record high.
• The Central Bank of Egypt kept its key interest rate unchanged at 19% at its May 2026 policy meeting, matching market expectations. The decision followed a rise in annual headline inflation to 13.4% in February from 11.9% in January, while core inflation accelerated to 12.7% from 11.2%
• The value of building plans approved in South Africa surged by 16.9% year-on-year to ZAR 8708 million in March 2026, following a 11% drop in the prior month. Increases were seen for residential buildings (27.3% vs 8.4% in February); additions & alterations (10.2% vs -6.1%) and non-residential buildings (1.2% vs -43.6%).
• China’s Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.4% to 4,092 today, while the Shenzhen Component Index lifted by 1.1% to 15,419. However, both benchmarks remain on track for weekly declines as uncertainty over US–Iran peace negotiations continues to weigh on sentiment. 

Markets by Numbers 

Currency markets indicate the US dollar strengthening against major currencies today. The Greenback is trading against the Euro at 1.16159 while trading against the Pound at 1.34304. The Yen is currently trading at 159.07 to the dollar. The rand (ZAR), is currently trading around the 16.44 mark against the US dollar this morning.

Commodities:  

• Gold futures are trending -0.3% lower this morning, and currently trading at around $4528.64 per ounce.  
• Copper prices are gaining momentum – up by 1.2% today, with prices currently around $6.3336 per pound
• Silver futures are trending around -0.22% lower today, and currently trading at around $76.472 per ounce.
• Platinum futures are marginally up this morning, and currently trading at $1968.40, While Palladium prices are trending 0.29% higher, and currently trading around $1390.00 per ounce.
• Brent crude oil prices are trending 1.9% higher today, and currently trading around $104.56, with WTI trading at $97.67 currently
• Cocoa futures have dropped around -3% this morning, and currently trading around $3767 per ton. 
• Coffee futures are trending around 1.2% higher today, and currently trading at around $2.7340 per pound

Crypto Currencies: 

• Bitcoin prices are flat today and trading at around $77 545 per coin currently 
• Ether prices are trending level today, and currently trading around $2130.42
• $Trumpcoin are currently trading at around $2.093

(All prices quoted at approximately 07H30 Central African Time) 

African General News Briefs:

• The outlook for African currencies is mixed in the next week, with those of Ghana, Kenya and Uganda expected to weaken, while Nigeria’s could be little changed and Zambia’s may strengthen, traders said. Ghana’s cedi could fall further, pressured by unmet corporate demand for hard currency on the interbank market. LSEG data showed the cedi trading at 11.56 to the dollar, compared to 11.30 a week earlier. Kenya’s shilling may weaken slightly, as ​risks linked to local fuel protests persist.
• South Africa’s new Ambassador to the US, Roelf Meyer, has presented his credentials to President Donald Trump in Washington DC. Meyer is now fully accredited as South Africa’s ambassador to the US. Meyer was previously a member of the National Party in the Apartheid era, who was deeply involved in the transition negotiations and later joined the ANC. Meyer commented that he was warmly welcomed, along with other 12 diplomats.