Breaking News Today – Tuesday 28 April 2026

African Start-up News Headlines:

• Botswana Tech Fund launches $64 million VC vehicle for Southern African startups: Botswana has officially launched the Botswana Tech Fund, a new $64 million venture capital initiative aimed at scaling tech startups across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Backed by local investor Puler Investments and advised by Launch Africa Ventures. The fund begins with an initial $6.4 million deployment phase focused on early-stage (pre-seed and seed) founders. The vehicle is designed to address the persistent funding gap for Southern African startups outside the traditional hubs of South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. It will target sectors with high regional relevance such as fintech, agritech, logistics, and climate tech.

Business News Today 

DRC creates $100 million ‘Mining Guard’ force to protect critical minerals

The Democratic Republic of Congo has launched a new $100 million state-backed security force (“Mining Guard”) to protect strategic mineral sites (cobalt, copper, etc.). It is backed by US and UAE support, the unit aims to reduce illegal mining, artisanal conflicts, and smuggling while boosting investor confidence. This move comes as the country seeks to strengthen control over its critical minerals supply chain amid global EV demand. Analysts see it as a significant governance step that could impact mining companies operating in the DRC. The Country is now expected to hit a revised growth rate of 5.9% in 2026, as per the IMF’s World Economic Outlook and Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa.

The DRC’s nominal GDP will reach approximately $123 billion in 2026, allowing it to overtake Ethiopia ($122 billion) and become Sub-Saharan Africa’s 5th largest economy(behind South Africa, Nigeria, Angola, and Kenya). It is driven primarily by strong performance in the mining sector (cobalt, copper, and other critical minerals), infrastructure investments, and recovering commodity prices.

Oil Prices Continue to Surge on Middle-East Uncertainty

Brent crude futures rose to above $110 per barrel this morning, hitting a three-week high and extending gains from the previous session as markets assessed the likelihood of a lasting ceasefire and the potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran submitted a fresh proposal to the US. Tehran reportedly signaled via Pakistan that hostilities could cease if Washington lifted its naval blockade, agreed to a revised framework governing transit through Hormuz, and provided assurances against future military action. The US has expressed skepticism toward the proposal and is expected to respond with counteroffers in the coming days

IMF Approves $266 Million Arrangement for Liberia

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board approved a new 21-month arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) for Liberia worth SDR 193.8 million (approximately US$266 million). The Board also completed the third review of Liberia’s existing ECF arrangement, which unlocked the immediate $26.49 million payment. Total disbursements under the ECF have now reached about $106 million.This is in addition to the ongoing Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement. The deal will involve immediate disbursement of around US$26.49 million which was released right away.

Meta Forced to Unwind $2–2.5 Billion Acquisition of AI Startup Manus

Yesterday (27 April), China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) officially blocked and ordered the unwinding of Meta’s acquisition of Manus, a Singapore-based artificial intelligence startup specialising in agentic AI (AI systems that can perform complex, real-world tasks autonomously). The deal value was approximately $2 billion to $2.5 billion. Meta announced and largely completed the acquisition in December 2025. Manus staff had already moved into Meta’s Singapore offices, and the technology was being integrated into Meta’s systems. This decision reflects Beijing’s escalating efforts to prevent advanced Chinese AI talent and intellectual property from flowing to U.S. companies amid the intensifying U.S.-China tech war. China is particularly protective of “agentic AI” capabilities, which are seen as strategically important.

Breaking Business and Market News Shorts:  

• Moody’s Ratings revised China’s sovereign credit outlook from negative to stable while maintaining its A1 rating on Monday, citing expectations that economic and fiscal strength will remain resilient despite domestic, trade, and geopolitical challenges. 
• India’s BSE Sensex opened around -0.1% lower at 77,219 this morning, reversing gains from the previous session as elevated oil prices weighed on risk appetite. Brent crude prices have climbed to around $109 per barrel amid indications that efforts to end the Iran war have stalled.
• The TAIEX, Taiwan’s benchmark stock index, climbed 191 points, or 0.5%, to 39,807 in morning trading today, tracking gains in US futures ahead of the release of a slew of earnings reports from major tech companies. The broader index hit a record high for the third straight session after briefly touching the 40,000 level for the first time just minutes after the market opened yesterday
• China’s Shanghai Composite edged down -0.1% to 4,082 today, while the Shenzhen Component fell -0.8% to 14,869, trimming gains from the previous session as market sentiment was dampened by lingering uncertainties surrounding US–Iran diplomacy

Markets by Numbers 

Currency markets indicate the US dollar strengthening against major currencies today. The Greenback is trading against the Euro at 1.17108 while trading against the Pound at 1.35265. The Yen is currently trading at 159.12 to the dollar. The rand (ZAR), is currently trading around the 16.57 mark against the US dollar this morning.

Commodities:  

• Gold futures are trending lower – around -0.94% today, and currently trading at around $4639.70 per ounce.  
• Copper prices are trending -0.48% lower today, with prices currently around $5.9917 per pound
• Silver futures are down by around -2.5% today, and currently trading at around $73.423 per ounce.
• Platinum futures are around -1.7% lower this morning, and currently trading at $1962.30, While Palladium prices are trending -2.2% lower this morning, and currently trading around $1453.00 per ounce.
• Brent crude oil prices are trending around 2.1% higher today and currently trading around $110.00, WTI is trading 2% higher at $98.31 currently
• Cocoa futures have dived by around -3.9% this morning, with prices currently around $3296 per ton. 
• Coffee futures are trading -2% lower today, and currently trading at around $2.8850 per pound

Crypto Currencies: 

• Bitcoin prices are trending -0.6 lower this morning, and trading at around $76 863 per coin currently 
• Ether prices are around -0.6% lower today, and currently trading around $2288.38
• $Trumpcoin are currently trading lower at around $2.51

(All prices quoted at approximately 07H45 Central African Time) 

African General News Briefs:

• Sudan has effected a ban on a wide range of industrial, consumer and food imports, in a bid to stem the slide in its currency, according to a report ​by Reuters.The Sudanese pound, has already seen significant weakening after three years of war, and now has fallen further – about ⁠10% to 4,100 per dollar since the start of the ​U.S. / Israeli and Iran War that started in late February. Goods deemed “luxuries and ​unnecessary” were banned for import in a directive signed by Prime Minister Kamil Idris
• On Saturday, 25 April 2026, Mali experienced one of its most significant and coordinated waves of attacks in years. The Jihadist group JNIM (Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin — an Al-Qaeda affiliate) and Tuareg separatists(Azawad Liberation Front / FLA) launched near-simultaneous assaults across multiple locations. Targets included the capital Bamako (including near the airport and military sites), Kidal, Gao, Mopti, Sévaré, and other towns. In a major blow: Mali’s Defence Minister, General Sadio Camara, was killed in a car bomb attack on his residence in Bamako.