Africa Business, Author at AfricaBusiness.com

12Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Standard Bank Group leads US$550m Shoreline Natural Resources facility

Standard Bank Group, as mandated lead arranger and bookrunner, has closed a US$550,000,000 syndicated bank guarantee and bridge facilities for Shoreline Natural Resources. This is one of the largest finance deals completed in Nigeria so far in 2012. Shoreline has used the facility to acquire 45% in OML 30, an oilfield in the Niger Delta of Nigeria, from 1 November 2012. China Development Bank joined Standard Bank Group as mandated lead arranger. They were joined by lead arrangers Ecobank Nigeria and First City Monument Bank. The facility was fully underwritten by Standard Bank Group. It was signed with Shoreline on 29 June 2012, has a 12+6 month tenor and is structured as a bank ...

10Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News

Professional Indemnity Insurance in South Africa

NEW YORK, Nov., 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: Professional Indemnity Insurance in South Africa http://www.reportlinker.com/p01028856/Professional-Indemnity-Insurance-in-South-Africa.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Insurance Professional Indemnity Insurance in South Africa is a report about the South African market for and distribution of policies covering professional liability. For 2007, 2011 and with a forecast for 2015, the study breaks down the market for professional indemnity insurance on a standardised basis by professional group with 12 categories considered as follows: accountancy and finance alternative medicine architecture and engineering br...

10Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, Mauritius News

IMF to open regional training center for Sub-Saharan Africa in Mauritius

By Wallace Mawire The International Monetary Fund (IMF) plans to establish a Regional Training Center (RTC) for Sub-Saharan Africa in Mauritius, according to a spokesperson. RTCs elsewhere in the world have facilitated the training of government officials on the formulation and implementation of macroeconomic policies as well as related statistical and legal frameworks. With support of donors, such centers and programs are operational in Austria, Kuwait, and Singapore, complementing training at IMF headquarters. The new center is expected to close a longstanding gap, as Africa has lacked an IMF training center despite considerable training needs. The RTC in Mauritius will start operations in 2013 with courses and seminars covering macroeconomic policymaking and financial programming, p...

10Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, Morocco News

IBM Develops Plan to Help Moroccan Farmers Boost Skills, Production

RABAT, Morocco, Nov., 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) experts participating in the company's pro bono Corporate Service Corps program have recommended a strategy to lift the productivity of Moroccan farmers. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO) The plan focuses on improving coordination between the country's Ministry of Agriculture and the farming community, as well as improve internal coordination within the ministry. Closer ties with farmers will enable the ministry to provide more timely advisories, training, and research results -- enabling farmers to modernize work techniques and improve their production quality and quantity. The nine-member IBM team, comprising members who hail from five countries, presented recommendations on a varie...

10Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Green Energy

Canadian Solar Supplies Modules for Turkey’s Largest Commercial PV Project: 540 kW Solar Power Plant at Izmir Airport Installed by Gehrlicher Merk Solar

First PV project under the new Turkish 500 kW law ONTARIO, Canada, Nov., 2012 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Canadian Solar Inc. (the "Company" or "Canadian Solar") (NASDAQ: CSIQ), one of the world's largest solar companies, provided its CS6P-P solar modules for the first project under the new Turkish solar energy legislation, YEK (Law on the utilization of renewable energy resources for the purpose of generating electricity), for solar power plants under 500 kW. The solar park has a capacity of 540 kW (450 kW on-grid and 90 kW off-grid), which marks a new milestone of solar power production in Turkey, making it the largest solar power plant in the country. This is the second project that Canadian Solar has realized in collaboration with the EPC contractor Gehrlicher ...

10Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News

Standard Bank Group to scale back its international operations

Given the challenging global economic climate and evolving regulatory regime for banks, Standard Bank Group's Corporate & Investment Banking business (CIB) is continuing to right size its international operations in a responsible and deliberate manner. As part of this process, CIB will be driving higher levels of efficiency in both its front and back offices, and is planning to scale back certain product lines and geographies. These actions will be focused on CIB's geographic footprint outside Africa excluding Latin America. Says David Munro, Chief Executive, CIB: "Our strategic positioning remains strong. However we continue to seek ways to simplify our business, reduc...

10Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Green Energy

Standard Bank Group commits R9.4bn to first batch of renewable energy projects

Standard Bank Group has emerged as the leading investor in the first round of South Africa's renewable energy independent power producer (REIPP) procurement process, backing a total of 11 wind and solar projects. Standard Bank Group will provide comprehensive corporate and investment banking services to all its clients, including underwriting R9.4-billion worth of debt, providing interest and currency hedges, carbon trading credits, and corporate bonding and guarantee facilities. Standard Bank Group has also taken an equity stake in four projects. The South African government's allocation of 1,416MW for this first round of the procuremnt process has translated...

9Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, Uganda News

MTN Uganda releases statement on tax evasion case

MTN- Tax Evasion Press ( .pdf Acrobat reader) Allegations of Tax Evasion (Microsoft Word) Dear All, I wish to set the record straight on various negative and inaccurate stories that have appeared in the media over the last couple of weeks: In Mid-September, MTN Uganda discovered suspicious supply chain payments made to several service providers. The MTN forensic team and Uganda Police were engaged to investigate the suspicious transactions. This resulted in the charging of two staff members implicated in the investigation, with offences relating to fraud in the amount of UShs. 13 billion. MTN has also made criminal complaints against the suppliers implicated and filed a civil claim against one of them who reneged on their contractual undertaking to refund the funds misappropriated by...

9Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, South Africa News

IMN’s 10th Annual South African & African Capital Markets Conference

IMN's 10th Annual South African & African Cap Mkts Conference (Microsoft Word) 22-23 November 2012 The Westin Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa NEW YORK CITY, NY – As we enter this next decade in the event's timeline, IMN and our event sponsors will build on our excellent reputation as the only 'must attend' capital markets conference in South Africa. Join us in Cape Town 22-23 November 2012, as the South African and African Capital Markets communities convene to explore and define the road ahead for the international debt capital markets. Co-Host: IFC The conference is co-hosted by IFC, a member of the World Bank Group and the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. IFC helps developing countries achieve sustainable ...

8Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, South Africa News

Ireland’s Minister for Trade and Development Leads Enterprise Ireland Trade Mission to South Africa

On Sunday 10 November 2012, Ireland’s Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello TD, will lead an Enterprise Ireland trade mission with 37 companies to South Africa. The trade mission is being organised by Irish trade and technology agency, Enterprise Ireland in close cooperation with Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Embassy of Ireland in Johannesburg. It is aimed at cementing the growing trade relations between the two countries and is part of a broad, long term strategy to further develop Irish trade links and partnerships not just in the South African market, but in the wider Sub-Saharan region. Last year Irish exports to South Africa increased to €944m and exports for 2012 are expected to continue this momentum. South Africa exports ...