Mining Indaba 2026: French Delegation Returns to Indaba

Mining Indaba 2026 will see the return of the French Delegation to Cape Town, led by Business France, highlighting France’s expertise in mining, energy, infrastructure and industrial services across Africa. Taking place from 9–12 February 2026, the event brings together global mining leaders to address critical minerals, energy transition, sustainable mining, and resilient supply chains. Through the France Pavilion at the EU Pavilion, French public institutions and private-sector companies aim to strengthen international partnerships, promote responsible mining practices, and support Africa’s role as a strategic hub in the global energy and industrial transition.

Absa CIB closes USD72 million aviation financing facility with AELF to support fleet expansion across Africa

Absa Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) has successfully arranged a USD72 million structured aviation finance facility with Aircraft Engine Lease Finance (AELF) to expand its aircraft fleet across Africa. Acting as Mandated Lead Arranger and Senior Lender, Absa CIB enables AELF to increase leased aircraft for African carriers, enhancing regional connectivity, aviation infrastructure, and job creation in the aviation sector. The deal reflects Absa CIB’s expertise in commercial aircraft leasing, aviation finance solutions, and structured asset finance. This partnership strengthens long-term collaboration between Absa and AELF, supporting sustainable growth in Africa’s aviation industry, airline operations, and fleet financing strategies.

Smart contracts, institutional tokenization, and modular infrastructures: D24 Fintech on the 2026 trends shaping blockchain

Blockchain technology is entering a new enterprise-driven phase in 2026, shaped by modular infrastructures, advanced smart contracts, institutional tokenization, and the convergence of AI and blockchain. In this article, Osama Bari, CTO at D24 Fintech, outlines the key trends redefining how blockchain scales, interoperates, and integrates with traditional finance. The analysis explores the rise of Layer-2 rollups and modular blockchains, the evolution of smart contracts into user-friendly smart accounts, the rapid growth of tokenized real-world assets, and the expanding role of AI in automation, compliance, and market intelligence. It also highlights how zero-knowledge proofs and confidential computing are enabling privacy-preserving compliance, positioning blockchain as core financial infrastructure for global enterprises.

Responsible by Design: How Tech Partners Must Rethink AI Deployment

Responsible AI is no longer optional as artificial intelligence moves from experimentation to large-scale enterprise deployment. In this article, Mindware Group CTO Mostafa Kabel explores how technology partners must rethink AI implementation to address legal compliance, licensing, intellectual property ownership, ethical responsibility, and service accountability. The analysis highlights the risks of unmanaged AI adoption, including regulatory exposure, bias, and loss of trust, while outlining practical steps for updating SLAs, ensuring transparency, and aligning with emerging regulations such as GDPR and the EU AI Act. The piece positions responsible, transparent, and well-governed AI as a critical competitive advantage for partners supporting secure and sustainable digital transformation across global and MEA markets.

Mobile Banking Emerges as Africa’s “Front Door” to Finance as Banks Embrace Intelligent Ecosystems

Mobile banking in Africa has become the primary gateway to financial services, with banks shifting from simple transaction apps to intelligent, inclusive ecosystems. The latest Backbase report highlights how AI-powered banking, multi-currency support, and proactive financial tools are transforming the continent’s digital finance landscape, while connectivity, security, and infrastructure gaps remain key challenges.

FROM TURBULENCE to RENEWAL: SA’s 2026 ECONOMIC PATH

South Africa enters 2026 at a pivotal moment as early signs of economic recovery emerge following years of turbulence caused by COVID-19, energy insecurity, and structural constraints. Improving commodity prices, a stronger rand, lower inflation, rising equity markets, and renewed investor confidence are helping stabilise growth, while infrastructure investment and political cohesion are laying foundations for long-term resilience. However, persistently high unemployment remains the country’s most urgent challenge. To convert economic momentum into inclusive prosperity, South Africa must accelerate reforms, strengthen local government, modernise infrastructure, and implement targeted job-creation strategies that support sustainable growth in 2026 and beyond.

South Africa’s grasslands set a global first for community-led carbon markets

South Africa’s grasslands have set a global benchmark for high-integrity, community-led carbon markets with the issuance of the world’s first CCB-labelled carbon credits under Verra’s VM0042 methodology. Developed by TASC, the Grassland Restoration and Stewardship in South Africa (GRASS) project has issued 266,255 verified carbon units from over 95,000 hectares in its first monitoring period, engaging thousands of communal farmers while restoring degraded rangelands. By combining regenerative grazing, biodiversity protection, and inclusive rural livelihoods, GRASS demonstrates how large-scale grassland restoration can deliver measurable climate mitigation, social impact, and long-term economic resilience.

Kodak Alaris Launches Next-Generation Intelligent Document Processing Software with Advanced AI

Kodak Alaris has launched KODAK Info Input Solution IDP Version 7.5, a next-generation intelligent document processing platform powered by advanced AI integrations. The latest release expands native connections with leading AI services including Google Gemini, AWS Bedrock, ChatGPT, and Box AI, enabling faster, more accurate document automation. With enhanced workflow design, built-in IRIS OCR, AI-based indexing, and end-to-end document processing capabilities, Info Input Solution 7.5 helps organizations automate data extraction, improve decision-making, and scale digital transformation across structured and unstructured documents.

AI-driven shopping and privacy: What the retail and e-commerce sector should expect in 2026

As AI-driven shopping transforms retail and e-commerce, cybersecurity and privacy risks are escalating rapidly. In 2025, retailers faced a sharp rise in ransomware, phishing, and mobile malware attacks, with cybercriminals increasingly targeting online stores, payment systems, and delivery services. Looking ahead to 2026, conversational AI search, external AI shopping assistants, and image-based product discovery are expected to expand the data and privacy attack surface, exposing both consumers and businesses to new threats. To sustain trust and growth, retailers must strengthen cybersecurity defenses, improve data governance, and proactively address emerging privacy risks associated with AI-powered shopping experiences.