The most important developments in sub-Saharan Africa. Six days a week.
Brent crude has traded around $100 a barrel since late September, and African fuel importers are passing the cost on to motorists. Zambia's Energy Regulation Board raised petrol by 24% to 31.46 kwacha a litre from 1 October, as a six-month suspension of excise duty ended and the kwacha weakened. Namibia raised petrol by about 6% on 2 October but held diesel, while Ghana suspended a levy on diesel for October to limit its rise. Governments that absorb the shock give up budgeted revenue, while those that pass it on raise transport costs and inflation. Zambia restores value-added tax (VAT) on fuel on 1 December.
France signed financing worth about €100 million ($117 million) with Benin on 5 October during President Romuald Wadagni's visit to the Élysée Palace. Most of it comes from the French Development Agency, and 52.1 billion CFA francs ($93 million) will extend the grid of the state power company to more than 120,000 new customers in 750 localities. The rest funds fish farming, agriculture and a forensic DNA laboratory, partly through the public investment bank Bpifrance. The deal shows Benin, led by Wadagni since May, keeping close ties with France while its Sahel neighbours Burkina Faso and Niger have cut theirs.
