Business
What President Tinubu Tells World Leaders At Nairobi’s Summit
“Every single dollar that leaves our treasury to pay punitive interest rates is a dollar that did not go into our steel sector, textile mills, agro-processing plants or digital industries,” the President stated.
President Bola Tinubu has called for a major shift in Africa’s economic structure, insisting that the continent must stop exporting raw materials and start building industries capable of competing globally.
Tinubu spoke on Tuesday at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, where he led Nigeria’s delegation of top government officials and private sector leaders to discussions on industrialisation, trade and economic development across Africa.
The President said Africa’s continued dependence on exporting crude oil, minerals and agricultural commodities while importing finished products was damaging local industries and slowing economic growth.
“We export raw minerals, crude oil and agricultural commodities, and we import processed goods at a premium.
This pattern is not an accident. It is the product of a global financial architecture that starves our industries of affordable capital,” Tinubu said.
He argued that African countries still face unfair borrowing conditions despite implementing difficult economic reforms aimed at stabilising their economies and attracting investment.
According to him, Nigeria’s recent reforms, including fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate unification and banking recapitalisation, were necessary steps taken to reposition the economy for long-term growth.
“Every single dollar that leaves our treasury to pay punitive interest rates is a dollar that did not go into our steel sector, textile mills, agro-processing plants or digital industries,” the President stated.
Tinubu also used the summit to promote Nigeria’s maritime and blue economy potential, pledging stronger regional cooperation through the country’s Deep Blue Project to improve security in the Gulf of Guinea.
“Secure sea lanes, predictable regulation and functional courts are the preconditions that unlock private capital.
Nigeria is ready to work with other Gulf of Guinea states through shared maritime intelligence and coordinated enforcement,” he said.
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Business
WEF could appoint Lagarde as its next chair, sources say
The WEF’s Board of Trustees, which includes Lagarde herself, was due to meet on November 2 and could elect her as its next chair, said the people close to the organisation, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
•European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde
The World Economic Forum could appoint Christine Lagarde as its next chair as soon as next month, four people close to the organisation told Reuters, meaning she would step down early as European Central Bank chief and trigger a wider reshuffle at the top of the ECB.Lagarde’s ECB term is scheduled to end in October 2027.
Leaving early would give European Union leaders a chance to pick a new ECB President before France’s spring presidential election, which opinion polls suggest the far-right could win, and could pave the way for a deal involving two other senior ECB roles.
The WEF’s Board of Trustees, which includes Lagarde herself, was due to meet on November 2 and could elect her as its next chair, said the people close to the organisation, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
No final decision has been taken yet, they said.
A spokesperson for the WEF said the forum could not confirm when the next full Board of Trustees meeting would take place, but that the aim was to hold one before the end of the year.
Business
Germany plans tax on sugary drinks
The tax is expected to generate additional revenue for the federal government of €690 million in 2027 and €925 million in 2028.
The German cabinet has approved draft legislation to tax sugary drinks in Europe’s biggest economy.
If passed by the German Bundestag, the tax will take effect on 1 July 2027.
The coalition aims to raise revenue for the federal budget while encouraging manufacturers to reduce sugar content and offer healthier products.
The levy is intended to ease pressure on the healthcare system, which faces costs of more than €2 billion every year linked to the high consumption of sugary drinks, which contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.
According to the federal government, Berlin is using the tax to implement “what associations from the fields of health, science, child protection, and consumer protection have long been demanding.”
The tax is expected to generate additional revenue for the federal government of €690 million in 2027 and €925 million in 2028.
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