Kenya

Kenya Eyes KSh 541Bn Bonds for SGR, JKIA After Adani’s Exit

The Treasury is considering a USD 4.2 billion (KSh 540 billion) bond to fund the expansion of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), less than a year after cancelling a deal with India’s Adani Group.

Briefs seen by Business Daily suggest that the government plans to raise USD 3 billion (KSh 387 billion) for extending the SGR line from Nairobi to Malaba and USD 1.2 billion (KSh 154.8 billion) for upgrading JKIA through a securitised bond.

Kenya is increasingly adopting innovative financing models such as public-private partnerships (PPPs) and securitisation, where bonds are backed by income-generating assets, to fund large-scale infrastructure projects.

(Source: Business Daily)

 

Uganda

2026/27 Budget to Drop by USh 3 Trillion

Preliminary budget estimates for the financial year 2026/27 suggest that the government plans to reduce the budget to USh69.3 trillion. This will be 4.2% lower, or USh 3.04 trillion less of the USh 72.4 trillion allocated for the 2025/26 financial year. In his first Budget Circular, ahead of the 2026/27 Budget Framework Paper, Finance Permanent Secretary Ramathan Ggoobi stated that the reduction is part of a broader strategy to phase out certain expenditures. The Circular also indicates that the government aims to increase domestically-generated revenue to USh 40.1 trillion, up from USh 36.8 trillion. Ggoobi also revealed that the government’s discretionary funding – net of arrears, interest payments, and domestic debt repayments for the 2026/27 financial year – will amount to USh 31 trillion, down from USh 32.5 trillion in the current financial year. Additionally, in the 2026/27 financial year, the government intends to reduce domestic borrowing from USh 11.38 trillion to USh 8.95 trillion, a decrease of USh 2.42 trillion, to maintain public debt sustainability and lower interest payments.

(Source: Daily Monitor)

 

Tanzania

UAE Eclipses China as Tanzania’s Leading Foreign Direct Investment Source In Q3

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become Tanzania’s top source of foreign investment, marking a major shift that has seen it surpass its long-standing leader, China.

According to the Tanzania Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA), the country registered 201 new projects worth USD 2.5 billion (TSh 6.2 trillion) in the three months up to September 2025. The UAE accounted for projects worth USD 502 million, followed by China at USD 401.55 million and India at USD 176.18 million.

China had previously been Tanzania’s leading source of foreign direct investment, contributing 1,098 projects valued at USD 9.6 billion up to October 2022, which created 131,718 jobs.

(Source: The Citizen )

Rwanda

Optimism for Rwandan Businesses’ Growth as Govt Slashes Standardisation Fees

Businesses across Rwanda are expressing renewed optimism following the government’s decision to cut the cost of standard certification services significantly. This move has enhanced competitiveness, particularly for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The revised fees took effect in January 2025. The announcement coincides with Rwanda’s hosting of the 2025 International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) Annual Meeting, taking place from October 6 to 10 in Kigali under the theme “United for Impact”. The global event has attracted 1,000 delegates from 176 countries, including leaders from governments, standards bodies, international organisations, corporations, consumer associations, and civil society.

(Source: The New Times) 

 

Ethiopia

T-Bill Yields Near Commercial Lending Rates Amid 243 Billion Birr Domestic Borrowing Plan

Ethiopia’s treasury bill yields have risen to levels comparable to those seen in commercial lending rates, with the six-month tenor reaching 20.5% during the latest auction. The Ministry of Finance aims to raise 243 billion Birr in domestic borrowing through December 2025. The borrowing programme, covering seven auctions from October 1 to December 24, allocates 97.2 billion Birr to 182-day bills, 85.1 billion Birr to 91-day bills, 36.5 billion Birr to 364-day bills, and 24.3 billion Birr to 28-day bills. The first auction under this schedule was held this week and drew bids worth 47.5 billion Birr against an offer of 29.5 billion Birr. The Ministry accepted a total of 24.3 billion Birr, fully meeting its 28-day and 91-day targets, while only 62% of the 182-day offer was allocated. No 364-day bills were issued in this round.

(Source: The Reporter)

Sudan 

Sudan to Review GERD Deal, Proposes USD100Bn Partnership with Saudi Arabia

Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris announced on Wednesday his country’s intention to review the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) with Ethiopia and Egypt, and stated that he had presented partnership projects worth USD 100 billion to Saudi Arabia. Speaking at a press conference in Port Sudan after returning from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Idris said he had proposed 100 partnership projects to Riyadh, valued at USD 100 billion, focused on resources in the Red Sea. He also announced plans for “detailed reviews” of the GERD with Egypt and Ethiopia to “avoid future disasters”.

(Source: Sudan Tribune)

 

Somalia

Govt Launches Major Infrastructure Projects to Improve Roads and Drainage Systems in Mogadishu

The Minister of Public Works and Housing for the Federal Government of Somalia, Dr. Elmi Mahmoud Nur, announced that the government is launching significant development projects to improve roads and address the ongoing drainage issues that hinder movement in Mogadishu during the rainy seasons. In an exclusive interview with the Raad Raac programme on National Media, Minister Elmi disclosed that the new project, named NAGAAD, has already been piloted in six cities, including Mogadishu, Garowe, and Hargeisa, leading to noticeable improvements in city beautification, road construction, and drainage systems.

(Source: Somali National News Agency)