By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/camaren-peter-605380">Camaren Peter</a>, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-cape-town-691">University of Cape Town</a>


In 1967 one gigabyte of hard drive storage space <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/3182207/data-storage/cw50-data-storage-goes-from-1m-to-2-cents-per-gigabyte.html">cost US$ 1m</a>. Today it’s around two US cents. Computer processing power has also increased exponentially: it <a href="https://www.offgridweb.com/preparation/infographic-the-growth-of-computer-processing-power/">doubles</a> every two years. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to technological progress in the 21st century.

There have also been tremendous advances in communication technology; robotics; nanotechnology; genetics and artificial intelligence, among other things. This merging of digital, physical and biological worlds has come to be known as the “<a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-what-it-means-and-how-to-respond/">fourth industrial revolution</a>”.

So far, relatively little attention has been paid to the overwhelming potential of the fourth industrial revolution to catalyse much needed transitions to a more sustainable society – particularly in the developing world.

This is slowly starting to shift. The World Economic Forum recently published a <a href="https://www.weforum.org/projects/fourth-industrial-revolution-and-environment-the-stanford-dialogues">set of briefs</a> as part of its “Shaping the Future of Environment and Natural Resource Security System Initiative”. These documents have begun to address some key questions around the potential role of the fourth industrial revolution in supporting a sustainable development agenda.

There are many compelling reasons for combining the offerings of the fourth industrial revolution with new green technologies, infrastructures and systems to tackle the developing world’s challenges. Multiple benefits can be realised through introducing these offerings in new, <a href="https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/2017-11-20-changing-the-system-for-sustainable-development/">innovative ways that are customised for local contexts</a>.

These green technologies <a href="https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_098484.pdf">can generate employment</a>, <a href="https://unhabitat.org/books/state-of-african-cities-2014-re-imagining-sustainable-urban-transitions/">ease pressure</a> on infrastructure in rapidly growing cities and <a href="https://unhabitat.org/books/state-of-african-cities-2014-re-imagining-sustainable-urban-transitions/">lower energy costs</a>, especially for poorer households.

<h2>Chance for change</h2>

Unplanned slums and informal settlements present <a href="https://unhabitat.org/books/state-of-african-cities-2014-re-imagining-sustainable-urban-transitions/">systemic problems</a> in most developing world cities. This is particularly the case in both large, established and smaller, emerging African cities. Municipalities are under strain. They simply don’t have enough bulk infrastructure – water, sanitation, electricity and waste management facilities – to cater for growing populations.

The value of green technologies and systems is that they are largely decentralised or semi-decentralised. Examples include solar panels, energy saving devices, and small-scale wind and hydro energy technologies. These don’t require major infrastructure investment. And their decentralised nature enables them to keep up with cities as they change. 

The introduction of green technology solutions and systems can also <a href="https://unhabitat.org/books/state-of-african-cities-2014-re-imagining-sustainable-urban-transitions/">bring down household costs</a>. Between 50 and 70% of poor African households’ budgets are spent on <a href="http://r-santaeulalia.net/pdfs/CrossSecSSA.pdf">food, water, energy</a> and <a href="http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/967821470756082684/pdf/WPS7789.pdf">transport</a>. This makes them vulnerable to external shocks such as sharp rises in the costs of electricity, oil and petroleum, food and water. 

These factors are also interlinked: for example, if oil prices rise, so do the costs of transport and food. That places extra pressure on already struggling households.

Green technologies can buffer poor households from these shocks by decoupling them from their dependence on local grids and provincial, national or global supply systems.

That’s at a household level. Then there’s the bigger picture. Absorbing green and sustainable technologies can help seed small to medium enterprises on <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecoap/news/world-bank-smes-have-16tr-clean-tech-opportunity_en">a large scale</a> and <a href="http://www.g20-insights.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/05_Climate_Innovative-green-technology....pdf">increase their investment appeal</a>.

This, in turn, can drive economic growth and get cash circulating at the levels where it’s most needed.

Introducing new technologies to a city is a great job creator. People are needed to install solar panels, solar water heaters, biogas digesters, energy savings devices; or to set up urban agriculture and permaculture operations. There are already <a href="https://unhabitat.org/books/state-of-african-cities-2014-re-imagining-sustainable-urban-transitions/">examples of this</a> in several African cities.

<h2>Unlocking opportunities</h2>

And, perhaps the biggest boon of them all: the fourth industrial revolution presents a massive opportunity to leapfrog African countries’ productive economies into a wholly new space.

Economic diversification and development on the continent could benefit considerably from harnessing the opportunities emerging in the green technology and fourth industrial revolution spaces. This will shift them onto a significantly new economic growth and developmental trajectory. It will also go a long way towards ensuring that as emerging economies develop, they will do so in a manner that doesn’t exacerbate climate change and environmental degradation. 

A number of African countries are already positioning themselves to harness this opportunity. Both <a href="http://gggi.org/is-rwanda-heading-towards-green-growth-pathway/">Rwanda</a> and <a href="http://www.greengrowthknowledge.org/national-documents/ethiopia%E2%80%99s-climate-resilient-green-economy-green-economy-strategy">Ethiopia</a>, for example, have placed green economic development and sustainability at the heart of their national economic development strategies and plans. More recently, Kenya <a href="https://www.nation.co.ke/news/Kenya-to-move-to-green-energy-by-2020--says-President/1056-4848856-pc34xi/index.html">has committed</a> to actualising a 100% transition to green energy by 2020.

Other African countries would do well to follow these nations’ examples. The fourth industrial revolution is here. Combining it with green technology is a way for the continent to benefit at all levels.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/107722/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important" />

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/camaren-peter-605380">Camaren Peter</a>, Associate Professor, Allan Gray Centre for Values-Based Leadership, GSB, UCT; Executive Head,Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-cape-town-691">University of Cape Town</a>

This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-african-cities-can-harness-green-technologies-for-growth-and-jobs-107722">original article</a>.

Green technologies can generate growth and employment, here’s how African cities can utilize them

ABUJA (Reuters) &#8211; Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari presented a 8.83 trillion naira ($28.80 billion) budget for 2019 to parliament on Wednesday, and laid out a plan to drive growth two months before elections.



The spending plan for Africa’s top oil producer assumes crude production of 2.3 million barrels a day, an oil price of $60 per barrel and an exchange rate of 305 naira to the dollar.



Buhari’s handling of the economy &#8211; which emerged from its first recession in 25 years this year but remains sluggish &#8211; has become a campaign issue.



The main opposition candidate, businessman and former vice president Atiku Abubakar, has criticised Buhari’s economic policies and has promised to double the size of the economy to $900 billion by 2025 if elected.



The budget is the fourth Buhari has present to parliament since taking office in 2015 but, unlike the others, did not set record high levels of spending as the government seeks to lower debt. He also received a rowdier reception than in the past, with his statements greeted by boos and cheers.



The spending plan is smaller than the record 9.12 trillion-naira budget for 2018 that he signed into law in June. The budget must still be approved by parliament before it can be signed into law, a process that can take many months.



Nigeria’s economy grew by 1.81 percent in the third quarter of this year, the statistics office said last week. And, in a separate data release days later, it said the inflation rate rose slightly in November to 11.28 percent compared with a year ago.



($1 = 306.6000 naira)



Additional reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram in Lagos; Editing by Andrew Heavens

Nigeria’s Buhari presents $28.8 billion budget for 2019, will it revive the country’s economy?

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; South Africa has issued an arrest warrant for Zimbabwe’s former first lady Grace Mugabe over an alleged assault in an upmarket district of Johannesburg last year, police spokesman Vishnu Naidoo said on Wednesday.



“I can confirm that a warrant for the arrest of Grace Mugabe was issued last Thursday,” Naidoo said, adding South African police were seeking Interpol’s help to enforce the warrant.



There was no immediate comment from Mrs Mugabe or from authorities in Harare.



Reporting by Alexander Winning; Editing by James Macharia

Why South Africa’s NPA issued an arrest warrant for Zimbabwe’s Grace Mugabe

<figure>
 <img decoding="async" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251149/original/file-20181218-27767-1uekb8y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&#038;rect=39%2C26%2C8635%2C5748&#038;q=45&#038;auto=format&#038;w=754&#038;fit=clip" alt="File 20181218 27767 1uekb8y.jpg?ixlib=rb 1.1" />
 <figcaption>
 What have I done?
 <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-woman-shopping-bags-front-on-357891446">Shutterstock.</a>
 </figcaption>
 </figure>

By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brian-harman-648072">Brian Harman</a>, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/de-montfort-university-1254">De Montfort University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janine-bosak-400922">Janine Bosak</a>, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/dublin-city-university-1528">Dublin City University</a>

Between <a href="https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/joreco/v21y2014i2p86-97.html">40% and 80%</a> of purchases are impulse buys. Marketers often get blamed for this, but while marketing tactics may be <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2010.01187_2.x">cynical, manipulative, and even deceptive</a>, shoppers are generally wise to their ways. 

Of greater concern, is the fact that up to <a href="https://academic.oup.com/joc/article-abstract/64/5/915/4086043?redirectedFrom=fulltext">95% of our daily decisions</a> are potentially determined by <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S105774080570108X">impulsive, unconscious processes</a>. All too often, consumers are ignorant of the <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/record/1992-98649-000">social influences</a> and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288902202_Social_psychology_and_consumer_psychology_An_unexplored_interface">psychological states</a> that make them vulnerable shoppers. In fact, most people entertain a costly <a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.552.7516&amp;rep=rep1&amp;type=pdf">illusion of invulnerability</a> and consider themselves especially shrewd shoppers. 

You can avoid spending too much by becoming more mindful of the factors that influence your shopping behaviours. Here are six factors which could cause you to overspend, along with some tips about how to counteract them. 

<h2>1. Social pressure</h2>

Human beings are very susceptible to social pressures. The cooperative and competitive behaviours, which have ensured our survival as a species, also nudge us <a href="https://youtu.be/_qHYmx7qPes">to spend more than we need</a>.

For example, the social norm of reciprocity obligates us to exchange gifts and good deeds at Christmas.

<figure>
 <iframe loading="lazy" width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2H8fXLGPrKk?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
 </figure>

Competition also fuels consumption: sales reinforce a sense of scarcity, and use time constraints to provoke a fear of missing out among shoppers – even when they’re buying online. Flash sales – such as Black Friday – create a herd mentality, which can provoke panic buying, hysteria <a href="http://blackfridaydeathcount.com/">or worse</a>. Being aware of these pressures will minimise their effects and allow you to maintain a sense of perspective. 

<h2>2. More abstract money</h2>

The concept of money is a shared myth, powered by the human imagination. Our <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062316097/sapiens/">imagination has been instrumental</a> in the rapid development of the species, allowing people to swap pieces of paper and bits of metal for things they want. From notes and coins, to debit and credit cards, and most recently phones and <a href="https://www.fitbit.com/uk/fitbit-pay">Fitbits</a>, the human imagination accommodates increasingly abstract forms of money. This is dangerous.

<figure class="align-right ">
 <img decoding="async" alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251139/original/file-20181218-27776-1qlrrcx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251139/original/file-20181218-27776-1qlrrcx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=603&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251139/original/file-20181218-27776-1qlrrcx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=603&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251139/original/file-20181218-27776-1qlrrcx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=603&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251139/original/file-20181218-27776-1qlrrcx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=758&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251139/original/file-20181218-27776-1qlrrcx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=758&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251139/original/file-20181218-27776-1qlrrcx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=758&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
 <figcaption>
 Quick and painless – until you check your balance.
 <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mobile-payment-online-shopping-concept-742212562?src=aytA6RYMiN3S00bdAacMzA-1-2">Shutterstock.</a>
 </figcaption>
 </figure>

These new forms of money ease the “<a href="https://youtu.be/PCujWv7Mc8o">pain of paying</a>”, reducing the level of guilt we feel when parting with money. It temporarily hides the financial repercussions of our purchases (the lower bank balance or lighter wallet). This leads people to splurge without keeping track of the true financial costs of their decisions. Using cash when shopping will increase the pain of paying and make you more sensitive to how much you’re spending. This, in turn, will ensure that you only spend money on the items you really want. 

<h2>3. Decision fatigue</h2>

Research <a href="https://www.guilford.com/books/Handbook-of-Self-Regulation/Vohs-Baumeister/9781462533824">suggests that</a> people have limited reserves of willpower. As we make decisions throughout the day, this reserve becomes exhausted, resulting in “resource depletion”. <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/510228">Resource depletion</a> causes people to act impulsively. Doing shopping early in the day, and avoiding other sources of stress, such as big crowds, will minimise the risk of resource depletion. 

<h2>4. Mindsets</h2>

Psychological states known as “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1057740810000215">mindsets</a>”, which influence perceptions and decision making, can also make people more likely to spend. They occur outside of our conscious awareness, when the thought processes we use in one situation are carried over and used to process information in the next. 

Thinking positively in one situation can predispose a person to think positively in an unrelated situation – for example, generating supportive thoughts about giving to charity might prime a person to have positive thoughts about the bottle of detergent they see in an ad break a few minutes later. The makes them more likely to buy it. 

Mindsets also influence shopping goals. People with a “deliberative mindset” are open minded and likely to review all their options, while people with an “implemental mindset” are more close-minded and goal-focused. An implemental mindset reduces procrastination and focuses people to pursue their buying goals. These goals could be explicitly stated in a shopping list or even activated unconsciously. 

<figure class="align-center ">
 <img decoding="async" alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251208/original/file-20181218-27755-1577m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251208/original/file-20181218-27755-1577m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=399&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251208/original/file-20181218-27755-1577m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=399&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251208/original/file-20181218-27755-1577m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=399&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251208/original/file-20181218-27755-1577m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=502&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251208/original/file-20181218-27755-1577m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=502&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251208/original/file-20181218-27755-1577m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=502&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
 <figcaption>
 Getting more than you bargained for.
 <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/kuala-lumpur-may-12-suria-klcc-141949681?src=9Z1LTHtioTLUw4TLfb-M2g-1-3">Joyfull/Shutterstock.</a>
 </figcaption>
 </figure>

The implemental mindset can be dangerous, because it creates <a href="http://journals.ama.org/doi/10.1509/jmkr.44.3.370">shopping momentum</a>. This is when buying one thing makes you more likely to buy another since your goal-focused mindset remains active even after you bought what you intended. This is one of the reasons why people emerge from shopping centres burdened down with several bags, having gone in to buy one item. 

Unfortunately, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S074959781000110X">switching between different mindsets</a> can deplete your mental resources and cause you to spend more. Making rules to guide your decisions before you go shopping can counteract the effects of these mindsets and reduce the risk of shopping momentum. For example, telling yourself that if a product is below a certain price, you will buy it, but if it costs more, you will not. Making a list and setting a budget will help you remember the old adage, “it is not a bargain unless you need it”. 

<h2>5. Making comparisons</h2>

Shopping is essentially a three step process. First you ask yourself, “do I want to buy something?”; then, “which product is the best?”; and finally, “how will I buy the product?”. But when people consider two possible purchases, it induces a “<a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcr/article-abstract/34/4/556/1820298?redirectedFrom=fulltext">which-to-buy</a>” mindset, which primes them to skip the first question, and makes them more likely to buy something. 

<h2>6. The halo effect</h2>

Using mental shortcuts help us navigate everyday life more efficiently. Yet these shortcuts <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/thinking-fast-and-slow-9780141033570">can also lead to</a> incorrect assumptions and costly mistakes. In the context of shopping, not all assumptions are bad. Indeed, some assumptions are central to marketing. For example, branding works because we assume that products under the one brand have a similar level of quality. 

<figure class="align-center ">
 <img decoding="async" alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251143/original/file-20181218-27773-1fyzevd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251143/original/file-20181218-27773-1fyzevd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251143/original/file-20181218-27773-1fyzevd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251143/original/file-20181218-27773-1fyzevd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251143/original/file-20181218-27773-1fyzevd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251143/original/file-20181218-27773-1fyzevd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251143/original/file-20181218-27773-1fyzevd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
 <figcaption>
 Don’t be fooled.
 <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-woman-shopping-bags-front-on-357891446">Shutterstock.</a>
 </figcaption>
 </figure>

But other assumptions are less reliable. The “halo effect” occurs when we make incorrect assumptions, which lead us to think positively about something. So, the eye catching deals we see in the front window often make us assume that the other in-store deals are equally valid and generous. 

To counteract the halo effect, you need to come prepared. Knowing the recommended retail price (RRP) of products will ensure that you are not influenced by high anchor prices that give the impression of deep discounts. Remaining sceptical and calm will improve your decision making and reduce the risks of cognitive bias. This will likely be good for society, the environment and your pocket.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/108680/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important" />

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brian-harman-648072">Brian Harman</a>, Lecturer in Marketing, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/de-montfort-university-1254">De Montfort University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janine-bosak-400922">Janine Bosak</a>, Associate Professor in Organisational Psychology, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/dublin-city-university-1528">Dublin City University</a>

This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-avoid-overspending-uncover-the-psychology-behind-why-people-buy-108680">original article</a>.

These six factors could cause you to overspend during the holidays, here are some tips on how to avoid them…

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; South African Airways (SAA) said on Tuesday that it had signed a partnership deal with Emirates airline which would see the two firms expand an existing codeshare agreement and work on other areas of cooperation.



South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been at pains to stabilise struggling state-run firms like SAA, which has not generated a profit since 2011.



Reporting by Alexander Winning; Editing by Adrian Croft

SAA and Emirates sign partnership deal, what you need to know

LAGOS (Reuters) &#8211; Nigeria’s Access Bank has agreed to takeover mid-tier rival Diamond Bank, the lenders said on Monday, in a deal both said would create Africa’s largest bank by customers.



Nigerian banks have been trying to raise fresh capital after huge loan losses worsened by an economy that is recovering from its first recession in 25 years.



U.S. private equity firm Carlyle owns a 17.75 percent stake in Diamond Bank which it bought for $147 million in 2014 when the bank was trading at 0.6 times book value as against 0.15 times now.



“The board of Access Bank PLC today announces it has signed a memorandum of agreement with Diamond Bank PLC regarding a potential merger of the two banks that will create Nigeria and Africa’s biggest bank by customers,” Access Bank said in a statement to the Nigerian stock exchange.



As part of the deal, Diamond Bank said its shareholders would receive 3.13 naira per share, comprising of 1.00 naira per share in cash and the allotment of 2 New Access Bank ordinary shares for every 7 Diamond Bank ordinary shares.



Diamond and Access Bank both gained nearly 10 percent.



Diamond Bank said the board believed the move was “in the best interests of all stakeholders”. The bank also said its chief executive officer would step down after the merger.



Nigeria’s Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) late on Monday issued a statement in which it said: “It is a notice to merge, they have not merged yet. SEC is awaiting their application on the matter.”



The takeover follows weeks of speculation about Diamond Bank in the wake of the unexpected resignations of its chairman and three other directors in October.



Previous bank mergers in Nigeria have been imposed by the regulator. It was not immediately clear how this deal was agreed.



Diamond bank has been managing its capital since 2016 after huge loan losses worsened by a weak economy forced it to sell its foreign subsidiaries.



Reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram in Lagos, Chijioke Ohuocha and Felix Onuah in Abuja

Africa’s biggest bank to be created as Nigeria’s Access Bank is set to buy rival Diamond Bank

ABIDJAN (Reuters) &#8211; Dry winds and below-average rainfall in most of Ivory Coast’s cocoa growing regions last week could jeopardize the development of the last stage of the October-to-March main crop, farmers said on Monday.



Ivory Coast, the world’s top cocoa producer, is in the dry season, which runs from November to late February. Dry, dusty Harmattan winds sweep in sand from the Sahara, which can ravage cocoa pods and sap soil moisture, leading to smaller beans.



Farmers in cocoa regions said they were in the process of drying plenty of big-sized pods they have cut since the beginning of December. They added that harvesting would fall from next week, however significant volumes of beans will be harvested until February.



In the western region of Soubre, farmers said an abundant rainfall would be needed before the arrival of the Harmattan.



“We’re waiting to see what the Harmattan will be like. With a big rainfall, we would have less damage even if the Harmattan is strong,” Koffi Kouame, who farms near Soubre, said.



Data collected by Reuters showed that rainfall in Soubre, which includes the towns of Sassandra and San Pedro, was 7 mm last week, 3 mm below the five-year average.



But in the centre-western region of Daloa, which produces a quarter of the national output, farmers said they were happy they had received abundant rains that would boost the outlook.



“Weather conditions are good for the small pods left on the trees,” Albert N’Zue, who farms near Daloa, said. “If it rains enough in the next two weeks we won’t have any problem.”



Rainfall in the region of Daloa, which includes the town of Bouafle, was 27.2 millimetres (mm) last week, 23.4 mm above the five-year average.



In the western region of Man, rainfall was at 25.2 mm last week, 21.8 mm above average.



Rains were below average in the southern regions of Agboville and Divo, in the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro, and in the eastern region of Abengourou.



Average temperatures in the cocoa growing regions ranged from 25.81 to 28.25 degrees Celsius.



Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; Editing by Juliette Jabkhiro and Alexander Smith

Here’s what could jeopardize the development of Ivory Coast’s cocoa bean

<figure>
 <img decoding="async" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/248540/original/file-20181203-194928-140sr3m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&#038;q=45&#038;auto=format&#038;w=754&#038;fit=clip" alt="File 20181203 194928 140sr3m.jpg?ixlib=rb 1.1" />
 <figcaption>
 Medium-scale African farmers are relatively wealthy and influential.
 BOULENGER Xavier/Shutterstock
 </figcaption>
 </figure>

By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/thomas-jayne-297893">Thomas Jayne</a>, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/michigan-state-university-1349">Michigan State University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/milu-muyanga-630942">Milu Muyanga</a>, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/michigan-state-university-1349">Michigan State University</a>

Driven by population growth and growing land scarcity, most African farm households <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306919203000460">are witnessing</a> the gradual sub-division of their land. Over time farms are getting smaller and smaller. Today, over 80% of farms in relatively densely populated countries – like Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi and Rwanda are smaller than one hectare. Because they’re so small, few can generate enough income to keep farmers above the poverty line and most of them increasingly rely on off-farm incomes.

But, from about ten years ago, we have started to see <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/agec.12308">evidence</a> of a major rise in the number of medium-scale, African-owned farms. 

Along with many colleagues, we <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305827375_Africa's_changing_farm_size_distribution_patterns_the_rise_of_medium-scale_farms">set out</a> to understand who these people are. We randomly selected farms operating between five to 50 hectares, and interviewed the farmers. We found that the rapid rise of these medium-scale farms was being driven by a diverse group of people including urban-based professionals, influential rural people, and successful smallholder farmers who acquired more land and grew their operations.

Within the past decade, the amount of agricultural produce that these farms contribute to countries’ national output has risen rapidly. In some countries, like Tanzania and Zambia, medium-sized farms now account for <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305827375_Africa's_changing_farm_size_distribution_patterns_the_rise_of_medium-scale_farms">roughly</a> 40% of the country’s marketed agricultural produce. 

This isn’t uniformly true across Africa. In land-constrained, densely populated areas like Kenya and Rwanda, small-scale farms still account for most of the agricultural output. Medium-scale farms are on the rise mainly where there is substantial, undeveloped land.

While much remains unknown and the story is still unfolding, we believe that medium-scale farms are an important driver of rural transformation in much of Africa – with mostly positive results. 

<h2>Influential Africans</h2>

For about ten years there’s been a prolonged surge in global food prices. This ushered in major, and <a href="https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/special-edition-agriculture-2014/africa%E2%80%99s-land-grabs">much publicised</a>, investment in African farmland by foreign investors. What happened largely under the radar were huge farmland investments by African professionals, entrepreneurs and civil servants. 

The amount of land acquired by these medium-scale African farmers since 2000 far <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268803247_Is_the_Scramble_for_Land_in_Africa_Foreclosing_a_Smallholder_Agricultural_Expansion_Strategy">exceeds</a> the amount acquired by foreign investors. 

They are relatively wealthy and influential, often professionals, entrepreneurs or retired civil servants. Many accumulated wealth from non-farm jobs, invested in land and became either part-time or full time farmers. 

Many are based in rural areas and have political or social influence with local traditional authorities. Others are urban “telephone farmers” who retain jobs in the cities, hire managers to attend to their farms and occasionally visit on weekends. 

In some countries, we also find that many current medium-scale farmers started out as small-scale farmers who successfully expanded their operations. 

Medium-scale farmers bring new sources of capital and know-how to African agriculture. They have in some countries become a politically <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/4/3/869/htm">powerful</a> group that are well represented in farm lobbies and national agricultural strategies. They have solidified African governments’ commitments to support agriculture. 

They get their land from traditional chiefs or by purchasing land from others, including small-scale farm households. Displaced smallholders, especially young people, tend to move off farm in search of other sources of employment.

We identified three reasons for the recent growth of African medium-scale farms. 

First, rapid population growth, urbanisation and rising incomes have contributed to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12571-016-0597-3">massive growth</a> in demand for food in African countries. Africans with the resources to respond to this demand are doing so. 

Second, many Africans with money and resources found farming to be a lucrative investment opportunity – especially during this sustained period of high global food prices <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/agec.12308">since</a> the mid-2000s. 

Third, policy reforms in the 1990s removed major barriers to private trade and improved the conditions for private investment in African agri-food systems. One example of this was the removal of restrictions on private movement of food commodities across district borders. The effects of these reforms exploded after world food prices suddenly skyrocketed. They <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305750X13001770">enabled</a> thousands of small, medium and large-scale private firms to rapidly respond to profitable incentives.

<h2>Smallholder farmers</h2>

With the rise of the medium-scale farms, we expected to find that smallholders were being marginalised. But we’ve changed our views on this in light of various pieces of evidence.

First, medium-scale farms are providing access to markets and services for nearby smallholder farms. For example, many medium-scale farms have attracted tractor rental providers, who now provide mechanisation services to smallholders. This allows them to farm their land with much less labour input, freeing up opportunities to work in off-farm pursuits.

Second, large trading firms <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00220388.2018.1430773">are setting</a> up buying depots in areas where there’s a high concentration of medium-scale farms. This improves market access for smallholders too.

We also found that the medium-scale farms are good for the local economy. They inject cash into the local economy through their expenditures, stimulating off-farm employment opportunities for many rural people who were formerly dependent on subsistence farming. 

Medium-scale farms have also contributed to sub-Saharan Africa’s <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00220388.2018.1430774">4.6% annual rate</a> of agricultural production growth between 2000 and 2015. This is the highest of any region in the world over this period. 

While there are a lot of positives, these changes are uprooting the traditional social fabric and creating new power structures. The rise of land markets is creating a new class of landless workers who are dependent on the local non-farm economy for their livelihoods. Policy makers will need guidance on how to minimise these hardships –- protecting those who are most vulnerable as the processes of economic transformation gradually raise living standards for the majority of the population.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/107629/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important" />

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/thomas-jayne-297893">Thomas Jayne</a>, MSU Foundation Professor, Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/michigan-state-university-1349">Michigan State University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/milu-muyanga-630942">Milu Muyanga</a>, Assistant Professor, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/michigan-state-university-1349">Michigan State University</a>

This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/medium-scale-farms-are-on-the-rise-in-africa-why-this-is-good-news-107629">original article</a>.

The rapid rise of medium-scale farms are good for the African continent, here’s why…

HARARE (Reuters) &#8211; Zimbabwe’s inflation soared to a fresh 10-year high of 31.01 percent year-on-year in November from 20.85 percent in October after prices of basic goods spiked, amid an acute shortage of dollars that has made imports expensive.



On a monthly basis, prices increased by 9.2 percent in November compared to 16.44 percent in October.



Zimbabwe adopted the U.S. dollar in 2009 after its own currency was made worthless by hyperinflation.



But Zimbabweans have watched as the dollars in their bank accounts, known as ‘Zollars’, have lost value against cash U.S. dollars. That is because there are more Zollars in banks than actual U.S. cash dollars available, analysts say.



Central bank data shows that some $10 billion were being held as electronic dollars in bank accounts but less than $250 million in cash dollars.



On the black market, one needs $3.50 to purchase $1 in cash, a situation which has seen some businesses charging multiple prices for their goods.



Zimstats said prices of food, including bread, of beverages and clothes, had pushed the consumer price index higher.



The finance minister said in a budget statement last month that inflation would end the year at 25 percent before falling to single digits in 2019.



Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Joe Brock and Gareth Jones

Zimbabwe inflation hits 10-year high, what you need to know…

PwC Strategy &amp; analysis



Mixed signals during Black Friday                          



While more South Africans participated in the Black Friday shopping event in 2018 compared to the preceding year, the average spend per consumer dropped noticeably. The decline in per-customer spending was also visible in the United States (US), where the concept of Black Friday originated. 



US online sales showed continued popularity with a 24% increase in transaction numbers, according to Adobe Analytics[1].Furthermore, this year’s Cyber Monday was the single largest shopping day in US history with reports of an estimated $7.9 billion spent &#8211; an increase of 19.7%from 2017[1].



Two in three South Africans participated in Black Friday in 2018; an increase from a 54% participation rate in 2017. From an online perspective, BankservAfrica counted over 400,000 sales transactions -a 55% increase compared to last year. Similarly, Cyber Monday sales transactions increased by 36% this year to 176 595.<a href="#_ftn1">[1]</a> In parallel, transactions per minute increased considerably on both days,according to Black Friday Global Analysis.<a href="#_ftn2">[2]</a> 



In contrast, electronic funds transfer (EFT)transaction values decreased by 19%.<a href="#_ftn3">[3]</a> Retail management platform Vend reported that in-store retail spending in South Africa over the 2018 Black Friday shopping period decreased by 10% compared to last year, while volumes also saw a decrease of 2%.<a href="#_ftn4">[4]</a> 



Nonetheless, spending results were encouraging in certain product segments. Clothes, electronics and shoes were the most bought items.<a href="#_ftn5">[5]</a> Small business funder Retail Capital<a href="#_ftn6">[6]</a>reported the following increases on credit card usage based on product category during the Black Friday weekend:



Winners during Black Friday weekend



(Source: Retail Capital)



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/black-friday-winners.png" alt="" class="wp-image-324549"/></figure>



 




Why did Black November sales disappoint? 



Not only did South Africans spend less per person, the sentiment on social media around the sales event was sceptical. Results from a PwC survey posted on Twitter concurred with the results of a Twitter survey<a href="#_ftn7">[7]</a>by News24. Both saw the majority of respondents expressing they would avoid the Black Friday shopping event.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/BF-sales-disappoint1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-324551"/></figure>



 



Based on PwC analytics, trending words for Black Friday on November 23 included “ heavy discount”, “specials”, “deals” and“savings”, as retailers aimed to entice shopper. However, consumers’ feed back showed that sales were not in line with the traditional massive 50% to 85% price slashes seen in the US.



PwC analysis shows that, on Black Friday, 27% of related Twitter commentary in South Africa was negative. This was notably higher than just 6% seen a few days earlier. The negative feed back on social media reflected what consumers viewed as disappointing price discounts and underwhelming offerings. 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/social-sentiment.png" alt="" class="wp-image-324552"/></figure>



Following disappointing sales discounts on Cyber Monday, some 53% of recorded social sentiment was negative on Tuesday,27 November. In the days thereafter, negative sentiment was driven by customers reacting to mobile communication deals – especially cellular contracts &#8211; that did not come to fruition as expected. 



Social media posts following Cyber Monday highlighted the frustrations experienced by consumers, with complaints about “order” delays and “delivery” challenges



Excessive expectation build-up backfired



The local hype and build-up towards Black Friday was rampant. Being bombarded with several emails a day, seeing headlines on lampposts and talking about it with everyone around us &#8211; Black Friday seemed to be one of the hottest topics in November. 



However, the build-up towards the day turned out to be larger than life. With discounts averaging 20% in stores and online, many consumers were left disappointed.<a href="#_ftn8">[8]</a> 



The framing and expectation build-up surrounding Black Friday were disproportional to the sales discounts actually on offer on the day. Consumers were primed by the promise of massive discounts: in the US, discounts of 80% are common place on the day. In reality, South Africans were left frustrated, holding off on further shopping after realising the promise of significant sales discounts was exaggerated.



Missing out on scarcity and urgency in sales promotions



Rather than only concentrating on Black Friday sales, many stores aimed to stimulate spending during the entire month of November – resulting in what is now known as Black November. Discounts were on offer during the entire month, thereby diminishing the once-off special and never-before-seen appeal of Black Friday. Consumers tend to react to the idea of scarcity and urgency: When an item is in short supply, we tend to view it as more valuable. 



In this case, however, South African consumers were becoming familiar with the idea of seeing sales in stores;diminishing the rush and urgency of buying a specific product before the sale concludes. The familiarity associated with discounting in stores and online meant consumers would not buy a product unless its price dropped even further.Various online stores offer discounts throughout the year, meaning they would have had to run extreme price promotions before experiencing a larger spike in sales. 



Priming in favour of responsible shopping



There were also several warnings from consumer groups, financial regulators and news publications in the lead-up to Black Friday to warn against excessive spending and overindulging. This may very well have primed consumers to spend less and more consciously, tempering excessive spending. With the lead-up to Christmas holidays and the expenses that go with it, the warnings likely hit home, making it top of mind that consumers should be more cautious when spending money, even in the face of widespread sales. 



Implications of Black Friday performance for Christmas sales



Stats SA announced on 4 December that South Africa’s economy had exited the technical recession in the third quarter following a GDP growth increase of 2.2% quarter-on-quarter(q-o-q).<a href="#_ftn9">[9]</a> Household final consumption expenditure also increased in the third quarter, rising by 1,6%q-o-q. The main contributors were food and non-alcoholic beverages,furnishings, household equipment and maintenance, clothing and alcoholic beverages and tobacco<a href="#_ftn10">[10]</a>. 



However, it remains to be seen whether the recovery in household spending is sustained and will boost Christmas shopping sales. Alternatively, will festive sales this year see the same mixed outcome as Black Friday? For now, retailers are faced with a South African consumer that remains under pressure. Unsurprisingly, business confidence amongst retailers remained in net negative territory during the fourth quarter of 2018, according to a survey by the Bureau for Economic Research (BER).<a href="#_ftn11">[11]</a> 



According to the FNB/BER Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) released on 28 November, overall consumer sentiment decreased by 15 points between the second and third quarter.Furthermore, the household financial outlook dropped from 31 in the second quarter to 13 in third quarter. In parallel, inflation increased in October to 5.1% year-on-year (y-o-y) from 4.9% y-o-y in September,<a href="#_ftn12">[12]</a> adding further strain to consumers’purchasing power. Consumers have felt the pinch from continued petrol price hikes during 2018 leading to a record high price of R17.08/litre in November. 



Income levels and access to credit must be considered as primary influencers of sale participation.<a href="#_ftn13">[13]</a>If Black Friday sales showed a decrease in popularity and spend, Christmas sales are likely to see a similar outcomes unless stores (physical and online)display considerably higher price discounts. 



Overall, the signals sent by disappointing Black Friday numbers and other related data suggest a mediocre outlook for Christmas retail sales. 



Article by LulluKrugel, Christie Viljoen, Maura Feddersen &amp; Genevieve Frydman, PwC Strategy &amp; Economists

Disappointing #BlackFriday suggests uncertain outlook for Christmas season shopping

KINSHASA (Reuters) &#8211; A fire overnight at a warehouse in Congo’s capital destroyed thousands of voting machines and ballot boxes that were due to be used in the country’s long-delayed Dec. 23 presidential election, authorities said on Thursday.



Democratic Republic of Congo’s national electoral commission (CENI) said in a statement the blaze had destroyed 8,000 of 10,368 voting machines due to be used in the capital Kinshasa, but said the election would go ahead as scheduled.



CENI did not say who it believed to be responsible for the fire &#8211; which broke out about 2 a.m. (0100 GMT) in the Gombe riverside area of Kinshasa that is also home to President Joseph Kabila’s residence &#8211; but the ruling coalition and a leading opposition candidate immediately traded accusations of blame.



Kabila’s Common Front for Congo (FCC), which is backing former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary in the presidential race, accused opposition candidate Martin Fayulu of inciting violence earlier this month.



“Over the course of this electoral campaign, (Fayulu) called on his supporters and sympathisers to destroy electoral materials,” the FCC said in a statement.



Fayulu rejected the charge and suggested that state security forces might have been behind the blaze.



“The fire erupted in a building guarded by the Republican Guard,” Fayulu told Reuters. “You understand today that the Kabila people do not want to organise elections.”



Kabila, in power since his father’s assassination in 2001, is due to step down because of constitutional term limits. The vote has already been delayed by two years due to what authorities said were logistical challenges but the opposition said stemmed from Kabila’s reluctance to relinquish power.



This month’s highly anticipated vote could mark Congo’s first peaceful transition of power after decades marked by authoritarian rule, coups d’etat and civil wars in which around five million people are estimated to have died.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">INVESTIGATION</h3>



CENI president Corneille Nangaa told a news conference the destroyed equipment represented the materials for 19 of 24 voting districts in Kinshasa.



“Without minimising the gravity of this damaging situation for the electoral process, CENI is working to pursue the process in conformity with its calendar,” Nangaa said.



Barnabe Kikaya Bin Karubi, a Kabila adviser, said police guarding the warehouse had been arrested and that forensic police had launched an investigation.



He said voting machines from elsewhere in Congo would be recalled for use in Kinshasa, which is home to more than 15 percent of the Congolese population.



The introduction of the untested tablet-like voting machines for the election has been widely opposed by opposition candidates competing against Shadary.



They say the machines are more vulnerable to vote-rigging than paper and ink and could be compromised by the unreliability of Congo’s power supply.



The delay in the elections has coincided with a breakdown in security across much of the vast mineral-rich country. Militants fight over land and resources in the east near the border with Uganda and Rwanda.



Campaigning over the past three weeks has been mostly peaceful, though deadly clashes erupted between police and opposition supporters this week in the southeast.



Reporting By Giulia Paravicini and Stanis Bujakera; Writing by David Lewis; Editing by Aaron Ross and Gareth Jones

Fire destroys thousands of voting machines, will DRC presidential election go ahead as scheduled?

LONDON (Reuters) &#8211; Lawyers for the Nigerian government said they had filed a $1.1 billion lawsuit against Royal Dutch Shell and Eni in a commercial court in London on Thursday in relation to a 2011 oilfield deal.



The OPL 245 oilfield is also at the heart of an ongoing corruption trial in Milan in which former and current Shell and Eni officials are on the bench.



“It is alleged that purchase monies purportedly paid to the Federal Republic of Nigeria were in fact immediately paid through to a company controlled by Dan Etete, formerly the Nigerian minister of petroleum, and used for, amongst other things, bribes and kickbacks,” the statement said.



Reporting by Stephen Jewkes, Ron Bousso, Julia Payne, Paul Carsten, Shadia Nasralla; editing by Jason Neely

Nigerian government files a $1.1 billion London lawsuit against Shell and Eni, what you need to know…

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; Sibanye-Stillwater said on Thursday it had extended a wage agreement to cover all of its South African gold workforce, and urged striking workers who make up 43 percent of its employees to return to work.



The firm’s shares rose 5 percent after the diversified miner said the strike called by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) in November was no longer protected and all employees should report for work on Saturday Dec. 15.



Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by James Macharia

What you need to know about Sibanye-Stillwater’s wage agreement with striking gold workers

ABUJA (Reuters) &#8211; Nigeria’s economy is expected to grow by 2 percent this year and by 3 percent in 2019, the country’s Minister of Budget Udoma Udo Udoma said on Wednesday.



The World Bank expects growth at slightly less than 2 percent in 2018, while and Nigeria’s central bank predicts the economy will grow 1.75 percent this year.



“Our projection for the economic growth this year is 2 percent, we believe it will be achieved, and that of next (year), which is projected at 3 percent, will also be achieved,” Udoma told reporters in Abuja.



“Our plans are working,” he said, pointing to growth in the non-oil sector.



Nigeria’s statistics office on Monday said the economy grew by 1.81 percent in the third quarter, after 1.95 percent and 1.50 percent in the first and second quarters.



A sluggish recovery since Nigeria emerged from recession in 2017 could bode poorly for President Muhammadu Buhari, who is seeking a second term in February 2019 elections and for whom economic rejuvenation has been a key pillar of policy.



Reporting by Felix Onuah; Writing by Paul Carsten; Editing by Alexander Smith

How much is the Nigerian economy expected to grow by in 2019 ?

MOGADISHU (Reuters) &#8211; The top official of Somali’s parliament administration said on Sunday he had filed a motion with the speaker of parliament to impeach the country’s president, Mohamed Abdullahi.



“We have filed an impeachment against the president of the federal republic of Somalia,”&nbsp;Abdikarim H. Abdi Buh said in a statement.



Constitutionally, 92 lawmakers have to sign such a motion for it to be submitted to the speaker. Parliament may debate the motion a week later.



Somalia’s parliament has 275 lawmakers in total. A successful impeachment vote requires the backing of two thirds of all MPs.



A copy of the motion, seen by Reuters, lists as grounds for the impeachment an allegation that the president secretly signed agreements with other countries including Ethiopia and Eritrea.



The agreements touched on the use of Somali ports and economic and security cooperation, it said.



He was also accused of illegally extraditing alleged criminals to other countries and violating Somalia’s federalism law and the rules and regulations of parliament.



Officials at the president’s office could not be reached for comment.



Reporting by Abdi Sheikh; Writing by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Andrew Roche

Motion filed to impeach the president of this East African country, what you need to know…

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) &#8211; Tanzania will sign a deal this week for the construction of a $3 billion hydroelectric power plant, the president said in remarks broadcast on state television on Tuesday.



President John Magufuli did not name the company awarded the contract for the power plant and dam to be built in the Selous Game Reserve, a U.N.-designated world heritage site in southern Tanzania. Government sources told Reuters the contract would be signed with Egypt’s Arab Contractors.



Magufuli said the East African country was moving ahead with the project due to improved revenue collection by the government, without giving details.



The 2,100 MW project would more than double the country’s power generation capacity. But the project’s location is in a World Heritage site and has faced opposition from conservationists. They have said the construction of a dam on a major river that runs through the Selous Game Reserve could affect wildlife and their habitats downstream.



The government invited bids in August last year for the project at Stiegler’s Gorge which is in the Selous Game Reserve.



Egypt’s El Sewedy Electric Co has said it will also participate in the construction of the dam. Arab Contractors will have a 55 percent stake in the project and El Sewedy 45 percent, Ahmed Hassouna, El Sewedy’s head of marketing, said on Tuesday.



Covering 50,000 square km, the Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest protected areas in Africa, according to UNESCO. It is known for its elephants, black rhinos and giraffes, among many other species.



The World Wildlife Fund conservation group said in a report in July last year the proposed large-scale hydropower dam “puts protected areas of global importance, as well as the livelihoods of over 200,000 people who depend upon the environment, at risk.”



“The impact on Tanzania’s largest river would affect many ecosystem services it provides. It would affect tourism in Selous downstream in some of the most abundant wildlife areas in the game reserve,” it said.



Additional reporting by Ehab Farouk in Cairo; Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Edmund Blair and Jane Merriman

What you need to know about Tanzania signing a $3 billion power plant deal

<figure>
 <img decoding="async" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/246670/original/file-20181121-161624-1e5fgu1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&#038;q=45&#038;auto=format&#038;w=754&#038;fit=clip" alt="File 20181121 161624 1e5fgu1.jpg?ixlib=rb 1.1" />
 <figcaption>
 At about 21 million strong, nurses make up half of the world’s health workforce.
 SIM USA/Shutterstock
 </figcaption>
 </figure>

By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sharon-brownie-602186">Sharon Brownie</a>, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-aga-khan-university-2957">The Aga Khan University </a>

Nurses in Kenya are <a href="https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2018/12/09/nurses-postpone-planned-strike-give-room-for-talks_c1863236">threatening</a> to strike, protesting that the government had failed to increase their salaries in spite of an agreement which ended a five-month strike last year. If they <a href="https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2017/12/25/a-striking-nation-will-2018-be-different_c1689362">strike</a> this would be the second time in two years and it could create another public health crisis because of the huge role that nurses play.

Kenya’s almost <a href="http://www.human-resources-health.com/content/12/1/6">16,500</a> nurses <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3913960/pdf/1478-4491-12-6.pdf">work across</a> all levels of health care; from primary care dispensaries and clinics to major hospitals. In some settings they may be the highest qualified, or only health professional, there. This means they provide essential public health prevention, health treatment and emergency services. 

My colleagues and I put together <a href="http://www.wish.org.qa/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/IMPJ6078-WISH-2018-Nursing-181026.pdf">a report</a> for the recent <a href="http://www.wish.org.qa/">world innovation summit for health</a>. We worked with a team of experts to review global evidence and explain why to quickly, and cost-effectively, expand universal health coverage, there must be proper investment in nurses. 

<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/world-bank-who-health-care-poor-global-access-748117">Nearly</a> one billion people around the world can’t access or afford basic health care. At <a href="https://www.who.int/hrh/nursing_midwifery/en/">about</a> 21 million strong, nurses make up half of the health workforce. If they are properly resourced and empowered, they could help to quickly spread universal health care, expanding services to under-served communities. 

One of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s “four pillars” is universal health care. Ksh44.6 billion (about USD$420million) <a href="https://www.nation.co.ke/news/Uhuru-Big-Four-agenda-Sh400bn/1056-4613314-hj1i4g/index.html">was allocated</a> into the sector so that all Kenyans could have access to critical health care services.

But unless proper investment is made in the workforce, it won’t work. While increasing allowances is important, nurses must be empowered to reach their full potential. Also worrying is the recent redrafting of the <a href="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001275711/nurses-takes-on-doctors-over-management-positions-in-public-hospitals">Kenyan Health Act</a> which limits the leadership potential and opportunities for nurses within the public health system. 

<h2>The steps</h2>

Kenya currently <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.MED.NUMW.P3?locations=KE-XU">has</a> about 1.6 practicing nurses to 1,000 people, significantly less than western countries like Canada (9.8) and Australia at (12.9). Not enough nurses are joining the force, about 600 <a href="https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2018/05/24/600-nurses-migrate-annually-in-search-for-greener-pastures-abroad_c1763028">leave the</a> country each year and <a href="https://www.nation.co.ke/news/Medical-care-crisis-looms-as-13000-nurses-set-to-retire-/1056-1356008-csmtpx/index.html">many are</a> retiring, or close to retirement. 

Their low numbers mean they often attend over 100 patients per day, and in many rural health centres they are the only professional care available. And yet they could offer a solution to Kenya’s challenges of making health care <a href="https://www.nation.co.ke/health/Need-for-affordable-and-quality-healthcare/3476990-4721306-7v0527z/index.html">accessible</a> and <a href="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001271055/yes-affordable-healthcare-is-no-rocket-science">affordable</a>.

There are three reasons to invest in nurses and midwives:

Rapid expansion

By investing in nurses, Kenya can quickly expand quality medical services because of the availability of nurses. 

Doctors are important members of the health care team but there’s not enough of them to make a major impact on the rapid scale-up of universal health care. <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.MED.NUMW.P3">In Kenya</a> there’s 1.6 nurses and midwives for every thousand people, while just 0.1 doctors. Nurses and midwives <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001271.pub3/full">are able</a> to provide care of equal value to doctors when it comes to the <a href="https://practicebusiness.co.uk/practice-nurse-led-care-just-as-good-as-gp-care-report-shows/">basics</a> of primary health care prevention and follow-up. This includes prevention, early detection and support for longer term chronic disease. 

To take advantage of this, Kenya must adopt a strategy that combines investment in nurses with changes in service delivery and practice. <a href="https://human-resources-mhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1478-4491-12-47">Investment</a> would mean more people go into nursing schools, graduate nurses get full employment and there are increased pathways for upgrading the current nursing workforce. For instance programmes, like the one <a href="https://www.aku.edu/sonamea/Pages/home.aspx">we offer</a> at Aga Khan University, which allows nurses to upgrade their qualifications while still working.

Changes in service delivery would include the creation of more nurse-led clinics, and more specialist nurses and midwifery services. 

Cost-effective expansion

Because there are at least three times more nurses and midwives than doctors, it will be more cost-effective for Kenya to increase their skills. 

There is enormous potential for nurses to expand their scope of practice through task-sharing with doctors. One study in the report estimates that some nurses can complete approximately 70% of a general practitioner’s workload. This would free up doctors so they can attend to patients that need more intensive medical care.

High-quality expansion

High quality expansion involves moving nurses and midwives into more advanced, speciality roles.

There is <a href="https://www.jpedhc.org/article/S0891-5245(14)00142-4/abstract">evidence</a> that an approach centred on nurses and patients will have a positive impact on access and satisfaction. <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/324/7341/819">Studies show</a> that nurses generally achieve equivalent health outcomes as doctors for long-term non-communicable diseases management.

Nurses <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/324/7341/819">often</a> also score higher for patient satisfaction and for treatment adherence. Patients are more likely to return for follow-up appointments and take prescribed medicines. Because they have so much contact with patients, nurses are <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGDXKPt_lio">well-positioned</a> to provide simultaneous health-promotion and disease prevention advice. They also take <a href="https://vimeo.com/210622326">on roles</a> in coordinating and supporting teams of primary health care workers. 

These factors all give a powerful case for why, in order to achieve universal health care, governments must invest in their nurses.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/107311/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important" />

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sharon-brownie-602186">Sharon Brownie</a>, Dean, Nursing and Midwifery, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-aga-khan-university-2957">The Aga Khan University </a>

This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-achieve-universal-healthcare-kenya-must-invest-more-in-its-nurses-107311">original article</a>.

Special Report

Green technologies can generate growth and employment, here’s how African cities can utilize them

Nigeria’s Buhari presents $28.8 billion budget for 2019, will it revive the country’s economy?

Why South Africa’s NPA issued an arrest warrant for Zimbabwe’s Grace Mugabe

These six factors could cause you to overspend during the holidays, here are some tips on how to avoid them…

SAA and Emirates sign partnership deal, what you need to know

Africa’s biggest bank to be created as Nigeria’s Access Bank is set to buy rival Diamond Bank

Here’s what could jeopardize the development of Ivory Coast’s cocoa bean

The rapid rise of medium-scale farms are good for the African continent, here’s why…

Zimbabwe inflation hits 10-year high, what you need to know…

Disappointing #BlackFriday suggests uncertain outlook for Christmas season shopping

Fire destroys thousands of voting machines, will DRC presidential election go ahead as scheduled?

Nigerian government files a $1.1 billion London lawsuit against Shell and Eni, what you need to know…

What you need to know about Sibanye-Stillwater’s wage agreement with striking gold workers

How much is the Nigerian economy expected to grow by in 2019 ?

Motion filed to impeach the president of this East African country, what you need to know…

What you need to know about Tanzania signing a $3 billion power plant deal

Here’s how this East African nation can invest in its nurses in order to achieve universal healthcare

News Tips

Advertise With Us

Special Report

Green technologies can generate growth and employment, here’s how African cities can utilize them

Nigeria’s Buhari presents $28.8 billion budget for 2019, will it revive the country’s economy?

Why South Africa’s NPA issued an arrest warrant for Zimbabwe’s Grace Mugabe

These six factors could cause you to overspend during the holidays, here are some tips on how to avoid them…

SAA and Emirates sign partnership deal, what you need to know

Africa’s biggest bank to be created as Nigeria’s Access Bank is set to buy rival Diamond Bank

Here’s what could jeopardize the development of Ivory Coast’s cocoa bean

The rapid rise of medium-scale farms are good for the African continent, here’s why…

Zimbabwe inflation hits 10-year high, what you need to know…

Disappointing #BlackFriday suggests uncertain outlook for Christmas season shopping

Fire destroys thousands of voting machines, will DRC presidential election go ahead as scheduled?

Nigerian government files a $1.1 billion London lawsuit against Shell and Eni, what you need to know…

What you need to know about Sibanye-Stillwater’s wage agreement with striking gold workers

How much is the Nigerian economy expected to grow by in 2019 ?

Motion filed to impeach the president of this East African country, what you need to know…

What you need to know about Tanzania signing a $3 billion power plant deal

Here’s how this East African nation can invest in its nurses in order to achieve universal healthcare

News Tips

Advertise With Us

Newsletters