Mistake to take top-down view on Japanese retailing, says Jefferies’s Allen

The Covid-19 pandemic is pushing Africa into its first recession in a quarter of a century, with GDP forecast to shrink by up to 5 percent. The World Bank's private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation, has outlined a $1.5 billion facility for Africa's business community, with a focus on small and medium sized companies. Sergio Pimenta, Vice President for the Middle East and Africa of the IFC, tells FRANCE 24 that those firms in turn have a "significant" role to play in combatting the virus.

President Buhari demands mechanisation of the agriculture sector for youth participation

Focus on Nigeria's Aviation sector ahead of Christmas celebration

Despite COVID-19, up to 50,000 Israelis have been flying to Dubai since last November. The UAE is adapting to the new clientele as mutual business interests start to take off.

After Olympics organisers announced a ban on spectators from abroad, those working in Japan's tourism industry are counting their losses. Experts say the impact will be limited compared to the much larger blow brought by the pandemic, adding there is hope that tourism will rebound as life moves towards normality.

“The economy will recover and as it recovers from the effect of the pandemic, I do see a period of some growth,” Toyin Adeniji, Executive Director of the BOI said in a chat with GuardianTV. She said the country has had time to “build some business-friendly policies” that will make Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) cluster.

CBN eyes increased private sector investments in healthcare infrastructure

Ivory Coast, the world's top cocoa producer, is facing mounting demand from Western consumers for ethical chocolate -- a product that is ecologically sound and made without child labour. In a widely publicised operation named Nawa 2, police picked up dozens of children in a crackdown in Soubre, the country's cocoa-producing heartland 400 kilometres (250 miles) west of the economic capital Abidjan.

Hotel and restaurant workers hope Cuba's decision to gradually reopen its border from November 15 will be a boost for business.

In Nigeria, the government has launched a drive to revive the country's once thriving palm oil business, part of a bid to diversify away from petroleum and help create jobs. But small-scale producers say that loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria are only going into the pockets of bigger factory owners.

Nigeria’s economy has not been all rosy for a few years and people’s purchasing power has taken a massive hit as unemployment rates are spiking. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation, plunging the economy into the second recession in less than five years. GuardianTV spoke with these women whose main income comes from driving commercial minibus 'Korope' and tricycle 'Maruwa' through the chaotic road of Lagos, Nigeria to make ends meet.

Chinese property developers have met with a government think tank, amid increasing concern over the real estate sector's heavy debt burden. The liquidity crisis goes well beyond the high-profile firm Evergrande. Also, Australia unveils a €114 million investment aimed at boosting sales of electric vehicles, and Virgin Galactic sells another 100 tickets for sub-orbital space flights.