Weekly Economic Index, Nigeria’s latest road bill, and Protests continue in Algeria.

Weekly Economic Index, Nigeria’s latest road bill, and Protests continue in Algeria. VA: MID-WEEK UPDATE [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( mailto:your@email.com [Email](mailto:your@email.com) A woman walks the street of Goree Island, Senegal Photo By: @yagazieemezi Weekly Economic Index: CBN eyes 70 percent LDR, oil prices rally after OPEC cuts. This is the Ventures Africa Weekly Economic Index, for[the week ending 14th December 2019](. This economic index gives you a glimpse into recent activities in Nigeria’s economy as well as changes and prices that could affect the economy. Algerians protest the election of former Bouteflika loyalist, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, as president. The protest stems from the fact that Tebboune, who’s had a 40-year-long political career, is part of the ruling elite [Algerians are fighting]( to get rid of; the old guards that have governed the country since its independence from France in 1962. Google project brings internet access to Africa’s remote areas using balloons. Each balloon carries an antenna that relays internet signals [transmitted from the ground]( extending coverage over an area of 5,000sq km using 4G internet. A group of Loon balloons creates a network that provides connectivity to people in a defined area similar to how a group of towers on the ground forms a terrestrial network. Senate aims to revive Nigerian roads with new bill. Nigeria has the [largest road network in West Africa]( and the second largest south of sub-Saharan Africa. Despite this feat, the country has a huge deficit in road infrastructure with several roads in deplorable conditions, costing the government some N450 billion yearly. Omar al-Bashir gets only a two-year sentence for corruption. The verdict is in relation with the [$130 million found in suitcases]( in Bashir’s home after he was deposed. It is the first in a series of legal proceedings against the former dictator who still faces charges related to the 1989 coup that brought him to power and is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and genocide in Darfur in the 2000s. ECOWAS court overrules the discriminatory ban on pregnant schoolgirls in Sierra Leone. The court ruled that the practice of separate schools was discriminatory and provides a [low quality of education]( for the girls, stating that this inevitably violates their right to education. According to the World Bank, Sierra Leone had the 13th highest rate of teenage pregnancy globally in 2017. Over half of Kenyans oppose government housing levy, survey reveals. With the goal of delivering 500,000 housing units for the lower and middle-income population segments by 2022, the NHDF is an initiative by the government, which is supposed to be [funded by a 1.5 percent deduction]( from the salaries of Kenyans. Central banks in East Africa are adopting low interest rates to fight economic slowdown. Amid worries over slowing global economic growth, central banks in the East African Community are [adopting monetary easing policies]( similar to their counterparts around the world. Reports show apex banks in the region have been lowering interest rates and cash reserve ratios in a bid to stimulate economic growth. How Microsoft is combating software plagiarism in Africa. Bounded by its mission to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more, [Microsoft is collaborating]( with top PC (personal computers) companies like Dell, HP, Intel, Lenovo, and Acer amongst others to achieve its non-piracy goal by improving the uptake and affordability of genuine software across the continent. Nigeria, Angola to dominate sub-Saharan African energy landscape for the next five years. According to the African Energy Outlook 2020, energy production in Nigeria is [projected to grow by 4.71 percent]( between 2019 and 2025. The forecast is based on a series of factors. First, Total’s Egina deepwater field came on stream at the beginning of 2019, boosting crude production by nearly 10 percent or just over 200,000 barrels per day. Social Media – Instagram Nigeria 1938 - [View here]( The Zazzau Emir Palace - [View here]( We’d love to hear your thoughts and comments. Please drop us a note at hello@ventures-africa.com. We’re active on [Facebook]( and [Twitter]( as well throughout the day with more stories. Like us on [Facebook]( and follow us on [Twitter](. For advertising opportunities please contact: Business Unit [manager@ventures-africa.com](mailto:inyang@ventures-africa.com) Tel: +234-909-328-4213, +234-909-328-4214 [Share]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [+1]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( Ventures Africa · 1 Rima street · Maitama, Abuja 100211 · Nigeria