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The South African rand strengthened Friday to its strongest level since the United States and Israel launched attacks in the Iran war, Reuters reported. Gold, one of South Africa's main exports, rose to a more than three-month high and headed for a third weekly gain, supporting the currency.  The benchmark 2035 government bond firmed with yield down 0.5 basis points to 8.56 percent.  Analysts cited softer US data, improved risk appetite and domestic inflation easing as drivers lifting the rand and South African assets broadly. 

Sierra Leone has signed a permit with oil major Shell allowing advanced geological and geophysical surveys across multiple offshore blocks, the Petroleum Directorate said Wednesday.  The programme is similar to an agreement signed with Eni last October and is expected to enhance understanding of deepwater hydrocarbon potential.  The government is courting majors to revive its under-explored basin after years of limited activity. Officials hope new seismic data will de-risk prospects and attract exploration drilling investment that could generate future revenue and energy security.  

South Africa's biggest city Johannesburg has fully settled an overdue debt of 5.25 billion rand, about $328 million, owed to state utility Eskom, the electricity department said Friday.  The payment follows government-led mediation to resolve a long-running billing dispute that had threatened to throttle electricity supply to Africa's biggest economy's economic hub.  City officials said the settlement restores financial credibility, averts load curtailment for residents and businesses, and allows renewed focus on infrastructure maintenance, revenue collection, and sustainable municipal energy distribution reforms.  

Sierra Leone has signed a permit with oil major Shell allowing advanced geological and geophysical surveys across multiple offshore blocks, the Petroleum Directorate said Wednesday.  The programme is similar to an agreement signed with Eni last October and is expected to enhance understanding of deepwater hydrocarbon potential.  The government is courting majors to revive its under-explored basin after years of limited activity. Officials hope new seismic data will de-risk prospects and attract exploration drilling investment that could generate future revenue and energy security.  

Nigeria's Dangote Refinery has secured a $1 billion underwriting programme for its upcoming IPO, advisers said.  The refinery, owned by Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote, has applied to Nigeria's Securities and Exchange Commission for a $5 billion initial public offering, though final size remains undecided.  The 650,000 barrel-per-day facility near Lagos is Africa's largest and is expected to transform Nigeria's fuel imports.  An IPO would give Nigerians direct equity participation and raise capital for expansion and debt repayment as operations ramp up.  

Ghana's Supreme Court is set to rule today, August 21, on a bid to halt High Court trials during the ongoing legal vacation.  MP Kojo Oppong Nkrumah filed an injunction seeking to restrain the Chief Justice from enforcing warrants that authorize selected judges to conduct criminal trials during vacation.  Justice Gabriel Pwamang adjourned after hearing arguments Thursday. The case raises constitutional questions about fair trial rights, judicial administration, and the balance between clearing case backlogs and preserving the traditional vacation period for judges and lawyers nationwide.

At least 40 bodies, mostly children, have been recovered after an overloaded boat capsized in Nigeria's northwest Sokoto State, officials and residents said Thursday.  The tragedy highlights Nigeria's persistent water transport safety crisis where overcrowding, poor maintenance and weak enforcement of regulations cause frequent accidents.  Local authorities are still searching for missing passengers. In January, at least 25 people died when a leaking boat capsized in Yobe State in the northeast, prompting renewed calls for life jackets and stricter licensing.  

Brazil's state oil giant Petrobras has entered formal negotiations for four offshore blocks in Ghana's Keta Basin after submitting an expression of interest, the company confirmed Friday. Head of exploration Sylvia Anjos said Ghana is part of a wider African push.  Petrobras is also reviewing opportunities in Sao Tome and Principe, Namibia, Ivory Coast and South Africa. The move signals renewed investor confidence in Ghana's upstream sector as the government seeks to expand deepwater exploration and boost long-term oil production revenue beyond the Jubilee and TEN fields. 

President John Dramani Mahama has named Works and Housing Minister Kenneth Gilbert Adjei as Ghana's new Defence Minister, the presidency announced Friday. Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson had been acting in the role since August 2025 when Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah died in a military helicopter crash.  Adjei previously served as Deputy Defence Minister from 2012 to 2017, bringing institutional memory. The reshuffle aims to restore full cabinet stability, strengthen civil-military coordination, and accelerate ongoing Ghana Armed Forces modernization and peacekeeping commitments across West Africa.