School Net - Africa Education Knowledge Warehouse

The African Education Knowledge Warehouse (AEKW) is a pan-African education portal which services African SchoolNet practitioners, policymakers and school-based communities on ICTs in education across Africa.

Home: SchoolNet Africa information and website tools.
SchoolNet Centre: SchoolNet Centre has tools and resources to support national SchoolNets.
Policy Centre: The Policy Centre provides resources and studies to support policy development on ICT integration in education.
Learner Centre: The learner centre house resources for learners and provides space for networking and collaboration among young people.
African Teachers Centre: The meeting place for the African Teachers Network.
Gender Watch: Gender watch houses gender and ICTs related resources and captures voices of women and girls using ICTs for their advancement.
Innovation Watch: Innovations and Innovator to inspire learners and educators in using ICTs for Education
Campaigns: Take part in our One million computers for African Schools campaign!

Afromusing - Opportunities for Entrepreneurs

From Afromusing Blog - Julian Rotich

Two opportunities I would like to pass along, the first is SEPS (Sustainable Energy Project Support) call for applications.

Now in its fifth year, WISIONS, a Wuppertal Institute initiative that is funded and supported by the Swiss-based foundation ProEvolution, has launched its annual call for applications for Sustainable Energy Project Support (SEPS).

WISIONS invites the submission of proposals from now until 18 August 2008. The total grant fund for financial support of SEPS projects in this, the 5th round (2008), is €500,000 (across all projects). Partial funding of projects is possible.

We are looking for promising concepts and innovative projects with an integrated approach in the fields of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Our main goal is to identify environmentally sound projects that use modern existing technologies, demonstrate the advantages of sound energy solutions and integrate local people, enabling acceptance and further replication.

The deadline is August 18th, and you can download an app here.

Via AFriWea

SeedCamp for the entrepreneurs in Europe

From securing funding to developing the right network, young entrepreneurs in Europe face challenges in building globally competitive technology businesses. Through the provision of seed capital and a world class network of mentors, we want to provide a catalyst for Europe’s next generation of entrepreneurs.

The deadline for this is August 11th.

Via Park Paradigm

TEDC 2008 - Technology for Innovation and Education in Developing Countries

About the event

Technology for Innovation and Education in Developing Countries

July 31 - August 2, 2008

Kampala, Uganda

The goal of this fifth international workshop is to bring together researchers, businesses, educators, governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to discuss various issues involved in developing new techniques and on novel uses of technology for innovation and education in developing countries. A 2007 World Bank Report titled Building Knowledge Economies: Advanced Strategies for Development, states that the four key drivers for successful knowledge economies in the 21st Century are education, information technology infrastructure, research and development focused on innovation, and a free market based economy.

Juliana Rotich - at Global Voices summit in Budapest, Hungary

Power Up Gambia

About Power Up Gambia:

It's all about power and light. With the installation of solar panels, the Sulayman Jungkung General Hospital will have a reliable power supply to provide clean running water, power to run incubators, use electronic microscopes, and perform surgeries, day or night, when needed. Refrigeration means vaccines can be safely stored and a blood bank can be established. The hands of the hospital's staff are tied without solar panels to provide critically-needed power.

Tracks 4 Africa - Mapping Africa, one day at a time

From their site:

Behind this web site there is a large community of eco-users from all over the world who share in four common things:

a passion for Africa and its preservation, its awesome natural beauty and the diversity of its peoples. the need for a super accurate and reliable GPS navigation system to take you to the many interesting and fascinating destinations in Africa. the need for INFORMATION. To learn new facts about old things. To change the way we interact with environment and INFORMATION needed not to expose oneself, travel companions, assets and environment to unnecessary risks. the need to know where tourist dollars are spend, it *MUST* make a difference at ground zero, to the local peoples and to environment.

Tom Iseghohi - talks on CNBC about Transcorp

Tuareg Capital - North African private equity firm

About Tuareg:

Tuareg Capital is a private equity firm focused on investment opportunities in North Africa, with a primary focus on Libya and Algeria. We make and advise on investment opportunities through proprietary or third party funds, partnerships and special purpose vehicles.

With a presence in Tripoli, Bahrain and London, our team is a dynamic, professional one with extensive financial experience. We have a deep understanding and commitment to the region.

Our strengths are drawn from our collective international and regional experience at a variety of renowned financial institutions; our local knowledge and presence on the ground; our depth of contacts and relationships, domestically, regionally and in the broader international arena.

Hey, Here's a Tip: Try Africa - Carol Pineau

From Carol Pineau, "African Investment Horizons"

Sunday, July 6, 2008; Page B02

P ssst. Have I got a great stock tip for you: Now's the time to buy shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. No, really.

I know that may sound like an e-mail from the spam box, but it's actually good investment advice. While U.S. markets have been struggling with the effects of the subprime mortgage debacle and threats of a looming recession, the total value of the stocks traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange has doubled over the past year.

A lot of that growth can be attributed to new companies listing on the market. But next door, Ghana's stock exchange has already returned more than 33 percent this year, and is expected to end the year as one of the world's top growth markets. And it wouldn't be for the first time.

It used to be that when the U.S. economy sneezed, the rest of the world caught a cold. Today, with globalization, everybody has a pretty bad flu -- except for Africa, where many of the more than 20 stock markets are reporting gains similar to those of the Nigerian exchange. I've been working on a film exploring Africa's frontier markets for the past couple of years, and the returns I've found can only be described as eye-popping. African markets have outperformed Standard & Poor's 500-stock index and many other indexes over the past decade. I've met people who have doubled and even tripled their investments.

Read More

Fibre for Africa - Opening up Affordable Bandwidth in Africa

Fibre for Africa

Opening up Affordable Bandwidth in Africa

From the site:

This web site has been put together to provide basic information about international bandwidth in Africa, its costs and the existence of monopoly access to it. Bandwidth is the means through which Africa as a continent communicates with itself and the rest of the world. Those who have put the site together believe that the high costs of international bandwidth on the continent are an obstacle to the its social and economic development.

Image: Telecoms transmissions networks in Africa, Source: Paul Hamilton, Acacia Atlas, IDRC

Comtel - East Africa IT integrators

Comtel Integrators Africa was founded in 2005 by 4 entrepreneurs who realized the urgent need for a system integration company in the market. Since the company’s inception the 4 entrepreneurs have gradually lead the company to become the number one IT systems integrator in East Africa.

With over 35 employees today and operations opening in Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa, Comtel's tradition of being the first organization to bring innovative solutions into the market place continues. The company has successfully implemented the first total Cisco IP Telephony Hotel in East Africa. Comtel has also been requested to implement the first intelligent building and the largest IP Contact Centre in East Africa.

Kenya ICT Board

The Kenya ICT Board was established by HE President Mwai Kibaki, as a state corporation under the State Corporations Act Cap. 446 on 19th February 2007.

The achievement of an information-based society is one of the main priorities of the Government towards the realisation of national development goals and objectives for wealth and employment creation.ICT is one of the fastest growing sectors in the country. Harnessing of ICTs will therefore help the Government to realize a number of its key public policy objectives.

In general, ICT will contribute significantly to the process by improving government operations as outlined in the e-government strategy.

Smart Village Egypt

Smart Villages Company is Egypt's premier model of Public-Private-Partnership investment with the strategic aim to lead and foster the development of profitable chains of Technology and Business Parks.

Since its founding in 2001, the company has rapidly expanded and achieved successful contribution to position Smart Village Cairo among this world's most competent
Business Parks.

Further innovative ventures has been under development counting Smart Village Cairo Financial District, first consolidated premise for Egypt’s most eminent Financial Institutions, Smart Village Damietta Business and Logistics Park, comprising world class infrastructure and services for Local and International companies, Smart Villages Company Consultancy Services are now available to discover the local incentives to franchise the Smart Village Model in different Countries upon request.

Agribusiness - Forum 2008

The African Continent is soon to become the bright light in emerging market investing. Economic growth in Africa has averaged 5% over the last 7 years, with agriculture and agro-industry being the key sectors for the continent’s development in terms of GDP, employment, food security and trade. AgriBusiness Forum 2008 takes advantage of the favourable business environment to check how to turn it into growth and wealth.

AgriBusiness 2008 aims at contributing to the growth & wealth of Africa by a further development of its agro-food industry, with the expertise, experience and involvement of knowledgeable individuals and institutions.

Learn More

Lavit Park - Uganda Technology & ICT Park

Lake Victoria Information Communication Technology and Bio-tech Park (LAVIT) is a business Initiative which shall open up the young resource pool amongst the 375 Million strong Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) to the Global ICT and Bio - Tech Industry.

Governments policies are now fine tuned to transform the country into a knowledge economy, exploiting the high talent pool that has been educated in a system with english as medium of education, a pre requsite for success in IT enabled services industry.

Uganda's Stock Exchange Grows Up

Here is an excerpt from BusinessWeek magazine about Uganda's stock market.

If you're looking for a place to invest that hasn't been affected by the global credit crunch, there's always the Uganda Securities Exchange. Sure, the East African country isn't without its risks, and the market has plenty of shortcomings. But whatever the forces that determine its ebb and flow, they're definitely different from those driving, say, New York, London, or Tokyo. Since its October peak.....Read More

INVEST IN AFRICA 2008

INVEST IN AFRICA is a conference and exhibition about
attracting investment into African financial and real estate markets.

Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF)

The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (“EAIF”) was established in January 2002 and is currently a US$365 million debt fund, which aims to address the lack of available long-term foreign currency debt finance for infrastructure projects in sub-Saharan Africa.

While EAIF lends on commercial terms, it aims to support projects that promote economic growth and reduce poverty, benefit broad-based population groups, address issues of equity and participation, and promote social, economic and cultural rights.

Investments with a tenor of up to 15 years can range from a minimum of US$10 million (or equivalent) to a maximum of US$36.5 million (or equivalent) for any one investment. Loans are provided without the need for political risk cover.

The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund - AECF

The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) is a US$50-100m private sector fund, backed by some of the biggest names in development finance and hosted by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Our aim is to encourage private sector companies to compete for like-for-like investment support for their new and innovative business ideas.

The AECF is open to proposals from all countries in Africa. However it will focus initially on 13 countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia) operating from three regional hubs (Nairobi, Accra and Johannesburg). Multi-country and regional projects are also eligible.

AfricaBio

AfricaBio is a non-political, non-profit biotechnology association for the safe, ethical and responsible research, development and application of biotechnology and its products. The Association also serves as a forum for informed dialogue on biotechnological issues in Africa.

Overall objectives include:

• To provide expert advice to specific ministries and administrations.
• To provide information on national and international regulatory legislation that can influence the use, production or marketing of biotechnology products.
• To provide current information and supportive measures to its members to ensure that biotechnology is accurately represented at all levels of society.
• To provide information to all members and interested parties on key issues affecting biotechnology in South Africa.
• To provide regular forums for exchange of information.
• To facilitate research and development, education and training projects required by members.

African Biotechnology Stakeholders Forum (ABSF)

ABSF aims to create an enabling environment in which Africa can participate and benefit from biotechnology in a responsible and sustainable manner. The association, through the dissemination of information, aims to enhance the understanding and awareness.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES

• To provide a forum for sharing and exchanging experiences and practices in biotechnology with a view of strengthening its application for increased food security, health improvement, poverty alleviation, industrialization and environmental conservation in Africa.
• To improve public understanding of biotechnology through provision of accurate and balanced information to consumers, media and policy makers to ensure that biotechnology is accurately represented at all levels of society.
• To explore innovative and appropriate biotechnology applications and facilitate their adoption and use in sustainable development and poverty alleviation in Africa.
• To create capacity for information generation, dissemination and wise use of biotechnology.
• To facilitate research, development, education and training on biotechnology as well as policy and infrastructure development for meeting Africa’s needs in biotechnology.

TED video - Seyi Oyesola affordable medical equipment

Investors Without Borders - affordable loans for African SME market

IWB is web-based marketplace connecting individuals across the globe with opportunities to invest directly in Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries. Investors gain access to return-oriented, social impact investments by directly funding SME loan requests with as little as $100 per loan. Borrowers gain access to affordable loans that can create greater economic opportunities while connecting with a global business network.

IWB will launch in Ghana, West Africa, with more countries to follow.

Satya Capital

Satya Capital Limited is a private investment firm committed both to helping businesses improve their competitive standing and to realizing value for our investors.

We specialize in Africa-related investment, providing companies with the operational, technological and financial resources they need to expand and take advantage of burgeoning growth opportunities in their industries.

We are long-term investors who are guided by a multi-strategy discipline that reflects our decades of collective experience successfully leading and investing in companies across Africa. Our deep understanding of the environment makes it possible for us to partner effectively with senior company managers, and also informs every aspect of our investment process. We build and unlock value through careful selection, rigorous due diligence, innovative structuring and creative value realization programmes.

Spore - using mobile phone to irrigate crops

Small-scale sugarcane farmers in South Africa are using cellphone-based technology to decide when to irrigate their crops. A pilot scheme launched by the South African Sugar Association at Pongola in Mpumalanga Province and Makhathini in KwaZulu Natal has shown the high-tech system can help boost production and save water, a precious commodity in these dry regions. Indications are that the mobile-based initiative can reduce farmers' irrigation costs by €200/ha.

The system, called My Canesim, uses automatic weather stations, the Internet and cellular technology to produce up-to-date information about when to irrigate crops. Extrapolating information from field and real-time weather data, My Canesim estimates the recent, current and future water balance, as well as the crop status and projected yield of a given plot. It then automatically generates and distributes simple irrigation advice by SMS to farmers' mobile phones.

ICT and the BPO Industry in Kenya

Business Process Outsourcing is an emerging industry in Africa. This film looks at the various issues and opportunities facing the BPO sector in Kenya from the perspectives of one of Kenya's BPO CEO and three young women entrepreneurs who created a BPO start-up. A pressing challenge affecting the competitiveness of Africa's BPO companies is the cost of high speed connectivity.

The World Bank's US$424 million Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (RCIP) aims to address this issue by extending access to affordable high speed connectivity to as many as 25 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa.

exZeed BPO - Accra, Ghana

exZeed is a BPO provider based in Accra, Ghana. They provide the following services:

INBOUND SERVICES
o Help Desk
o Order Taking
o Faxed & Mail-In Orders
o Directory Assistance Service (DAS)

OUTBOUND SERVICES
o Marketing & Sales
o Surveys
o Market Research
o Customer Service

WSJ has an article about investors flocking to Africa to acquire Telecoms.

Telecom Players Focus on Africa

Deal-Making Flurry
Shows the Desire
To Tap Into Growth

By ROBB M. STEWART
June 5, 2008; Page B5

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- Amid a global scramble for new subscribers, telecommunications operators and investors are taking a sudden shine to a place with lots of potential customers: Africa.

In the latest show of interest, private-equity firms Apax Partners Worldwide LLP, Madison Dearborn Partners LLC and TA Associates Inc. agreed to buy a €1.1 billion ($1.7 billion) stake in Weather Investments, a holding company owned by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris. Among other assets, Weather holds a controlling stake in Orascom Telecom Holding SAE, one of the biggest telecom outfits in subscriber terms in Africa and the Middle East.

That continued a flurry of deal-making. On Monday, news broke that South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale is leading a consortium, including U.S. hedge fund Och-Ziff Capital Management LLC, exploring an acquisition of Telkom SA Ltd., the continent's largest fixed-line operator in terms of subscribers and revenue. The same day, Vodafone Group PLC, the world's largest mobile operator in revenue terms, said it wanted to boost its stake in a joint mobile-phone venture with Telkom. Last month, an Indian suitor walked away from merger talks with Africa's largest mobile carrier, MTN Group Ltd., only to be replaced by another Indian company.

Read More


Need to be a subscriber to Wsj online to view whole article.

Pan African Capital Group

Pan African Capital Group

Pan African Capital Group, LLC provides investment banking services to the African markets. Building on a core of business that leverages its relationships with a number of key companies in Africa, we provide advice and capital to increase our partners’ ability to compete on a global basis and build markets for their products and services. In particular, Pan African Capital Group targets opportunities in the financial services, telecommunications and manufacturing.

AfriCap - Microfinance fund

AfriCap is a landmark fund. Established in 2001 AfriCap is a Mauritian based investment company operating out of Johannesburg and investing solely in Microfinance and microfinance related industries throughout Africa. Using a combination of developmental and private investors, AfriCap generates both financial and social returns through investing in institutions committed to serving low-income communities without access to conventional banking services.

AfriCap currently has 10 investments across 11 countries in equity and quasi equity instruments and maintains the role of active minority investor by providing governance, management advice and technical assistance. In 2007 AfriCap closed a second round of funding; raising its capital to $50 million and reconstituting as a permanent capital investment company - AfriCap Microfinance Investment Company.

Unlocking Africa - Legatum Africa Prize 2007

Next Einstein

NextEinstein is a program that enables Africans to develop as independent, creative problem solvers and teachers. Grants and scholarships allow students throughout Africa to attend the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences and apply their knowledge for a better continent.

Duet Victoire Africa Index Fund

Duet Victoire Africa Index Fund (DVAIF) is an Open Ended Jersey Expert Fund that tracks the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment returns of large capitalisation stocks listed on Stock Exchanges in sub-Saharan Africa excluding the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The index consists of companies listed on stock exchanges in the following countries, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The Fund aims to replicate the Index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.

Towards A Vibrant Africa

On May 28th the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development will open in Japan. The Conference's agenda will be the continued development of Africa. UNDP and Japanese partners are working to improve peoples every day lives throughout the continent. Here are five of those projects.

ACTS - African Centre for Technology Studies

ACTS is a Nairobi-based international intergovernmental science, technology and environmental policy think-tank that generates and disseminates new knowledge through policy analysis, capacity building and outreach.

The Centre strives to rationalize scientific and technological information to enable African countries make effective policy choices for improved living standards. ACTS works with partners and networks including academic and research institutions, national governments, UN bodies, regional and international processes and NGOs. ACTS' research and capacity building activities are organised in five programmatic areas: Biodiversity and Environmental Governance; Energy and Water Security; Agriculture and Food Security; Cross-Cutting Issues; and Science and Technology Literacy.

Carol Pineau - Africa Investment Horizons

Carol Pineau's new film, Africa Investment Horizons is a film that showcases where investors should invest in Africa. This film shows where venture capitalists and others are making money and how they're reaping unbelievable returns.

Africa Investment Horizons is about money, and lots of it. Investors – one after another – talk about astounding returns, doubling their money, even tripling. But at its heart, the film is the story of people working to create a new economic future for Africa.

The film shows the three major avenues for investment in Africa: capital markets, equity funds and launching a business. The rewards are shown, as are the risks.

Simba Technology LTD

Formed in 1996, SIMBA TECHNOLOGY LTD (Nairobi, Kenya), part of Simba Group of Companies, supply and integrate best of breed products to provide clients with a seamless business solution.

As a leader in development, applications and system integration Simba have provided business solutions to clients world-wide. To ensure that our clients have access to the highest quality software professionals, our consultants are trained in and fully conversant with new and emerging technologies.

Simba professionals have many years of experience in both the IT and financial management sectors. "The group enjoys accreditation with several international companies of high repute, some of which are Oracle Corporation, IBM, Infosys Technologies, ICICI Infotech, ACI, Integrated Tertiary Software, Sage Pastel."

Biomass 4 Africa

The biomass4africa discussion forum is an email and web based forum to discuss all issues related to the application of biomass energy in Africa. All types of biomass energy can be discussed, from fuelwood use, energy efficient stoves, charcoal to cogeneration at sugarmills.

India losing it's competitve advantage of Outsourcing?

I wrote earlier this year about the global outsourcing market and Africa's potential to grab some market share. Business Week magazine says the fallen dollar and the higher wages in India are hurting some Indian vendors. No one can do anything to stop the fallen dollar. The fact is, the US dollar needs to fall further to bridge the trade deficit if faces.

This is an opportune time for African IT vendors to partner with Indian IT firms who have experience to bring jobs and contracts to Africa.


Read More

Africa Venture Capital Fellows

The Africa Venture Capital Fellows (AVCF) is an initiative of the World Economic Forum's Global Leaders of Tomorrow (GLT) program aimed at promoting venture capital in Africa by educating and training future venture capitalists and leaders of high-growth and early stage companies based in Africa. The initiative is being established based on the important role that venture capital can play in accelerating the entrepreneurial economy in Africa.

All Africa Reports - India Unveils New Plan for Partners on Continent

All Africa has an article about India's prominent role in Africa. Even though China gets more attention because of sheer size of deals it is signing on the continent, India has had closer ties to Africa even before the Chinese stepped a foot on the continent.

From All Africa

Business Daily (Nairobi)

8 April 2008
Posted to the web 8 April 2008

Allan Odhiambo

India unveiled a bag of goodies for African partners attending the first India-Africa summit signalling the extent it is ready to go to win hearts in the natural resource-rich continent.

Key among the offers is duty-free access to India's domestic market and a significant increase in development financing.

Read More

Ethiopia launches new coffee brand

AfricaNews is reporting that Ethiopia, the birthplace of the coffee bean is planning on launching a new coffee brand.

“We are launching a new coffee brand to champion Ethiopia’s famous, unique and distinctive fine coffee in the international market” , Mengistie said.

Though Ethiopia is a historic birth place of coffee, Ethiopia is way back in proactively managing and promoting its famous fine coffee.

The move Ethiopia took is a land mark moment for the nation says Getachew.

“This is a land mark moment for Ethiopia and we are proud to project the identity of Ethiopian coffee this way and we look forward our coffee farmers to reap the rewards in short and long terms.”

Lebone - off grid energy delivery in Africa

Lebônê Solutions, Inc. is a social enterprise working in off-grid energy delivery and lighting technology. The mission of Lebônê is to end the energy and lighting crisis in Africa by identifying and harnessing emerging technologies, developing and adapting them for the African market, and delivering them to rural villages in an innovative and accessible manner.


The Problem

There is currently a dramatic shortage of electrical power in Africa. One billion Africans, constituting a sixth of the world’s population, generate only 4% of global electricity. In most African countries, 95% of the population is living off-grid with no access to electricity (World Bank Millennium Goals Report, 2006). This has a devastating effect on socio-economic development, education, health, and safety. Imagine a village at night in which students are walking to distant highways to study under streetlights, where small merchants are investing half of their resources to pay for kerosene lighting to run their operations, and where emergency health workers, if operating at all, are trying to stitch up wounds and perform surgeries by candlelight. Lack of energy is one of the Africa’s biggest obstacles to development, and a major deterrent for foreign investors.

ASARECA - promoting agribusiness research in Africa

Mission

Promoting economic growth, fighting poverty, reducing hunger and enhancing resources through regional collective action in agricultural research for development, extension and agricultural training and education.

Strategic Goal

ASARECA's primary goal is to facilitate agricultural research in ECA that will promote agriculture oriented towards markets and income generation. Its secondary goal is to serve as the main forum where strategies and ideas for agricultural research and their relationship to agricultural development in the sub-region are conceived and exchanged.

Solar Aid - sustainable solar energy projects

SolarAid aims to enable the world’s poorest people to have clean, renewable power. Solar power leads to better education, health, safety and income by allowing poor communities to cook, pump water, run fridges, store vaccines, light homes, schools, clinics and businesses, power computers and homes, farm more effectively, and much more.

SolarAid carries out DIY solar projects – training local communities how to build small scale solar devices such as solar powered radios and lanterns – and installs small solar systems for community centres, medical clinics, schools and other such communal infrastructure.

Mozambique: Consortium with South African, Chinese and Mozambican capital invests in steel plant

Maputo, Mozambique, 18 April – A consortium with South African, Chinese and Mozambican capital has invested US$44 million in the construction of a steel tube factory at Beluluane Industrial Park 16 kilometers outside Maputo, the Notícias newspaper reported Friday.

The factory should begin producing at the end of the year or in early 2009, with markets already assured in Africa and the United States linked to the industry of transporting petroleum and natural gas derivatives, the newspaper indicated.

In the first phase the plant will have the capacity to produce 200,000 tons of steel tubes per year, with prospects of increasing to 700,000 tons per year.

Equatorial Biofuels-Crude Palm Oil via Timbuktu Chronicles

Timbuktu Chronicles reports on Palm Oil for Biofuels.

CS Monitor reports on David Parker's company Equatorial Biofuels,which :

Has taken over the 36,000-acre Palm Bay plantation and plans to invest up to $10 million initially to rehabilitate the estate and begin producing palm oil industrially again.

Their goals are to:

Working Villages International

Forty years ago, the residents of the Ruzizi Valley, in Eastern Congo, had a peaceful prosperous happy life. Today, after more than a decade of civil war, the entire area is devastated, and the people have been reduced to the status of refugees, dependent on foreign assistance.

Now, in a unique partnership with Working Villages International, the people of Ruzizi are working hard to rebuild the paradise they once enjoyed. The development formula is simple – village based redevelopment with an emphasis on self-reliance and appropriate technology.

EPROM - Entrepreneurial programming and research on mobiles

EPROM, part of the Program for Developmental Entrepreneurship within the MIT Design Laboratory, aims to foster mobile phone-related research and entrepreneurship. Key activities include:

• the development of new applications for mobile phone users worldwide
• academic research using mobile phones
• the creation of a widely applicable mobile phone programming curriculum

EPROM has now expanded to 10 countries within Sub-Saharan Africa!

System Specs | Nigeria's leading software house

Founded in 1991, SystemSpecs has since emerged as a leading provider of Financial and Human Capital Software Solutions for the Nigerian and African environment.

SystemSpecs is a software house with a focus on providing the most qualitative Human Capital Management and Financial software solutions for the Nigerian and African market.

SystemSpecs offers business-centric applications, which lie at the core of enterprises.