African Review of Business and Technology articles from May 2006

African Review of Business and Technology archives from May 2006

Editor's note.(Editorial)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... THIS MONTH WE feature our second IT Buyer's Guide of the year which looks at the all important topic of uninterruptible power supply. Your IT equipment is only as good as the power that drives it so it is vital to have the best backup systems...

Shell and Centurion.(Briefly)
May 1, 2006... SHELL AND CENTURION signed an agreement under which a liquefied natural gas venture could be established if sufficient gas is found in two licences held by Centurion. Shell is to make a series of payment to gain a 50 per cent share in the two...

Intelsat.(signed by the Agency for the Safety of Aerial Navigation in Africa and Madagascar )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... INTELSAT HAS ANNOUNCED that the Agency for the Safety of Aerial Navigation in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) has signed a long-term contract with Intelsat to expand its use of satellite capacity in support of its existing civil aviation...

Telkom.(Briefly)
May 1, 2006... THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF planned capital investment of R30bn to boost its fixed-line operations over the next five years, saw shares in South African state-controlled Telkom, Africa's biggest telecoms company, fall more than 4.2 per cent. Telkom...

Breathetex.(Briefly)
May 1, 2006... BREATHETEX, A PORT Elizabeth-based manufacturer of waterproof-breathable textiles, has experienced strong growth in its business since it engaged AMSCO (African Management Services Company) to help it build its management and technical...

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation.(Briefly)
May 1, 2006... THE JAPAN BANK for International Cooperation (JBIC) has signed an ODA loan agreement totalling up to US$150,600,000 with the Societe Nationale des Autoroutes du Maroc for the Marrakech-Agadir Motorway Construction Project. The project will...

OT Africa Line.(Briefly)
May 1, 2006... WEST AFRICAN SHIPPING specialist and multi-modal transport operator, OT Africa Line (OTAL) is celebrating its 30th trading year. The company launched its pioneering service with the introduction of the first multipurpose ro-ro vessels to the...

The Angolan Government.(Briefly)
May 1, 2006... THE ANGOLAN GOVERNMENT has signed a preliminary agreement with the Madhvani Group of Companies based in Uganda, to rehabilitate the Dombe Grande Sugar Factory in Benguela Province that was ruined in the civil war. In an exclusive interview,...

Kura Holding Ltd.(gets contract for Oshogbo steel rolling mills)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... KURA HOLDING LTD, owned by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, a Nigerian entrepreneur, has won the bid for the Oshogbo steel rolling mills, and has promised to put in fresh funds of about US$25mn to expand and refurbish the electrical and electronic...

Multilinks.(Briefly)
May 1, 2006... MULTILINKS, A PIONEER private telephone operator, has in addition to its growing service in Lagos, also launched its services in Ibadan. As in Lagos, Multilinks is offering both voice and data services. Ezekiel Fatoye, executive director,...

Cadbury Schweppes PLC.(Briefly)
May 1, 2006... CADBURY SCHWEPPES PLC, the group overseeing Cadbury Schweppes investment, has increased its equity in Cadbury Nigeria Plc from 46.4 per cent to 50.02 per cent. Cadbury Nigeria Plc is the market leader in confectionery, gum and beverages, with...

The Mount Soche Hotel.(Briefly)
May 1, 2006... THE MOUNT SOCHE Hotel in Malawi's commercial capital, Blantyre, is undergoing a major renovation project costing Kw20mn. Since the beginning of this year, when Sunbird Tourism Hotels and Resorts took over the management from Le Meridien...

The Egyptian Tourist Authority.(Briefly)
May 1, 2006... THE EGYPTIAN TOURIST Authority has launched its new website at www.egypt.travel/ The new portal provides information on everything from Egypt's historical and cultural attractions through to activity-based holidays. In addition the site...

Demands for Uganda to join COMESA.(Commercial Review)
May 1, 2006... UGANDAN MANUFACTURERS SUCH as the Mukwano Group and Southern Range Nyanza Ltd (SRNL) amongst others, argue that Uganda's joining of the COMESA FTA would widen the country's opportunities for its manufactured goods. The CEO of Mukwano Group of...

UNCTAD Blue Book endorsed in Tanzania.(Japan Bank for International Cooperation with United Nations. Conference on Trade and Developmentto invest in Tanzania )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... PRESIDENT KIKWETE HAS received the UNCTAD-JBIC Investment Blue Book for Tanzania. Speaking at the delivery ceremony, the President reconfirmed his government's commitment "to put in place the right polices and a conducive environment for...

South Africa praised as role model.(for stability, democracy and prosperity)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... SOME OF THE principle conclusions drawn by The Economist magazine in its 8 April 2006 South Africa Survey are that the country is a role model for Africa, and that against the background of widespread instability on the continent, it has...

Djibouti port developments.(Commercial Review)
May 1, 2006... DP WORLD HAS announced plans to develop a new container terminal facility in Doraleh, Djibouti. The US$300mn investment will enable it to handle an additional 1.5mn TEU annually. The new terminal will be located 11km from the existing one and...

Zimbabwe inflation tops 1,000 per cent.(Commercial Review)
May 1, 2006... BY MONTH-END (April) Zimbabwe's year-to-year inflation rate will have topped 1,000 per cent, according to calculations by the Imara financial services group. Fungai Tarirah, chief investment officer of Harare-based Imara Asset Management...

African Monitor to safeguard development promises.(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... AFTER EXTENSIVE CONSULTATIONS in Africa and beyond, among faith communities and the wider civil society, NGOs, governments and international agencies, think tanks, academia, and the private sector, a date has been set for the launch of a body...

Nigeria's new credit ratings attract portfolio investments.(Commercial Review)
May 1, 2006... THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT is still basking in the euphoria of the credit ratings given by Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor, two international rating agencies. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the nation's Finance...

Bank survey available on line.(Commercial Review)
May 1, 2006... IS AFRICA OVER-banked? A quick look at the latest African Banking Directory published every two years in Switzerland by SIFIDA suggests that it is. Nearly 30 separate institutions are listed for a country like Tanzania, where a substantial...

Cocoa comes under pressure.(Commodity Report)
May 1, 2006... COCOA FUTURES WERE under pressure in April as trade and speculative selling took their toll. At mid-month, cocoa futures had slipped to their lowest level since 14 March, with the benchmark July contract on LIFFE touching UK[pounds...

Gold sees new 25-year highs.(prices increase)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... HAVING HIT A two-month low of US$534.10 a troy ounce in mid-March, gold prices soared to fresh 25-year highs in April, with spot gold reaching US$620 a troy ounce by 18th. Increasing tensions between Iran and Western governments on...

Coffee futures firmer on commodity fund buying.(Commodity Report)
May 1, 2006... ROBUSTA FUTURES ON the London International Financial Futures Exchange (LIFFE) rose to six-week highs on 18 April after falling to a three-and-a-half month low early in the month. On 3 April, the May contract slipped to US$1,083 a tonne while...

Kenyan tea prices start to recover.(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... KENYAN TEA PRICES were rising again as mid-April approached due to improved demand. For the previous month or so, prices had been falling as buyers had stayed on the sidelines expecting increased volumes (and lower prices) to hit the market...

Platinum high.(prices)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... AS WITH COPPER and gold, platinum has continued its upward path in April, with the spot precious metal posting new record highs during the first three weeks of the month. Spot platinum had touched a new peak of US$1,097 a troy ounce on 11th,...

Copper breaks through US$6,000 a tonne.(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... COPPER PRICES HAVE continued to move ever upwards in recent weeks, with new record highs recorded on the London Metal Exchange (LME) in April. Copper for delivery in three month's time broke through the US$6,000 a tonne level on 11th. Whilst...

Nigeria and Sao Tome e Principe licences awarded.(to Addax Inc. and China Petroleum and Chemical Corp.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... THREE large exploration licences in the offshore area shared by Nigeria and Sao Tome e Principe were awarded in March. The two countries' Joint Development Authority, based in Abuja, signed contracts under which China's Sinopec will be the...

Nigeria.(Chevron Corp. gets the license for Nsiko field)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... CHEVRON IS PLANNING to develop its Nsiko field, in the deepwater OPL 249 licence. Front-end engineering design contracts are coming up for award, for facilities including a floating production unit, subsea hardware, and pipelines. The...

Algeria.(Oil News)
May 1, 2006... AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED for the Gassi Touil gas project, described as the most important integrated project yet undertaken in Algeria by foreign companies. Two Spanish firms, Repsol YPF (48 per cent) and Gas Natural (32 per cent), and the...

Congo (Brazzaville).(three oil wells discovered)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... TOTAL MADE ITS third oil discovery in its ultra-deepwater Mer Tres Profonde Sud block. The Aurige Nord Marine-1 well, drilled about 180km off Pointe Noire in 1,970m of water, tested 4,970 barrels/day. The earlier finds are Andromede Marine-1...

Western Sahara.(givesoil field contracts )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... NINE LARGE EXPLORATION areas--six offshore and three onshore--were awarded by the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, led by the Polisario organisation. Interest in Western Sahara's offshore has been raised by the start of oil production in...

Executives' calendar.(Calendar)
May 1, 2006... MAY 9-11 African Aid Relief and Disaster Management Expo and MIDRAND Conference Fair Consultants, SA. Tel: +27 (0) 21 683-1117. Fax: +27 (0) 21 683-1119. e-mail: bette@fairconsultants.com. ...

Emirates appointment in SA.(Mrs Gillian De Luca appointed in South Africa )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... EMIRATES HAS APPOINTED Mrs Gillian De Luca as the airline's sales manager for South Africa. "Gillian has held a number of corporate sales positions within the airline and travel industry in the country," says Orhan Abbas, Emirates' regional...

Water Africa visits Lagos in November.(Water Africa Nigeria 2006 and Building & Construction Nigeria 2006 coming)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... TWO EXCITING NEW international exhibitions, organised by UK-based ACE Event Management Ltd, have been announced for Lagos, Nigeria, from 15-17 November 2006. The first is the latest in the ever-popular Water Africa series for water and...

UK/Gambia link.(Astraeus to introduce regular flights)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... UK AIRLINE ASTRAEUS is to launch regular scheduled flights linking the Gambia and the UK. The new route takes to the air on 5 May, marking the first scheduled service to be operated by a UK airline to the Gambia in almost 20 years. ...

KQ teams up with Air France, KLM.(Business Travel)
May 1, 2006... KENYA AIRWAYS RECENTLY welcomed on board its first incentive group from Paris. While discussing KQ's new direct service later this summer with Voyageurs du Monde, the airline couldn't miss the opportunity to offer France Telecom the combined...

Exchange rates.(Financial Forecast)
May 1, 2006... Exchange Rates The currencies shown below are valued at the middle rates between buying and selling on 24 April. The rates are an indication of the value and are not intended to be used as the basis for transactions. The publisher...

Forecast movements against the dollar.(Table)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Forecast movements against the dollar 24 April 2006 end-May July Country (actual) 2006 2006 Japan (Yen) 116.9 115-118 114-119...

Dollar alternatives aplenty this year.(Financial Forecast)
May 1, 2006... ANOTHER RISE IN US interest rates under the leadership of a new chairman of the Federal Reserve indicates that a strong US dollar policy is likely to be aimed at but probably not attained through 2006. This situation is being complicated by...

Nigeria ushers in a new era: Nigeria's banking sector has been radically transformed in recent months, but is now far better positioned to provide the services that Nigerians require. Stephen Williams reports.(Finance)
May 1, 2006... THE EMERGENCE OF a new and far more vibrant banking sector in Nigeria, brought about by the huge transformation introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria under its dynamic young governor Professor Charles Soludo, has been well documented by...

Kenya's banks face big challenges: Mwangi Mumero reports on the hotting-up of competition between the retail banks. But legislation is moving in favour of customers, who still want old-style savings accounts.(Banking)
May 1, 2006... COMPETITION IN THE industry has forced Kenyan banks to move into previously uncharted waters like mortgage finance, and a few that have ventured into this area have had to lick their wounds. With low interest rates accruing from government...

Confidence rises as tourism and exports expand: Uganda shows how a shattered economy can recover once security and orderly government is restored. Ronald Watts reports on a country which continues to recover in spite of challenges on two of its borders.(Uganda)
May 1, 2006... UGANDA HAS EXCITED visitors for a century or more. Most comment not only on the scenery but the people, too. In 2006 all African countries have to diversify their economies to survive. A thriving tourism sector is not only a guide to...

Handset launch.(Information Technology)
May 1, 2006... MOTOROLA HAS UNVEILED its latest handset, the PEBL, on the Kenyan market. The handset is the first with a round silhouette clamshell design "inspired by the feel of a riverbed pebble." This has been described as a further mark of confidence...

Internet via TV now a reality in SA.(Media24 Digital, South Africa)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... INTERNET VIA TELEVISION is now a reality in South Africa thanks to foremost online publisher, Media24 Digital, which has made two of its best performing web properties namely FIN24.com and News24.com, available on the DSTV platform. This...

Kyocera's FS-C5030N wins award.(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... THE FS-C5030N COLOUR printer has won the Editor's Choice Award from Better Buys for Business--a leading independent authority on document imaging equipment. These awards go to devices that offer the best performance combined with the greatest...

Who's minding the storage? No matter what you do, you just don't seem able to keep up with the demand, do you? One solution, suggests Karen Young, is to consider the virtual option.
May 1, 2006... IN ONE OF his less prescient moments, Bill Gates one let slip that he thought nobody would need a storage capacity larger than a floppy disk--and that's an old school 660k floppy, not the barrier busting 1.44Mb monster that's now virtually...

Lessons in handling e-mail.(Information Technology)
May 1, 2006... ONE REASON FOR storage spiraling out of control is the increased ubiquity of e-mail. Most of us now find it hard to imagine a time when virtually always on mail didn't exist. The problem is that, because it is such a part of the business...

Uninterruptible power supply buyers' guide 2006: Africa's annual where-to-buy guide.(Directory)
May 1, 2006... Section One: Product Showcase 9355 Three Phase UPSRange [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Output range: 8-40Kva -- Intelligent Double Conversion Up-time: 10 minutes, expandable up to several hours Line Conditioning: Yes Product...

Keep on running with regular maintenance: maintenance of buses and trucks is a very different operation from car repairs, and should only be entrusted to a specialist. Many fleet operators in Africa choose to do the work in house; others opt for contract maintenance.(Commercial Vehicles)
May 1, 2006... WHICHEVER SERVICING AND repair option is chosen owners and operators of heavy trucks and buses are always responsible in law for the mechanical condition of their vehicles. So all maintenance work must be inspected; no administration in...

Consortium gets Kenya back on the rails: Mwangi Mumero reports on the plans of a Sheltam-led consortium to run rail and lake services in Kenya for the next 25 years. Both pasenger and freight services will benefit.(Kenya Railways Corp.)
May 1, 2006... IN A MOVE that will apparently see the creaky, debt-ridden Kenya Railways Corp revitalised, a South African consortium recently won a tender to run it for 25 years. The consortium comprises Sheltam Rail Co of South Africa as the lead...

Cat powered Chinese locos on track in SA.(Railways)
May 1, 2006... WITH MORE THAN 100 Caterpillar engines in use in locomotive applications in South Africa, the latest are two locomotives sourced from the CSR Ziyang Locomotive Works in China by African Rail & Traction Services (AR & TS). These are believed...

Advanced rail power--the engine of success: efficient common rail diesel engine technology from MTU provides one of the best solutions for repowering railway locomotives in Africa.(Company overview)
May 1, 2006... THE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION and maintenance of diesel engine traction systems are amongst MTU's core capabilities--and have been for nearly 100 years. As long ago as 1924, MTU was developing and manufacturing production engines for scheduled...

New technology for future generations: support from the IFC for power projects in Africa will do much to ensure reliable sources of power. The introduction of new technology will also encourage social and economic development.(Power Supply)
May 1, 2006... THE PRIVATE SECTOR arm of the World Bank Group, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has awarded a grant of US$3mn to IST Holdings (PTY) Ltd and Plug Power Inc, who will install 400 fuel cells in remote locations and cities of South...

Schneider Electric Nigeria predicts a dynamic year: the year 2006 promises to be a dynamic one for the Nigerian power sector and also for Schneider Electric Nigeria Ltd.(Company Focus)
May 1, 2006... SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC NIGERIA Ltd is buoyant in its outlook in Nigeria this year. Power Holding Co Nigeria, the government-owned agency that generates over 90 per cent of Nigeria's electricity, will be privatised later in 2006, opening up the...

Caterpillar engine makes 'quantum leap': a new line in generator sets in the 2-4 MW range has just been launched by Caterpillar, Mary Monro reports from Malaga, Spain, where the unveiling took place in April.(Company overview)
May 1, 2006... THE ENGINE, WHICH is claimed to be the first to offer up to 4MW in a single high-speed package, is the result of an intensive three year programme of research and development. It is described by Rodney Shurman, one of the team involved, as 'a...

Biodiesel: the fuel of the future; The oilseed crop jatropha offers great potential as an industrial raw material in Southern Africa. Humphrey Nkonde reports on its use as biodiesel and many other possibilities.(Power Supply)
May 1, 2006... SOUTHERN AFRICA HAS not been spared from the effects of global warming responsible for droughts that have caused food shortages. The effects of climate change come on top of high oil prices on the world market and widespread poverty in the...

Mastering the maintenance process: thermography saves Eaton Group US$250,000 per year.(Company overview)
May 1, 2006... PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE IS not just a matter of organisation: it also requires knowledge and the efficient handling of gathered information. A suitable thermal imaging camera helps in both of these areas, with an impact which makes itself...

Stainless steel links forged.(Company Focus)
May 1, 2006... THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN Stainless Steel Development Association (Sassda) recently hosted an inward-bound mission from East Africa "to facilitate business deals with East African companies." according to spokesperson Lesley Mortimer. Guests from...

South African equipment market surges.(Company Focus)
May 1, 2006... US CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT exports for 2005 increased 35 per cent over the previous year as US$12bn worth of American-made machinery was shipped to countries across the globe, according to data released by the Association of Equipment...

National Construction Week joins Interbuild Africa.(Company Focus)
May 1, 2006... THERE WAS MUCH excitement when it was announced that South Africa's National Construction Week 2006 will be co-locating alongside The Star Interbuild Africa in July, At the launch of a campaign Public Works Minister Stella Sigcau encouraged...

Getting the most from ground-engaging tools.(Construction News)
May 1, 2006... BUCKET TEETH, BLADES and edges make a difference for contractors. The Cat[R] Rental Store Business Tip of the Month tells you how. Ground-engaging tools (GET) are the teeth and edges that take the brunt of the wear, protecting more...

World of Asphalt.(Construction News)
May 1, 2006... THE WORLD OF Asphalt 2006 Show and Conference set attendance and exhibit space records during its mid-March run in Orlando, Florida. More than 4,145 asphalt, highway and maintenance industry professionals attended, a 26 per cent increase over...

Blocks make better houses: pressed cement and soil blocks have become Africa's favourite construction material especially for low-cost housing projects.
May 1, 2006... PRE-FORMED BLOCKS of various types have become urban Africa's most popular building material. Most widely used are lightweight concrete blocks, either solid, hollow or shaped in one of a many ways. A small amount of conventional cement is...

Building the nation block by block: a completely African building product is the stabilised block system developed by Hydraform of Boksburg, SA. Hydraulic machines capable of turning out up to 240 12kg CEBs per hour are now being used in more than 40 countries.(Company Focus)
May 1, 2006... AFRICA'S HUGE DEMAND for housing and low-rise commercial buildings can only be met by the imaginative use of low-cost materials that are nevertheless of consistently high quality. "Low cost" means that little expensive energy is used in...

Demand for diamonds drives up production: Africa is holding on to its key role as a supplier to the world diamond market. But low wage rates in China could become as much a threat in this industry as many others, reports Priscilla Ross.(Mining)
May 1, 2006... DIAMOND DEMAND CONTINUES to grow at a blistering pace. Over the next decade demand is predicted to grow five per cent a year with China and India as key drivers but bearing in mind that the United States remains the backbone of the global...

Golden prospects for Tanzania: in 1996 Tanzanian artisan miners produced 318kg of gold. In 2006 output could reach 60,000kg, contributed mainly by mining houses drawn by the Lake Victoria Goldfield and the nation's regulatory regime. Kyran Casteel reports.(Mining)
May 1, 2006... THE BUILD-UP of gold mining is the main factor in a slow but steady increase during the past 10 years of the mining sector's contribution to Tanzania's GDP, which reached 3.2 per cent in 2004. Writing in Mining Annual Review 2005, Dr Peter D....