Finance

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Jumia Technologies AG has given itself five quarters to convince investors that the Africa-focused e-commerce firm is on a path toward profitability. The company is looking to claw its way back after watching its shares drop about 58% since a high-profile U.S. initial public offering in April. The company will spend the next four or five quarters investing in technology, marketing, and operations teams, Co-Chief Executive Officer Sacha Poignonnec said…

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – Ecobank Transnational Inc. is partnering with the United States Agency for International Development and Rabobank to double the amount of credit it provides to the agricultural industry over the next two years. USAID will guarantee as much as 50% of loans provided by Ecobank to Nigerian farmers and processors, Mojisola Oguntoyinbo, the head of agricultural business at Ecobank’s Nigerian unit, said by phone from Lagos. Separately, Netherlands-based Rabobank will help provide cheaper lines of…

ADDIS ABABA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Ethiopia plans to start building Africa’s largest airport at $5 billion within six months and continue the ascendancy of its national carrier, the most profitable on the continent. The new airport, 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) from the existing Bole International Airport in the capital Addis Ababa, will be able to handle as many as 100 million passengers yearly, Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Tewolde GebreMariam told the state…

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Telkom SA SOC Ltd. is in talks with 3,000 of its employees over potential job cuts as the South African carrier contends with falling sales in its landline business and a weak local economy. The former monopoly, which has more than 15,000 staff, started the consultation process with labor unions “to restructure our business for future competitiveness,” Pretoria-based Telkom said in an email. It is experiencing “declining performances in fixed voice, which…

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Vodacom Group Ltd. is in talks with Cell C Pty Ltd. about taking on the smaller rival’s contract-paying mobile-phone customers, a move that would strengthen its position as South Africa’s telecom market leader, according to people familiar with the matter. The unit of the U.K.’s Vodafone Group Plc would gain just over 1 million high-paying subscribers from the deal, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the discussions are…

NEW YORK (Capital Markets in Africa) – China came under greater international pressure to reduce industrial subsidies after the U.S., Europe and Japan agreed to push for stronger World Trade Organization rules against market-distorting government aid. The top trade officials of the U.S., the European Union, and Japan struck a deal on Tuesday in Washington to expand the kinds of subsidies prohibited by the WTO. The announcement came on the eve of a planned signing ceremony…

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – Manchester United risks losing its position as England’s top-earning soccer club as a string of management missteps and sub-par performances left it shut out of Europe’s most lucrative competition. After failing to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the second time in four seasons, the struggling team has forecast annual revenue will slide as much as 11% from the previous year. That may put it behind Manchester City and Liverpool FC this year,…