AGP Executive Report

Fintech Expansion: MTN is exploring banking licences in selected African markets to grow lending using deposits from its mobile-money “floats,” while also investing in AI-enabled data centres in South Africa and Nigeria. Mobile Money Modernisation: Ericsson and MTN Group Fintech have migrated MTN MoMo to cloud-native infrastructure in Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda and Uganda, cutting processing overhead and speeding up API responses; similar work is underway in Cameroon and discussions include Benin, Republic of the Congo and Zambia. Ebola Tech & Health Response: Congo’s Ebola outbreak has reached 5,515 lab-confirmed cases and 2,642 deaths, with 317 deaths reported in the past week; WHO says Congo will receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, including 20,000 for a Phase 3 trial. Digital Work Signals: A Remitly study using LinkedIn listings finds the Republic of the Congo among Africa’s top remote-work markets (95.4%), while South Africa ranks lowest (17.6%). Agroecology & Climate Resilience: Yaounde hosted a 15-nation summit on agroecological transformation across the Congo Basin, focusing on food security and biodiversity under worsening droughts and flooding.

Ebola Response: Eastern Congo’s Ebola outbreak keeps accelerating, with government data putting confirmed cases at 5,515 and deaths at 2,642, including 317 deaths in the last week; health workers say the real scale may be up to three times higher as transmission continues beyond monitored contacts. Vaccine Boost: WHO and partners are sending 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine to Congo, including 20,000 for a Phase 3 trial aimed at the current Bundibugyo virus outbreak and 50,000 for frontline and health workers. Mobile Money Modernization: MTN Group Fintech and Ericsson have migrated MoMo to cloud-native infrastructure in Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda, and Uganda, cutting CPU overhead and database load by up to 86% and speeding up API responses by as much as 80%, with plans to expand the same transformation to Cameroon and discussions underway for Benin, Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. Climate & Conservation Research: A new ethnographic study from the Lac Télé Community Reserve highlights how floodwaters and seasons vary sharply across villages, stressing that site-specific local knowledge should shape Congo Basin conservation and climate policy.

Ebola Response in Congo: Eastern Congo’s Ebola outbreak keeps surging, with lab-confirmed cases reaching 5,515 and deaths at 2,642; the health ministry reports 317 deaths in the last week, while experts warn the real toll could be up to 3x higher due to spread before confirmation. Vaccine Boost: WHO and partners say Congo will receive 70,000 doses of Ervebo, with 20,000 earmarked for a Phase 3 trial related to the current Bundibugyo virus outbreak and 50,000 for frontline and health workers. Mobile Money Modernization: MTN Group Fintech and Ericsson completed a cloud-native migration of MoMo in Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda, and Uganda, cutting CPU overhead and database load by up to 86% and speeding some API responses by up to 80%—with similar work planned for Cameroon and discussions for Benin, Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. Digital Media Growth: Equator Voice Africa expands its digital journalism footprint, building a pan-African tech, business, health, and culture hub from Kampala.

Ebola Response in Eastern Congo: Congo’s Ebola outbreak keeps accelerating, with government data saying 317 deaths in the past week and 5,514 cases and 2,642 deaths as of Saturday; experts warn the real scale could be up to three times higher, with many infections found outside monitored contacts and fatality rates rising sharply in hard-to-reach areas. Vaccine Supply Boost: WHO and partners say Congo will receive 70,000 doses of Merck’s Ervebo, including 20,000 for a Phase 3 trial and 50,000 for frontline and health workers, as officials push vaccination alongside surveillance and case management. Health Tech Research: A US-led team reports a protective antibody target against Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, a step that could speed up antibody-based protection where vaccines and treatments are limited. Digital Finance Infrastructure: MTN Group Fintech and Ericsson completed migration of MoMo to cloud-native systems in Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda and Uganda, cutting processing overhead and speeding API responses—while plans expand to more markets, including discussions involving the Republic of the Congo.

Ebola Response: Congo’s Ebola outbreak keeps accelerating, with laboratory-confirmed cases now at 5,515 and deaths at 2,642 as the Ministry of Health reports 51 new cases in a day—health teams are also tracking 85.5% of contacts. Vaccine Boost: WHO and partners say Congo will receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, including 20,000 for a Phase 3 trial aimed at the current Bundibugyo strain, plus 50,000 for frontline workers. Mobile Money Modernization: MTN Group Fintech and Ericsson have migrated MoMo to cloud-native infrastructure in Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda and Uganda, cutting CPU overhead and database load by up to 86% and speeding up API responses by as much as 80%, with plans to extend the work to Cameroon and discuss expansion to Benin, Republic of the Congo and Zambia.

Ebola Response: WHO says the Republic of the Congo will receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, with 20,000 earmarked for a Phase 3 trial and 50,000 for frontline health workers, as the outbreak driven by Bundibugyo virus keeps accelerating. Public Health Updates: WHO also reports polio type 2 transmission has been interrupted in five African countries, including the Republic of the Congo, after targeted vaccination, investigations, and expanded environmental surveillance. Mobile Money Modernization: Ericsson and MTN Group Fintech completed a cloud-native migration of MTN MoMo in markets including Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda and Eswatini, and say the same transformation path is being planned for Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo. Digital Media Expansion: Equator Voice Africa says it is expanding its digital journalism footprint, adding more coverage across tech, business, health, education, and culture from its Kampala base. Tech & Energy Infrastructure: Energy Conference Network announced a Brazzaville summit focused on CEMAC data centers, energy and AI infrastructure, aiming to connect regulators, telecoms, cloud providers and investors building the region’s digital backbone.

Ebola Response: WHO says Congo will receive 70,000 doses of Merck’s Ervebo vaccine to help curb the fastest Ebola outbreak in history, including 20,000 doses for a Phase 3 trial and 50,000 for frontline health workers. Digital Finance Upgrade: Ericsson and MTN Group Fintech completed a cloud-native migration of MTN MoMo in several markets, boosting performance (up to 80% faster API response) and paving the way for expansion to Cameroon and plans for Benin and the Republic of the Congo. Public Health Milestone: WHO reports poliovirus type 2 transmission has been interrupted in Burundi, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of the Congo, and Uganda after targeted vaccination, investigations, and expanded environmental surveillance. Media & Tech Cooperation: The 7th China-Africa Media Cooperation Forum in Beijing highlighted tech-empowered content and AI use in broadcasting, with African delegates praising Chinese equipment support for modernization. Community Tech & Infrastructure: Energy Conference Network announced a Brazzaville summit on data centers, energy and AI infrastructure, aiming to connect regulators, operators, and developers building CEMAC’s digital backbone. Local Tech Governance: A report on King County’s ICE response includes community-driven recommendations—relevant for how local institutions handle sensitive tech-linked enforcement.

Ebola Response: WHO says Congo will receive 70,000 doses of Merck’s Ervebo vaccine to help contain the fastest Ebola outbreak in history, including 20,000 doses for a Phase 3 trial and 50,000 for frontline health workers, as cases and deaths keep rising in eastern provinces. Public Health Milestone: WHO also confirmed polio type 2 outbreaks are closed in five African countries, including the Republic of the Congo, after assessments using surveillance, lab and epidemiological data. Digital Infrastructure & Finance: Ericsson and MTN Group Fintech have migrated MTN MoMo to a cloud-native system across markets like Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda and Eswatini, with expansion plans that include Cameroon and discussions to bring the Republic of the Congo onto the same modernization path. Media & Tech Capacity: Equator Voice Africa says it’s expanding its digital journalism footprint from Kampala, adding more tech, business and culture coverage for a wider Pan-African audience. Research & Environment: New mapping research suggests Angola’s Highlands Water Tower holds more peatland than previously thought, with implications for carbon storage and conservation.

Ebola Response Boost: WHO and partners say the Republic of the Congo will receive 70,000 doses of Merck’s Ervebo vaccine to help contain the fastest Ebola outbreak in history, with 20,000 doses earmarked for a Phase 3 trial and 50,000 for frontline health workers. Public Health Watch: WHO also confirmed polio type 2 transmission has been interrupted in five African countries, including the Republic of the Congo, after targeted vaccination and expanded environmental surveillance. Mobile Money Modernization: Ericsson and MTN Group Fintech completed migration of MTN MoMo to a cloud-native system across markets including Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda and Eswatini, and are now looking at expanding the same transformation path to Cameroon and discussions for Benin and the Republic of the Congo. Digital Media Expansion: Equator Voice Africa says it’s growing its digital journalism footprint from Kampala, adding more coverage across politics, business, tech, culture and health for pan-African audiences. Tech & Infrastructure in CEMAC: Energy Conference Network announced an inaugural CEMAC Data Center, Energy & AI Infrastructure Summit in Brazzaville, focused on sovereign data infrastructure, cloud readiness, cybersecurity and sustainable power for data centers.

Ebola Response Boost: WHO and partners say Congo will receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, including 20,000 for a Phase 3 trial and 50,000 for frontline health workers, as the outbreak driven by Bundibugyo virus keeps accelerating. Mobile Money Modernization: Ericsson and MTN Group Fintech have migrated MTN MoMo to a cloud-native setup across markets like Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda and Eswatini, cutting API response times by up to 80% and paving the way for expansion to Cameroon and talks for Benin and the Republic of Congo. Digital Media Expansion: Equator Voice Africa says it’s growing its editorial footprint from Kampala, adding more tech, business and culture coverage for Pan-African audiences. Ocean Science for Congo: Researchers tracked a long-lived Congo River water whirlpool for 49 days, showing how freshwater can travel about 124 miles offshore—useful for understanding coastal impacts. Energy & AI Infrastructure: A new ECN summit in Brazzaville will focus on building CEMAC data-center and AI-ready power and cloud infrastructure, with cybersecurity and financing on the agenda.

Ebola Response: WHO and partners say Congo will receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, including 20,000 for a Phase 3 trial and 50,000 for frontline health workers, as the Bundibugyo outbreak keeps accelerating. Mobile Money Modernization: Ericsson and MTN Group Fintech completed the MoMo Evolved Migration on cloud-native architecture across several African markets, with plans to extend the transformation to Cameroon and discussions to include Benin and the Republic of Congo. Digital Media Growth: Equator Voice Africa says it’s expanding its pan-African digital journalism footprint from Kampala, adding more local desks and community submission channels. AI Debate: The “AI Resist List” was launched to document grassroots opposition to large-scale AI rollouts, pushing back on the idea that deployment is inevitable. Tech & Energy Infrastructure: Energy Conference Network announced a Brazzaville summit on data centers, energy and AI infrastructure, aiming to connect regulators, telecoms, cloud providers and investors. Public Health Update: WHO also reported closure of poliovirus type 2 outbreaks in five African countries, including the Republic of Congo.

Ebola Response Boost: WHO and partners say Congo will receive 70,000 doses of Ervebo to help contain the fastest Ebola outbreak in history, with 20,000 doses earmarked for a Phase 3 trial and 50,000 for frontline health workers. Public Health Update: The outbreak is already among the deadliest on record, with thousands of confirmed cases and deaths reported across eastern provinces, as vaccination and surveillance ramp up. Polio Milestone: WHO confirms poliovirus type 2 transmission has been interrupted in five African countries, including the Republic of Congo, after targeted vaccination and expanded environmental monitoring. Digital Infrastructure & AI: African delegates at a China-Africa media forum gave a thumbs-up to efforts to narrow the digital divide, highlighting AI use in broadcasting and tech support for media modernization. Tech & Energy Planning: A new CEMAC Data Center, Energy & AI Infrastructure Summit is set for Brazzaville, focusing on sovereign data infrastructure, cybersecurity, and sustainable power for data centers. Community Tech Governance: In a separate policy story, a King County oversight office issued community-driven recommendations aimed at how local authorities respond when federal immigration enforcement happens in schools and workplaces.

Ebola Response: Congo is set to receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, with 20,000 earmarked for a Phase 3 trial and 50,000 for front-line health workers, as the outbreak—driven by Bundibugyo virus—keeps accelerating and is already described as the fastest in history. Public Health Watch: WHO says polio type 2 outbreaks have been closed in Burundi, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of Congo, and Uganda after targeted vaccination, investigations, and expanded environmental surveillance. Digital Infrastructure & Data Centers: Energy Conference Network announced the CEMAC Data Center, Energy & AI Infrastructure Summit in Brazzaville (Oct 20–22, 2026), aiming to connect regulators, telecom operators, cloud and data center developers, and financiers around sovereign data, AI-ready power, fiber, and cybersecurity. Local Tech & Business: Optasia’s recent market update highlights continued growth in micro-financing and airtime credit services, including performance in Congo-Brazzaville. Science in Motion: Researchers tracked a massive Congo River ocean whirlpool for 49 days, showing how low-salinity river water can travel about 124 miles offshore and reshape Atlantic coastal-to-open-ocean mixing. Community & Skills: A new wave of African student study pathways in Russia is being promoted, including special admission projects and remote selection routes.

Digital Infrastructure: Energy Conference Network announced two inaugural summits—CEMAC Data Center, Energy & AI Infrastructure Summit in Brazzaville (Oct 20–22, 2026) and Digitalisation and AI in Energy West Africa in Lagos—aimed at sovereign data centers, fiber connectivity, cybersecurity, and financing frameworks. Public Health: Congo’s Ebola outbreak has surged past 5,000 confirmed cases, with Bundibugyo virus driving a record deadliness; WHO warns it could eventually outpace the 2014–2016 West Africa crisis. Maritime Governance: China is reportedly refusing to sign the Mombasa Declaration on illegal fishing, despite Congo and other African states backing it—raising pressure for digital vessel tracking, unique identifiers, and better enforcement. Environment & Research: Scientists tracked a massive ocean whirlpool that carried Congo River freshwater about 124 miles offshore for 49 days, reshaping how coastal waters mix with the open Atlantic. Food Systems: Liberia’s Food Authority launched its 2026–2030 strategic plan with EU support to strengthen food safety and public health controls. AI for Languages: LINGUA Africa selected 26 projects across 50+ African languages, funding health-focused language tech with compute credits and cash.

Ebola Update: Congo’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has surged past 5,000 confirmed cases, with deaths rising to 2,378 and WHO warning it could eventually outpace the 2014–2016 West Africa disaster. Public Health Pressure: A separate report says the outbreak is now the deadliest in Congo’s history, with fatality rates climbing to about 46% and new infections still being detected. Aid Worker Safety: The UN marked World Humanitarian Day by lamenting 350 aid workers killed worldwide in 2025, calling attacks on humanitarians “unacceptable.” Illegal Fishing Crackdown: China refused to sign the Mombasa Declaration on illegal fishing, even as Congo and other African states backed it—aiming for better vessel tracking, licensing transparency, and unique identifiers. Ocean Science: Researchers tracked a long-lived Congo River eddy for 49 days, showing freshwater can travel about 124 miles offshore and reshape coastal-to-open-ocean mixing. AI for Languages: LINGUA Africa selected 26 projects across 50+ African languages, with healthcare-focused language tech getting major support. Deep-Sea Mining: The Republic of the Congo joined a precautionary pause on deep-sea mining, citing science gaps and governance concerns.

Ebola Update: Congo’s Ebola outbreak has surged to become the deadliest on record, with deaths now above 2,000 and cases climbing fast as the virus spreads into new areas. Ocean & Climate Tech: A satellite-backed study finds tropical forests—from the Amazon to the Congo Basin—respond differently to heat and drought, meaning one “carbon rule” can’t fit all. Biotech Materials: Researchers report a jellyfish-associated bacterium that can rapidly produce a biodegradable polymer, pointing to faster, greener bioplastic options. Deep-Sea Mining Policy: Three more African countries, including the Republic of the Congo, back a precautionary pause on deep-seabed mining due to major science and governance gaps. Food Safety Planning: Liberia’s Food Authority launches a 2026–2030 strategic plan with EU support to strengthen food safety systems. Local Tech & Connectivity: Aviation demand is rising across Africa, and new route planning is highlighted as the key to unlocking more nonstop city pairs.