Nanyang Technological University published on 6 July 2026 an article titled "Assessing Ethiopia's Economic Reform and Outlook" by Rafiq Raji.
Ethiopia's economic growth since 2022 has averaged about 8.5 percent and is projected to maintain that rate at least until 2030, assuming there are no catastrophic events such as a war in Tigray region or with Eritrea. Inflation is trending down and Ethiopia has restructured its significant level of debt. The country's exports are doing well.
Defence Worlds blog posted on 22 January 2026 an article titled "South African Firm's Attempt to Sell P-8A Poseidon-style Simulators to China Raises Serious Strategic and Export Control Concerns."
A South African aviation training company attempted to export maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare simulators modeled on the Boeing P-8A Poseidon to China. The U.S. Department of Justice has taken legal action to stop the indirect transfer of sensitive technology. The transfer has significant implications for India, which is one of the largest operators of the P-81 Neptune, a variant of the P-8A.
Singapore's Chinese-language daily, Lianhe Zaobao, published on 30 November 2025 an article titled "Africa's Resource Battle: Has the China-US Contest Already Been Decided?" by Shen Yue. The article reports comments by Amit Jain, Director of the Nanyang Technical University-Singapore Business Federation, (NTU-SBF) Centre for African Studies. NTU-SBF provided an English-language translation of the article.
The author increasingly sees China as taking the lead over the United States in Africa with critical minerals as the main attraction for both countries. China is by far the largest trading partner with Africa, albeit heavily Chinese exports to the continent, while US trade with Africa has fallen sharply since its peak in 2009. Foreign direct investment (FDI) from China and the US varies from year to year but in 2024 Chinese FDI in Africa totaled $3.4 billion while the US figure was a negative $2 billion due to disinvestment. The US dollar is still the major currency in trade transactions, but the use of Chinese yuan is growing each year.
Daily Caller News Foundation published on 4 November 2025 an article titled "It's Time to Wake Up--China Is Taking Over Africa but It's Not Too Late" by Jacob Choe, Eurasia Center's Asia Program director, and James Carter, Navigators Global.
China is engaging in proxy investment through Dubai, Hong Kong, Mauritius, and Singapore in order to obscure its investing footprint in Africa. There is no coordinated US effort to track Chinese proxy flows. The authors call for creation of a US-Africa transparency task force to monitor these flows.
The Stimson Center's South Asian Voices published on 31 May 2023 an analysis titled "India's Evolving Maritime Strategy" by Allah Nawaz.
India has moved from a policy of "using" Indian Ocean waters to "securing" them. China's rise and increased interference in India's perceived sphere of influence pushed New Delhi to modify its strategy in the Indian Ocean. In response to China's "string of pearls" theory, India is pursuing a "necklace of diamonds" approach.
S&P Global published on 21 April 2023 an article titled "Priced Out by Russian Oil, African Producers Find New Customers Post-war."
West African crude producers, especially Nigeria, Angola, and Congo-Brazzaville, have been forced to find new markets for their oil since the Ukraine war because China and India are now buying cheap Russian crude. As a result, more West African crude is going to North America, Netherlands, Singapore, and the UK. Russia has become the top crude supplier to China and India. West African crude now accounts for only 9 percent of China's imported oil.
The Nanyang Technological University posted on 30 January 2023 a 30 minute podcast on its Singapore-Africa Conversation titled "State Intervention and Industrialisation of Ethiopia" with Arkebe Oqubay, former special adviser to the Ethiopian prime minister.
Oqubay explained that Ethiopia is following the East Asian (China, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, South Korea) model of economic development. He said the "Washington consensus" model is not appropriate for Ethiopia. Oqubay discussed the role of state intervention in an economy where the private sector is the primary actor. Ethiopia's most important economic advantage is its demography, especially its young population and investment in skills training.
Comment: This is a highly positive conversation. There was no mention, for example, of the impact of conflict on the Ethiopian economy.
The Associated Press published on 24 January 2023 an article titled "Nigeria Bets on Chinese-funded Port to Drive Economic Growth" by Chinedu Asadu.
Nigeria just opened one of the largest ports in West Africa. State-owned China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) build the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Sea Port with a loan provided by China. Singapore-based Tolaram Group and CHEC now own 75 percent of the project.
Comment: Most Chinese infrastructure projects in Africa involve financing often at commercial rates and construction by a Chinese company, but no equity investment. The Lekki port project is different because it includes a significant equity investment by a Chinese company.
