African Business English Edition – June 2026

Summary

How African development is taking to the skies — drones are playing increasingly vital roles from agriculture to healthcare in African Business's June 2026 issue (60th Year, N 534). The 16-page Africa's Best Brands 2026 special report reveals the top 100 most admired brands. The DRC special report covers mining reform as critical minerals take centre stage. An Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda has killed 233 people as of May 26.

The cover story at P12 examines drone applications across healthcare delivery, precision agriculture and infrastructure inspection. The Africa's Best Brands 2026 report (P28-P42) ranks the continent's most admired brands and inducts the Brand Africa Hall of Fame Class of 2026. The DRC country report (P46-P56) covers mining reform, the Lobito Corridor, infrastructure gaps, cybersecurity and a profile of musician Koffi Olomide. Business Intelligence reports an Ebola outbreak with 906 suspected cases and 223 deaths in the DRC, plus 7 confirmed cases in Uganda. Cooking gas prices surged 90% in East Africa and 70% in West Africa due to the Strait of Hormuz closure.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story

P12 · Drones for Development
How drones are playing increasingly vital roles across Africa, from agricultural monitoring and crop spraying to medical supply delivery and infrastructure inspection. The piece covers specific use cases in Rwanda, Ghana and Kenya with measurable outcomes.

▸ Africa's Best Brands 2026

P28 · Loyal Subjects, Foreign Kings
Analysis of why foreign brands continue to dominate Africa's most-admired rankings even as African brands recover.

P32 · Most Admired Brands in Africa: The Top 100
The complete ranking of Africa's top 100 brands by country and category, with year-on-year movement data.

P42 · Brand Africa Hall of Fame: Class of 2026
Inductees recognised for brand-building excellence and pan-African impact.

▸ Business Intelligence

Ebola Outbreak in DRC and Uganda
WHO declares a public health emergency of international concern. As of May 26: DRC 906 suspected cases, 223 deaths; Uganda 7 confirmed cases, 1 death. No approved therapies exist for the Bundibugyo virus.

Cooking Gas Prices Surge
LPG import costs surged 90% in East Africa and 70% in West Africa after the Strait of Hormuz closure. One in eight households have seen LPG spending consume at least an additional 10% of income. Energy-policy analysts should model similar price-shock scenarios for other imported commodities.

East African Countries Plan Regional Satellite Launch
Ministers from Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda agreed to fund a feasibility study for the Northern Corridor Regional Communication and Broadcasting Satellite Initiative. Around 65 satellites have been launched by African countries to date versus 3,700 by US entities in 2025.

African Space Economy Reaches USD 25 Billion
Government allocations to space reached USD 828 million — a 32% increase from 2025. The African Space Agency was inaugurated last year with headquarters in Cairo.

UNECA Economist Slams EU Carbon Border Plan
UNECA's Hanan Morsy criticises CBAM at the AfDB annual meetings: "We were not part of how this was designed — we were neither consulted, engaged, nor offered a say."

▸ Country Report: DRC

P46 · DRC Plans Mining Reform
Critical minerals strategy as global demand for cobalt, lithium and rare earths intensifies.

P50 · Lobito Corridor Leads Transport Agenda
The rail corridor connecting the DRC to Angola's Atlantic port gains strategic importance.

P54 · Cybersecurity in Demand as DRC Comes Online
Digital infrastructure expansion creates new vulnerabilities and business opportunities.

P56 · Meeting Koffi Olomide
The Congolese musician's story as a cultural and business force.

▸ Features

P60 · Which African Economies Are Positioned for Sustained Growth?
A data-driven ranking of African economies by growth resilience, institutional quality and demographic trends.

P76 · Global Airlines Scheme to Boost Demand for African Carbon Credits
CORSIA's late-2027 compliance deadline creates a new revenue stream for African carbon projects.

P92 · Kenya Ramps Up Electricity Imports From Ethiopia
Kenya increases power purchases from Ethiopia's hydroelectric generation to address domestic supply gaps.

P104 · Not Lost in Translation: Training AI to Speak African Languages
The technical and commercial challenges of developing AI language models for African languages.

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Editor's Take

The drone cover story delivers on its promise with specific use cases and measurable impact data. The Africa's Best Brands 100 ranking is the issue's most referenceable asset — brand managers across the continent will cite it for the next 12 months. The DRC country report is the deepest editorial package in the issue, with five articles covering mining, infrastructure, cybersecurity and culture. The Ebola coverage is responsible but grim. The weakest element is the space-economy story, which assembles interesting data points without connecting them to a coherent thesis. Best for brand managers, DRC investors and anyone tracking African carbon markets.

Strengths
• Africa's Best Brands ranking is the most referenced African brand dataset
• DRC country report is deep (five articles) and timely
• Drone applications piece has specific, measurable outcomes

Weaknesses
• Space-economy story lacks a coherent thesis
• Ebola coverage is factual but offers no analytical framework

Verdict: Recommended — Buy for the Brands 100 ranking and DRC mining coverage.