The East African has published a detailed list of trends for Africa in the coming year and beyond. The highlights include:
Oil: Recent discoveries of oil, including many from last year, carry the promise of great wealth, but also give rise to territorial disputes, including those between Malawi and Tanzania over resources in Lake Malawi, between Kenya and Somalia over offshore oil discoveries, and between Sudan, South Sudan and Kenya over oil-resource-affected borders.
Mobile money: Kenya’s pioneering efforts in mobile payment systems continue to spread to other countries in Africa.
Urbanisation: The populations of African cities are rapidly increasing, although Africa continues to be the least urbanised continent.
Green energy: Renewable energy projects are booming in Africa, with substantial solar energy installations, and a large wind farm and geothermal wells under construction in Kenya.
Economic growth: In the past year the economies of sub-Saharan Africa have grown by an overall amount of 5%, high inflation rates have been brought under control, and trade with China has grown by just over 20%. A similar level of economic growth is expected for 2013, although current account deficits and government budget deficits are high.