28, Feb 2026
Decentralization and rising non‑metro demand are reshaping India’s retail sector
Multi‑party data and hyperlocal playbooks as key market differentiators, reveals a report by ClarityX and Mastercard, co-powered by MapmyIndia data
New Delhi, India, Feb 28: Decentralization of demand and rapid premiumization are accelerating India’s retail transformation, according to a new report published by ClarityX, an AI-driven data analytics and consulting firm supported by MapmyIndia founders and Mastercard. The report, “Winning in India’s Retail Sector–Harnessing Next‑Gen Analytics to Drive Transformative Growth”, leverages MapmyIndia data and examines demand and supply trends from 2023–2025 and highlights how multi-party data and hyperlocal decision-making are becoming essential in an increasingly diverse retail landscape.
“The ClarityX Mastercard India Retail report highlights how the 2Hs (Highways and Highstreets) are emerging as the new demand engines and the 3Fs (Fuel, Food and Fashion) are driving tier 3- 5 towns to grow twice as fast as their metro peers. The seeping of retail demand and its premiumization at lower demographics are strong markers of democratisation of purchasing power and inclusive economic growth. The evolution of AI-enabled retail intelligence is bringing together multi-party datasets that identify high‑potential geographies, shifting consumer demand and enabling precision-led expansion strategies,”said Rakhi Prasad, Co-founder, ClarityX and Non-executive Director, CE Info Systems Ltd (MapmyIndia Mappls)
“India offers extraordinary growth potential for retailers, but real success lies in understanding how consumer behaviour is evolving. Aggregated and anonymized payments data can tell us who customers are, how they shop and what they value. When this is combined with traffic patterns, POI (point of interest) intelligence and search analytics, it creates a powerful, holistic view of the market. The retailers who turn this intelligence into decisive action will be the ones who lead,” said Rajesh Chopra, Senior Vice President & Head, Advisors, South Asia at Mastercard.
Non-metro India powering the next phase of growth
Tier 3–5 cities are growing almost twice as fast as metros, driven by higher disposable incomes, rising aspirations and a lower starting consumption base. Categories from dining to apparel are seeing clear trading‑up behaviour, but the meaning of ‘premium’ varies sharply by geography—making hyperlocal product assortments increasingly important as mass‑premium offerings lose relevance.
With Tier 1–2 markets approaching saturation, highway and high‑street retail corridors (2H) are emerging as new demand engines. Fuel and food consumption along these routes indicate rising footfall, first‑time brand adoption and the formation of new retail hubs. Future growth will depend on category mix, micro-marketing and the ability to understand consumers at a highly granular level.
Brands that can tailor their product, pricing, promotion and distribution strategies to local nuances will lead India’s next retail chapter.
Key findings from the ClarityX–Mastercard Retail Report
- Offline consumer spends grew 20% between 2023–25, while retail outlets expanded 25% in the same period.
- Electronics, durables and jewellery are still in early growth phases, while footwear has reached maturity across Tier 1–5; F&B and apparel are now nearing maturity.
- Grocery spending rose 74% nationally, but growth was uneven—32% in Tier 1–2 vs 104% in Tier 3–5 cities.
- Premiumization varies by income, exposure and city tier—making it a relative, not universal concept.
- Spending above Rs 25,000 saw the highest growth across categories, indicating unprecedented up‑trading.
- Among organized retail categories, F&B grew the fastest at 89% over three years.
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- By Neel Achary
28, Feb 2026
YBE Nails Lashes Brows Opens in Chennai, Bringing International Nail, Lash and Brow Techniques to India’s Urban Youth Market
Feb 28: YBE Nails Lashes Brows, a specialised salon concept focused exclusively on nail, lash and brow services, is launched by Tip and Toe Salon, pioneers in the nails, lash and brow salon industry, with its first outlet in Chennai. The brand enters the market as a positioned alternative to both premium salons and unorganised budget setups – offering professionally delivered services at accessible price points, within a compact, design-forward format built for the urban youth demographic.
The Chennai outlet spans approximately 400 sq. ft. and is configured with four nail stations, three pedicure loungers, a dedicated lash and brow zone, and a digital-first booking and payment infrastructure supporting UPI and card transactions. The space has been designed to reflect the brand’s aesthetic identity – minimal, modern interiors with a beige-chrome palette – while maintaining operational efficiency. Critically, every service on the menu is designed to be completed within 60 minutes, a deliberate operational commitment that sets YBE apart from conventional salons and directly addresses the time constraints of its core clientele: working professionals and college students who expect quality without the wait.
YBE‘s service offering spans three categories. The nails menu includes gel polish applications – among them Cat Eye and Nail Art formats – Gel X systems, manicures, and pedicures. Lash services cover Classic, Hybrid, and Volume extensions, as well as lash lifting. The brow bar offers lamination, tinting, and shaping. A number of these treatments, including Gel X application, advanced nail art techniques, lash lifting, and brow lamination, are not widely available in a standalone salon format in Chennai, positioning YBE as an early entrant in the city’s organised beauty bar segment. All techniques are drawn from international markets and delivered by a team trained by professionals from TIP&TOE, with senior technicians overseeing quality and consistency at the outlet.
The brand’s pricing model is designed to bridge the gap between premium and budget offerings. Gel polish and mani-pedi services are priced at accessible rates for the target demographic, lash services are competitively positioned against premium salons, and introductory offers are available at launch.
Chennai was identified as the first location on the basis of its rapidly growing urban youth population – college students, young working professionals, and content creators – and the relative absence of organised, specialised beauty bar formats in the city. YBE is structured as a scalable, franchise-ready model, with expansion planned across metro and Tier 1 cities including Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad, and subsequent rollout into Tier 2 markets.
“YBE has been built to address a clear gap in the Indian beauty market – a focused, process-driven format that delivers international-standard services at a price point accessible to the Gen Z and young professional consumer. Chennai is the right starting point, and we are committed to building a consistent, quality-led experience as we scale.” – says Manisha Surave, South Zonal Operation Head, Grey Trendy Professional Pvt Ltd.
YBE Nails Lashes Brows now welcomes appointments at its Chennai outlet.
Address of Salon: 2nd floor, 46, Besant Ave Rd, URUR, ADYAR, CHENNAI, TN-600020
28, Feb 2026
Triveni Kala Sangam Marks 75 Years with Grand Heritage Festival Celebrating India’s Living Cultural Legacy
New Delhi, Feb 28: Triveni’s journey began in two rented rooms in Connaught Place and culminated in the iconic landmark building at Mandi House. The country’s treasured epicentre of the arts, Triveni Kala Sangam, today inaugurated its landmark 75th anniversary festival, celebrating seven and a half decades of artistic excellence, education and cultural openness in the heart of Delhi. Since its inception in 1950, the institution, built almost single-handedly by Late Smt. Sundari K. Shridharani through sheer grit and perseverance, has nurtured generations of artists, performers and teachers across disciplines, supporting over ten thousand individuals with platforms, audiences and students, and contributing significantly to India’s modern artistic landscape.
Running from 27 February to 15 March 2026, the commemorative festival is anchored by the exhibition From Two Rooms… to a Landmark, presenting rare photographs, documents and narratives from Triveni’s founding decades and its evolution within Delhi’s post-Independence cultural milieu. The wider programme features performances by eminent practitioners, artist interactions, craft showcases and public events reaffirming Triveni’s long-standing commitment to emerging artists and cross-disciplinary exchange. Highlights include the theatre conversation The Importance of Being Triveni, featuring renowned director and educator Feisal Alkazi in dialogue with journalist Mandira Nayar, and Working with Stein – The Inside Story, where architects Sudhish Mohindroo and Meena Mani will revisit their formative years with the legendary Joseph Allen Stein and reflect on the making of landmark cultural institutions including the Triveni campus.
Another feature is the revival of Triveni’s historic café legacy through a limited Heritage Menu (23 February-15 March), recalling the Tea Terrace of the 1960s, when artists, writers and students shared tables with modern masters such as M. F. Husain, Krishen Khanna, Vivan Sundaram, Raghu Rai and Tyeb Mehta; dancers including Hema Malini, Indrani Rahman, Birju Maharaj, Narendra Sharma and Yamini Krishnamurthy; musicians such as sitar maestro Ravi Shankar and his disciple Pt. Uma Shankar Mishra, Pt. Jasraj, Pt. Amarnath and Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia; and theatre figures from the National School of Drama including Ebrahim Alkazi, Sheela Bhatia, Anuradha Kapoor, Om Shiv Puri, Om Puri, Habib Tanveer and Naseeruddin Shah, shaping India’s modern cultural imagination in an open, democratic space for dialogue and practice.
Inaugurating the anniversary programme, Amar Shridharani, Honorary General Secretary, Triveni Kala Sangam, said, “Seventy-five years is evidence of continuity. Triveni Kala Sangam was conceived as a complete cultural ecosystem where disciplines meet and influence one another. Over these decades, the institution has nurtured and supported more than 10,000 artists, teachers and cultural professionals across disciplines. As we look to the next 25 years, our commitment remains the same: to sustain artistic freedom, keeping teaching at its core and preserving the classical forms of Indian dance and music, while expanding access through new technologies, digital archives and a renewed focus on interdisciplinary collaborations that carry this vision forward for future generations.”
The festival honours the visionary legacy of founder Late Smt. Sundari K. Shridharani, whose journey began with a young girl’s passion for rhythm in Karachi and grew into the vision of creating an open interdisciplinary space where visual arts, music, dance and theatre could coexist freely. In 1960, this vision found architectural expression in the modernist campus designed by Joseph Allen Stein, whose open courtyards and human-scale galleries continue to shape Triveni’s distinctive experience of art as part of everyday life.
Across 75 years, Triveni Kala Sangam has remained unique in its firm refusal of ticketing, private donations and commercialisation, principles sustained through decades of political, economic and cultural change in the Indian capital. Conceived as an open cultural campus rather than an exclusive venue, it has functioned as a democratic public space where emerging and established artists and audiences share the same courtyards, galleries and performances without hierarchy or barrier. This continuity of vision, offering access without privilege and art free from commodification, has shaped India’s modern artistic landscape while allowing Triveni to endure as one of Delhi’s rare living cultural commons. Over the decades, this open platform has welcomed and been enriched by eminent masters, including Odissi legend Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, dancer and choreographer Uday Shankar, maestros Yamini Krishnamurthy and Indrani Rahman, and theatre visionaries Habib Tanvir and Ebrahim Alkazi, reflecting its enduring role as a meeting ground of India’s leading artistic traditions. As it enters its next quarter century, Triveni continues to evolve while remaining rooted in its founding values of accessibility, artistic independence and shared cultural space.
The Triveni@75 festival is open to the public from 27 February to 15 March 2026 at Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi.
28, Feb 2026
Blue Jet Healthcare to Launch INR 2,300-Cr Pharma Plant in Andhra Pradesh
India’s Contrast Media Intermediates Major Blue Jet Healthcare to Break Ground Tomorrow on INR 2,300-Crore Mega Pharma Plant in Andhra Pradesh
Chandigarh, Feb 28: Blue Jet Healthcare Ltd, one of India’s leading manufacturers of contrast media intermediates used in medical imaging, will tomorrow break ground on a ₹2,300-crore greenfield pharmaceutical manufacturing facility at Rambilli Industrial Park in Anakapalli district, marking a significant scale-up of India’s specialty pharma and CDMO capabilities.
Spread across over 102 acres near Visakhapatnam, the project will create new production capacities for contrast media intermediates, high-intensity sweeteners and multipurpose chemistry units. The facility will be developed in phases and is targeted to become operational by FY2028–29.
From 1968 chemicals firm to global CDMO
Founded in 1968 as Jet Chemicals Private Limited, Blue Jet Healthcare has evolved into a science-led specialty pharmaceutical and healthcare ingredients company headquartered in Maharashtra.
Today, it operates as an integrated Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO), supplying advanced pharmaceutical intermediates, APIs, contrast media intermediates and high-intensity sweeteners to customers across India, Europe, the United States and other international markets. The company is recognised as one of India’s leading players in contrast media intermediates and an early pioneer of saccharin manufacturing in the country.
Over decades, it has built deep expertise in process chemistry, manufacturing scale-up and global regulatory-compliant production, positioning itself as a strategic supplier to multinational pharmaceutical companies.
Scale, sustainability and supply-chain depth
The Rambilli project entails an investment of approximately ₹2,300 crore and is expected to generate 1,750 direct jobs and 250 indirect jobs, significantly strengthening the industrial profile of the Visakhapatnam economic region.
Importantly, the facility will integrate an advanced Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) with marine discharge connectivity and incorporate Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) technologies. According to the company profile, this system is designed to enable a 70% reduction in energy consumption while recovering 90–95% of wastewater a critical factor as global pharma supply chains tighten ESG and compliance benchmarks.
The investment is expected to deepen India’s domestic manufacturing base in high-value specialty intermediates at a time when global pharmaceutical companies are increasingly diversifying supply chains beyond single geographies.
Leadership driving expansion
The company is led by Executive Chairman Akshay Bansarilal Arora, who has been associated with the business for over four decades and has served on the Board since 1983. With academic training in chemistry and extensive experience in specialty chemicals and pharma, he has been instrumental in transforming Blue Jet into a global supplier of contrast media intermediates and niche pharmaceutical products.
Managing Director Shiven Akshay Arora, who joined the Board in 2015, oversees expansion initiatives and global strategy, with a focus on modernization, innovation and Greenfield developments.
Andhra’s pharma cluster ambitions
For Andhra Pradesh, the ground breaking signals further momentum in its cluster-based industrial push, particularly in pharmaceuticals and bulk drugs. The Rambilli Industrial Park is being positioned as a hub for high-value chemical and pharma manufacturing along the eastern coast.
For Blue Jet Healthcare, the project represents a decisive step in scaling its global CDMO footprint reinforcing India’s ambition to move up the pharmaceutical value chain from generics to complex intermediates and specialty chemistry.
The coconut will be broken tomorrow, but strategically, this is a long-term bet on India’s chemistry, on global supply-chain realignment, and on specialty pharma scale from the eastern seaboard.
28, Feb 2026
Goa Tourism concludes successful participation at SATTE 2026 garnering strong industry response
Goa, Feb 28: Goa Tourism marked a strong and impactful conclusion to its participation at SATTE 2026 held at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, New Delhi. Following an encouraging opening grace by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Goa pavilion continued to attract significant footfall and sustained engagement from domestic and international buyers, tour operators, travel trade representatives, and industry leaders through the final day of the exhibition.
Over the three-day event, the Goa Tourism delegation comprised Shri Jayesh Kankonkar, Assistant Director (Tourism); Shri Deepak Narvekar, Deputy General Manager (Marketing), Goa Tourism Development Corporation; and Smt. Chitra Vengurlekar, Assistant Tourist Officer engaged in a series of productive B2B meetings and strategic discussions aimed at strengthening partnerships across key source markets. The interactions focused on experiential travel, spiritual and cultural circuits, hinterland exploration, wellness, adventure tourism, and year-round offerings aligned with the State’s Regenerative Tourism roadmap. The consistent response at the pavilion reflected growing confidence in Goa’s diversified and future-ready tourism ecosystem.
The Goa Pavilion also saw the active participation of around 82 co-exhibitors, including hoteliers, tour operators, and DMCs, who showcased their products and services alongside the State’s official delegation.
Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Shri Rohan A. Khaunte, stated, “Goa’s participation at SATTE 2026 reflects a continued commitment to positioning the State as a progressive, resilient, and year-round destination. The encouraging response from national stakeholders highlights the growing acceptance of the Regenerative Tourism approach, which places equal emphasis on community, culture, environment, and economic growth. The partnerships strengthened during this platform will further accelerate Goa’s journey towards sustainable and responsible tourism leadership.”
Director of Tourism, Shri Kedar Naik, remarked, “SATTE continues to serve as a significant platform for meaningful industry engagement. The strong interest shown in Goa’s evolving tourism model highlights the State’s growing appeal beyond conventional travel narratives and reinforces strategic outreach across key markets.”
Marking the successful showcase, Goa Tourism was presented with a Participation memento in recognition of its active presence at the exhibition. Throughout the exhibition, the Goa pavilion showcased a comprehensive portfolio of the State’s tourism offerings, highlighting heritage and spiritual tourism initiatives, festivals, adventure activities, wellness retreats, and immersive hinterland circuits.
A defining highlight of this year’s participation was the continued industry appreciation for Goa’s pioneering Regenerative Tourism model. Buyers and stakeholders acknowledged the State’s approach towards responsible tourism practices, improved governance mechanisms, and collaborative engagement with local communities.
As SATTE 2026 concluded, Goa Tourism’s dynamic presence reaffirmed its strategic focus on innovation, sustainability, and strengthened trade partnerships. The successful engagements and new alliances formed during the event are poised to further enhance Goa’s visibility and competitiveness across national and international tourism markets.
27, Feb 2026
ITC Windsor’s Raj Pavilion Presents “Holi Brunch 2026” – A Celebration of Colour, Flavours, and Festive Indulgence
Bengaluru, Feb 27: As the festival of colours approaches, Raj Pavilion at ITC Windsor invites guests to celebrate Holi with an exquisite brunch experience where festive vibrancy meets culinary sophistication. Scheduled for 4th March 2026 from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM, the event promises a memorable afternoon of flavours, colours, and joyous celebrations.
Guests will be welcomed with lively chaat counters featuring Crisp Kachori Chaat and Samosa Chaat, followed by refreshing salads such as Chicken Waldorf Salad and Thai Shrimp Mango Salad, and delicate dimsums adding an Asian touch to the festive spread.
The main course promises indulgence with Kashmiri Nadru Pulao, aromatic and soulfully spiced, paired with the royal Murgh Shahjahani, slow-simmered in a velvety gravy that brings a rich and decadent touch to the brunch.
The festive feast concludes with traditional sweets including Gujiya, Jalebi with Rabdi, and Gulab Jamun, perfectly complemented by chilled, aromatic Thandai to celebrate the spirit of Holi.
Raj Pavilion, ITC Windsor, offers the perfect setting for families and friends to gather in a vibrant yet elegant ambience, creating joyful memories over a thoughtfully curated Holi brunch.
Event Details:
Where: Raj Pavilion, ITC Windsor, Bengaluru
When: 4th March 2026
Timing: 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM
This Holi, indulge in colours, flavours, and festive cheer with ITC Windsor’s Raj Pavilion — where every bite is a celebration.
27, Feb 2026
Binance Launches INR 2 Crore Holi Community Campaign for Verified Indian Users
Feb 27: Binance, the world’s leading blockchain ecosystem and the largest digital asset exchange by trading volume and user base, is excited to announce a ₹2 crore in USDT community rewards campaign for its verified Indian users, ahead of the vibrant festival of Holi. This initiative is part of Binance’s continued commitment to strengthening engagement within India’s rapidly growing digital asset community.
The month-long campaign, themed #IndiaTurnsYellow – in the festive spirit of Holi, and inspired by Binance’s iconic yellow – will run from February 26 to March 25, 2026. It is exclusively open to users who have completed India-based KYC verification on the Binance platform.
Verified users can participate by inviting new users through a limited-time referral link. Upon successful registration, KYC verification, a minimum deposit equivalent to $5, and completion of qualifying transactions, both the inviter and invitee become eligible to unlock reward boxes. Each reward box contains USDT token vouchers valued between ₹300 and ₹1,200.
The total reward pool is ₹2 crore in USDT token vouchers, distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Each eligible participant can unlock up to 20 reward boxes during the campaign period.
In addition, users are invited to join an exciting week-long social challenge, featuring an additional prize pool of $10,000 in USDT. To participate, users simply need to follow Binance India’s official X and Instagram channels and engage with the social giveaways for a chance to win additional rewards.
Localizing Global Brand Engagement
This campaign exemplifies Binance’s approach to integrating global brand initiatives with India’s rich cultural calendar, aligning with the increasing interest in digital assets among Indian retail users. As India leads the global crypto adoption index, Binance remains committed to promoting safe and responsible adoption by offering comprehensive educational resources through Binance Academy, empowering users to become fully acquainted with digital assets before engaging in the crypto ecosystem.
Participation in the rewards campaign requires mandatory identity verification and is subject to predefined eligibility criteria and anti-abuse safeguards to ensure a fair experience for all participants.
Eligibility and Considerations
The campaign is open exclusively to verified Indian users, with certain trading pairs excluded as per the campaign’s terms. Rewards are issued as USDT token vouchers and credited to users’ accounts in accordance with the applicable terms and conditions.
Binance reminds users that digital asset trading involves market risk, and participants should carefully review platform policies and campaign details before joining.
27, Feb 2026
Verdant IMAP Advises Open Access Data Centres on South African Data Centre Acquisition
Johannesburg, South Africa, Feb 27: Verdant IMAP is pleased to announce that it has advised on the acquisition of a portfolio of South African data centre assets from NTT DATA, by Open Access Data Centres a subsidiary of WIOCC Group.
NTT operate global technology and digital infrastructure platforms, and the assets form part of their South African data centre operations.
The transaction comprises seven data centre facilities, strategically located in key centres across South Africa, forming an important platform within South Africa’s digital infrastructure ecosystem. The assets support enterprise, wholesale, and cloud connectivity requirements and represent critical infrastructure underpinning the country’s growing digital economy.
The acquisition strengthens WIOCC Group’s position as a multi-regional digital infrastructure provider, expanding its footprint in South Africa while complementing its broader pan-African and international network and connectivity assets. The transaction enhances the group’s ability to serve its diverse client group, which includes hyperscalers, CDNs, network operators, ISPs, and enterprise clients with scalable, resilient, and carrier-neutral data centre capacity across multiple markets.
The transaction reflects continued investment momentum in African digital infrastructure, underpinned by sustained growth in data consumption, cloud adoption, and increasing demand for neutral, carrier-dense data centre facilities in strategically located markets.
The transaction has received approval from the Competition Commission of South Africa.
Verdant IMAP acted as financial adviser to OADC (A WIOCC Group Company). The transaction involved navigating a highly complex and negotiated process, including the resolution of complex commercial, legal, and structural considerations. The transaction required extensive coordination across financial, commercial, legal, and operational workstreams over a prolonged negotiation period, reflecting the complexity typically associated with large-scale digital infrastructure transactions.
Verdant IMAP operates as part of the global IMAP platform, a long-established international investment banking network with a strong presence across major markets worldwide. IMAP forms an integral part of Verdant IMAP’s business, providing access to global sector expertise, international best practice, and cross-border perspective that underpins the firm’s advisory capabilities across complex transactions in digital infrastructure, telecoms, fintech, and technology-enabled sectors.
The transaction builds on Verdant IMAP’s growing digital infrastructure advisory franchise, reflecting the firm’s continued focus on data centres, fibre networks, telecoms, and technology-enabled infrastructure assets across Africa. Verdant IMAP continues to advise on some of the region’s most complex digital infrastructure transactions, supporting both strategic and financial clients across the investment lifecycle. The transaction is Verdant IMAP’s fourth completed transaction for WIOCC Group.
27, Feb 2026
African Development Bank Group and African Union renew push for visa-free travel to accelerate Africa’s Economic Transformation
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Feb 27 — African policymakers, business leaders, and development institutions have renewed calls for visa-free travel across the continent, describing the free movement of people as essential to unlocking Africa’s economic transformation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The call was reinforced at a High-Level Symposium on Advancing a Visa-Free Africa for Economic Prosperity, co-convened by the African Development Bank Group and the African Union Commission on the margins of the 39th African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa.
Participants framed mobility as the missing link in Africa’s integration agenda, arguing that while tariffs are falling under AfCFTA, restrictive visa regimes continue to limit trade in services, investment flows, tourism, and labour mobility.
Alex Mubiru, Director General for Eastern Africa at the African Development Bank Group, said that visa-free travel, interoperable digital systems, and integrated markets are practical enablers of enterprise, innovation, and regional value chains to translate policy ambitions into economic activity.
“The evidence is clear. The economics support openness. The human story demands it,” he told participants, urging countries to move from incremental reforms to “transformative change.”
Amma A. Twum-Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development at the African Union Commission, called for faster implementation of existing continental frameworks, describing visa openness as a strategic lever for deepening regional markets and enhancing collective responses to economic and humanitarian crises.
Former AU Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma reiterated that free movement is central to the African Union’s long-term development blueprint, Agenda 2063. “If we accept that we are Africans, then we must be able to move freely across our continent,” she said, urging member states to operationalise initiatives such as the African Passport and the Free Movement of Persons Protocol.
Ghana’s Trade and Industry Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, shared her country’s experience as an early adopter of open visa policies for African travellers, citing increased business travel, tourism, and investor interest as early dividends of greater openness.
The Symposium also reviewed findings from the latest Africa Visa Openness Index, which shows that more than half of intra-African travel still requires visas before departure – seen by participants as a significant drag on intra-continental commerce.
Mesfin Bekele, Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, called for full implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), saying aviation connectivity and visa liberalisation must advance together to enable seamless travel.
Regional representatives, including Elias Magosi, Executive Secretary of the Southern Africa Development Community, emphasised the importance of building trust through border management and digital information-sharing systems.
Gabby Otchere Darko, Executive Chairman of the Africa Prosperity Network, urged governments to support the “Make Africa Borderless Now” campaign, while tourism campaigner Ras Mubarak called for more ratifications of the AU Free Movement of Persons protocol.
Participants concluded that achieving a visa-free Africa will require aligning migration policies, digital identity systems, and border infrastructure, alongside sustained political commitment.
In a symbolic gesture, attendees signed a “passport wall,” signalling support for accelerated reforms to make movement across African borders easier for citizens.
The African Development Bank Group and the African Union Commission said they will continue working with member states and regional bodies to advance coordinated approaches to mobility – seen as a cornerstone of Africa’s integration, competitiveness, and long-term growth.
27, Feb 2026
African Development Bank Group awards $16.6 million grant to International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to scale agricultural technologies in Africa
African Development Bank Group awards $16.6 million grant to International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to scale agricultural technologies in AfricaThe agreement, signed on 18 February 2026 in Abuja, bolsters a shared commitment to modernise African agriculture by scaling proven technologies, strengthening seed systems, and expanding partnerships
ABUJA, Nigeria, Feb 27– The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) (www.AfDB.org) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have signed a $16.61 million grant agreement to launch the third phase of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation Program (TAAT-III), aimed at scaling climate-resilient food production across the continent.
The agreement, signed on 18 February 2026 in Abuja, bolsters a shared commitment to modernise African agriculture by scaling proven technologies, strengthening seed systems, and expanding partnerships among research institutions, governments, and private sector actors.
Since its launch in 2018, TAAT has become one of Africa’s most effective and transformative platforms for agricultural innovation, reaching nearly 25 million farmers and boosting productivity across major staples. The initiative has expanded climate-resilient agricultural practices across over 35 million hectares.
Working closely with the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research Centres (CGIAR) and national and regional partners, TAAT has increased crop yields as much as 69 percent and generated more than $4 billion in additional agricultural value. Countries including Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria have recorded notable gains in staple crop productivity and resilience to climate shocks.
Nigeria has been a key beneficiary of TAAT initiatives. Under its Wheat Compact, farmers adopting improved heat-tolerant varieties more than doubled yields from 1.7 tons per hectare to 3.5 tons per hectare. Programme‑supported seed system assessments also helped inform national reforms to expand access to certified, climate-resilient seeds.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Abdul Kamara, Director General of the Bank Group’s Nigeria Country Department, said the new phase will focus on scaling innovation more rapidly: “TAAT-III underscores the Bank’s commitment to ensuring that proven, climate-resilient agricultural technologies reach farmers faster and at scale. This phase strengthens the systems that deliver innovation, helping countries boost productivity, enhance resilience, and align agricultural transformation efforts with the Bank’s four new areas of emphasis, dubbed the Four Cardinal Points.”
Financed through the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional lending window, TAAT-III will consolidate earlier gains while introducing a more sustainable, private sector-driven delivery model. The initiative aims to reinforce seed and technology distribution systems, deepen partnerships with governments and agribusinesses, and expand the digital tools, including its technology e-catalogues and real-time monitoring platforms, to speed up deployment of high‑impact solutions.
Simeon Ehui, Director General of IITA, remarked: “TAAT-III allows us to deepen the delivery of science‑based solutions that improve farmers’ yields and livelihoods. Working with the Bank and our partners, we are scaling technologies that make Africa’s food systems more resilient and competitive.”
TAAT featured prominently in supporting the Bank Group’s Africa Emergency Food Production Facility, helping countries to rapidly deploy improved seeds and technologies to stabilise food supplies during recent global disruptions. The programme’s third phase seeks to embed these innovations within long-term national agricultural investment strategies.
TAAT-III is expected to reach an additional 14 million farmers across 37 low-income and vulnerable countries served by the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional financing window.
