Nigeria

The upward pressure on cement prices has attracted attention this month, as the Nigerian government struggles to keep prices low enough to support the development of the construction industry.

On April 17, Nigeria's Ministry of Information and Communication launched its rebranding campaign for the Federal Republic by announcing a new logo and slogan, "Nigeria: Good People, Great Nation", in a bid to increase awareness of Nigeria's cultural offerings . One industry in particular is playing a crucial role in this promotional push: the extremely popular Nigerian film industry, Nollywood.

Even as President Umaru Yar'Adua signed Nigeria's 2009 budget into law on March 10, following months of parliamentary debate, the IMF was warning of the impact of the financial crisis on growth in Sub-Saharan Africa at a conference in Tanzania. Faced with the global slowdown, Nigeria is looking to mitigate the possibility of adverse conditions brought on by recession in export markets in the months to come.

New products along with the promise of an expanded bond market could herald an era of fresh dynamism for Dubai's capital markets, despite their difficult time of late.

In a move that revives the 25-year strategic railway development plan, the federal government announced it would acquire 60 new locomotives, while pursuing the rehabilitation of the old ones before the end of this year.

Nigeria debating a hydrocarbons industry reform package that, if approved, will create an autonomous, profit-driven state oil company able to seek funding directly on the capital markets instead of using government revenue.