All Countries and All Sectors

The IMF has predicted that Kenya’s current account deficit will improve this year, although its exports remain vulnerable to exogenous factors. As the government looks to boost its overseas sales, it must also work to encourage its two main trading partners – the EU and the East African Community (EAC) – to finalise a planned trade agreement to ensure it maintains preferential access to European consumers.

The announcement that the state will sell more than a quarter of its holdings in Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) could bring changes to a market facing challenging conditions and increased competition.

Buoyed by a burgeoning middle class and greater availability of financing, the Philippines’ automotive sector is set for strong growth this year, with sales for the usually slow month of August hitting a record high.

Increased investment in research and development (R&D), combined with targeting niche markets, are two cornerstones of a strategy being rolled out by Brunei Darussalam aimed at encouraging economic diversification.

As might be guessed from the snarled traffic on the bridges of Lagos, vehicle sales in Nigeria are growing rapidly, with automakers seeing double-digit growth over the past year. To try to capture a greater share of demand, firms are looking to expand retail detailerships while some of the more adventurous are taking a stab at local assembly.

Growth in Saudi Arabia appears to be gathering pace, with a rise in oil production and continued strong consumer demand likely to boost GDP in the second half of the year. While inflationary pressures could arise as a result, analysts expect any price increases to be moderate over 2013.