Key points:

- Uganda’s new gaming regulator has officially begun operations

- The Board is tasked with regulating both lotteries and betting in the country

- Lawmakers are urging the body to prioritise gambling addiction prevention

Uganda’s newly established National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) has officially begun its work, with legislators urging the body to take an active role in addressing rising gambling-related harm.

The Board, inaugurated during a formal session in Kampala, is now responsible for overseeing the country’s betting and lottery sectors. 

Officials highlighted the need for regulation to go beyond licensing and enforcement. Several speakers expressed concern over betting addiction, particularly among young people, and encouraged the board to prioritise public protection in its mandate.

Members of Parliament stressed the need for the regulator to balance market oversight with consumer protection. 

Officials from the Ministry of Finance also attended the launch and affirmed that the Board’s creation is part of an effort to formalise and better monitor gambling activity in the country.

According to Matia Kasaija, the Minister of Finance, who inaugurated the new Board, “the Government recognises the importance of the gaming sector, not only as a source of non-tax revenue, but also in promoting responsible gaming.” 

Good to know: Uganda recently allocated betting tax revenue to support AFCON 2027 preparations

While Uganda has experienced growth in its gaming sector, concerns about underage gambling, unlicensed operators and increasing social impacts have drawn greater scrutiny from the country’s Government. 

The Board is expected to develop new policies, collaborate with stakeholders and implement a framework that addresses both market regulation and consumer protection. Gambling Insider

Kenyan exporters can breathe a sigh of relief after the United States spared them from the sweeping tariffs imposed on imports to the US from several countries across the continent and the world.

President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday, July 31, announced steep tariffs on imports from several trading partners as part of the broader strategy to reorganise the global economy. 

Trump signed an executive order imposing additional tariffs that range from 10 to 41 per cent on several countries. The order lists a higher export duty on leading world economies such as Brazil, India, Japan, Israel, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

While Kenya was spared in the latest round of tariffs, African countries that faced the heat include South Africa and Algeria, which were slapped with a 30 per cent tariff on their exports to the US.

Other African countries affected by a 15 per cent tariff increase include Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Cameroon, Botswana and Angola.

Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe also faced a 15 per cent increase in duties. Of the East African countries, only Uganda was affected by the latest US executive order.

According to the executive order, goods from all other unlisted countries, including Kenya, will be subject to a 10 per cent US import tax.

When announcing the decision, the US government revealed that, despite negotiating with some trading partners, the countries in question had not offered terms that sufficiently addressed the trading imbalances.

"The Secretary of Commerce and the US Trade Representative shall recommend additional action, if necessary, should a foreign trading partner fail to take adequate steps to address the emergency declared in Executive Order 14257," read part of the executive order.

"This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations," the executive order read further. 

The latest executive order revises the reciprocal tariffs of the aforementioned countries and reveals the date on which the increased duties will take effect.

According to the White House document, the changes are expected to take effect seven days after the executive order is signed.

However, goods from the 70 countries affected by the latest executive order will be exempt from the new tariff if they are loaded onto ships before August 7. By Timothy Cerullo, Kenyans.co.ke

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama delivers a speech at the opening of the 13th African Union High-Level Dialogue on Democracy, Governance and Human Rights in Accra, Ghana, on July 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Seth) 

By Mike Omuodo

Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) has announced the signing of a strategic agreement with the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) to support its transformative capital increase initiative. 

Effectively, BADEA has approved a landmark USD 120 million to support the capitalization program of Shelter Afrique Development Bank, the leading Pan-African institution focused on affordable housing and urban development. The concessional financing facility will help eligible member states settle and increase their capital subscriptions to ShafDB. 

This initiative, developed in partnership with the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), introduces an innovative financing mechanism through which eligible member states can access on-lending at competitive terms. The BADEA-supported facility, totaling USD 120 million, will be used to settle and boost member states’ capital subscriptions to Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB). 

“This agreement with BADEA marks a critical step in strengthening our capital base and advancing our mission of financing affordable housing and sustainable urban infrastructure across Africa,” said Thierno Habib-Hann, Managing Director of Shelter Afrique Development Bank. “We are grateful to BADEA for its strong partnership and unwavering support in this pivotal phase of our institutional evolution.” 

The new capital increase program includes an initial equal allocation to all member states, followed by a phased reallocation, first on a pro-rata basis, and then on a first-come, first-served basis. This approach aims to encourage active participation by member states and to strengthen ShafDB’s capital adequacy in a balanced and transparent manner. 

Commenting on the program, the president of BADEA H.E. Abdullah KH ALMUSAIBEEH, “We see this capital program as a strategic milestone in Shelter Afrique Development Bank’s evolution. BADEA is proud to back this initiative and we remain committed to our shared mission of enabling access to decent housing and inclusive urban development across Africa.” 

The need to enhance equity capital has become critical following the institution’s transformation into a Development Bank, a milestone formally approved by Shelter Afrique’s shareholders during the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held in Algiers, Algeria, in October 2023. 

Building on this transformation, a significant achievement was realized during the Annual General Meeting in June 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda, where shareholders demonstrated strong leadership by endorsing a transformative capital increase program, and the board approved in December 2024 a capital increase of over a USD 200 million. 

“Expanding capital base will enable the Bank to scale up financing along the housing value chain, access more competitive funding from international and African capital markets, and reinforce its role in addressing the housing deficit and driving inclusive urban development across its 44 member states,” Mr. Hann said. 

Increased leverage

The capital increase program has been designed to significantly strengthen ShafDB's balance sheet over the medium-term, expand its shareholder capital base, and to significantly mobilize debts.  The capital raised will also support the Bank’s plans to attain investment-grade credit ratings, attract new institutional investors, and expand its lending and technical assistance programs in member countries.