What’s trending: Top business & economy news across Africa on November 24, 2016

South Africa’s central bank kept lending rates unchanged at 7% on Thursday but warned that inflation risks might lead it to rethink its view that a tightening cycle was coming to a close.

Nigeria’s minster for oil Ibe Kchikwu has asserted that the crisis in the Niger Delta has been contained and production is back up to 1.9 million barrels a day from a low of 1.4 million bpd and could go up past the 2 million bpd mark at the turn of the year.

Meanwhile, international oil companies operating in Nigeria have discounted $1.7bn off Nigeria’s $6.8bn cash call Joint Venture debts that accrued over the past six years, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has said. The balance is to be paid over 5 years.

Kenya replaced Nigeria with the highest consumer confidence score in Nielsen’s Q3 Consumer Confidence Index (CCI), 2016 — rising six points from the previous quarter to 120 — the third consecutive quarter this figure has increased.

Tanzania has granted Australia Stock Exchange-listed Graphex Mining Ltd a 10-year mining license for graphite deposits discovered at Chilalo area in Nachingwea.

Egypt experienced a 68.4% decline in tourism revenues during the first nine months of 2016, compared to the same period in 2015, according to a report.

Zambia’s annual inflation rate for November 2016 stood at 8.8% compared to 19.5% in November 2015.

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