Archive
Stories Shem has written for publications around the world, with his own analysis for this site. Headlines from other publications link to the publisher, who owns and hosts the full article.
Thanks for reading. If there's a story I should be following, or one you'd like me to report for you, write to me.
Shem Oirere · shem@shemoirere.com
Independent reporting on construction, energy, agriculture and transport across Africa.
shem@shemoirere.comSections
Energy & RefiningFood & AgricultureConstruction & InfrastructureBuildings & LiftsRail & TransportWork with Shem
Commission a story© 2026 Shem Oirere. Articles written for other publications belong to those publications and are linked, not reproduced.
Agriculture
After the Fall Armyworm outbreak, fake products flood landlocked Uganda's agrochemicals market.
Agriculture
Eastern African countries work to harmonize the regional fertilizer market, which could lift demand.
Energy
Lower crude prices, a growing transport sector and weak refining drive demand for new fuel storage.
Energy
Technology gaps in sub-Saharan refining make efficiency, product quality and carbon compliance hard.
Energy
South Africa's cleaner-fuels rules stall as refiners and government argue over who pays for upgrades.
Energy
The case for writing smart-grid functions into Kenya's national grid code.
Energy
Early signs of a market for energy storage in Kenya.
Energy
State-funded mini-grids leave little room for Kenya's private developers.
Energy
The obstacles facing independent power producers across East Africa.
Agriculture
Zambia is one of few sub-Saharan countries giving agriculture at least 10% of its national budget.
Energy
Local-content rules and what they mean for renewable projects in Africa.
Energy
Why Kenyan universities struggle to adopt renewable power on campus.
Agriculture
Changes to land management and farm investment raise hopes for wider use of quality inputs.
Agriculture
After farmers fled and loan programs collapsed, aid groups work to bring West African farms back.
Agriculture
Efforts to modernize how grain moves across East African borders.
Construction
A court reverses a $280M dam contract award to an Italian builder.
Agriculture
Algeria's push to grow more of the wheat it consumes.
Transport
Chinese financing to rebuild the Dakar–Bamako railway.
Energy
A UK firm will manage delivery of a $1.55B East African pipeline.
Construction
Financing closes for a Ugandan toll road.