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Agritech Uses Investment Capital to Support Home-grown Solutions to Africa’s Food Challenges
The investment case for African agritech is easily revealed by applying the same basic due diligence one would use for any potential business venture: look at the problem we’re solving, probe the addressable market, and analyze the potential return. There are many emerging agri-tech companies across the continent that check all the right boxes. They [...]
Thembi Mawema Holds Her Shade With Honor
We spoke with the Zimbabwean Social Media Director of the infamous IG hotbed The Shade Room on the world of media and how African women are centering themselves in it. Social media, according to researchers, came into fruition too, “facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual [...]
Netflix is Expanding its Operations in Africa
On Wednesday, streaming powerhouse Netflix announced that it is expanding the scope of its operations in Africa. On Wednesday, the streaming powerhouse Netflix announced that it would be expanding its operations on the African continent. In a statement announcing the update, the company shared that since 2016, it has invested about €160 million in film [...]
Angola creates $15bn fund from recovered assets
Finance minister Vera Daves de Sousa has announced that Angola is considering the creation of a specialised fund to manage approximately $15bn in assets recovered by the state in anti-corruption investigations. Since 2017, when João Lourenço became president, the government has stepped up efforts to recover assets allegedly stolen during the four-decade presidency of his predecessor, José [...]
Inside the Challenging World of African Esports
Facing several hurdles, Africa’s esports scene is yet to find its footing and roll with the industry’s biggest players. No longer is esports (or electronic sports) seen as a mindless hobby. Also known as competitive gaming, esports has lifted off the ground and evolved into a billion-dollar industry. With innovations like Twitch and other high-stake [...]
How Kenya is Leading the Way in Developing its Geothermal Energy Resources
Africa is breaking apart – literally. From the Gulf of Aden in the north, all the way to Mozambique in the south, the African continental plate is splitting along the East African Rift Valley. The good news is that the forces deep beneath the Earth’s surface that are responsible for this tectonic divorce provide Africa [...]
The African Designers Turning Western Waste into Fashion Statements
Clothing waste has become an enormous environmental problem, particularly so in Africa, where huge quantities overwhelm landfills. In an effort to reverse the trend and spotlight the problem, a new generation of designers is finding creative ways to upcycle discards into desirable fashion. Yayra Agbofah, founder of creative studio The Revival, takes you on a [...]
From Nairobi With Love, Wangechi Mutu Brings her Life’s Work to New York
We take you inside “Intertwined,” the New Museum’s massive survey of the Kenyan artist’s work, collecting together pieces from her twenty-five year career. It’s a true gift to be able to go back and see how a revered artist started out; to trace, while walking around the physical manifestations of their mind at work, the [...]
Angola’s Minister of Economy and Planning says Relations with the IMF and World Bank Will Sustain Reform Path
A whirlwind of Washington DC hotel lobbies, conference halls and cocktail bars, the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings are a regular highlight of the development calendar. This year, the meetings seemed to assume a particular significance. With the world economy in the doldrums and renewed questions over the heavy debt burden facing emerging markets [...]
‘A cinema of resistance’: how June Givanni amassed a 10,000-piece pan-African film archive
While the exhibition at London’s Raven Row gallery is called PerAnkh: The June Givanni Pan African Cinema Archive, the Black British film curator, activist and archivist who created it is hesitant about positioning herself front and centre. “I don’t want it to sound like it’s all me, me, me,” she worries. “My name is part [...]
Africa’s Uber Rich Spend on Ecotourism and African Art
South African artwork dominates the list of the most sought-after artefacts Africa's ultra rich spend their money on, according to Henley & Partners, an investment migration consultancy based in London. Art that fetches top dollar is from South Africans, Sculptor Sydney Kumalo (1935-1988), painter John Hendrik Pierneef (1886-1957), Gerard Sekoto (1913-1993) who is also known [...]
The New Fela Kuti Box Set is Curated by Femi Kuti & Chris Martin
Fela Kuti's 50th anniversary reissues released this year have reminded us why his status as a legend continues to ring true. Through the year, Partisan Records (the homes of Fela's catalog) has released a number of special reissues, and now Vinyl Box #5 is set to drop just in time for you to be named [...]
The Next Era of American Fine Dining Is Here, Care of West Africa
At Dept of Culture, a soft white cheese called wara comes plated with stew — blended and cooked tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions, spiced like many Nigerians prefer it. Wara can be found in the north and north-central areas of Nigeria, the latter of which is the region veteran chef Ayo Balogun hails from. He [...]
African tech startup funding reaches new record
Disrupt Africa released its annual African Tech Startups Funding report showing that for the first time ever tech funding on the continent has passed the $3 billion mark. While this might not be as big a leap as in 2021, when the sector passed both the $1 billion and $2 billion mark, it’s a sign [...]
From ‘The Woman King’ to Netflix’s ‘African Queens’ – How Africa’s History Went Pop
It's taken a remarkably long time, but African history suddenly seems to be hot. Traditionally overlooked and therefore largely unknown, it is now getting the star treatment thanks to a number of high profile books, films and television shows. Black Panther’s release in 2018 was a watershed moment. It was both critically and commercially successful, [...]
Idris Elba Wants to Build a Film Studio In Tanzania
Renowned British actor Idris Elba is planning to open up a film studio in Tanzania, reports say. Celebrated British actor Idris Elba is planning to open a film studio in Tanzania. The news was revealed by Tanzania's Director of Presidential Communications, Zuhura Yunus, during a press conference. According to Yunus, the plan for the studio [...]
Standard Bank Hosts Central Bankers to Demonstrate Africa’s Potential to Learn – and Lead
The collapse of SVB and Signature Bank in the last week – and the resulting downturn for international banks – put the global spotlight on the effective governance of financial institutions and the role that central banks have to play in ensuring the viability and sustainability of banks. This was a central topic of discussion [...]
Seven Striking Images by Africa’s New Creative Wave
Thanks to an increasing global fascination with African art and the democratization of exposure afforded by the internet, a refreshing emergence of young African photographers is taking the art world by storm. Influenced by many of the greats that preceded them, like Malick Sidibé or Hassan Hajjaj, their work demonstrates a connection to their forebears, [...]
The Pro-business Stance of President Hassan is Credited with Regaining Investor Confidence
According to data from the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC), during the last two years of President Samia Suluhu Hassan's administration, investments in the nation increased from $3.16 billion to $8.64 billion. The number of registered projects into which the funding was invested increased from 455 to 575 between March 2021 and February 2023, a 26% [...]
Joshua Baraka is Ugandan Music’s Next Big Thing
Having risen to the number one spot on the Ugandan music charts, Joshua Baraka could very well be the next big thing. Thanks to the popularity of his single 'Nana', he's established himself as someone on the rise in the East African music scene, and he has high hopes for his album's release this July. [...]
A Landmark Exhibition Celebrating the Global Impact of Modern and Contemporary African Fashions
Celebrating the outstanding creativity, ingenuity, and global impact of African fashions from the start of the independence era to today, Africa Fashion is the largest-ever presentation of this subject in North America. Through works by iconic designers and artists from the mid-twentieth century to the present, the exhibition illuminates how fashion, alongside the visual arts [...]
Accelerating and Scaling Priority Infrastructure Development in Africa
US-Africa relations are back in the spotlight, and investment is the word of the hour. Crafting mutually beneficial relations will depend on developing a credible pipeline of bankable and sustainable projects on the African continent. The launch of the US Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa and the US-Africa Leaders Summit in 2022 have set the stage [...]
Burna Boy, Afrobeats Stars Take Center Stage at NBA All-Star Game
If there were any doubts about Afrobeats being a worldwide sensation, the recent halftime show at the NBA All-Star game put them to rest. For an adoring crowd, Burna Boy, Tems, and Rema showcased some of the best of the musical genre, solidifying its spot at the top of the charts. Grammy-winning Burna Boy was [...]
SA’s First Black African Freediving Instructor On her Favourite Ocean Spots along Cape Town
“The ocean is the only place where I am perfect as I am,” says Zandile Ndhlovu, pioneering freediving instructor and founder of The Black Mermaid Foundation, which advocates for diversity in the waters of South Africa and beyond. “It’s where I feel safest in this body.” Born hundreds of miles from the coast in Soweto, Ndhlovu [...]
Tanzania Aims to Become an Online Business Hub in Africa through Investments in ICT
Tanzania is taking a significant step towards becoming an online business hub in Africa, as the East African nation is investing heavily in information and communications technology (ICT). The government's vision is to make Tanzania a leader in the digital economy, and it is taking the necessary steps to make that a reality. Minister of [...]
My Life in Food: Idris Elba on African Cuisine and Cooking with his Mum
Food from Sierra Leone, where my dad’s from, has been a big part of my life. Sweet potato leaf stew is something my mum would cook all the time, it was my absolute favourite. Coming home after school to those home-cooked meals is a fond memory. I can cook. I love to make groundnut stew [...]
Africa’s Tech Sector Remains Source of Global Investment
Investment into the African tech startup ecosystem passed the US$3 billion mark for the first time in 2022, with the space withstanding global economic headwinds to post a record year. This is according to the eighth edition of the annual African Tech Startups Funding Report released by startup news and research portal Disrupt Africa, which [...]
AU Summit to Discuss the “Acceleration of AfCFTA Implementation” this Weekend
AfCFTA's plan is to boost intra-African trade by 60 percent by 2034 by eliminating almost all tariffs, creating an economic bloc of 1.3 billion people with a combined gross domestic product of $3.4 trillion. African countries currently trade only about 15 percent of their goods and services with each other, compared to more than 65 [...]
4 Emerging African Fashion Designers to Watch in 2023
As African fashion continues to blossom, these are some of the names to keep a close eye on in the months to come. Much of the buzz around African fashion today isn’t accidental. Africa’s design talent has been on the rise, as seen across the continent's staging of various fashion weeks. At the Spring/Summer ‘22 [...]
Trends Shaping Africa’s Informal Retail Sector
The informal retail sector in Africa, a dynamic sector that plays a crucial role in the continent’s economic development, is experiencing massive growth. It encompasses small, unregistered businesses that operate in the shadows of the formal economy. This sector includes street vendors, market stalls, and small shops, typically owned and operated by individuals or small [...]
Cairo Inaugurates the First Phase of Renovations on the Venerable Egyptian Museum
The building in Cairo's Tahrir Square first opened in 1902 and has long ranked as one of the world's greatest museums, with its vast displays of Pharaonic artefacts that stretch over 3,000 years of history. Tourism is a major dollar earner in Egypt's cash-strapped economy and has been gradually recovering from multiple hits, including political [...]
Celebrating Ancient Practices Through Modern African Design
For his first exhibition in Los Angeles, Nigerian designer Nifemi Marcus-Bello has created an immersive experience that draws on a variety of ancient African traditions. Taking inspiration from both East and West Africa, he created a series of bronze benches that fuse techniques from different cultures to create something beautiful and new. During production, Marcus-Bello [...]
Africa’s Digital Workers are Rewiring the Old Geographies of Labour
Freelancers on online platforms can reach clients around the world, harnessing skills from blogging to web design. Others are hired by outsourcing companies, sifting data used to train chatbots and self-driving cars. Optimists hope that online work can set Africa on the path of services-led growth trodden by countries such as India and the Philippines. [...]
Surreal, Nostalgic and Tangible: Exploring the Theme of Time at Investec’s Cape Town Art Fair
Photo: Eclectica Contemporary. Cape Town recently hosted the tenth edition of the Investec Cape Town Art Fair, and some say it was the most inspired yet. With varying concepts of time being the overarching theme, the fair hosted 106 exhibitors from across Africa and the diaspora for a weekend of panels and viewings across galleries [...]
Africa will get a new $1 billion spaceport in Djibouti
Africa could soon get a new spaceport after Djibouti signed a partnership deal with Hong Kong Aerospace Technology to build a facility to launch satellites and rockets in the northern Obock region. According to the preliminary deal, the Djibouti government will “provide the necessary land (minimum 10 sq km and with a term of not [...]
Through an Immigrant Story, Adura Onashile Brings a Mother’s Love into Focus
The writer-director is making her first foray into feature filmmaking, with the intimate 'Girl,' which is debuting at the Sundance Film Festival. Films about immigrant stories can often be weighed down by the doom, the tragedy, of all the things that go wrong for those seeking a better life in another country. And while there [...]
A SaaS-enabled, Pan-African Talent Marketplace on a High
Headquartered in Addis Ababa with offices in Kenya and Senegal, Gebeya connects startups, SMEs, and multinational corporations with vetted, skilled talent and professional services in more than 30 countries across Africa. The company has raised various rounds of capital since being founded six years ago, including a US$2 million back in 2020 that made up [...]
A Full Circle Moment for Ghanaian Artist Foster Sakyiamah
For the first time ever, the artist is staging a solo exhibition in Accra, the city that birthed his artistic life and fed his calling to paint. It's a significant moment in time for Foster Sakyiamah's career. Presented by ADA\ Contemporary Art Gallery and curated by Ghanaian contemporary artist Joseph Awuah-Darko, ‘Lines Through Time’ features [...]
Milisuthando Bongela on Making A Film with Her Ancestors
The South African filmmaker's documentary feature, which is premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, is a deeply personal film that touches on her life growing up in the Transkei, before it was incorporated into post-apartheid South Africa. When the credits roll on Milisuthando Bongela’s documentary feature, Milisuthando, among those listed, along with the lighting director [...]
SpaceX’s Plans for Africa in 2023 and 2024
South Africa is not among the 37 African countries where SpaceX’s Starlink aims to roll out in the next two years. The World Bank has estimated that only 29% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa had access to the Internet in 2020. Starlink’s promise of high-speed and low-latency connectivity could provide a big boost to Africa’s economic activity. The earliest the [...]
Dakar is Reclaiming Its Place as the Cultural Capital of Africa
Dakar has always held sway as a cultural hotspot, but ongoing governmental support of the arts has been a key factor in cultivating the city's reputation, attracting creatives, and fostering growth. Thanks to this investment in a cultural ecosystem, Dakar today boasts world-class events ranging from fashion to music to contemporary art. On Dec. 6 [...]
Huge Potential for Private Firms to Invest in Africa’s Water Sector
Water is a huge problem for most African countries. Outdated and overstretched infrastructure, often managed by floundering public companies, has led to costly and unreliable water access in many cities across the continent. According to the World Bank, one in three people face water scarcity in Africa and “bold action” must be taken to address [...]
Netflix Announces New Documentary Series ‘African Queens’
Mark your calendars for February 15th, the date on which Netflix will begin streaming a new docuseries about Africa's queens. Executive producer, Jada Pinkett Smith, was a key force behind the project, citing the importance of reviving these stories of African female leadership to empower today's young, black women. Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba [...]
These African Countries Were the Most Innovative in 2022 According to Report
In 2022, the African continent made great strides in tech advancements and innovation. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recently released the 15th edition of the Global Innovation Index, which ranked several African countries who have exponentially improved their economies, and inched closer to becoming competitive innovators on the world stage. WIPO ranked Mauritius, South [...]
E-commerce platform Copia branches out in growth push
With a total of $83m raised in equity funding since 2013, Copia is one of Africa's fastest-growing e-commerce platforms. Tim Steel is the CEO of Copia, an e-commerce platform operating in Kenya and Uganda which has raised a total of $83 million in equity funding since its launch in 2013. Before managing Copia, Steel worked [...]
Wizkid Lights Up NYC’s Madison Square Garden
This week, Nigerian superstar Wizkid headlined New York City's infamous music venue Madison Square Garden. Here's what went down. The night started with Wiz entrusting his longtime friend and resident spinner, DJ Tunez to get the party started, and boy, did we party. Time does not exist when you put a bunch of Africans in [...]
Africa’s e-commerce revolution opens up huge opportunities for businesses
Technology continues to revolutionise entire sectors across Africa, none more so than the emerging e-commerce sector, which is overhauling how the retail industry works and bringing the continent’s hundreds of thousands of small and medium enterprises into contact with a huge potential pool of customers. In Lagos in September, TechCabal Media hosted the second edition [...]
AFIS 2022: Stimulating dialogue to build a robust financial industry for sustainable development in Africa
On Monday, 28th of November, 2022, over 800 African finance leaders, bankers, insurers, regulators, central bank governors, public policymakers, innovators, fintech founders, and journalists converged in Lome, Togo, for the African Financial Industry Summit. The goal was to discuss and develop solutions to expedite the continent’s economic recovery in the face of the ongoing global [...]
Here Are 10 Sustainable African Fashion Brands Every Fashionista Should Know
Sustainable fashion in Africa is constantly evolving as consumers and manufacturers are more aware of the effects of textile production on climate change and the environment. Hence are taking steps to reduce the negative impact of their activities on the environment. A rising number of ethical and sustainable fashion brands are establishing themselves and fostering [...]
Egypt’s green path to economic recovery
After Egypt’s hosting of the UN Climate Change Conference (Cop27) in the resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh in November, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi may look back on the country’s moment in the limelight with a mix of satisfaction and mild irritation. Sisi successfully used the summit to boost his country’s diplomatic standing. It reached an [...]
How music can boost African economies and increase regional integration
Before there was jazz, soul, R&B, rock, or hip hop, there was the beat of African drums. All 8 billion of us on this planet have our ancestral roots on the African continent, and the same is true for many of the most widely consumed sounds and rhythms that move us. Music from the African [...]
The Biggest Photo Library In Africa Just Opened Up In Ghana
The largest photography library in Africa has opened in Accra, Ghana. The library, also dubbed "Dikan Gallery," highlights the creativity of some of the most gifted artisans on the continent, as well as other vintage artists who created art years ago. The center was founded by Paul Ninson, a Ghanaian photographer and film-maker. Dikan Center, [...]
Maputo’s new public transport system takes shape
In recent years you’d be hard pressed to catch an officially registered bus in many parts of Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. But soon the isolated inhabitants of its many transport-starved neighbourhoods will be able to take advantage of a Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT). “We are witnessing one of the most exciting moments in [...]
Lagos Space Programme is reconnecting African fashion to Yoruba traditions
“I’m from Lagos so looking good is part of our DNA,” says Adeju Thompson. “Taking pride in how we present ourselves in public is so important. It’s rooted in our history.” As the brains behind Lagos Space Programme, Thompson’s practice is rooted in the idea of decolonisation, with each collection drawing on the liberal attitudes [...]
An Initiative to Boost the African Air Economy
15 African countries have agreed to further unify the continent by easing travel restrictions. Dubbed the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), this initiative has won 15 signatures from 15 African countries that have all agreed to merge to some degree their aviation markets. The initiative was launched in January 2018 but enjoyed little to [...]
Nollywood Production House Nemsia Films Announces The First Commissioned Slate Deal With Amazon Prime Video
Nollywood production house Nemsia Films has closed the first exclusive slate deal for three commissioned feature films with Amazon Prime Video, having already produced a successful repertoire of world class content such as God Calling, Before 30 and Journey of an African Colony. “We are very excited to collaborate with Nemsia Films on this pioneering [...]
Burj Zanzibar Tipped to be an Architectural Landmark Attracting Visitors
The Indian Ocean Island of Zanzibar aims high with plans for a 28-story, 96-meter-tall apartment tower named Burj Zanzibar, designed in hybrid timber technology that its developers say will make it the first timber structure of its kind in the world. The project, expected to be completed at the end of 2026, will be in [...]
Nigerian Artist Ayobola Kekere-Ekun Creates Her Colorful Works from Folded Paper
Nigerian artist Ayobola Kekere-Ekun found her medium by chance, but it became a passion that has brought her great success. Taken with the ages-old technique of 'quilling,' she fashions gorgeously colorful works not with a paintbrush, but with folded paper. Quilling -- sometimes known as paper filigree -- dates back hundreds of years and was [...]
Lebo M on 25 years of The Lion King on Broadway
As Disney's global success reaches a new milestone, the composer and singer reflects on the impact the cultural juggernaut has had. Disney's "The Lion King" debuted on New York City's Broadway stage almost 30 years ago, and the African spirit and fire within the phenomenon continues to burn bright. Dubbed "The voice and spirit of [...]
A Platform to Strengthen Venture Capital Ecosystems in Africa
The IFC’s new US$225 million platform aims to strengthen the regions’ nascent venture capital markets, which have demonstrated early growth potential but face challenging global economic conditions. IFC will make equity or equity-like investments in tech startups and help them grow into scalable ventures that can attract mainstream equity and debt financing. IFC will also [...]
Inside Africa’s Leading Fashion Week
The 12th edition of Lagos Fashion Week just concluded, and it provided some interesting insights into the evolution of the fashion business in West Africa. Despite tremendous inroads being created into the global fashion system, African fashion still struggles to get its due attention and resources, but designers are becoming increasingly savvy about how to [...]
Uganda plans to print 3D human tissue in space
Uganda has gone to space. Despite a fire alarm causing delays on Nov. 6, the country’s first satellite, PearlAfricaSat-1, finally launched successfully into space on the morning of Nov. 7 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops space flight facility on Wallops Island, Virginia, US. Uganda will be using its new satellite to get [...]
One of Nigeria’s Most Ambitious Infrastructure Projects, Lekki Deep Sea Port, is Complete
Construction of the $1.5 billion port, located east of Lagos city, was recently completed, designed to handle the equivalent of 2.7 million 20-foot-long container units a year. With a 1.2 kilometer quay, the 90-hectare site becomes the largest port in Nigeria, significantly expanding the country’s ability to process imports and exports. The port arrives at […]
Culture and Heritage Celebrated at Black Panther Premier
"Wakanda Forever," the sequel to "Black Panther," Marvel Studios' award-winning $1.3 billion grossing movie, had its African premiere in Nigeria -- the first time Marvel has held an African premiere there. Attending the event in Lagos, on Sunday, November 6, the film's director, Ryan Coogler, and several leading actors spoke to CNN about the importance [...]
Akinwumi Adesina’s Unbridled Optimism in Africa’s Future
Championed by African Development Bank (AfDB) and in partnership with several large regional and global funders, Africa Investment Forum (AIF), Africa’s largest investment marketplace, has mobilized over $141 billion in investment interest since its inception in 2018, with $31 billion of that from the latest edition of AIF. Adesina outlined grand priorities for AfDB and [...]
All You Need to Know About the African Teams at the World Cup
African football has come a long way. Egypt was the first African team to ever participate in a FIFA World Cup. They did it in Italy in 1934, where they only played a game, which they lost 4-2 to Hungary. Back then, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) didn’t exist, so the Pharaohs played two [...]
New mindsets needed to restore US-Africa relationship – Dr Yaya Moussa
USA-AFRICA SUMMIT IN WASHINGTON DC 13 DEC 2022 Both US and African leaders need to adopt radically new mindsets towards each other if the summit beginning in Washington D.C. on 13 December is to yield meaningful results. Following the publication of a new US Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa in August the summit aims to underline […]
Venture capital investment in Africa is headed towards another record year
In nearly every region, startups raised considerably less venture capital money in the second quarter of this year than the same period in 2021, Africa being the only exception. Between January and June, no other region even came close to matching the continent’s funding growth. Should the half-year growth rate persist till December, 2022 will [...]
Roye Okupe is Championing African Representation in Animation
We spoke with Roye Okupe about his studio, Iyanu getting adapted into an animated series, and storytelling for an African audience. Roye Okupe isn’t holding back with African representation in the stories he tells. The Nigerian graphic novelist and filmmaker is the creator of Iyanu: Child of Wonder, which recently received a greenlight by HBO [...]
Amoako Boafo on Showing the World How He Wants to Be Seen
The Ghanaian artist uses his latest exhibition, a debut museum solo show, to spotlight his place -- and the place of African art as a whole -- in the world. In recent years, African art has become very popular in galleries and museums, and across the global art market. For his solo museum debut, Amoako [...]
This African Poolside Looks like Vivid Reanimations of Our Wildest Dreams
There are natural wonders around the world that look like vivid reanimations of our wildest dreams. Places that leap from the edges of our imaginations only to become heaven on Earth. Looking to plan a magical escape to one of those destinations? Well, now you have five to pick from. Add these to your bucket [...]
The Grammys Are Considering An Afrobeats Category
The Recording Academy's CEO recently mentioned talk of adding an Afrobeats category to its line-up of awards. In a recent trip to Ghana, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. told Ghanaian journalists that the Recording Academy was in talks with the key players in the Afrobeats music scene to explore the possibility of adding Afrobeats [...]
This Inspiring Doc Has Ghana’s Youth Jumping to New Heights
We spoke with co-directors Claudia Owusu and Ife Oluwamuyide on their short film ode to the girlhood Ghanaian game ‘Ampe’. Longtime friends and collaborators Claudia Owusu and Ife Oluwamuyide have set the intention to make space for Black girl joy in mainstream media. And the Columbus, Ohio-based West African duo are doing so through their [...]
Driving Tech Ecosystems in Africa Forward, with Zanzibar Serving as a Key Part of that Story
The founders of more than 50 tech start-ups across Africa have joined forces through Pando DAO, an autonomous organisation with a mandate to develop the continent’s tech ecosystem. It is also a community partner of Silicon Zanzibar, a government-led initiative to turn the island into a hub for tech talent and companies. The founding members [...]
Bamigboye, Nigeria’s Tour-de-Force Sculptor, Claims His Fame in the World
A new exhibit at the Yale Gallery of Art provides a comprehensive retrospective of the incredible work of Yoruban artist Moshood Olusomo Bamigboye. Comprising all of the remaining works from his 50-year career, they showcase the intricate woodcarving for which he was revered, which span the realms of ritual and modern art. Woodcarved masks for [...]
The Future of Logistics on the Continent
Jumia, the pan-African e-commerce company, has partnered with Zipline to launch on-demand drone delivery in Ghana, with plans to expand the service to Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire in the near future. Jumia said it will integrate its existing distribution network with Zipline’s automated on-demand delivery system for rapid home deliveries, especially to shoppers residing in […]
Obou Gbais Is Painting The Story of His Life
The artist is reimagining Cote D’Ivoire’s history through modern, contemporary language and his latest project “Man Dan” Obou’s remarkably detailed style of painting comes after years of training and educating himself in all things Cote D’Ivoire. The artist’s work mirrors the society found in the aftermath of the Ivory Coast’s political-military unrest, putting paint on […]
Voice-operated Smartphones Cater for Overlooked Market in sub-Saharan Africa
Tens of millions of people face huge challenges in life because they cannot read or write. In Ivory Coast, a so-called “Superphone” using a vocal assistant that responds to commands in a local language is being pitched to the large segment of the population — as many as 40 percent — who are illiterate. Developed […]
The Rise of Filmmaker Akin Omotoso
From helming productions for Disney and Netflix to producing for Prime Video, the Nigerian director continues to build on his fervent desire to tell stories close to his heart. While he was studying drama at the University of Cape Town during the mid-90s, Akin Omotoso realized he didn’t really like acting. He liked it enough, […]
Senegal’s Sought After Gas Reserves
President Macky Sall of Senegal has become a popular figure on the international stage. His country’s gas reserves, from which exports are due to start in the next couple of years, are now the target of intense interest by European leaders desperate to find alternatives. Sall, for his part, has been playing up Europe as […]
‘Artistic Awakening’ in Benin as Return of Royal Artifacts Attracts Huge Crowds
Despite the slow pace by which Western governments have repatriated African art, Benin has managed to amass enough works to stage an exhibition, and the people are coming in droves. With lines around the block, primarily of Beninese, its huge success is unprecedented and has some believing that it could launch an ‘artistic awakening’ in […]
The Pioneering Architecture of Nigerian Artist-Designer Demas Nwoko
Architecture, painting, sculpture and design – Demas Nwoko has been celebrated in every area of his creative endeavours. He is a pioneer of Nigeria’s modern art movement, and his architecture is innovative while drawing on traditional African construction, belying his lack of formal architecture training (he prefers the title ‘artist-designer’). He is particularly known for […]
Senegalese Chef Pierre Thiam Wants African Food to be Considered World-Class
Since touching down in New York City more than 30 years ago from his hometown Dakar, the Senegalese chef, author, and culinary activist, Pierre Thiam, has dedicated his life to introducing a global audience to west African cuisine. In doing so, he hopes to promote a region with a rich food culture, empower local farmers, [...]
Africa’s Largest Air Cargo Operator Bags Two Prestigious Awards at Air Cargo News Awards
In a ceremony held in London on 16 September 2022, Ethiopian has been crowned with the two awards in the presence of cargo leaders from across the globe. Global cargo players including freight forwarders, ground handlers, general and cargo sales agents cast their votes online, where the highest votes for ‘The Cargo Airline of The […]
Kelvyn Boy On Becoming One of Afrobeats’ Leading Stars
Kelvyn Boy is one of the leading afrobeats hitmakers from Ghana. Since his official debut in 2017 under singer Stonebwoy’s record label imprint Burniton Music Group, the talented singer, songwriter, and performer has consistently dished out hit after hit. From the sentimental midtempo ballad “Na You” to the gritty afropop cut “Mea” to his Mugeez [...]
UK to Cut Taxes on Imports from Africa
The UK has launched a scheme to cut tariffs on hundreds of products from some of the world's poorest countries to try to boost trade links. The preferential terms, which come into effect early next year, will affect products ranging from food to textiles. Under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, 99% of goods imported from [...]
Meet the Ghanaian Author Documenting the History of African Designers
For years, major highlights in the African fashion industry have gone undocumented — missing the mark for a much younger generation of people seeking information to reference during research purposes. However, books with a focus on African fashion, like Ken Kweku Nimo’s Africa In Fashion: Luxury, Craft and Textile Heritage, are surfacing, and documenting leading [...]
Africa is Seizing the Opportunities Offered by Space Technology
More than 20 African countries have established space programmes and at least 13 have developed satellites, according to the consultancy Space in Africa. But Africa’s burgeoning space industry is viewed with suspicion in some quarters. Right-wing British tabloids often attempt to manufacture outrage with stories about recipients of UK development funding having the temerity to [...]
The Newly Reopened Africa Centre Celebrates the Continent’s Culture (and Seriously Chic Room Dividers)
The bar on the main level of the Africa Centre in London’s Southwark neighborhood sums up Tola Ojuolape’s vision for the space: tactility. The structure is topped with copper, the base wrapped in terracotta relief tiles. “This idea of creating things directly with your hands through metalwork or beading or woven materials unifies what I’ve [...]
Big Tech Companies Fishing for New Talent in Africa
Amazon is currently interviewing Nigerian developers for roles that promise relocation to Ireland and Canada. These moves coincide with the growth of software engineering talent in Africa in the last decade thanks in part to the work of companies like Andela that have helped produce the continent’s estimated 716,000 developers. Some of them have become [...]
Dennis Osadebe: Meet the Nigerian artist visualizing Africa’s future by reaching into the past
The 31-year-old Lagos-based artist wants to challenge assumptions about African art, visualizing the continent's future by reaching into the past. "I always want to use my art to educate people about Nigeria by making them understand that we're already future-thinking," said Osadebe, whose work fits into the movement known as Afrofuturist art combining African heritage [...]
Ugandans manufacture low-energy consumption computers
Ugandan engineers have developed Microfuse, a device designed to make computing and computers accessible to all Africans, especially those who are dealing with irregular power supplies. The device is currently being tested in a school on the outskirts of Kampala. It is a small revolution for the school. The stick computers prove to be much [...]
Beauty, Ugliness, and Power in African Art at the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth
The Language of Beauty in African Art is a sprawling exhibition predicated on a radical proposition (for major Western museums): evaluating African sculptures from the perspective of the cultures that produced them, rather than from the viewpoint of the European cultures (and their successors) that looted and/or collected the works. This exhibition is fundamentally concerned […]
Kenya’s Tech Startup Ecosystem is Looking to Attract even more Overseas Interest with New Hub
The International Financial Center in Nairobi is slated to officially launch in June, offering foreign investors in the financial sector special deals—including taxes and immigration incentives—and space in the new building. Firms seeking to join the center are required to pay a certification fee of around $8,620 and an annual fee around $4,310, according to [...]
Former Super Bowl champion Osi Umenyiora is creating a new path for African talent to make it to the NFL
Osi Umenyiora believes American football and African athletes are the perfect combination. Though he didn't start playing football until he was about 15 years old after moving to the US from Nigeria, he built a successful 12-year career in the National Football League (NFL) -- including two Super Bowl wins with the New York Giants. [...]
The Largest Pharmacy Network on the Continent
In Africa, street pharmacies play a vital role in helping people access drugs. However, there are two types; the licensed and the unlicensed. The unlicensed pharmacies belong to regular business people, but both serve as a bridge between giant pharmaceuticals and communities. Many Africans who cannot afford to pay hospital bills or buy doctor-prescribed drugs [...]
Tems Featured On ‘Black Panther – Wakanda Forever’ Soundtrack
Barely hours after she got songwriting credit on Beyonce's soon-to-be-released album, 'Renaissance', Tems scored another big one. Nigerian singer, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, is on a roll. Barely hours after she got songwriting credit on Beyonce's soon-to-be-released album, 'Renaissance', she scored another big one. The RCA Records artist delivered a soundtrack for one [...]
A Sit Down with the Winner of the African Business Leader of the Year Award
Changing the continent's narrative will entail solving old problems while also harnessing the power of new technologies, says Akintoye Akindele, a serial entrepreneur and investor from Nigeria. With more exposure and through encouraging creativity by giving innovators permission to fail, Africa can take its tech sector global, repeating the success of its Afrobeats music industry, [...]
How Nigerian Artist Layo Bright Uses Glass to Explore Migration
In the turbulent world of migration, Layo Bright’s sculptures creates spaces for African narratives. Perhaps the most striking motif in Layo Bright’s artwork is the sculpted female heads. In their close-eyed profile, they harken back to the precolonial artistic practice in West Africa, the bronze and terracotta heads in Nigeria with royal trappings. In the [...]
A Pay-as-you-go Electric Truck Makes Deliveries for Rwanda’s Small-scale Farmers Easier
The rolling hills of Rwanda produce great endurance cyclists, some are able to traverse mountainous terrain with 100 kilograms of fruit on their heads and shoulders. But British-Rwandan delivery startup OX Delivers is looking to change that through its electric OX Trucks, which are designed to negotiate dirt roads while carrying up to two tons [...]
What Makes Davido Afrobeats’ Benevolent King
A near-universal love of his music has put Davido at the top of the charts, but his spirit of giving has contributed to an enduring and much more profound success. Instilled in him by his parents, Davido is all about giving back whether it means charitable acts or promoting the talents of others, and it [...]
A Special Moment in Nigeria’s Economic History
On July 19, nearly a year after Nigeria’s long-awaited Petroleum Industry Bill became law, providing the legal framework for the selling of shares, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation finally became a private company – the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. The former state-owned company, known for its relatively poor leadership and lack of profits for [...]
African start-ups show resilience amid global chaos
Africa’s technology-dominated start-ups will continue to attract investment, even if at a slower pace, following record venture capital funding last year. The sector has seen inflows of US$2.7-billion since January, more than double the $1.2-billion in the first five months of last year, according to data collated by Futuregrowth Asset Management. “We still see that [...]
Ghana’s long-awaited Development Bank finally launches
After having been first conceived in 2017, the Development Bank Ghana (DBG) was finally launched this week to help catalyse growth in the country’s small and medium enterprise sector. The DBG has an initial $700m to loan to private financial institutions – including CalBank, CBG, GCB and Fidelity Bank – who in turn will on-lend [...]
Badge Nigeria Events nigeria The First Alté Culture Festival Centered Nigeria’s Emerging Creative Leaders
The first Alté Culture Festival, which took place at Muri Okunola Park, Lagos, was oozing with unconventional energy. Here were some highlights from the festival. Last month, young Nigerians assembled at Muri Okunola Park, Lagos for the first Alté Culture Festival.The term “Alté” was first used in 2014, after the success of the DRB LasGidi [...]
The rise of tap and go for transport across Africa
Public transport has always played a vital role in the heartbeat of the African continent, giving people a much-needed way to get to work and earn a living. With an estimated 70 per cent of Africa's urban population residing in informal settlements, these transport lines have been essential in helping families to access regular income [...]
Mbongeni Buthelezi: The South African artist turning plastic into portraits
While other artists might use watercolors or oil paints, Mbongeni Buthelezi uses waste plastics to create highly textured portraits at his studio in Booysens, Johannesburg. His medium is the plastic litter he collects from local rubbish dumps and city streets. "Animals are dying, fish in the ocean are dying -- because of this material and [...]
How Women in East Africa are reshaping Tech
When law professor Douglas Branson published the book The Future of Tech is Female in 2018, he must have imagined that the global tech industry would soon be led by women. Four years later, that future is evident in east Africa. For a long time, men dominated all senior and c-suite tech roles in the [...]
Tems’ global success is only the tip of the iceberg for women in African music
There is no history of popular African music without the talent and ingenuity of its women. While men have undoubtedly hogged much of the limelight, women have been a critical part of African music’s propulsive journey to the heart of modern pop. From the searing conscious anthems of anti-apartheid singer Miriam Makeba to the ‘70s rock [...]
Amazon’s going to Nollywood – and its deals with studios could shake up one of the world’s most prolific filmmaking hubs
In its hunt for content, Amazon Prime Video has turned to Nigeria, where it has secured key deals with studios that could shake up business in Africa's most prolific filmmaking hub. In recent months, the US giant has signed exclusive streaming agreements with Inkblot Productions and Anthill Studios -- which say the deals will fundamentally [...]
Million-dollar blockchain projects have finally come to Africa
The potential use cases of blockchain technology largely complement Africa’s efforts to address its socioeconomic challenges, but the funds to create solutions have been hard to come by in pre-pandemic times. But a report published recently by Swiss venture capital firm VC CV in partnership with Standard Bank shows that millions of dollars have started [...]
First Black African to Win Grand Tour Stage
Biniam Girmay made history as the first black African winner of a Grand Tour stage – but then had to go to hospital after an accident while celebrating. During his celebrations, the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert rider was struck in the eye with the cork while opening the bottle of Prosecco presented to stage winners. He missed the [...]
Why Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty is expanding into Africa
Fenty’s planned launch in Africa is perceived as a reaction to the growth of the continent’s beauty and personal care industry which is now valued at over $12 billion. Latest figures show the market could reach $14 billion in 2022, oiled by a steady rise in disposable incomes among the continent’s middle class. According to [...]
Germany is looking to west Africa to help solve its gas woes
On May 22, Olaf Scholz started a three-day tour of Africa in Senegal—his first since becoming the chancellor of Germany—and said his country wants to help develop natural gas projects off the coast of west Africa. Germany is Europe’s largest economy but its local gas production caters to only 5% of annual demand, making it [...]
Tems Is the First Nigerian to Debut at No. 1 On Billboard Hot 100
(Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images) Tems performs at the MOBO Awards 2021. Tems keeps stacking the wins. Tems has officially become the first Nigerian artist in history to have a No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The huge achievement comes due to her feature on Future's new single "WAIT FOR U," off [...]
Google Translate includes 10 more African languages
If, up to now, you’ve ever been stumped by something written in Krio or Ewe or Tigrinya then, unlike for more than 100 other languages, Google Translate was not going to help you out. But that’s just changed as Google has announced the addition of 24 languages - including 10 spoken in Africa - to [...]
Africa can show the world that women entrepreneurs are our future
I am always proud to say that I live in the most dynamic region in the world, thanks to our young and resourceful population. According to a 2019 World Bank study, Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rate of entrepreneurship in the world: nearly 42% of the working population, excluding the agricultural sector, are self-employed or [...]
Africa’s virtual designers are already preparing for metaverse fashion
“For me the metaverse means freedom,” says Idiat Shiole, a Nigerian virtual fashion designer, “I say that because I’m Muslim. When I worked as a fashion illustrator for most fashion houses, their first impression of me was normally ‘won’t this lady just draw Islamic dresses for us or can she even draw?’ But in the [...]
Luxury fashion house, Gucci, collaborates with Cinthia Sifa Mulanga for its latest campaign
Cinthia Sifa Mulanga photographed by Earl Garth Abrahams Cinthia Sifa Mulanga’s paintings of female subjects trapped in interior spaces chimed with the times. Now she will be overturning ideals of beauty through an artwork commissioned by Gucci, to celebrate the fashion house's iconic Diana tote bag. Few artists made a name for themselves during Covid-19 [...]
Africa accounts for 70% of the world’s $1 trillion mobile money market
Africa now accounts for 70% of the world’s $1 trillion mobile money value. The value of Africa’s mobile money transactions edged up 39% to $701.4 billion in 2021 from $495 billion in 2020, highlighting the future of African banking is mobile. GSMA’s figures released on Apr. 21, show the volume of mobile money transactions jumped [...]
The New Vanguard: South Africa’s Rising Stars in Fashion
We talked to three rising South African designers about their rise on the scene, their challenges as emerging designers, and their hopes for the future in fashion. The fashion scene in South Africa is buzzing with a crop of young designers eager to push the envelope. With Thebe Magugu having been an LVMH Prize winner [...]
A New Wave of Creatives Is Transforming Dakar, Senegal’s Capital City
Dakar is the gateway to Africa. It juts into the Atlantic Ocean, hemmed by water on three sides. The farthest westerly point on the continent, it is closer to Lisbon than to Cape Town. The first thing that strikes you is the teranga. The Wolof word translates loosely as “hospitality,” but it's more like a [...]
USA – Africa reset under the shadow of China: An African perspective. Part 3
Reset of USA-Africa relations and the USA-China competition in Africa Part I briefly discussed why USA and Africa mattered to each other, and why a reset of their relations was needed. Part II explored tentative shifts in US mindset, narrative, strategy, and policy towards Africa. This Part III, the last, argues that for Africa to [...]
Microsoft announces new initiatives to support 10,000 African start-ups over next five years
Under the remit of its recently established Africa Transformation Office (ATO), Microsoft has announced new initiatives to accelerate the growth of 10,000 African startups and fast-track investment in Africa’s startup ecosystem over the next five years. Microsoft’s recently launched global Founders Hub will now be available to African startups through the ATO. The Founders Hub [...]
With her Words, Poetra Asantewa Rages and Dreams
Photo: Odartey Aryee The Ghanaian poet is releasing her anthology, Woman, Eat Me Whole, this month. In 2020, after two years of repeated rejections, documented via an Excel sheet, Ama Asantewa Diaka, aka Poetra Asantewa, scored a deal with one of the big five English-language publishing companies. Under Ecco books, an imprint of HarperCollins, her [...]
Morocco turns to hi-tech manufacturing
Electric vehicles, aerospace and pharmaceuticals are at the heart of Morocco’s bid to become a high-tech hub positioned for European markets. Making the most of its geographical position on the edge of Europe, Morocco’s economic success over many years had been built on low-cost manufacturing of food, textiles and other lower cost goods that benefited [...]
Ugandan filmmaker eyes new Africa narrative after Disney animation deal
KAMPALA, April 13 (Reuters) - Ugandan film producer Raymond Malinga, whose work will feature in an upcoming Disney anthology of animated films from across Africa, hopes the project will bring African animation to the world. "Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire", is a ten-part collection of short animations by producers from six African countries that is set [...]
Africa’s creatives are promoting sustainability to combat Climate Change
In her 2004 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Wangari Maathai, the late Kenyan activist, spoke of the “central role” of culture in the political, economic, and social life of communities. She also charged Africans and the rest of humanity with their responsibility to the Earth, saying, “Today we are faced with a challenge that calls [...]
West African DJ AMÉMÉ on His Coachella 2022 Debut
AMÉMÉ is building himself a “house.” Already looking 10 steps ahead of where his career stands now, the rising producer has sights much bigger than his debut DJ set at Weekend One of Coachella. Just seven years ago, he was only a guest at the California festival and now we’re sitting in his own private [...]
Mariam Kamara and Sumayya Vally to design presidential library in Liberia
Nigerien architect Mariam Kamara and South African architect Sumayya Vally are collaborating to design a presidential library for Liberia's former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Monrovia. Named the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center), the library is set to be built in Liberia's capital city, Monrovia, alongside the country's presidential residence. Designed [...]
Burna Boy Put On An Otherworldly Show at Madison Square Garden
Photo courtesy of BukiHQ Media The Twice As Tall singer made history as the first Nigerian artist to sell out New York City's MSG—and what a show it was. The African Giant has done it. Musical heavyweight Burna Boy's brought his 'One Night in Space' tour to New York City's Madison Square Garden this Thursday, [...]
5 principles of great architecture – according to Pritzker Prize-winner Francis Kéré
Photography: Iwan Baan Diébédo Francis Kéré won the 2022 Pritzker Architecture Prize – often called ‘architecture’s Nobel’ – making history as the first African architect to be recognised in the award’s 43-year history. The Burkinabe architect – who grew up in a rural village in the Boulgou province of Burkina Faso – is celebrated for [...]
USA – Africa reset under the shadow of China: An African perspective. Part 2 of 3
A tentative blueprint for a reset of USA-Africa relations Part I briefly discussed why USA and Africa mattered to each other, and why a reset of their relations was justified. This Part II explores indicative shifts in US thinking, attitudes, and policies to adjust to a new Africa yearning for sovereignty and dignity. In theory, [...]
USA – Africa reset under the shadow of China: An African perspective. Part 1 of 3
Introduction: Direct flights by US carriers between the USA and African capitals are rare. To reach Africa from the USA, one must often go through Europe, use European companies and stopover in say London or Paris. Does the US diplomatic journey to Africa follow the same pattern, namely that the US always engages Africa via [...]
Billboard & Afro Nation Are Launching a U.S. Afrobeats Chart
(Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage) Wizkid and Burna Boy perform at the O2 Arena in December, 2021. The first-ever United States afrobeats chart follows the massive stateside popularity of songs like "Essence," "Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)," and many more. Billboard and global music festival Afro Nation are set to go live with the Billboard U.S. [...]
Why African banks are investing in AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is now firmly in the sights of African banks. From better understanding consumer needs to reducing risk, there are few areas where AI can’t make a key impact on operations. Christine Wu, Managing Executive, Customer Value Management at Absa Retail and Business Bank, views artificial intelligence (AI) as an important enabler of [...]
The Yatreda Art Collective is Using Web3 to Honor Ethiopia’s Past
Photo Credit: Yatreda Art Collective Kiya Tadele and the Yatreda Art Collective is drawing the world’s attention to Ethiopia. We interviewed the Yatreda Art Collective group leader Kiya Tadele about the group's journey and their new NFT project "Strong Hair." Kiya Tadele has a lot of enthusiasm. After working in the modeling industry for seven [...]
How ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Powers Financial Inclusion In Africa- Fehintolu Olaogun, CredPal CEO
Businesses, governments and development institutions all over Africa are keen on financial inclusion, determined to help more people access formal financial services. However, while there have been improvements, organised consumer credit on the continent is still largely limited. Thankfully, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) presents an opportunity to fill this gap. It is gaining popularity [...]
Francis Kéré Becomes First Black Architect to Win Pritzker Prize
Over his 25-year career, the Burkina Faso native has transformed communities across Africa with his socially minded designs Acclaimed Burkina Faso–born architect Diébédo Francis Kéré has been named the 2022 Pritzker Prize Laureate, becoming the first Black architect to receive the distinction in the award’s 43-year history. Regarded as the industry’s highest honor, the prestigious [...]
Nigeria Opens Africa’s Largest Fertiliser Plant Amid Price Surge
The 3 million-ton facility near Lagos, the commercial hub, adds to existing output of 3.1 million tons in the West African nation, according to the central bank. The biggest plant of its kind in Africa, owned by billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote, is already shipping to the U.S., India, and Brazil. “This fertilizer plant is expected [...]
Ubuntuland, Africa’s first Metaverse marketplace, explores a new digital era of art on the continent
Ubuntuland, a new virtual world created by Mann Made, is creating a link between African innovation and the digital economy. The 3D reality immersive hub allows people to enter as virtual avatars and develop their virtual personas, start a crypto portfolio, join tribes, and enjoy a marketplace of creative and innovative tech. Ubuntuland’s design is [...]
Building the Largest Network of Profitable African Farmers Using Technology
ThriveAgric, a fast-growing technology-driven agricultural company, has raised $56.4M in debt funding from local commercial banks and institutional investors. The raise also included a co-investment grant of $1.75M from the USAID-funded West Africa Trade & Investment. The new investment will enable the company to grow its 200,000+ farmer base, and expand into new African markets, [...]
Picós Sound Systems: A Nostalgic African Sound in Colombia
Barranquilla has become a catalyst of African rhythms in the Colombian and Caribbean coast. On January 1 the annual pre-carnival festivities officially began for the carnival that will take place this year at the end of March in Barranquilla, Colombia. Picós (from the English for “pick-up”) are at the heart of these parties taking place [...]
Why Africa will be the world’s fastest growing video game market
Egypt and South Africa are the two African countries emerging as new 'space-faring' powers. A 2021 study commissioned by Newzoo and Carry1st covering sub-Saharan Africa shows number of gamers has risen to 186 million people from 77 million in 2015. Just over five years ago, African gamers were mostly playing games on consoles and personal [...]
Amplifying Black and Diverse Histories the Focus of New Wikimedia Foundation Collaboration with African Artist
The Wikimedia Foundation, the global nonprofit that operates Wikipedia, announced the launch of Wiki Unseen, a collaboration with artists aimed at expanding the visual representation of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) in Wikimedia projects and advancing knowledge equity. Launched today, the first iteration of the project, a collaboration with artists from Africa, North [...]
African Jewelry Designers Are Celebrating The Continent’s Heritage
It’s no secret Africa’s material and cultural wealth has been plundered by colonial nations for centuries. And, yet, although much of the world’s precious metals are sourced from Africa, there’s a striking lack of successful Africa-based or African-born jewelry designers. Now, a talented and driven group of female jewelers of African descent are working to shine a [...]
Startups are eyeing Kenya as an African EV hub
Many e-mobility startups have set up shop in Kenya to try to put electric vehicles on Kenyan roads, in what may turn the country into a hub for EVs in the continent. Working to transform areas including public transportation, motorcycles, and taxis, the companies are looking to capitalize on Kenya’s position as a global leader [...]
These women are shaping the future of African space exploration
In the heart of Cape Town, a control room buzzes with activity. Technicians monitor a grid of screens, scanning data that will soon make its way to astronomers working to deepen our understanding of the universe. Operated by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), the data is coming from the MeerKAT array -- one [...]
Nigeria’s ‘techpreneurs’ are using technology to provide life-changing solutions to everyday problems
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN)As recently as 10 years ago, Africa's technology industry was sparse. But as a result of advancements in mobile phone technology as well as better internet connections, the continent has transformed -- unearthing countless innovators and entrepreneurs who make use of tech to solve everyday problems. Out of 1.3 billion Africans, there are [...]
African fintech Flutterwave triples valuation to over $3B after $250M Series D
African fintech Flutterwave has raised $250 million in a Series D round that tripled the company’s valuation to over $3 billion in just twelve months. In March 2021, the San Francisco-headquartered and Lagos-based startup raised $170 million in a Series C round from Tiger Global and Avenir at a valuation of $1 billion. The latest [...]
Togo Pushes for Sustainable Fashion at Annual International Fashion Festival
A number of fashion designers and lovers flocked to the event with different designs being showcased at the colorful evening. The occasion did not only provide an opportunity to discover the latest trends in African fashion but also reflected on an issue that has become crucial today that is the creation of an eco-responsible fashion. [...]
DRC’s Libende Boyz Are Using Their Voices to Uplift Troubled Beni
Photo: Alex Proper Following multiple crises in the Beni region, Libende Boyz have sought short-term ways to use their talents to bring humanitarian aid to vulnerable people who’ve directly been affected. Libende Boyz explain that, in the face of despair, any form of help is valuable. That’s what made them want to sing songs about [...]
Rwanda partners with CcHub to launch Fintech Innovation Project
Over the last decade, Rwanda has worked hard to establish itself as a tech hub. Despite only being a small market, it has aimed to attract serious investors and startups alike. The government has recently partnered with Co-creation Hub (CcHUB), Google and Mojaloop Foundation to launch the Fintech Innovation Project. As part of the initiative, Nigeria-based CcHUB [...]
Nigerian Storyteller Tosinger Is Bringing Africans Back To Their Roots
The singer, actress, and folklore storyteller spoke to us about how her move to Oklahoma pushed her to pursue her dreams, and the performer's latest Black History Month project, #We3Queens. Atlanta based Afrosoul/Afrofolk singer and actress Tosin Taiwo, aka Tosinger, is dedicated to continuing the traditions of oral and visual storytelling. The Nigerian artist's latest [...]
How ‘Amapiano’, South Africa’s soulful sound, has become one of the hottest new music genres
A distinct sound is currently vibing on social feeds around the world: the deep house, log-drum driven basslines and soulful piano melodies of "Amapiano." While Amapiano dance challenges are currently sweeping TikTok, the streets of South Africa have been thrumming with its sound for years. Seeping out of car windows and overflowing from clubs, Amapiano [...]
An African Elephant-Human Cancer Research Initiative
An Africa Prime Original Documentary (30 minutes): Botlierskop’s conservation efforts reaches out across Africa. It has been discovered by scientists that elephants are cancer resistant. Scientist Dr Charlot Vandevoorde has started an ambitious African project collaborating with Botlierskop, to find a possible link to human cancers, and hopefully contribute to bringing about a cure for [...]
An African Hospitality Treasure in Cape Town exported around the World
An Africa Prime Original Documentary (30 minutes): A South African hotel group that was birthed by a South Africa family and has won numerous international awards primarily because of its people. The sought out, African expertise and people-focus culture of the Twelve Apostles Hotel staff has been exported amongst other to the UK. This documentary [...]
A luxurious African oasis that redefines conservation
An Africa Prime Original Documentary (30 minutes): South Africa near Cape Town - Botlierskop Game Reserve does it differently. Here’s a creative African perspective on conservation and sustainability, where ‘people-development’ forms part of a near-perfect symbiosis. The owner, Arnold Neethling is a builder of buildings, vision and of people. Arnold believes that true empowerment is [...]
Zimbabwean Wine Stewart, Lovejoy Neshamba introduces some of Africa’s most original Wine Cellar Art
An Africa Prime Exclusive Documentary (12 Minutes): Five Star Ellerman House Hotel in Cape Town has a wine cellar with art sculptures unlike any other wine cellar in Africa. 1. A gigantic corkscrew sculpture holding several hundreds of bottles of wine, housed in a temperature controlled glass room. 2. An entire wall, made up of [...]
Osvalde Lewat wins the Pan-African Literature Prize with ‘Les Aquatiques’
In her first novel, the documentary filmmaker and photographer Osvalde Lewat attacks social conventions. The Pan-African Literature prize - newly created by the DRC’s President and the African Union’s Chairperson Félix Tshisekedi, and accompanied by $30,000 – will be awarded to her in February in Addis Ababa at the next African Union heads of state [...]
Warner Music Group, 2nd Largest in the World is Bullish on African Music
With over 3000 tribes across 54 countries, Africa’s cultural diversity gives its music industry a rich blend of melodies to sell to the world. The Afrobeat, Congolese zouk, and South African Kwaito genres, to mention a few, have drawn massive attention to the continent’s entertainment scene over the years. And recently, Warner Music Group (WMG), [...]
Why These Songs From Mali Are Just Right For Our Pandemic Times
The Malian singer Rokia Kon is known as the Rose of Bamako. In a country known for world class instrumentation and great female vocalists, mainly through recordings and performances from luminaries such as Oumou Sangar and Fatoumata Diawara, Kon has emerged as one of the most innovative, experimental African singers on the international music scene. She [...]
Wizkid, ElGrandeToto, Zuchu… Who are the African stars exploding on YouTube?
From Nigerian Ckay, whose “Love Nwantiti” went viral on TikTok, to Algerian Mouh Milano, who won everything possible, artists from the continent have exploded the view counters on YouTube. Check out the stats in our infographics. It’s a first in Nigerian history: in 2021, Essence, produced by the compelling Afrobeats star Wizkid produced as a [...]
Rare elephant twins born in Kenya
An elephant has given birth to twins in Kenya's north in a moment rarely witnessed among the endangered species. Conservationists call the moment unique. said On Thursday they said an elephant had given birth to twins in Kenya's north. Among the endangered species twins form about only one percent of births. Conservation group Save the [...]
The History of South African Pioneer Artists of Color at Ellerman House in Cape Town
An Africa Prime Exclusive Documentary (40 Minutes): Ellerman House is a luxurious boutique hotel in Cape Town, South Africa. Paul Harris, the owner of Ellerman House, focused primarily on South African art and acquired the collection over several decades. The art collection at Ellerman House is vast with over 1000 pieces and gives a better [...]
African Proverbs for All Ages Offers Wisdom for Everyone
The Ghanaian proverb “Wisdom is like a baobab tree: No one individual can embrace it” is a fitting description for Johnnetta Betsch Cole and Nelda LaTeef’s new book African Proverbs for All Ages, which was written to be shared and discussed. In her introduction, Cole says adults assume the young are not capable of interpreting [...]
To Help Support Local Communities, Try Traveling to Africa in the Off Season
Seasonality presents a universal challenge to job security in the tourism industry, from Asia to Africa and across Europe and the Americas. As soon as prime time wraps, many resorts lay off most of their workers—or so-called employees may be granted unpaid leave for months, but that’s the best-case scenario. In Africa, where one salary [...]
Africans are winning top jobs at international institutions
Today Africans lead several global institutions. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, an Ethiopian, has steered the World Health Organisation (WHO) through the pandemic. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian, heads the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Makh tar Diop, a Senegalese, presides over an investment portfolio worth about $64bn at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the semi-independent arm of the […]
The Best African films of 2021
After the shutdowns of the last year, 2021 saw movies make a comeback. Productions picked up once again in several countries. Theatres sprung back to life as did physical festivals. Streaming platforms, big and small, worked overtime to fill up the vacuum and continued to license and commission films, turning what could have been a […]
Sustainable fashion, this South African accountant-turned-designer is turning heads on the runway
Accountant Shamyra Moodley was on maternity leave after the birth of her son when she came up with an idea that would push her into the world of fashion. She started a blog, Laaniraani, where she shared photos of her personal style, featuring flashy eyewear and vibrant fabrics. “It had fashion pictures, but clearly was […]
A South African Shopping Site Where Artisans and Community Meet
“When I to start with observed it, it was quite rough — a bunch of aged warehouses, no plants anywhere. It was a dust bowl of grease and oil,” claimed the artist James Delaney, of what is now Victoria Yards, in the impoverished Johannesburg community of Lorentzville. Nevertheless, it was a handy web site, substantially […]
US picks Zambia for massive MCC grant.
WASHINGTON. The Millennium Challenge Corporation’s (MCC) Board of Directors held its quarterly meeting yesterday and selected Belize and Zambia as newly eligible to develop MCC compacts—the agency’s five-year grant program. As part of its annual discussion on country selection, MCC’s Board also reviewed the policy performance of eligible and previously selected countries and received an […]
Condé Naste’s Votes Botswana as one of the The Best Countries in the World
Botswana is slightly larger than France, this landlocked Southern African nation has a population of only 2.3 million (as opposed to France’s 67 million), meaning that everyone has plenty of space to roam. In fact, Botswana is one of the least densely populated territories on the planet—that is, of course, only if you’re counting human […]
Nigerian Entrepreneur Funke Opeke’s Vision Rewarded As Equinix Buys MainOne For $320m
In 2008 when Funke Opeke first proposed building the MainOne undersea cable from Portugal to Nigeria, which was acquired this week for $320-million, people called her “crazy. But the savvy Nigerian expat – who was an executive director for Verizon during her 20-year career working for US telecoms firms – refused to believe them. Some […]
Michael Twitty Creates a New Kind of Garden at Colonial Williamsburg
The food historian is spearheading the Sankofa Garden, a plot dedicated to telling the history of the era’s enslaved people. Michael Twitty has made a career out of highlighting the connections between food, history, religion, and culture. The culinary historian, author, and blogger behind Afroculinaria explores the enduring food legacy of the African Diaspora, tracing […]
Seychelles again wins World’s Most Romantic Destination title at World Travel Awards
(Seychelles News Agency) – Seychelles has won the World’s Most Romantic Destination title for the second consecutive year at the 28th World Travel Awards, the Tourism Department said Thursday. The island nation came in first in the romance category ahead of other nominees which included Antigua & Barbuda, the Atacama Desert, Chile, Bali, Indonesia, Jamaica, […]
Is Tesla charging up for an Africa push?
The establishment of official charging stations in Casablanca and Tangier could be the first sign of major things to come from Elon Musk’s electric vehicle giant. Moroccan web developer Khalil Amar was already fixated with the technological prowess of Tesla cars before he imported a Tesla Model 3 from Holland to his home in Casablanca […]
Rumba Shimmies onto UNESCO Cultural Heritage List
Congolese rumba is among at least nine new entries on UNESCO’s “representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.” UNESCO is making its 2021 designations this week, recognizing cultural heritage ranging from Arabic calligraphy to falconry to Nordic clinker boat traditions. Congolese rumba was named to the list Tuesday. The Democratic Republic of Congo […]
The youngest Black female professor ever to be tenured at Oxford was born in Kenya
Patricia Kingori, a sociologist who has been with Oxford University for eight years, made history as the youngest Black woman to receive tenure at the university. Appointed at the Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities, the Kenya-born professor was offered the role “in recognition of the quality and global impact of her research on academia […]
Soccer legend Samuel Eto’o elected president of Cameroon FA
The former Cameroon international promised an array of reforms after receiving 43 votes from members of FECAFOOT’s general assembly. Eto’o enjoyed a glittering club career, playing for the likes of Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea, while also making over 50 appearances for the Cameroon national side. At his peak, Eto’o was considered one of the […]
CKay’s ‘Love Nwantinti’ Took Over TikTok — But He’s Only Now Getting Full Credit
“Many people on the internet didn’t even know whose song it was,” says the Nigerian singer. So he’s setting the record straight and telling the story of his global smash One night in early September, a friend of Chukwuka Ekweani sent him a clip of his song “Love Nwantiti” being used in a TikTok challenge. [...]
SS Sphinx – Egypt’s only luxury river cruise launched on the Nile
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises has debuted images for its newest Super Ship, the highly anticipated SS Sphinx! Captured sailing on the Nile River in Egypt, the ship was influenced by local artisans to embody true Egyptian creativity and craftmanship. The Sphinx set sail in 2021 as the only luxury river cruise in Egypt. The ship [...]
Biden Administration’s Blinken Discusses US-Africa Policy During Stop in Nigeria
In this photo released by the Nigeria State House, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, is welcomed by Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, right, before a meeting at the Presidential palace in Abuja, Nigeria, Nov. 18, 2021. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Nigeria as part of his three-nation tour in Africa. In [...]
Afrik Fashion Show’s 15th edition celebrates four generations of Ivorian designers
Abidjan - The Afrik Fashion Show is back for a fifteenth edition focusing on the theme 'Made in Ivory Coast'. For the occasion, fifteen designers from four generations presented their latest collections. A confident and charismatic, Fatim Sidimé made her entrance on the podium of the 'Palais des Congrès de l'Hôtel Ivoire', Saturday 6 November [...]
Best Wellness Retreats in Africa for 2022
Wellness retreats in Africa promote your health and wellbeing – both physically and mentally through dedicated activities that you can incorporate into your explorations of Africa. Whether you are practicing yoga, meditating in the midst of African plains, indulging in a spa treatment, or taking a dip in the azure waters of a private beach [...]
Eco-friendly, smokeless, energy-efficient stoves are saving lives and trees in Senegal
Ermann Zannou started Green Ker in 2015 and today the enterprise employs 14 people full time. A clutch of university degrees could have led to a cosy job in Paris. Instead, Ermann Zannou decided he could do more by living closer to the country of his birth, Benin. So he set up Green Ker in [...]
An imaginative South African artist brings his masterful storytelling to a global audience
ATANG TSHIKARE GREW up in Thaba ‘Nchu (‘Black Mountain’), one of several so-called “homeland” states that retained independence from the apartheid South African government, even while being enclosed within its broader territory. He was fourteen when the nation was integrated in 1994 – with the election of Nelson Mandela – and his life has been [...]
Africa Scores high on Best Resorts of the World 2021 – by Condé Nast Traveller
BOTSWANA: and Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge (Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp, Xaranna Okavango Delta, and Sandibe Okavango Delta) Luxury safari outfitter andBeyond operates a trio of lodges in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, each with their own unique appeal. Set on a private concession, adjacent to wildlife-rich Moremi Game Reserve, Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge features a striking [...]
DRC’s Felix Tshisekedi wants to end corruption and orders audit of mining registry
Congolese leader says he wants to end corruption and squandering of mining assets in the lucrative sector Kinshasa — The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi has ordered a ban on issuing and trading mining permits until the country’s mining registry has been audited, a measure aimed at combating fraud within the sector. [...]
Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse: a South African legend whose music spans generations
Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse has his photo taken by fellow musician Nhlanhla Mafu, in 2021. Oupa Bopape/Gallo Images via Getty Images Drummer, saxophonist, composer, activist – and anthropology student – Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse has turned 70. If you wanted a guidebook to the distinctive character of the South African jazz scene, Mabuse’s 50-year career offers one. [...]
Gateway to Africa. Tangier’s re-invents itself into a sought-after destination with a ‘difference’.
The bad boy of Morocco is cleaning up its act thanks to a wealth of new investment. It’s a crisp winter’s day with wood smoke clinging to the air, and high in the Kasbah of Tangier, Cafe Baba is busy. A knot of teenagers has blocked off a corner of the balcony in pursuit of [...]
Helping African fashion entrepreneurs launch their brands globally
Re-roll Station is a six-week, intensive digital programme to help African fashionistas launch their brands into the global market. The aim is to provide creative entrepreneurs with actionable steps to grow brands that are environmentally friendly, socially inclusive, and profitable. Re-roll is the brainchild of Cher Potter and Kesiena Harry. Harry is the Programs Manager [...]
Bespoke African dining hall Alkebulan debuts at Expo 2020 Dubai
Visitors can explore Africa’s rich and diverse culture via food, music and design Seven acclaimed chefs, led by curator Alexander Smalls, bring concept to life Dining hall celebrates the variety and potential of the continent’s cuisines DUBAI,UAE, 16 November 2021 /African Media Agency (AMA)/ – African dining hall Alkebulan has made its debut at Expo [...]
Wizkid’s ‘Made in Lagos’ Tour Celebrates a New Pinnacle for Afropop
The star’s sold-out Atlanta show was a massive party for a growing throng of fans “I’m not talking about no ‘Essence’ fans,” the Afropop sensation Wizkid playfully told the sold-out crowd at Atlanta’s Tabernacle on Tuesday night as he scoured it for true devotees. “Essence,” an international hit which this week became Wizkid’s first U.S. [...]
Giggs Kgole pays tribute to his African ancestors in his first London solo exhibition
South African artist Giggs Kgole has already come a long way in a short space of time. Despite just being 24, he has racked up dozens of exhibitions and personal shows. For his first solo show at London's Signature African Art, Giggs explores his journey so far. Titled Badimo Ba Kgole (Kgole's Gods), the exhibition [...]
Pan-African Streetwear Label Finchitua Goes Intergalactic
Finchitua's newest capsule collection is a dive into future fantasy.. Feiruza Mudessir is in her creative studio in Dubai, a picture of contained nervous energy, surrounded by the organized chaos of her designs. She is the brand owner and head designer of Finchitua, a label producing distinctly pan-African streetwear. Until now, they have delivered exuberant [...]
Macky Sall shakes up investment in Senegal
Regional trade hub. With a relatively small domestic population of 17m, Senegal is positioning itself as a regional trade hub to increase the size of its market. The bustling port of Dakar is an important driver of economic growth, processing goods from huge landlocked countries like neighbouring Mali. Port operator DP World announced plans last [...]
It’s time to tell a more balanced story of slavery
In many parts of the world, museums are considering how to present history through different lenses, rather than just representing colonial and imperialistic views of certain events, countries or whole continents. The current museum presentations of exhibits and information about slavery – especially the transatlantic slave trade – are a stark example of colonisation that’s [...]
Africa begins to emerge as car industry hub
After the European car industry moved much of its production into Eastern Europe, some believe the next step is Africa, both for production and a growing consumer market. Should Germany's eastern neighbors be worried? Morocco is one of several African nations that has boosted vehicle production in recent years Morocco is an emerging automotive manufacturing [...]
Gabon plans to lead the African negotiators at COP26
Lee White, minister of forests, oceans, environment and climate change, speaks to Al Jazeera about COP26, where Gabon chairs the African Group of Negotiators. In 1999, United States conservationist Michael Fay spent 15 months walking 3,200km (2,000 miles) across the Congo Basin, documenting the region’s pristine forests and wildlife. David Quammen, a freelancer for National [...]
Top 10 Wealthiest African Countries According GDP in 2021
Spanning 54 countries, Africa is a powerhouse in the world of natural resources and innovation. Resources like diamonds, sugar, gold, uranium, silver, oil, and petroleum famously make Africa and investments in Africa very lucrative. Oil being an invaluable commodity, its production puts countries like Nigeria and Egypt at the top in terms of Gross Domestic [...]
The Gravedigger’s Wife: Somali love story wins Africa’s top film prize at Fespaco
A Somali film exploring what people will do for love has won the grand prize at the prestigious pan-African film festival in Burkina Faso. The Gravedigger's Wife, written and directed by Finish-Somali director Khadar Ahmed, beat off competition at Fespaco from 16 other movies. It focuses on Guled, whose job it is to wait outside [...]
See the spectacular African design on display at Lagos Design Week
The design scene in Nigeria is exploding. Here are three prominent designers featured at this year’s Lagos Design Week. Twentieth century design was defined by European movements, like Scandinavian minimalism or the German Bauhaus. Could design in the 21st century be shaped by a new generation of African designers? Design Week Lagos certainly makes a [...]
Ugandan coffee exports are soaring, thanks in part to demand from Italy
Demand for Ugandan coffee in Italy, where espresso lovers abound, has helped increase the East African nation’s exports of the beans to the highest in at least 30 years. In August, Uganda overtook Vietnam to become the second-largest supplier of coffee to Italy for the first time this year, behind Brazil. Total shipments jumped 21% [...]
Cameroon Says COVID Scare Drove Breast Cancer Increase
YAOUNDÉ — Health care activists in Cameroon are visiting homes, markets and farms this month, encouraging women to get free screenings for breast cancer. The central African state says the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer has risen sharply over the past year because many women delayed screenings for fear of COVID-19 infections. The [...]
Nigeria becomes first African nation to roll out digital currency
The digital currency and its underlining technology called blockchain are expected to increase Nigeria’s gross domestic product and remittances, President Muhammadu Buhari said in a televised speech at the digital currency's launch in Abuja, the capital [File: Drew Angerer/Getty Images] Nigeria’s central bank earlier in February outlawed banks and financial institutions from transacting or operating [...]
He’s the most popular man from Senegal on TikTok. 114 Million followers, and he doesn’t say a word
Khabane "Khaby" Lame, the second most-followed person on TikTok, at the Venice International Film Festival in September. When Italy first went into a coronavirus lockdown last year, Khabane Lame had just lost his job at a factory near the northern city of Turin. He spent his days holed up at his parents' home in Chivasso [...]
Emerging Africa Group (EAG) acquires majority stake in Fundall to build Africa’s first financial Super App
The financial services industry is experiencing a paradigm shift. Dependence on manual services within the industry is rapidly declining and this trend will continue as technology continues to evolve and infiltrate every aspect of our lives. The challenge that many established financial services companies face is how to leverage these new technologies to grow their [...]
How Nigerian Streetwear Brand, Daltimore, is Rising To Celebrity Status
We spoke with founder and creative director David Omigie about expression through clothing and that #BBNaija pic. Backstage at her first live performance at the Big Brother Naija eviction show in July, Mavin's music starlet Ayra Starr posed for Instagram wearing a custom, ivory two-piece outfit. The 19-year-old posed wearing a slinky bandeau crop top [...]
Benin bronzes are being returned and sculptured again
On the bustling streets of Nigeria's Benin City, residents cannot wait to get their Bronzes back - for them their return symbolises reparations for some of the wrongs committed by British troops during the colonial era. A statue of a cockerel is one priceless artefact soon to be welcomed home, after Jesus College handed it [...]
The Brunchnista Reveals The Best Brunch Spots Around The World
Unlike many globetrotters, Michelle Sprott doesn’t keep a running count of the countries she has visited. It’s just a part of her DNA. Her mother is from Aruba and the family lived in Holland, so she’s been traveling practically from birth. But the brunch spots she has visited during her travels roll easily off the [...]
Evidence of Fur and Leather Clothing, Among World’s Oldest, Found in Moroccan Cave
Humans likely sported clothes made of jackal, fox and wildcat skins some 120,000 years ago. A bone tool from Contrebandiers Cave likely used for making clothes out of the skin of predators. Jacopo Niccolò Cerasoni Fur is a controversial fashion statement these days. But stepping out in a wildcat cape or jackal wrap was de [...]
Biden picks Africa’s Covid chief to head Aids programme
US President Joe Biden has nominated Dr John Nkengasong to lead the well-resourced public health programme aimed at combatting HIV/Aids, known as the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar). Dr Nkengasong is currently the head of the Africa CDC - the agency leading the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The $7bn (£5bn) Pepfar programme [...]
Somalia opens oxygen plant vital in Covid fight
Somalia’s first large-scale factory producing much-needed medical oxygen has been opened in the capital, Mogadishu. The plant, which is at the city’s main child and maternal health hospital, was made possible through a collaboration between the government and the Hormuud Salaam Foundation (HSF), a charity set up by a large telecoms company. It will produce [...]
Meet the Nigerian board game creator trying to change an industry
Kenechukwu 'KC' Ogbuagu is trying to improve the tabletop game industry in Nigeria. Lagos, Nigeria (CNN)Kenechukwu Cornelius Ogbuagu has been obsessed with playing and building games his entire life. As a child, he played board and card games including Snakes and Ladders, Whot, and Ludo with the kids in his neighborhood in Enugu, southeastern Nigeria, [...]
Surprise appointment: Tunisia’s president names Najla Bouden as country’s first female PM
Photo credit: Najla Bouden is a former director at PromESsE, a higher education reform project, and has held senior positions at Tunisia’s higher education ministry. Photograph: Mohamed Hammi/SIPA/Rex/Shutterstock Agence France-Presse Tunisia’s president named geologist Najla Bouden as the country’s first ever female prime minister-designate on Wednesday, to form a government with limited executive clout after [...]
The Urbanative. Mpho Vackier, South African mining engineer turns to ART
Once an engineer in South Africa’s mine, Mpho Vackier now applies her pragmatism to designing for her innovative furniture line—TheUrbanative. Johannesburg designer Mpho Vackier of TheUrbanative sees herself first and foremost as a pragmatic person. That sensibility is what led to her career as an engineer working in South African mines. But a lifelong creative [...]
A New Portrait Series Celebrates Immigrant Communities Throughout the U.S.
“The Land of Milk and Honey” is the latest project from creative director Alexander Julian. The United States is often touted as a melting pot—a place shaped by the mix of people who have arrived from around the world, bringing their traditions, their cuisines, and their families with them. But for many who have come [...]
Tanzania Hosts First East African Regional Tourism Expo Next Month
Tanzania Hosts First East African Regional Tourism Expo Next Month Tanzania will host the inaugural East African Regional Tourism Expo (EARTE), according to The Citizen. The Expo is being held by the United Republic of Tanzania in conjunction with the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat. It will take place in the northern city of Arusha [...]
High International Standard of Africa Wellness destinations
Bushmanskloof - Cape Town Dubbed “an oasis in the wilderness”, Bushmans Kloof is set on a 7 500-hectare private reserve. Getting there is an experience in itself, showcasing the charming seaside town of Paternoster and one of the oldest towns in South Africa called Clanwilliam. The three-hour drive from Cape Town stretches along the rugged [...]
Benin Startup Builds Computers Out of Jerricans, Distributes Them at Low Cost
COTONOU — BloLab, a startup in Benin is turning plastic jerricans into computers using recycled components and distributing them to the public at a low cost. Arthur Dadjo is a student in Cotonou, Benin, where innovation and recycling meet. For the past year, he has been using a computer he built himself. It is made [...]
Ecofeminism is revolutionising west African farming
Mariama Sonko is an unstoppable force who continued her work even when she was ostracised by her community in Senegal Outside Mariama Sonko’s home in the Casamance region of southern Senegal pink shells hang on improvised nets that will be placed in mangroves to provide a breeding spot for oysters. Normally, women collecting oysters chop [...]
Jamal Ademola’s Exploration Of Self-Identity Through Mixed Media
Journey with Nigerian-American mixed media artist and filmmaker Jamal Ademola as he strolls towards self-discovery. In our 'Spotlight' series, we highlight the work of photographers, visual artists, multimedia artists and more who are producing vibrant, original work. In our latest piece, we spotlight Nigerian-American mixed media artist and filmmaker Jamal Ademola. His work was featured [...]
Mami Wata: The South African Brand Highlighting Surfing Culture In Africa
For many Westerners, the words Africa and surfing are not related. However, there is a South African surf brand that is trying to bring diversity, while celebrating surfing culture in Africa. Mami Wata, a West African deity that means Mother Ocean, is taking a different approach when it comes to not only the sport itself, [...]
Restaurant & Bar Design Awards shortlist 2021. Two in South Africa
Featuring 279 projects across 45 categories, the shortlist for this year’s Restaurant & Bar Design Awards once again boasts a plethora of outstanding spaces, two of which are in South Africa. Here, are some of the most arresting designs from across the globe: 1. La Petite Colombe – Franschhoek, South Africa (Design: MR) 2. [...]
The Music Behind Netflix’s South African Series ‘JIVA!’
Get to know all the fire tracks featured on Netflix's South African dance series 'JIVA!'. A week after the official premiere of Netflix's JIVA!, the South African dance series has been in the top-10 viewing on the streaming platform. Additionally, the various South African tracks featured in the star-studded production have become stellar favourites among [...]
‘Misfit’ Ghanaian artist Kojo Marfo finds a home among London’s elite
The JD Malat Gallery in London's Mayfair is everything you'd expect an exclusive art space to be. The premises are immaculate and highly ordered, the owner and staff even more so. Into this atmosphere bounces the ever-smiling and slightly chaotic looking Kojo Marfo, an artist who is leading the life he has always dreamed of. [...]
Liberia courts premium markets to boost cocoa earnings
Liberian cocoa has a poor international reputation, but could it make headway in alternative markets driven by a growing market for high-quality, sustainably produced chocolate? The slicing and thump of pods falling from trees interrupts the stillness of a cocoa plantation in a remote part of Nimba County during harvest season. Most of the beans [...]
USA and Europe want to strike trade deals in Africa
“We will be the guinea pig,” said Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya’s president, before trade talks with America opened last year. A deal would make Kenya only the second African country after Morocco to sign a free-trade agreement with the United States. Officials in the Trump administration called the proposed deal “a model” for future ones. But [...]
44 Africa Satellites already in orbit and 20 more ready to take off
Despite a gap in 2020, the continent wants to take part in conquering space. Since the beginning of the year, three satellites have been launched and some 20 projects are about to get underway. On 22 March 2021, Tunisia kicked things off by launching its very first satellite: Challenge One, an Internet of Things satellite [...]
Ethiopia starts building local rival to Facebook
The Ethiopian Government wants its own social media platform to replace Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Zoom. Ethiopia has begun developing its own social media platform to rival Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, though it does not plan to block the global services, the state communications security agency has said. For the past year Ethiopia has been [...]
On his sixth bid, Zambian opposition leader finally becomes president by an overwhelming majority.
President Hichilema, fondly known as ‘HH’ or ‘Bally’ – an informal term for father – has vowed to clean up Zambia’s economic crisis. Zambia’s newly elected leader Hakainde Hichilema has been sworn in after an election victory hailed as a rare triumph over authoritarianism and a milestone in African democracy. Hichilema, 59, took the oath [...]
The Somali Creative Using Art As a Weapon
Most people know Somalia for its decades-long civil war. As a result of the conflict and instability, many citizens are living outside of the country. Sagal Ali is part of the two million diaspora. Unlike others who sit back and complain about how things are “back home”, she has chosen to get involved in a [...]
South Africa’s Economy Is Now $37 Billion Bigger
South Africa’s economy is 11% bigger than previously estimated, after statistics authorities changed the way they calculate gross domestic product. GDP at current prices measured 5.52 trillion rand ($369 billion) in 2020, compared with a previous estimate of 4.97 trillion rand, said Joe de Beer, deputy director-general of economic data at Statistics South Africa, told [...]
Nigeria $2 billion fintech startup has become Africa’s fastest unicorn
In less than three years, OPay has gone from a curious startup known for its motorcycles in Lagos, Nigeria, to a financial services company worth $2 billion. The latest valuation comes after it raised $400 million from a round led by SoftBank, the Japanese investment firm, with Sequoia Capital China, and five other large firms [...]
Uganda and Rwanda take refugees from Afghanistan
Malala: 'This is a call to humanity' (CNN)Afghanistan's only girls' boarding school has evacuated dozens of students and staff to Rwanda, the president of the privately-run institution said Tuesday. The move came days after the Taliban ousted the government in Afghanistan, where girls and women were banned from being educated when the Islamist militants were [...]
For us, by us: Africa must tell its own stories
When it comes to the complex history and rich culture of the African continent, the narrative has often been over-simplified, offering a homogeneous and unidimensional depiction of the world’s second most populous continent. Decades of turbulence have contributed to creating an overall negative portrayal of Africa and its people internationally, fuelled by the over-narrated and [...]
Kéré Architecture’s Startup Lions Campus is set to inspire future achievers
Diébédo Francis Kéré designs a new nature-inspired landmark in Kenya. Context-appropriate architecture and biophilia have become part of the contemporary architectural lexicon. Designers and architects are increasingly looking to nature and their surroundings for inspiration. This is not only in deference to a location, but also for practical reasons, because nature is often the best [...]
Building Bridges Through African Music, Serves Up an Eye-opening Album Debut
Known for his connection to the African music space and his love for fashion, Nana Appiasei, popularly known as Smallgod, has further imprinted his relevance to the music scene in Africa and beyond. For the last 15 years, the Ghanaian music entrepreneur, as well as culture and streetwear connoisseur, has been a force that has [...]
The Insider’s Guide To A Glamping Safari In South Africa
Glamping is when you leave behind the beaten track but not the creature comforts of modern life. Experience this in a Big 5 reserve in South Africa and you’ve found the safari ‘sweet spot’ – the ultimate combination of wild and luxury. So, what’s the biggest difference between camping and glamping (‘glamorous camping’)? While there [...]
The Activewear Brand That Wants To Normalise Wearing Traditional African Clothing Daily
RuvaAfricWear founder Sylvester Ndhlovu on celebrating Africa through his label and finally opening a store after years of building the brand behind closed doors. Back in high school, Sylvester Ndhlovu used to design his own T-shirts. But it wasn't your regular send-off-to-the-printer kind of designs. "It was just a white tee and a sharpie — [...]
This Senegalese CEO is Reshaping the Telecommunications Scene in Sierra Leone
37-year-old Aminata Kane, is a rising star in Africa’s cut-throat telecom industry. When Aminata Kane took on the challenge of turning around Orange’s Sierra Leonean subsidiary, the giant French telco was considering a sale of the money-losing unit to a competitor. That was back in April 2018. Aminata, a former mobile money marketing manager at [...]
How Kenya’s Jamborow is helping cooperatives better serve their members
Kenyan startup Jamborow is a fintech platform that provides white label solutions to enable savings and credit cooperatives societies, or Saccos, to better serve their members and scale operations while at it. Founded in 2018 by Moses Onitilo and Olusegun George, Jamborow brings together all players in the financial ecosystem, including lenders, borrowers, and intermediaries. [...]
How synesthesia helps artist Prince Gyasi turn his work into ‘color therapy’
Visual artist Prince Gyasi (pictured) has worked with brands such as Apple, and shot big names including Naomi Campbell and Burna Boy. Credit: Prince Gyasi Paint, or pixels? That's the question that Prince Gyasi wants you to ask when you see his work. "You should be confused whether it's a painting or a photograph," he [...]
African leaders mobilize vaccines, finance at Abidjan summit
Several African leaders on Thursday attended the International Development Association (IDA) for Africa summit in Abidjan to discuss ways to support economic recovery on the continent after the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Many countries, already seeing little growth, have been forced to roll back restrictions due to rising virus cases, affecting revenues and [...]
Nigeria stun US basketball team in pre-Olympic friendly game.
Nigeria become the first African nation to beat the US basketball team, with a 90-87 win. Nigeria have pulled off one of the greatest upsets in international basketball history by stunning the United States in an Olympic exhibition game in Las Vegas, 90-87. Nigeria, with six NBA players and former NBA head coach Mike Brown [...]
Somalia Green Energy Association Touts Clean Power Potential
MOGADISHU, SOMALIA - Somalia lacks a national power grid and relies on imported fuel, wood and charcoal to address its energy needs. But energy experts say with the longest coastline in mainland Africa and an average of 10 hours of sunshine per day, Somalia has great potential for onshore wind and solar power. Somalia’s private [...]
Award-winning Kenyan Artist gives trash a second chance
From the 'C-Stunner' to the 'Black Mamba,' Kenya's Cyrus Kabiru rides wave of success with new creations made from scrap Cyrus Kabiru is on a continuous journey with his art. Born in Nairobi, Kenya, the award-winning artist and sculptor best known for his "C-stunners" -- eyewear created with junk -- has turned his focus to [...]
A Show of Forgiveness for Ivorian Former Foes. Ivory Coast president and rival in first meeting since civil war
Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara and bitter rival Laurent Gbagbo have embraced in their first meeting since the civil war 10 years ago. The conflict was sparked by Mr Gbagbo's refusal to admit defeat in an election, and 3,000 people were killed. Mr Gbagbo returned to Ivory Coast last month after the International Criminal Court [...]
Cameroon’s home-delivery booms amidst Covid pandemic
Bee Moto Taxis established as COVID-19 was starting to sweep around the world in 2019. After a difficult start-up phase, and during the pandemic, the company's activities boomed. Customers were not calling to ask for passenger transport, but to request package deliveries. Before the pandemic the owner Patrick Timani studied in Germany and became a [...]
Ramaphosa demonstrates shrewd statesmanship as he performs a delicate G7 balancing act
Media coverage of the recent G7 summit highlighted Cyril Ramaphosa’s comments on Covid-19 and whether adequate vaccines will be available. Less noticed was his skilful advocacy of Africa’s potential role in helping re-balance the emerging geostrategic struggles between the wealthy democracies and the leading authoritarian powers of China and Russia. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa [...]
Kenya launches elephant naming festival to boost wildlife conservation
NAIROBI - Kenya on Monday launched a magical elephant naming festival in order to boost wildlife conservation. Najib Balala, the cabinet secretary at the Ministry for Tourism and Wildlife, said that the event, which will be held annually on August 12, the World Elephant Day, seeks to raise awareness on the plight of elephants and [...]
Disney Taps Top African Toon Talents for Animated Anthology ‘Kizazi Moto’
Disney has tapped top toon talents from across the African continent for “Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire,” a Disney Plus Original anthology of animated films set to premiere on the Mouse House’s streaming platform in late 2022. Inspired by the continent’s diverse histories and cultures, the 10-part anthology brings together a slate of rising animation talents [...]
African nations declare days of mourning to honour Kenneth Kaunda
Countries pay respects to Zambia’s late founding president, revered for helping many movements across the continent fight against colonialism. Leaders across Africa have paid tribute to Zambia’s founding president, Kenneth Kaunda, who died on Thursday at the age of 97, declaring several days of mourning in their respective countries. While in power, Kaunda hosted many [...]
Sadio Mane donates $693,000 to fund hospital in his hometown in Senegal
Liverpool striker Sadio Mane made a donation to help build a school in his home village of Bambali, Senegal. Senegal and Liverpool football star Sadio Mane has donated $693,000 (£500,000) to help fund the construction of a hospital in his hometown of Bambali in Senegal. The village, about 400 kilometers outside the capital city Dakar, [...]
A COVID-19 vaccine plant in Africa? This is what it would take to build one
The COVID-19 crisis has revived discussions on localising vaccine manufacturing to the African region to reduce the dependence on imports. The fact that Africa is lagging so far behind on the COVID-19 vaccination compared with Europe and North America has highlighted the importance of the issue. Most African countries depend on the WHO-sponsored COVAX scheme, [...]
Tunisia’s becomes ‘trailblazer’ in the Mediterranean seaweed industry
Wading knee-deep in the calm waters of a lagoon, workers in northern Tunisia harvest red seaweed, in a nation dubbed a Mediterranean "trailblazer" in cultivating the in-demand plant. Red seaweed or algae is used for gelling, thickening and texturing agents that are increasingly a substitute for animal-based products in processed foods, and it is also [...]
Meet the Young Woman Who is Redefining Africa’s Approach to Venture Capital
Maya Horgan Famodu is becoming a leader in identifying and funding scaleable tech ventures in Africa In the inaugural article launching our new Limitless series on young African women who are changing the game in male-dominated industries, we profile Maya Horgan Famodu, a 30-year-old, Lagos-based, Nigerian-American entrepreneur who is bringing a whole new approach to [...]
How Covid-19 disproportionately affected women-led businesses
Women wearing face masks chat at the Nima market as Ghana lifts partial lockdown amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Accra, Ghana April 20, 2020. REUTERS/Francis Kokoroko While many parts of the world are experiencing a decline in birth rates, in Africa we see a very different picture. By 2030, a fifth [...]
Gabon is first African country paid to protect its rainforest
Gabon has become the first African country to receive payment for reducing carbon emissions by protecting its rainforest. The UN-backed Central African Forest Initiative (Cafi) has handed over $17m (£12m) - the first tranche of a $150m deal struck in 2019. Nearly 90% of Gabon is covered by forest, which captures more carbon than the [...]
South Africa’s beloved Rooibos tea is now in the same league as Champagne, Feta, and Irish Whiskey
South Africa’s Rooibos tea has become the first food in Africa to receive approval for registration under the status of international protection from the European Union. This now places Rooibos in the same league as Champagne, Feta, Irish Whiskey, and Porto, among other products already existing in the register. By this inclusion and recognition in [...]
International Black Heritage + History Month Is Using Fashion To Tell The Story Of The African Diaspora
Naomi Campbell (Jamaican, English) walks the runway during the Kenneth Ize show as part of Paris ... [+] GETTY IMAGES International Black Heritage + History Month [IBHHM] launched in June 2021, as a carefully curated digital platform taking a stylish approach to social impact. Content and commerce from around the globe are spotlighted, including a [...]
You Can Visit Famous Afro-French Writer Alexandre Dumas’ House In France
It’s time to try something new while in France. We suggest paying a visit to famous Afro-French writer Alexandre Dumas’ House. Yes, we know that France has a lot of tourist attractions like the Louvre Museum, Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées and so on. But, visiting the house where Dumas used to live is a way to [...]
France Pledges $1.5 Billion to Sudan to Pay Off IMF Loan
French President Emmanuel Macron, left, welcomes Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, head of Sudan’s ruling sovereign council at the summit to support Soudan, May 17, 2021 at the Grand Palais Ephemere in Paris. France announced Monday that it will grant Sudan a $1.5 billion loan to help the north African country pay off its debt to the […]
Ivory Coast Strives to Save Architectural Treasures in Former Colonial Capital
The Ivory Coast resort town of Grand-Bassam is known for its beaches and French colonial architecture. Recent flooding and the passage of time have taken a toll on the city’s historic buildings, but some people are determined to fix things, as Yassin Ciyow found in this report narrated by Carol Guensburg. View video here: Source: […]
Incredible Luxury Lodges of the Namibia’s desertscape
As one of the least densely populated places on earth, Namibia makes a great case for travelling to Africa right now. Quiet, peaceful, and scenic beyond belief, with landscapes that vary from stark Skeleton coastline to Mars-like desert dunes and sweeping open plains peppered with soft hills, its hotels and lodges are primarily built and […]
Nigerian fashion pioneer Folashade ‘Shade’ will be celebrated at ‘Africa Fashion’ exhibition Cape Town.
Folashade “Shade” Thomas-Fahm in the 1970s. Credit: Shade Thomas-Fahm/Courtesy of The Victoria and Albert Museum After studying fashion in London, Shade Thomas-Fahm returned to Nigeria and opened a factory and boutique under the name Maison Shade (later Shade’s Boutique), which became a go-to place for those in search of contemporary fashions. In the 1960s she […]
Tracing the African Diaspora in Food
Jessica B. Harris, (Illustration by João Fazenda ) the author of the book “High on the Hog,” which has been adapted for Netflix, searches for the roots of African-American cuisine, like the dishes at Reverence, a tasting-menu restaurant in Harlem. One recent Monday evening, Jessica B. Harris sat at the counter at Reverence, a tasting-menu […]
Idris Elba on ‘Africa Day’ Concert, COVID, African Representation in Cinema
“Africa Day is essentially a recognition of a continent with a deep history and an incredible future. So essentially the messaging is about, hey, let’s figure out way to celebrate, even in the dark times,” Elba tells Variety. “There’s been a real spike in entertainment and streaming and music, based on people being at home […]
Mansa Musa of Mali: the richest person who ever lived
In the era of Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Wall Street and Big Tech, it is hard to fathom a more prosperous time in human history. However, many believe Mansa Musa’s wealth outdoes that of all modern billionaires. Mansa Musa ruled over the Mali empire in the 14th Century, and his incredible access to gold made […]
Shaped by slavery, Cape Verde’s music of displacement returns.
How a music shaped by slavery, epidemics, famine and mass migration travelled the world, narrating stories of suffering and resistance. Mariana dos Santos was 18 years old when she left her home in Cape Verde, the archipelago of volcanic islands off the coast of West Africa, for neighbouring São Tomé and Principe. It was 1954, […]
Kenya’s surprising baby boom of 200 elephants!
The wildlife researcher diligently marks his notepad as the elephants come into view, eager to not miss a single one in his count. Meanwhile the pilot, flying high in a helicopter above Kenya’s Amboseli park, circles around the herd to reveal a clearer view of the pack — and an extremely rare set of twin […]
Ghanaian Tech VR tours Start-up makes Huge impact in hospitality industry.
Ghanaian Start-up DOBIISON, a provider of virtual tours and immersive digital experiences for the real estate, construction and tourism industries, is planning on scaling across Africa this year. Founded in 2018, DOBIISON has built the largest collection of Ghanaian virtual reality (VR) content. Currently at the growth stage, it leverages 360º immersive, interactive content with […]
5 Prized South African Photo Books to Check Out
While image-making, along with image archiving, have taken different forms over the years — advancing in tandem with photography’s multiple technological advancements particularly in recent times — the idea of a compilation of images is one that is hard not to romanticise. Photo books are cool. They look dope on the coffee table, they inspire […]
Macron asks Rwanda to forgive France over 1994 genocide role
French President Emmanuel Macron has asked Rwandans to forgive France for its role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide in which about 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus died. Speaking at the genocide memorial in Rwanda’s capital Kigali, he said France had not heeded warnings of impending carnage and had for too long “valued silence over […]
Ghana’s development bank needs professional, not political appointments
Ghana’s constitution gives its presidents sweeping powers over appointments. In May, the finance ministry agreed to a loan of €170m from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to finance a new national bank – the Development Bank of Ghana (DBG). The new institution, to be set up in July, is also backed by the World Bank […]
Germany officially calls colonial-era killings in Namibia ‘genocide’, and commits to fund projects worth €1.1bn
Human skulls from the Herero and ethnic Nama people are displayed during a ceremony in Berlin, Germany, August 29, 2018, to hand back human remains from Germany to Namibia following the 1904-1908 genocide against the Herero and Nama . REUTERS/Christian Mang/File Photo Germany on Friday apologised for its role in slaughter of Herero and Nama […]
Ethiopia’s Instant Success Mobile Wallet with 1 Million Subscribers
One million Ethiopians signed up for the country’s first mobile wallet in one week. Ethio-Telecom Chief Executive Officer, Frehiwot Tamiru launches Telebirr mobile money in Addis Ababa on May 11. More than 1 million cellphone subscribers in the populous African country of Ethiopia have registered for a new mobile money service less than a week […]
Be sure not to miss the Africa Transformation Forum on July 15 2021
Add to your Calendar. View Virtual. The African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) is a pan-African economic policy institute supporting Africa’s long-term growth through transformation. We produce research, offer policy advice, and convene key stakeholders so that African countries are better positioned for smart, inclusive, and sustainable development. Until the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 […]
Morocco is a Country of Extreme Beauty and Dazzling Diversity
A gateway to Africa, Morocco is a country of dazzling diversity. You'll find rugged mountain ranges, rolling deserts, ancient cities, deserted beaches and warm hospitality. Epic landscapes carpet this slice of North Africa like the richly patterned rugs you’ll lust after in the markets, and Morocco's cities are some of the most exciting on the [...]
Some of the world’s most beautiful Mosques are in Africa
The world’s most beautiful mosques feature amazing architecture and details like intricate tile work, expansive domes, and towering minarets. Important centres of worship for Muslims worldwide, they attract visitors of all faiths who are awed by their rich histories and stunning design features. Here are some of the most beautiful mosques across the globe. Just [...]
Ugandans are divided on Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya
Celebrated actor Daniel Kaluuya’s recent win at the Academy Awards on April 25 has united and divided Ugandans almost in equal measure. The controversy is not over whether Kaluuya, who won best supporting actor for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah, is deserving of this success. He has undisputed talent, clinching major roles [...]
Biden’s first 100 days makes positive moves on Africa
JOHANNESBURG - U.S. President Joe Biden has focused most of his energy in his first 100 days in office on taming the coronavirus pandemic on home soil. But in this short, frantic period, he has made a few important gestures that have been welcomed in Africa. On his first day in office, he halted the [...]
Senegal’s moves to cleaner energy production
Leading technology group, Wärtsilä is set to convert a close to 90 MW Bel-Air power plant in Dakar, Senegal to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG). The plant, which is owned by Senelec, Senegal’s public utility company, currently operates on heavy fuel oil. The conversion will future-proof the facility as Senegal’s long-term strategy is to [...]
Applications for Smart Cities Innovation Programme opens
With a focus on Africa’s urban transformation meeting the Sustainable Development goals, the SCIP programme aims to support the growth of digital urban innovations in Rwanda and other African countries. According to reports, the rate of urbanisation in Africa is the highest in the world and 50% of Africans are predicted to be living in [...]
Nigerian teen gets 19 scholarship offers worth more than $5 million from the US and Canada
One Nigerian teenager must feel like she has the world at her feet after receiving 19 full-ride scholarship offers from universities across the United States and Canada. Victory Yinka-Banjo, a 17-year-old high school graduate, was offered more than $5 million dollars' worth of scholarship money for an undergraduate program of study, according to admission documents [...]
‘My Octopus Teacher’ Oscar win a huge boost for South Africa
South African excellence was on display at the 93rd Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday 25 April when the acclaimed Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher won an Oscar in the Best Documentary Feature Category. The documentary is set in the False Bay area in Cape Town and focuses on the intimate relationship between independent [...]
Cameroonian Start-up’s Online Veterinary App Helps Remote Breeders
DOUALA, CAMEROON - A Cameroonian company has created a veterinary counselling app designed to help farmers and ranchers who live far away from veterinarians to detect animal diseases and give them guidance online. Cameroonian rabbit breeder Thierry Bayabon lost three-quarters of his stock to disease a few months ago. Like most small-scale Cameroonian farmers, he [...]
African fashion is conquering International film
A new exhibition explores the extraordinary work of Oscar-winning designer Ruth E Carter. She speaks to Nadia Neophytou about Coming 2 America, Black Panther and Afrofuturism. It's hard to overstate Ruth E Carter's achievement in costume design on Black Panther, even now, three years after the film's release. She did, after all, win an Oscar [...]
Pandemic has been a ‘Boon’ for African Wealth Funds investing locally
The global pandemic was a moment of vindication for African sovereign wealth funds focused on their local economies as the Covid-19 crisis stoked demand across industries from pharmaceuticals to farming. A report published on Wednesday by the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds and Franklin Templeton found that “for those sovereign wealth funds that do [...]
The shining city that emerged from turmoil in the heart of Africa
Kigali's streets thrum with traffic, motorbikes darting around buses, its roadside markets a hive of activity. Standing on the roadside, it's much like any other major city in the heart of Africa. But this is a city that stands apart from other metropolises on the continent. Today, Rwanda's capital is synonymous with the surrounding green [...]
The Spectacular Kenyan Escape of Naomi Campbell
Whenever supermodel Naomi Campbell needs to unplug, she heads to her luxurious, airy villa in Malindi, Kenya. Over the course of her remarkable 35-year career, supermodel Naomi Campbell has blazed trails, stormed catwalks, and graced countless magazine covers. And while most of her legendary peers have long since retired and retreated from the spotlight, at [...]
Grammy Award Winner Burna Boy’s Award is a Big Win for Africa
Burna Boy accepts the Best Global Music Album award for 'Twice as Tall' from Chika at the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony. It was second time lucky for Afrobeats star Burna Boy who landed a Grammy award for his album 'Twice As Tall' at the ceremony held on Sunday. Burna, real name Damini Ogulu, [...]
African asset managers should prepare to capitalize on a friendlier US approach
Recently released filings in Nigeria and Kenya show assets under management for banks, insurers, and pension funds have grown 17% in the past year. This is despite a global backdrop of protectionism and the politicization of development institutions investing in emerging markets. The administration of US president Joe Biden is set to change these conditions, [...]
African industry is doing better than previously thought
A well-worn path to prosperity is still open “The future is here,” says Ibrahima Sarr, pointing to the factories he runs in Senegal. After working and studying for 18 years in Europe he returned home to help spark a manufacturing revolution. Now he is with Africa Development Solutions, a Malian conglomerate, managing plants that make [...]
British university to return Benin Bronze to Nigeria ‘within weeks’
Photo: British military leaders inside the Royal Palace during the looting of the Kingdom of Benin in February 1897. The University of Aberdeen said on Thursday it would return a Benin Bronze to Nigeria within weeks, one of the first public institutions to do so more than a century after Britain looted the sculptures and [...]
Akintunde Ahmad’s new fashion line takes African textiles global
After spending half a year living and studying in Ghana, writer, filmmaker and educator Akintunde (Tunde) Ahmad returned to his native East Oakland, California in 2016 sporting unique threads, colourful compositions and eclectic patterns. During his time in Ghana, he quickly found a creative partner in Awurama Mankatah, creative designer and manager of luxury clothing [...]
McLaren signs long-term deal with karting star Ugo Ugochukwu
McLaren Racing has signed a long-term agreement with 13-year-old Ugo Ugochukwu, a promising karting champion from the United States. (Nigerian mother) Ugochukwu has already claimed several titles in the US and Europe and was recently crowned FIA European karting champion. His deal with McLaren, which was announced on Monday, provides the team with an option [...]
Nigerian Music Is More Than Afrobeats! – an interview with Ric Hassani
Image courtesy of the artist Ric Hassani. The singer recounts his pursuit for relatability through his latest album, The Prince I Became, which features appearances from Nicky Jam, Sauti Sol, Kuami Eugene, and more. "Pop-soul is my strong suit. It's one sound I can kill even in my sleep." Ric Hassani marks this as his [...]
First Art Prize dedicated to women African artists is launched.
Accra-based Gallery 1957 organises prize to celebrate its fifth birthday, with all-star jury set to announce cash prizes for three winners. Akԑ yaaa heko. One does not take it anywhere by Paa Joe and Elisabeth Efua Sutherland Courtesy Gallery 1957, Accra. Photo Nii Odzenma. The Yaa Asantewaa Art Prize—the first ever dedicated award for female [...]
Kente elegance – the Ghanaian cloth that’s on the catwalk
GETTY IMAGES - US lawmakers wore kente during a protest in Congress in 2018 Ghanaian writer Elizabeth Ohene considers the global popularity of her country's fabric in the wake of it appearing in a Louis Vuitton fashion show. We in Ghana have absolute confidence in our fashion sense. We also happen to believe that the [...]
Botswana Wildlife Camps Prepare for Evolved Post-Pandemic Travellers
Xigera Safari Lodge is home to vast lush greenery. Source: Xigera Landlocked in pristine wilderness, Botswana is known for its colorful sunrises and lush oases where zebras or elephants can be seen sipping from its soothing waters. That’s always been their natural habitat, with people always passing through as their curious visitors, observers, and sometimes [...]
Seven Songs from Seven Superstars
Photo: Gio Kardava (via XL) Ibeyi. Ibeyi 'Recurring Dream' Ibeyi have been relatively quiet for a while, but they've now shared the new single "Recurring Dream," an original song written from Ed Morris' film How to Stop a Recurring Dream. Ibeyi previously worked with director Ed Morris on several music videos, including the standout "River." [...]
Black-Owned Premium Establishments around the World
At Jnane Tamsna in Morocco, antiques and hand-made furnishings fill well-designed outdoor spaces Courtesy Jnane Tamsna Planning a trip can be fun or stressful, depending on who you ask. For many Black travellers, unconscious bias, racism, and a systemic history of oppression within the travel industry can often make for the latter. In choosing accommodations, [...]
She Left America To Build Ghana’s Largest Restaurant
Located in Kumasi, Ghana’s Ashanti region, is one of the largest traditional restaurants in the country built and established by Nana Ama Serwaa: Nana Ama Serwaa, who was born in Ghana, is the brains behind Ike’s Café and Grill. Serwaa lived in Atlanta for more than 35 years but always had her sights on returning [...]
Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo Says Ghana will no Longer Export Cocoa to Switzerland
Source: Displore
South Africa Launches Historic Tourism Equity Fund That May Serve as Global Model
Long-term solutions tackling the lack of diversity, equity and inclusion in the travel industry, particularly in the U.S. and Europe, have been surfacing over the past eight months since last summer’s global racial protests, albeit at a snail’s pace. On the other side of the Atlantic, one destination is creating change where it’s least expected: [...]
Collective Dreams and Women’s Voices at the New York African Film Festival
This year's virtual edition of the fest features both experimental gems and several Oscar contenders. The 28th edition of the New York African Film Festival (taking place online this year, of course) bears the theme “Notes from Home: Recurring Dreams & Women’s Voices.” The festival’s mission statement explains the curation this way: “As the lines [...]
Stunning provocative art of Soweto-born South African artist, Zandile Tshabalala.
Sensuality Meets Acceptance in Zandile Tshabalala's Self-Portraits. Get familiar with the provocative works of Soweto-born South African artist, Zandile Tshabalala. In our latest piece, we spotlight South African self-portrait artist Zandile Tshabalala. Her debut solo exhibition titled "Enter Paradise" is set to be showcased at the ADA \ contemporary art gallery in Accra, Ghana from [...]
Stevie Wonder is moving to Ghana
The singer, known for "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You," cited political turmoil in the US as a reason for leaving. The iconic, award-winning performer spoke to Oprah Winfrey in an interview explaining his decision, citing the political turmoil in the United States. "I wanna [...]
Last public statue of Spanish dictator Franco is removed from Mellina – Africa
Mellina shares its border with Morocco. The Monument in north Africa commemorates the fascist leader’s earlier role in the Rif war of the 1920s. The last public statue in Spain of the former dictator Francisco Franco has been removed from the city gates of Melilla, a Spanish enclave and autonomous city on the north-west African [...]
Cameroonian fintech startup Diool raises $3.5m in funding to expand operations
Diool started life as a mobile recharge project back in 2015, offering small merchants a way to sell prepaid recharges to their customers from a single app, but eventually pivoted into financial services aggregation after realising payment interchanges and financial services access was the pain point of its target users. The startup’s platform makes it [...]
Africa Seeks Young Talents to Transform Post-Covid Hotel Industry
Deserted airports, list of countries not to visit, historically low occupancy rates for hotels, unable to crawl back above the 10% mark. But the story does not end there... and Africa can be at the heart of the rebirth of an entire industry, if we give ourselves the means to do so. Today’s hospitality industry [...]
RwandAir to be first African airline to trial IATA Travel Pass
RwandAir will become the first African airline to trial IATA Travel Pass. The airline will begin a three-week trial in April for customers travelling between Kigali and Nairobi in Kenya. IATA Travel Pass is a digital platform to help passengers easily and securely verify that they comply with Covid-19 test or vaccine travel requirements. The [...]
Africa-born ‘Fab Five’ Designers open Italy’s Milan Fashion Week
Thanks to a movement highlighting racism in the fashion industry, five designers of African origin led the "We are Made in Italy" runway show. Who are they? The virtual show aims to support Black creators by giving a platform to designers with diverse backgrounds. Dubbed "the Fab Five", many of the Africa-born designers moved to [...]
Noisettes, Zimbabwean singer Shingai launches solo album ‘Too Bold’
Zimbabwean-British singer Shingai Shoniwa had her first real taste of fame in 2009 when indie soul band Noisettes released their sophomore album, "Wild Young Hearts," propelling the group into the mainstream with UK top 10 hits, magazine covers and festival appearances from Coachella to Glastonbury. Yet what the vocalist and bass player remembers now is [...]
Attempts at ‘Reconciling’ France and Algeria – its Former Colony
A government-commissioned study offers proposals to address longstanding grievances. But it does not recommend an official apology and skirts the issue of systemic torture by French troops. France will establish a “memories and truth” commission to review the country’s colonial history in Algeria, following a key recommendation in a new, much-anticipated report commissioned by President [...]
African body markings were used to construct the concept of race in Brazil
In the 1700s, the gold rush in southeast Brazil created a high demand for mining labour. The Minas Gerais region became one of the main destinations for African slaves. For the first half of the century, demand was met by a trade circuit connecting the ports of the Bight of Benin to Salvador in Bahia. [...]
Africa-First: Vaccinated tourists welcome to Seychelles without quarantining
The Seychelles has become the first country in the world to allow vaccinated tourists to enter the country without the need to quarantine. Travellers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will still need to follow social distancing measures, but they will now be allowed to visit the Indian Ocean archipelago without self-isolating upon arrival. [...]
Cape Town V&A to host Major African Fashion exhibition in 2022
South Africa – Cape Town’s Victoria and Alfred Waterfront will celebrate African fashion in a forthcoming blockbuster exhibition, which will open in June 2022. The showcase will bring together over 250 objects, drawn from the personal archives of a selection of iconic mid-twentieth century and influential contemporary African fashion creatives, alongside textiles and photographs from [...]
Women Referees Make African Football History
LIMBE, CAMEROON - Three women referees created history Saturday at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) quarterfinals. Ethiopian referee Lidya Tafesse and her assistants, Malawian Bernadettar Kwimbira and Nigerian Mimisen Iyorhe, became the first women to control a match at a senior CAF male tournament. The breakthrough came two years after women referees handled matches at [...]
Clear Lessons From Africa’s Travel Industry for a Post-Pandemic Era
Many innovations have been born from constraints. In the case of safari lodges in Africa, the remote settings and lack of infrastructure forces architects and teams to get creative. Here are examples from the bleeding edge of innovation in sustainability, along with some hints about what is to come in developed markets around the world. [...]
Finally – Egypt retrieves 5,000 artefacts from America
Egypt announced on Wednesday that it had retrieved some 5,000 ancient items from the United States, after years of negotiations to return what it said were fraudulently acquired items. In a statement, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities confirmed the "arrival at Cairo airport of a large number of ancient Egyptian items which had been [...]
Coronavirus Crisis: Why South Africa has yet to roll out vaccines
More than a third of all Covid-19 cases in Africa have been in South Africa and numbers are surging with the emergence of a new variant of the virus. But unlike some other badly hit countries in the world, South Africa is yet to start its vaccination programme. President Cyril Ramaphosa recently accused wealthy nations [...]
Offshore Power Plants may solve Big Energy Needs in Africa’s West Coast
Karpowership eyes West Africa as pandemic stalls land projects. Floating power plant operator's executives met Cameroonian Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute One of the world’s largest operators of floating power plants is in talks to bring power to two West African countries, as onshore plans to expand access to electricity have been hit by coronavirus-related [...]
American Rules make it hard for Congo’s miners to remain legal.
Why it’s hard for Congo’s coltan miners to abide by the law. American rules against conflict minerals have unintended consequences. Martin is a Congolese pastor with an interest in coltan smuggling. “You can hide it in the petrol tank of a motorbike,” he says, “or in a secret compartment under a lorry.” He smuggles coltan [...]
FORBES AFRICA’s Nominations Open Celebrating Africa’s Talents for 2021
Each year, Forbes Africa seeks looks resilient self-starters, innovators, entrepreneurs and disruptors who have the acumen to stay the course in their chosen field, come what may in 2021. Africans under the age of 30, who are leading the charge building brands, creating jobs and transforming the continent, to join the magazine’s Under 30 community [...]
Wildlife Heroes Coastal Warning
Wildlife Heroes shows the daily activity of scientists, biologists and vets, who dedicate themselves to the care of wildlife in their natural habitats. Far away from home, 24/7, these men and women travel across or live in savannahs, forests and marshlands all around the world, in order to protect endangered species. Drones and advanced cameras [...]
Travel to Egypt, Benin and Kenya with Wanja
Wanja explores a beauty parade for horses is a big deal for breeders at the Equestrian Festival in Cairo, Egypt. Benin features bronze and brass heads, still cast by hand, to decorate the palace in Cotonoun. Water sports in Mombasa, Kenya, where 'open' sailing in the tropical weather causes an adrenalin rush. View this Video [...]
Forbes 2020 African Of The Year: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been adjudged the ‘2020 African of the Year’. Previous winners have been Rwandan President Paul Kagame (2018) and African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina (2019). Okonjo-Iweala is well-positioned to take on the next big role, transforming Africa and negotiating on the world stage. About 17 years ago, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala challenged Nigeria’s [...]
New York African Film Festival Celebrates 30th Anniversary
The New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) returns virtually this December with a spotlight on the cinema of two nations: Nigeria and the Sudan. Presented by Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) and African Film Festival (AFF), this year's regional NYAFF will screen six features and eight short films in the FLC Virtual Cinema, as the [...]
Let me Sleep Over in Ethiopia
With a great sense of adventure, Antoine travels around a country to meet new people. In each episode, he sets himself the same goal of getting to spend a night in one of the local residents’ homes and to share their daily life. In Ethiopia he visits Lalibela with it's unique 13th century churches cut [...]
Nature’s Keepers Saving the Arabian Oryx
Nature’s Keepers features stunning high definition shots of 40+ distinct environments – coral reefs, tropical forests, marshlands, savannah, mangroves and more. Exploring our planet’s greatest natural treasures, it clearly demonstrates the very real threats to precious places and endangered species. Encouragingly it also outlines amazingly high-tech preservation schemes and profiles the passionate ‘guardians’ committed to [...]
Mariane Ibrahim Brings African Art to the World through her Galleries
Mariane Ibrahim at her gallery in Chicago, in front of Ian Mwesiga’s Man Standing by the Pool, 2020. Ibrahim wears a Dior jacket, blouse, skirt, socks, and shoes; Almasika earrings. Photographed by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. When Mariane Ibrahim opened a Seattle gallery in 2012 to showcase the contemporary art of Africa and its diaspora, she felt like she [...]
Five things you need to know about African cuisine
Lentswe Bhengu is the host and producer of ‘Africa on a Plate’. The series starts in Bhengu's home country, South Africa, then moves through Tanzania, Nigeria, Morocco, before it returns south to Lesotho. Here are a few things you should know about African Cuisine. There isn't one single African Cuisine Bhengu with fellow chef and [...]
Travel to Morocco, Mozambique and Kenya
Wanja explores the Fantasia Festival in Ouledazzouz, Morocco, a showcasing of horsemanship, preserving the Moroccan culture. Beach time, fishing, diving and photography on Tofo beach in Mozambique, then onto East Africa to meet a controversial, contemporary painter, depicting the issues of his time. View this Video Free here: https://bit.ly/38AQNYg Sign-up and see all our Documentaries [...]
Hotels of Africa
The world’s most exclusive hotels open their doors to our discrete cameras. Slow motions, zoom-ins, travelling shots highlight the style, elegance, and splendour of these exceptional dwellings. 650 hotels around the world are featured according to their location and a precise topic: designers’ hotels, luxury lodges, iconic hotels. We interview hotel owners who tell stories [...]
African fashion is on the rise, says Naomi Campbell: ‘And it’s about time!’
Interview with Supermodel Naomi Campbell in Lagos. Naomi Campbell in Lagos last week. Photograph: Roderick Ejuetami The supermodel speaks from Lagos about inclusivity in fashion. With high-street brands collapsing and the world wearing sweatpants, 2020 has not been a stellar year for fashion. But at Arise fashion week, in Lagos, Nigeria, which concluded on Saturday, there [...]
15 Great South African Indie Music Albums
15 Great Albums and EPs by South African Indie Artists launched in 2020 Here are 15 notable releases by South African indie artists: Marcus Harvey, Muzi, Desire Marea, Nipho Hurd, Push Push and many more. Although it's been a challenging year for most, some artists have decided to hunker down and make the most of [...]
Seychelles Hotels
The world’s most exclusive hotels open their doors to our discrete cameras. Slow motions, zoom-ins, travelling shots highlight the style, elegance, and splendour of these exceptional dwellings. 650 hotels around the world are featured according to their location and a precise topic: designers’ hotels, luxury lodges, iconic hotels. We interview hotel owners who tell stories [...]
Best African Writers of 2020
Photography above - Left: Wole Soyinka [File: Themba Hadebe/AP Photo] Right: Nanjala Nyabola From fiction and non-fiction to essays and poetry, we bring you some of the African continent’s most exciting reads from this year. In a year that has lent itself to living in-doors, African authors offered up a host of worlds to escape [...]
Kenya’s start-up sector keeps growing as funding flows in.
Funding continues to flow Kenyan startups have rebounded on the funding front in the last couple of years. Startups from the country raised more than anyone else in 2019, attracting US$149 million, and there were several major rounds in 2020 as well. One logistics startup company, Sendy, raised a US$20 million funding round to help it [...]
The Surprising story of African-Irish children
In the 1930'2-1960's, thousands of students from different African countries were studying at Irish universities. Some had children outside marriage, who were then placed in one of Ireland's notorious mother and baby homes. Today these children, now adults, are searching for their families. As a child, Conrad Bryan wondered if his father was a king. [...]
African Diaspora Heritage Trail in Bermuda
As early as the 1600’s, enslaved men and women were brought to Bermuda on ships in route to the southern states of the United States. They worked mostly in the the maritime and tobacco industry, but often fought back and rebelled. During Bermuda’s period of enslavement, Black men and women would come together in the [...]
Adjaye Associates presents the Thabo Mbeki Presidential Library
Johannesburg, South Africa. Adjaye Associates, the eponymous practice of RIBA Gold Medal-winning Ghanaian–British architect Sir David Adjaye, has unveiled its design for the Thabo Mbeki Presidential Library, a rammed earth structure with granary influences set to include a museum, research center, and more in honor of the second post-apartheid President of South Africa. Born in [...]
Women Musicians Transforming The Conservative Culture In Nigeria
Tems, Lady Donli, Wavy The Creator, and Amaarae describe how Nigeria’s alté scene represents a cultural renaissance. Beneath the harmattan skies of Lagos floats a bold new sound. Is it Afropop? Is it Amapiano? No, it’s alté, Nigeria’s pioneering alternative music scene, one of its latest and greatest cultural exports. What started off as a [...]
Eight Great Players Picked by USA, NBA with Nigerian heritage.
A total of eight players with Nigerian heritage were picked during Wednesday night's NBA draft for the 2020-21 season. The annual draft sees NBA teams choose from the world's best young talent. The draft was originally scheduled for 25 June but had been delayed because of the fallout from the coronavirus and was this year [...]
Ghana’s charismatic ex-president, Jerry Rawlings dies aged 73
Rawlings led two coups, first in 1979, before twice being elected president in multiparty polls. A charismatic figure, he first seized power railing against corruption and was responsible for executing several former heads of state for their alleged graft and mismanagement. He was also seen as a champion of the poor, but came to be [...]
African and US development financiers ramp up commitment to attracting greater private sector capital to Africa
The continent’s largest development finance institutions have emphasized that a sustained and collaborative approach among development partners to scale up project development activities, will boost the number of bankable projects attracting investor interest and contribute to closing the infrastructure finance gap in Africa. They spoke during a panel event to discuss their organizations’ role in [...]
Fela Kuti. Africa’s most challenging and charismatic music performers
Fela Anikulapo Kuti was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. He is best known as a pioneer of the Afrobeat genre, a blend of traditional yoruba and Afro-Cuban music with funk and jazz. Musicians described him as "a musical and sociopolitical voice" of international significance. View video here: https://bit.ly/2Tpccwe Fela was the [...]
Archaeologists discover 60 Egyptian Coffins 20 miles from Cairo, sealed over 2,500 years ago
Best described as a vast necropolis, the announcement marks the latest in a string of discoveries at Saqqara, a necropolis about 20 miles south of Cairo. The vast burial ground once served the royal capital of Memphis, and the site is also home to Egypt's oldest surviving pyramid. In September, archaeologists at Saqqara discovered almost [...]
Foreign Divestment: Africa needs to prepare itself
In the wake of COVID-19, a new strategy to understand and try to reverse this growing trend is urgently needed. Foreign divestment is steadily becoming more likely and requires greater attention from policymakers, especially in Africa. The term refers to sales or liquidations of foreign affiliates by multinational enterprises in a host economy. Divestment is [...]
Explore Kenya, Masai Mara and Nairobi with Wanja Mungai
Wanja explores Kenya, Masai Mara, Nairobi, with abundant wildlife and awesome guided game drives. Seychelles, Creole Cuisine and the Botanical Garden, Mozambique, Maputo, Tortoises over a hundred and eighty years old, lots of Portuguese inspired buildings and a statue of the late President Samora Machel, Called City of Acacias, is Maputo, Mozambique, famous for its [...]
Ivory Coast AI Genius wins the 2020 Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation
Charlette N'Guessan is the first woman to win the award, which could revolutionize cyber security and help curb identity fraud on the African continent. N'Guessan and her team won the £25,000 award (about $33,000) for BACE API, a digital verification system that uses Artificial Intelligence and facial recognition to verify the identities of Africans remotely [...]
Bringing Sustainable Energy to Africa – Dr Kandeh Yumkella
Dr Kandeh Yumkella is a Sierra Leonean academic, government minister and head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation and passionate about bringing sustainable energy to Africa. View video here: https://africaprime.com/kandeh-yumkella/ Alhaji Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella (born July 5, 1959) is a Sierra Leonean Agricultural economist, politician, and the former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and the [...]
Africa Designers Taking Centre-Stage
Africa’s fashion industry with it’s highly developed creative pool, is exploding globally. It’s hard to contain the volume of top fashion designers making a huge impact in countries that have by an large ignored Africa in the past. Africa’s talent is beginning to take centre-stage. From online concept store The Folklore, which distributes luxury and [...]
Ancient Egyptian god Osiris | Ancient Tomb and artifacts are discussed
View video here: https://bit.ly/2HzlH9H The Egyprian god Osiris is the god of fertility, agriculture, the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation in ancient Egyptian religion. He was classically depicted as a green-skinned deity with a pharaoh's beard, partially mummy-wrapped at the legs, wearing a distinctive atef crown, and holding a symbolic crook and flail. [...]
To Protest Colonialism, This Congolese Activist Takes Artifacts From Paris Museums
Mwazulu Diyabanza will appear in a Paris court this month after he tried to ‘steal’ an African treasure he says was looted from Africa. It would seam that France and its attitude to it’s colonial past will be on trial, too. Early one afternoonin Paris in June, the Congolese activist Mwazulu Diyabanza walked into the [...]
Life Along The Benue River | 1400 Kms Navigable and Live-Giving
View video here: https://bit.ly/340PJdZ The Benue River (French: la Bénoué), previously known as the Chadda River or Tchadda, is the major tributary of the Niger River. The river is approximately 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) long and is almost entirely navigable during the summer months. As a result, it is an important transportation route in the [...]
Inaugurantion of The Pan African Heritage World Museum in Ghana.
A new museum has been inaugurated in Ghana. (21 September 2020). The Pan African Heritage World Museum (PAHWM). It attests the dedicated commitment to the restoration of the dreams of our ancestors, from the nameless heroes and heroines to the modern intellectuals dating back to the likes of Wilmot Blyden and James Johnson. Within one [...]
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf | Nobel Prize President of Liberia
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is a Nobel Prize winner and Liberia politician who served as the 24th President of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. Sirleaf was the first elected female head of state in Africa. View video here: https://bit.ly/3kOy9R3 Ellen Eugenia Johnson was born in Monrovia to a Gola father and Kru-German mother. She was educated [...]
Traditional Blue Notes Jazz from South Africa Helped Invent European Free Jazz
It was in July of 1964, that the members of Cape Town-based band, The Blue Notes, boarded a plane and headed for the world famous Antibes Jazz Festival in Juan-les-Pins, France. All were leaving South Africa for the first time, and many would never return. They were considered the best jazz band in the country, [...]
The Forest is my Life | Nigeria Rain Forest
Nigeria's forests are some of the most threatened on the planet due to high population growth rates, conversion for subsistence and industrial agricultural, and logging. View video here: https://bit.ly/3mSwf3O While Nigeria is probably best known today for its oil deposits, the country is home to a rich diversity of forests and wildlife, including at least [...]
Women taking the lead in Nigeria’s Creative Spaces
Media does a terrible job of sharing Africa Women’s success stories. These 5 Women Are Breaking Boundaries In Nigeria's Creative Spaces. We speak to them about their work and contributions to Nigerian societyand especially within creative spaces, all despite their patriarchal background and nature. "African women in general need to know that it's ok for [...]
Africa’s Best Ever Football Player Nigerian Nwankwo Kanu Ducumentary
Considered the Best ever African Footballer, soccer star Kanu of Nigeria is profiled in this video. View video here: https://bit.ly/3kc6UQ8 Nwankwo Kanu is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a forward. He was a member of the Nigerian national team, and played for Nigerian team Iwuanyanwu Nationale, Dutch side Ajax, Inter Milan of [...]
Weekly Africa Travel Show ‘On the Road’ with Wanja Mungai
Travel in Africa ‘On The Road’ with Wanja Mungai. In this episode Wanja takes us to Morrocco, Egypt and Kenya. View video here: https://bit.ly/3bQplHe Wanja Mungai takes viewers to three new locations every week to sample some of Africa’s most interesting destinations. Sometimes you’re there for shopping, sometimes to eat, other times for festivals, but [...]
Documentary of Miss Universe Bostwana Investor Businesswoman
Insightful documentary of Miss Universe winner Mpule Kwelagobe. Sharp. Highly Intelligent. Health Activist. Miss Universe Mpule was the first black African woman to win one of the Big Four international beauty pageants, the first woman from Botswana to win, and the first from a nation making their debut in nearly four decades. View video here: [...]
French uproar over magazine’s portrayal of Black politician as slave
Danièle Obono, who is of French-Gabonese origin, said the article had "crossed a line" and was "an insult to my ancestors" and "an insult to the Republic." (File photo) (CNN) A French right-wing magazine has sparked outrage over an illustration published in its most recent issue depicting the Black politician Danièle Obono as an 18th [...]
Here Are the African Artists on Barack Obama’s 2020 Summer Playlist
Image: Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva/via REUTERS From Davido and Shatta Wale to Wizkid and Burna Boy, these are just some of the African artists who've been featured on former President Barack Obama's summer playlist. Former American President Barack Obama recently shared his annual summer playlist. While the entire playlist is straight fire with the likes of Beyoncé [...]
Africa’s top 10 Ultra-Luxurious Hotel Suites
The One Above - Cape Town, South Africa Taking up a 2-storey penthouse suite above the One&Only Cape Town hotel, The One Above is a very exclusive holiday apartment that some of the best views in Cape Town. From the many terraces and living areas, you can see all the way to Table Mountain, Robben [...]
Watch Tiwa Savage Make Her US TV Debut On Jimmy Fallon
The Nigerian star performed a striking rendition of her latest single "Dangerous Love." Tiwa Savage was the latest musical guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last night, performing her new single "Dangerous Love." The Nigerian star took things to an empty location around Eko Atlantic, Lagos state and kicked things off with a [...]
Enter the Micro-Budget Film: Lockdown amplifies South African cinema trends
South Africa’s film industry is the oldest in Africa and one of the oldest in the world, having started in 1896, soon after the Lumiere brothers’ famous first commercial film screening in 1895. The industry is one of the more established and commercially viable on the continent. It doesn’t produce as many films as Nigeria’s [...]
The Foreign Aid Game is changing: These are the opportunities for Africa
There are growing signs that the aid relationship between the Global South and the Global North is changing fast. Many traditional Western donors are reevaluating the role of aid while keeping a close eye on their own national interests. These changes may not be all bad. Since the turn of the century aid policies have [...]
“Black Is King” References Various African Traditions Through Fashion
Beyonce amplifies the diversity of cultures throughout the African diaspora. BY DARNELL-JAMAL LISBY In this op-ed, fashion historian and curator Darnell-Jamal Lisby breaks down the fashion from Black Is King and their connections to specific African regions, cultures, and traditions. Throughout the years, fashion has been an essential element to the way Beyoncé communicates, specifically [...]
Africa is beginning to ’bend the curve’ of Covid-19 – Africa CDC
John Nkengasong, Africa's Director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), speaks during an interview with Reuters at the African Union (AU) Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. File picture: Tiksa Negeri/Reuters Kampala/Nairobi - Africa is beginning to slowly "bend the curve" of Covid-19 infections as measures like mask-wearing and social distancing slow down the spread [...]
Covid-19 has been Africa’s ‘Light Bulb’ Moment
What’s New And Exciting In The Land Of A Thousand Ideas (Rwanda) In many ways, Covid-19 has been Africa’s ‘light bulb’ moment. As an example, a roundup of the new wave of pandemic-inspired innovations being tried and tested in the marketplace in hilly Rwanda. As countries relentlessly dip into their depleting arsenal to creatively respond [...]
This 23-year-old Nigerian is creating a digital collection of African stories for children in different languages
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN). When Dominic Onyekachi set out to read his 6-year-old niece a story, he did not anticipate that the simple task would lead him to create a digital collection of African stories. After going through her mini library, he found that many of her books were foreign and had very little African representation. [...]
Celebrity Chef Fafa Gilbert specialises in Fusion African Cuisine
Chef Fafa Gilbert specialises in fusion African cuisine, where she mixes both African, Asian and Western ingredients together to create her own recipes. Fafa is from the Volta part of Ghana and a town which shares a border with Togo. Fafa spent most her free time in the kitchen with her Mum and learnt the [...]
The First Application of Balloon-powered Internet in Africa
NAIROBI, Kenya — A fleet of high-altitude balloons started delivering internet service to Kenya on Tuesday, extending online access to tens of thousands of people in the first-ever commercial deployment of the technology. The balloons, which hover about 12 miles up in the stratosphere — well above commercial airplanes — will initially provide a 4G [...]
Coronavirus Pandemic Has Humbled Me – Tiwa Savage, Award-Winning Nigerian Music artist
Tiwatope Savage, known professionally as Tiwa Savage, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Isale Eko, she relocated to London at the age of 11 for her secondary education. Five years later, she began her music career doing backup vocals for artists such as George Michael and Mary J. Blige Tiwa Savage won [...]
The Land of the Pharaohs is Open for Business
Egypt reopened its famed Giza pyramids to the public after a three-month closure. The reopening marked the restart of a vital tourism industry battered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dozens of excited tourists snapped selfies as they wandered around Egypt’s most iconic ancient site. The pyramids were the country’s first tourist attraction to reopen, along with [...]
Africa’s emerging economies to take the lead in consumer market growth
Source for Laraki Automobiles: Wikipedia Africa’s emerging economies present exciting opportunities to global businesses for expansion in retail and distribution. Changing demographics and improving business environments across the continent will be just two of the factors contributing to rising household consumption, which is predicted to reach $2.5 trillion by 2030. Seven countries—Nigeria, Ethiopia, the Democratic [...]
Senegalese Artist Documents the BLM Movement Across the Decades
In two separate images by the Dakar, Senegal-based photographer Omar Victor Diop, two Black figures - a man and a woman - lie curled against a dark expanse, one surrounded by a splash of technicolored Skittles, the other against ocher stalks of rice. One is Diop, playing the role of young Trayvon Martin, who was [...]
Ade Mabogunje (Nigeria) Chief (Professor) Mechanical Engineer at Stanford University, California
Image: Ade Mabogunje in training session in 2018 in Marrakech, Morocco, during the Atlantic Dialogues conference. © Policy Center for the New South (PCNS) Chief mechanical engineer at Stanford University, this expert in design thinking teaches the virtues of Ubuntu, African humanism, in Silicon Valley. For African entrepreneurs, he advises to get to know finance [...]
Palestinian actress Maryam Abu Khaled slams Arab racism in viral video
Palestinian actress and film director Maryam Abu Khaled slammed racism in the Arab world in a recent video posted on Instagram, maked comparisons with the racism in the US. Abu Khaled, a black woman from Jenin, said that while black people in the Middle East are not being killed by police, racism is a deep-rooted [...]
Africa’s Top 10 Hotel Restaurants
Beautiful views, discreet service, enterprising chefs, and only the very best in food and wine: these are the best places to stay in Africa if you’re a foodie who wants a great hotel restaurant just steps away from your luxurious suite. 1. Angama Mara – Kenya You’ll pick up a whole new foodie vocabulary at [...]
AfDB Is Number 4 (out of 47) On Global Index Of Transparency
Publish What You Fund ranked the Bank ‘very good’ — The highest of the five categories used to assess organisations’ transparency Publish What You Fund has ranked the African Development Bank fourth out of 47 global development institutions on its Aid Transparency Index. The Index is the only independent measure of aid transparency among the [...]
Masaai Farmers offer Kenya Wildlife Consrevationists a Lifeline
'My land is now owned by lions': Maasai farmers offer Kenya's wildlife a lifeline Kenya has lost 70% of its wildlife in 30 years, but conservancy schemes could halt the decline – and benefit local communities Kupai, 47, and his two wives chose to live here after they surrendered 69 hectares (170 acres) of land [...]
Tanzanian artisanal miner finds large rare gemstones worth US$3.3m
The Tanzanian Government handed cheque to the subsistence miner who found the two dark violet-blue gemstones. Tanzanite is a gemstone found only in a small northern region of Tanzania, Africa. A small-scale miner in Tanzania has earned 7.74 billion Tanzanian shillings (US$3.35m) after selling to the state the two largest tanzanite stones ever found. The [...]
Coronavirus in Ethiopia: ‘Incredible recovery of man aged over 100’
The recovery from coronavirus of an Ethiopian man who is believed to be at least 100 years old was “incredible”, one of the doctors who treated him told the BBC. Aba Tilahun Woldemichael’s family says he is 114, which would make him the world’s oldest man, but there is no birth certificate to confirm his […]
Africa is building ‘The Great Green Wall’ to stop the spread of Sahara desert
View Video Trailer Here The Great Green Wall’ is a movement with an epic ambition to grow an 8000km natural wonder of the world across the entire width of Africa by planting trees. It is a collaborative effort of 20 countries that transcends geographical, political, and cultural divides by uniting people across borders. Once complete, […]
Africa’ first Covid-19 vaccine trial is underway
South Africa has become a COVID-19 model for the continent in many ways since it confirmed its index case on 5th March, 2020. From the area of testing through to record number of recoveries, South Africa has been praised for pro-activeness in combating the virus. The economic intervention measures rolled out by President Cyril Ramaphosa […]
AfDB Is Number 4 (out of 47) On Global Index Of Transparency
Publish What You Fund ranked the Bank ‘very good’ — The highest of the five categories used to assess organisations’ transparency Publish What You Fund has ranked the African Development Bank fourth out of 47 global development institutions on its Aid Transparency Index. The Index is the only independent measure of aid transparency among the […]
Masaai Farmers offer Kenya Wildlife Consrevationists a Lifeline.
‘My land is now owned by lions’: Maasai farmers offer Kenya’s wildlife a lifeline. Kenya has lost 70% of its wildlife in 30 years, but conservancy schemes could halt the decline – and benefit local communities Kupai, 47, and his two wives chose to live here after they surrendered 69 hectares (170 acres) of land […]
Tanzanian artisanal miner finds large rare gemstones worth US$3.3m
The Tanzanian Government handed cheque to the subsistence miner who found the two dark violet-blue gemstones. Tanzanite is a gemstone found only in a small northern region of Tanzania, Africa. A small-scale miner in Tanzania has earned 7.74 billion Tanzanian shillings (US$3.35m) after selling to the state the two largest tanzanite stones ever found. The […]
Africa’s First Caviar Farm in Madagascar
Quality! – not Quantity is the object Rova Caviar has established Africa’s first caviar farm in Madagascar. Quality, not quantity is the object, with a kilo of its produce normally selling for thousands of dollars in the capitals of the rich world. But it’s a business model that requires patience, especially when sales are held […]
28 Year Old Cameroonian Nuclear Engineer and Physicist
28 Year Old Cameroonian Nuclear Engineer and Physicist One of the most brilliant physicist of his generation. View Video of Arsène Tema Biwolé Here. (note in French only) 28 year old Arsène Tema Biwolé is a Cameroonian nuclear engineer and physicist. He is cited by the press as one of the most brilliant physicists of [...]
Belgian king expresses ‘deepest regrets’ for DR Congo colonial abuses
Belgium's King Philippe has expressed his "deepest regrets" to the Democratic Republic of Congo for his country's colonial abuses. The reigning monarch made the comments in a letter to President Félix Tshisekedi on the 60th anniversary of DR Congo's independence. Belgium controlled the central African country from the 19th Century until it won its independence [...]
Yinka Ilori Magnificent Nigerian Multidisciplinary Artist
Yinka Ilori is a London based multidisciplinary artist of a British-Nigerian heritage, who specialises in storytelling by fusing his British and Nigerian heritage to tell new stories in contemporary design. He began his practice in 2011 up-cycling vintage furniture, inspired by the traditional Nigerian parables and West African fabrics that surrounded him as a child. […]
Defending and Promoting Africa’s Image
AFRICA PRIME is pursuing five key objectives. 1. Africa told by Africans Africa yearns for fairness and respect. Often depicted as having the ‘Heart of darkness’, or as one famous cover of the Economist was entitled “Hopeless continent”. Too often, Western mainstream media depict Africa under what I call the 5Ds, namely, Disease, Disorder, Death, […]
Ethiopia’s Climate Consciousness
Ethiopia is working on planting five billion trees this year, part of an ambitious plan to plant 20 billion seedlings by 2024 to help build a green climate resistant economy. The initiative, started by prime minister Abiy Ahmed, follows the Green Legacy Challenge project that claimed to plant a record 353 million seedlings on a […]
Africa’s Junk Bonds Among Hottest Investments With Big Yields
Africa’s sovereign bonds, all of them rated junk, have been among the biggest beneficiaries of the risk-on mood that’s sweeping global markets as economies reopen from coronavirus lockdowns. Seven of the 12 top-performing emerging-markets this quarter are in Africa. Angola, which is in discussions to reorganise some of its loans, leads the pack with a […]
South African tech helps mastering Agronomy
South African agri-tech startup Skudu is helping agribusinesses lower input costs while increasing yields by mastering agronomy, or soil science, through technology. Launched in 2018, Skudu came about after Andries Sotfberg, an agronomist with 20 years experience, became frustrated with inefficiencies within his industry, such as the length of time it would take to generate […]
Why are Africa’s coronavirus successes being overlooked?
Remember, early on in the Covid-19 pandemic, the speculation as to how apocalyptic it would be if this disease hit the African continent? I do. There was deep anxiety about what it would mean for countries with lower income populations, dominant but harder-to-regulate informal economies and far fewer healthcare facilities than the UK or Italy. […]
Kenyan medical startup brings clinic to your home
Maikere is one of over 600 Nairobians getting medical care at home through TIBU Health, a Kenyan startup. It is a small player in a global movement towards home-based medical care, and its March launch coincided with the coronavirus pandemic that has forced much of the world’s population to stay at home. “People think that […]
Idris Elba Hosts Africa Day
Idris Elba to host Africa Day Benefit Concert with some of the continent's biggest music stars. Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) Some of Africa's biggest music stars are lined up to perform at a 2-hour long virtual concert on Monday to celebrate Africa Day. Actor and musician, Idris Elba is hosting the concert titled 'Africa Day Benefit [...]
Ubuntu Beds. SA initiative
Ubuntu Beds is an initiative that aims to unite hospitality businesses that now stand empty, with our healthcare workers who are fighting the virus on the front lines We have all seen how Covid-19 has crippled the Italian health system. Lombardy, a region in Northern Italy, was the epicentre of their Corona Pandemic. When Kim [...]
Ghana Grows Its Space Economy
Since 1998, some thirty satellites have been launched into space by a number of African nations. Ghana joined the club in June 2017 when its first satellite was launched into orbit from the International Space Station. Students from All Nations University College, three of whom had worked on the satellite, were among the 400 people [...]
Namibia’s next generation of Astrophysicists
The University of Namibia is running a yearly scholarship program for a PhD and masters student to study astrophysics in preparation for working on the AMT project. "I'd love to be involved in the first video images of our black hole," said Hiiko Katjaita, a masters student hoping to be a part of the AMT [...]
Ghana’s Tech Solution for Coronavirus Tracking
Officials have launched an application for mobile phones that is intended to help the authorities track and identify suspected cases of coronavirus. The government says the app will be a game changer in the fight against the pandemic and that around 100 suspected cases have already been identified using the app. The app will track [...]
The Kenyan surgical mask assembly line
A week ago, Josephine Wambua spent her days stitching gardening clothes. This week, the factory where she works transformed into an all-out effort to make 30,000 surgical masks a day in a country that barely produced any before. “To sit here and do something that is useful to the world is a dream,” said Wambua, [...]
WHO says Africa will not be a testing ground
The World Health Organization has declared that Africa will not be a testing ground for any vaccine as it slams two French scientists who called for coronavirus vaccine to be tested first in Africa. The director general of the WHO, Ethiopia’s Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the calls from the French scientists as “racist” Jean-Paul Mira, head of [...]
African Mona Lisa’ sold for $1.4m
‘Christine’ the ‘African Mona Lisa’ was painted in 1971 by the father of Nigerian modernism Ben Enwonwu. It was sold in an auction in London for $1.4m. ‘Christine’ was painted in 1971 by the father of Nigerian modernism Ben Enwonwu. The subject of the painting, Christine, was born in New York but moved to Ghana […]
Nigeria’s first female fighter jet pilot
Kafayat Sanni has made history becoming Nigeria’s first female fighter jet pilot. Sanni in 2017 emerged as the overall best pilot at the Nigerian Armed Forces 401 Flying Training School in Kaduna State. Her reward was her travel to the United States of America to train at the US Aviation Leadership Programme. Sanni successfully completed […]
Best African country for startup CEO
It pays more to be a startup CEO in South Africa than anywhere else, according to a survey of startup compensation packages focused on nearly 50 startups in Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana. The survey was carried out by Timon Capital, early-stage investor in sub-Saharan Africa and think tank Briter Bridges. Nigeria, South Africa […]
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Wins Nobel Prize
Ethiopia’s prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for his work toward ending a 20-year conflict with neighboring Eritrea and opening up one of Africa’s most notorious one-party systems. Mr. Ahmed’s overhauls have put Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most-populous country and one of its fastest-growing economies, on a transition toward democracy, even […]