NEWS & REVIEWS

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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. [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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, [...]

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 [...]

“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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 […]

"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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 […]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 […]

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 [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

(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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

“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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

(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. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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, 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 [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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), [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

“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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

“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. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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% [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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’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 [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

“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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

“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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 — [...]

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 [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 […]

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: […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

“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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 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 […]

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 […]

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 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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." [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

Source: Displore

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: [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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. [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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’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 [...]