African Author’s Make the Booker’s Cut
This year’s shortlist is notable for featuring four debut novels, and four works by writers of colour, among them Zimbabwean writer Tsitsi Dangarembga, who was arrested in July in Harare for anti-government protests. The majority of the writers are American or based in America, and despite the Booker being a UK prize, only one British […]
KonstructApp Aims to Stimulate Africa’s Construction Value Chain
Nigerian startup has launched a construction networking platform that helps individuals and businesses obtain quick and low-cost access to verified construction services. Founded in 2018 but only launched in August 2020, KonstructApp responded to the industry challenges such as safety concerns, low marketing budgets, high search cost, and lack of access to project funding. “Like most multi-sided platforms, so […]
The Important Role Smartphones Play in Africans Migrating
For undocumented migrants and refugees, accurate information is vital. Because of this, smartphones – mobile phones that perform many of the functions of a computer, like accessing the internet – have become an important tool. They give migrants access to applications such as Google maps, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter. These can provide them with information […]
A School Day Turns Into a Nightmare
Gunmen stormed a school in Cameroon and opened fire over the weekend, killing several children and wounding more. The attack occurred on Saturday in Kumba, a town in the country’s restive Anglophone region, where separatist insurgents operate. At least seven children have died and 12 were injured in the incident. Cameroonian Prime Minister Joseph Dion […]
Will this Farming Technique Help Zimbabweans Out of Hunger?
Zimbabwe authorities are hailing a sustainable farming technique called “Pfumvudza” as a breakthrough to help end the country’s long-standing food insecurity. Pfumvudza has been defined as a climate-proofing agricultural concept which emphasises on the use of conservation farming techniques to make the most out of small pieces of land. It was developed following an enquiry […]
Gender Parity in 8th Angel Fair Africa Cohort
The selected Africa tech ventures to pitch at the 8th Angel Fair Africa (AFA) have a 50/50 gender balance. They are: From Senegal Bayseddo led by Mamadou Sall and Kalpay, led by Ibrahima Kane; AgroInnova led by Amos Narh and Adi&Bolga led by Bola Oladeji both from Ghana; Kladika led by Muthoni Mwangi and Gift […]
Holding Our Breath for an African at the WTO Helm
Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is in a good position to become the first African to head the World Trade Organization. According to sources, the majority of EU member states voted in favor of her taking the top job. But no decision has been taken yet. WTO members are choosing between Nigeria’s former finance minister and South […]
Dumping Used Dangerous Cars in Africa
Millions of highly polluting used cars from rich countries are being “dumped” on developing nations, according to a UN report. Between 2015 and 2018, some 14 million older, poor quality vehicles were exported from Europe, Japan and the US. Four out of five were sold to poorer countries, with more than half going to Africa. […]
Seychelles’ Ruling Party Loses Favour with Voters
An Anglican priest won the Seychelles presidential election on Sunday, marking the first opposition victory since the Indian Ocean archipelago’s independence from Britain more than four decades ago. Wavel Ramkalawan won enough votes in the first round to clinch the presidency on his sixth attempt and called for unity after his victory. “It is important […]
Panel to Probe What Really Happened at Lagos Protest
A judicial panel investigating police brutality in Nigeria and the recent shooting of unarmed protesters in the country’s financial hub of Lagos has convened for the first time, as demands for accountability grow. The establishment of an independent body to oversee the investigation and persecution of all reported cases of police misconduct has been one […]
