Nigerian Journalist’s Detention Threatens Press Freedom
Immediately Release Daniel Ojukwu if No Charges Brought Journalists and human rights activists in Nigeria are protesting the arrest and detention of Daniel Ojukwu, a reporter at the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, who went missing in Lagos on May 1. He was later discovered to be in police custody, accused of violating Nigeria’s cybercrimes law. The authorities […]
The Gambia Must Not Repeal FGM Ban
By Alimatu Dimonekene Earlier this month, a UNICEF report on the prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) showed that while some success is taking place, the pace of progress remains slow – lagging behind population growth, especially in places where FGM is most common. The report revealed that over 230 million girls and women worldwide have […]
Africans Heading NGOs Back Call for Localisation of Aid
Charities set up by individuals to help their own communities, are the oldest form of humanitarianism. Yet they are also being viewed as the future of an overstretched and underfunded aid system that relies on international organisations and UN agencies to devise and deliver programmes. The lack of money for local aid groups is partly a consequence […]
Israel Deports 12 Malawian Workers who Deserted the Farms where they were Employed
In a statement, Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu said the workers had valid visas to work on specific farms but had “breached their contract” by going to work at a bakery. Mr Kunkuyu said it was illegal under Israeli law for a foreign worker to change jobs without following the right processes. Hundreds of Malawians travelled […]
Nigeria’s Clampdown on Peer-to-peer Crypto Trading
Moniepoint, a Lagos-based startup whose digital banking operation is one of the largest in Nigeria, told customers earlier this week that it would close crypto trading accounts in compliance with regulations by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). OPay, the Chinese-backed digital banking provider that is one of Africa’s most valuable startups, sent a similarly […]
South Africa’s Economy has Taken a Devastating Beating
Estimates from the Department of Trade and Industry indicate that South Africa’s economy has suffered losses of up to $46 billion due to six consecutive shocks over the past three years. The shocks included the global pandemic, the worst civil unrest since apartheid in July 2021, the war in Ukraine, severe flooding in the eastern coastal province […]
The Sahel Bears the Brunt of a Scorching April
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union’s climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday. Scientists have already confirmed that climate change caused some specific weather extremes in April, including a heatwave in the Sahel linked to potentially thousands […]
The First Lab in Africa to Make Comprehensive Genomic Profiling and Liquid Biopsy Accessible
Launched in September by Dr Abasi Ene-Obong, previously founder and CEO of the now-defunct Nigerian genomics startup 54gene, alongside Dr Jumi Popoola and Estelle Dogbo, Syndicate Bio is leveraging collaborations with governments, pharmaceutical companies, academia and other key industry stakeholders to deepen local precision medicine impact while generating invaluable datasets that improve global health outcomes […]
The Latest Example of a European Bank Scaling Back on the Continent
BNP Paribas SA has closed its corporate and investment bank in South Africa. An April 19 notice shows South Africa’s central bank withdrew the French lender’s authorisation to “conduct the business of a bank by means of a branch” with effect from March 8. “French banks’ exit from Africa, which is nearing its end, gives […]
Harare’s Stance on Capital Punishment Could Urge other States to Follow
Zimbabwe’s parliament has started nationwide consultations after the Cabinet in February agreed to abolish the death penalty to conform with international standards. A 2018 survey found 61% of Zimbabweans supported retention of the death penalty. However, a 2020 survey of Zimbabwean opinion leaders showed strong support for abolition. Should Zimbabwe join the list of abolitionist […]
