Category archives for: top stories

Namibia comes to Europe to sell its sunshine

ISABEL MALSANG As Europe struggles to decarbonize its economy and wean itself off Russian oil and gas, one of the world’s sunniest and most arid nations is pitching itself to the continent as an answer to its problems. A delegation from sub-Saharan Africa’s driest country has been touring Europe to tout their nation as a […]

Which countries have rolled out 5G in Africa?

FAUSTINE NGILA When Ethiopia announced on May 9 that it was launching trials for its first 5G mobile network in its capital, it joined more than a dozen African countries that are either testing or have rolled out the next-gen network. But just as for its 5G peers, the journey isn’t going to be smooth. […]

Desperate hunt for cheap maize abroad as Kenya’s silos now run dry

DOMINIC OMONDI Kenya is now desperately shopping for maize from all corners of the world as its silos run out of this critical grain. Bad weather, coupled with global factors such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the lingering effects of Covid-19, have conspired to create a maize shortage in the country, with many families finding […]

Africa accounts for 70% of the world’s $1 trillion mobile money market

SETH ONYANGO 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 […]

Cameroon drum-makers cash in on its popularity

ARISON TAMFU In Ekali, a village on the outskirts of Cameroon’s capital city Yaounde, the rhythms of tam-tam, a centuries-old traditional drum fills the air. Martin Mbezele Zambo has made a name for himself in the village as one of the best tam-tam drum makers. At 42, Zambo has spent most of his life manufacturing […]

Nigeria’s Buhari asks ministers with political ambition to resign

At least five members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet are seeking to succeed him in 2023. Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has directed all members of his cabinet who nurse political ambitions to resign their current appointments, according to the country’s information minister. “The mandate I have from the president is to announce that all members […]

New Jersey launches recreational marijuana sales following voter approval

JOSEPH AX Well over a year after voters said yes to legal weed, New Jersey is finally about to start getting high on its own supply. State residents 21 and older can lawfully buy marijuana starting on Thursday, after a decade-long effort by advocates to legalize recreational use and end years of racially unbalanced criminal […]

Tunisian weavers turn rags into eco-friendly rugs

Najet unravels an old pair of jeans, raw material for a designer carpet: traditional, eco-friendly crafts are being adapted for new markets thanks to a project born in the Tunisian desert. “I learned to weave at a young age, from my mother,” said the 52-year-old from the oasis town of Nefta, 500 kilometers (310 miles) […]

The UK plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda

PRIYA SIPPY The British government is trying to solve its issues with migration with a £120 million plan to relocate asylum seekers arriving in the UK to Rwanda. Under the proposal, anyone arriving in the UK without the correct documentation, as well as those who have arrived illegally since Jan. 1, 2022, may be relocated […]

Ethnic Fulanis in Ivory Coast Allege Persecution by Security Forces

HENRY WILKINS As Ivory Coast beefs up its border security with Burkina Faso, ethnic Fulanis say they are being labeled as supporters of Islamist militants and persecuted by security forces. Rights groups warn the heavy-handed tactics could backfire, providing fertile recruiting ground for the insurgents. Since armed groups attacked military targets near the border with […]

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