News That Matters To Africa©️
THE FRIDAY EDITION
Good News Africa!
THE FRIDAY QUOTE
“Those who fail to learn from history are bound to repeat it. Those who learn from history…are cursed to watch others repeat it”.
TOP NEWS
Eastern Africa
How farmers in Burundi banded together to get fair prices for avocados
Ethiopian designer’s bags are more than a fashion statement
Kenyan-Swedish Electric motorcycle completes solar-powered trip to Cape Town
Seaweed farming brings hope to Kenyan villagers hit by climate change
Mauritius: The millionaires’ paradise that’s punching above its weight
Rwanda shrugs off ‘sportswashing’ criticism in pursuit of a winning development formula
Opposition leader victorious in Somaliland elections
Tanzania: How giant rodents could rat on wildlife traffickers
West Africa
Mali’s traditional theater gives psychiatric patients the stage
Court Management Technology unveiled to improve justice delivery in Nigeria
Nigeria: How Mobihealth is driving a telemedicine revolution
Nigeria celebrates Miss Universe success amid citizenship controversy
Abuja festival focuses on African culture in the digital age
Sierra Leone loves rice and wants to free itself from imports
Southern Africa
A rejuvenated railway in Angola could change how minerals move in Africa
Angola nearly lost its national animal to poaching. Here’s how it brought it back
Why Botswana’s first-ever democratic transition bodes well for Africa
Video: Malawi’s female pilots bring aviation dreams to rural children
Brazil hands over G20 Presidency to South Africa
South Africa: How a traveling ‘health train’ has become an essential source of free care
South African universities embrace AI, seeing it as equalizing tool
South African teacher recognises every learner by voice alone
North Africa
Hydrogen-powered skyscraper set for Egypt’s new capital
AFRICA-GENERAL NEWS
EASTERN AFRICA
BURUNDI
How farmers banded together to get fair prices for avocados
Farmers in a remote part of Burundi know to look for a truck parked by a highway when it is time to sell their avocados…the transactions now promise real earnings thanks in part to the intervention of government and farmers’ cooperatives that worked to set terms for foreign avocado dealers. Just a year ago, farmers selling their avocados to the transporters earned 10 cents per kilogram (2.2 pounds), far less than the price for a small bottle of water. These days, they get roughly 70 cents for the same quantity, a meaningful increase for people who mainly farm to feed their families. A major change in the trade is that payments in U.S. currency now go into the bank accounts of cooperatives that pay their members directly almost as soon as the avocado haulers leave. Acting as intermediaries, groups such as Green Gold Burundi, which has its headquarters in the northern province of Kayanza and represents 200,000 farmers nationwide, say they are better positioned than individual growers to stem exploitation…The government ramped up its efforts to organize avocado exports earlier this year as dollar shortages fueled sporadic shortages of sugar and other goods. Burundi aims to export more than 10 million tonnes (11 million tons) of avocados each year by 2030…
ETHIOPIA
Ethiopian designer’s bags are more than a fashion statement
Ethiopian designer Ruth Girmay picked the Nile perch, a fish species native to Africa, as her muse, medium and message for the Africa Talent Leather Design Showcase 2024. Her “Overfishing Bag”, carved out of sustainable leather and meant to raise awareness about the existential threat to the Nile perch, fetched her the title of Most Commendable Designer at the Real Leather. Stay Different (RLSD) event in Addis Ababa from November 8 to 10. In keeping with the showcase theme – “Redefining Fashion’s Environmental Footprint” — Girmay’s creation is as much about conservation as it is a reflection of the African leather industry’s potential and the role of sustainable design in reshaping fashion. “The ‘O’ shape of the handbag handle is carved to resemble the eye of the (Nile perch) fish, while the pleated body is similar to the spiny dorsal and tail fins,” explains Girmay in a video posted on Instagram by RLSD. Girmay’s challenge was to use the aesthetics of design to drive home the message about overfishing being one of the primary factors that have caused the Nile perch population in African waters to plummet. Girmay’s entire collection advocates the protection of various ecosystems while preserving the livelihoods of the communities that depend on them. Sustainable leather, her material of choice, is a byproduct of farms that use environmentally friendly practices rather than originating in commercial factories that often use unsafe chemicals and contribute to global waste.
KENYA
Kenyan-Swedish Electric motorcycle completes solar-powered 6,000-km to Cape Town
An electric motorcycle, made by Swedish-Kenyan manufacturer Roam completed a 6,000-kilometer (3,700-mile) journey from Nairobi, Kenya, to Stellenbosch, South Africa, in 17 days, using only solar power. Roam hopes that its stunt helps to prove the viability of renewable energy for long-distance travel even in remote areas with poor charging infrastructure. The batteries were charged en route through a solar panel charging system carried in a support vehicle, which would drive ahead each day, stopping to charge up the batteries, so that when the bike caught up it could swap the dead battery for a fresh one. During the journey, the motorcycle model, the Roam Air, achieved its new single battery record range of 113 kilometers (70 miles), and on the trip’s last day, it traveled 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) in less than 18 hours. “(We wanted) to break a lot of boundaries on how traversing through sub-Saharan Africa is possible without pre-installed charging infrastructure,” said Masa Kituyi, Roam product owner and one of the riders on the expedition. The biggest challenge the team faced during the journey was the weather. “You can’t force the sun to shine,” says Kituyi, and at some points they ended up adapting their route so that they could escape cloud cover and have an opportunity to recharge the batteries.
Seaweed farming brings hope to Kenyan villagers hit by climate change
The people of Kenya’s coastal village of Mwazaro used to earn their living mainly growing cassava and maize, until the ravages of drought forced them to try a new crop – seaweed. They plant it on the beachfront and lay it out to dry inland, joining scores of other communities feeding a growing demand at home and abroad for associated products including soap, shampoo and seaweed powder, used in food. Seaweed farming was first introduced in Kenya in 2008 and has expanded rapidly to cover 20 villages, David Mirera, a scientist at the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), said. Higher temperatures, rising sea levels and poor rains have all played their part in the shift. Along the coast in the village of Kibuyuni, investments in seaweed farming have led to improvements in infrastructure and electricity, said Kassim Ramtu Bakari, who does marketing for the Seaweed Farmers’ Cooperative there, which employs more than 100 households. Tima Jasho, a mother of seven in Kibuyuni, said she was now able to pay her children’s school fees and move her family from a mud home to a brick house. In 2022, the industry produced almost 100 tons of seaweed worth more than $30,000, according to KMFRI data. Farmers export dry seaweed to China, France, the United States and other countries. The global market for seaweed has tripled in size in the last two decades, according to a 2024 United Nations Report, growing from $5 billion in 2000 to $17 billion in 2021.
MAURITIUS
The Millionaires’ paradise that’s punching above its weight
Mauritius may be small, but it’s mighty when it comes to attracting millionaires. This tropical paradise is not just a pretty face – it’s also a financial powerhouse that’s been flexing its muscles on the global stage. In Mauritius, it’s all about keeping up with the millionaires. In 2024, more than 5,000 millionaires called this island home, making it one of the hottest spots for the world’s wealthy elite. And according to investment advisers Henley & Partners, this number is set to double in the next decade. The secret that’s drawing in the ultra-wealthy is a combination of high levels of safety, security, and stability. Mauritius is like a bubble of calm in a world of chaos, and the millionaires are flocking to it like moths to a flame. Mauritius is also business-friendly, with a robust legal system that combines the best of French and British law. And with no capital gains tax, dividend and interest withholding tax, it’s a tax haven that’s giving the millionaires a reason to pop the champagne. The financial services sector in Mauritius contributes 14% to the country’s GDP. And with private banking and family offices identified as the key to growth, the island is rolling out the red carpet for the world’s wealth management community.
RWANDA
Rwanda shrugs off ‘sportswashing’ criticism in pursuit of a winning development formula
He may be the president of a small, landlocked state in central Africa, but Paul Kagame has always had outsize dreams. In recent months, Rwanda’s president has embarked on perhaps the biggest of them all by pitching to bring a Formula 1 Grand Prix to a country that was mired in genocide 30 years ago but now sees itself as one of the continent’s leaders. Determined to overcome his country’s geographical disadvantages, Kagame has relentlessly pursued a political, diplomatic and economic strategy to make Rwanda an African heavyweight. In the past four years, he has sent troops to engage rebels in the Central African Republic and mount counterinsurgency operations in Mozambique. At home he has pursued economic reforms to lure foreign investors, transforming Rwanda into a country with a reputation as one of Africa’s least corrupt and most business friendly…Since 2018, his (Kagame’s) government has secured sponsorship deals with some of Europe’s biggest soccer clubs, developed a partnership with the NBA and spent hundreds of millions of dollars in developing Rwanda’s sports facilities. Next year Rwanda will stage the world championships for bicycle road racing. Now he is taking the biggest step yet in his ambition to transform the country into a global sporting power, with F1 executives confirming that they are in exploratory talks with Kagame’s government about a possible Rwandan Grand Prix. Stefano Domenicali, F1’s chief executive, has described Rwanda’s proposal as “serious”,…that “they have presented a good plan.” That Rwanda is bidding at all reveals much about how Kagame views sport as an economic and geopolitical weapon. If Rwanda can navigate the obvious economic risks, its ambitious sporting strategy could yield big dividends, both financially and diplomatically. The Seoul Olympics in 1988 helped South Korea transform its global image as an insulated, war-ravaged backwater to an emerging economy open to the world.
SOMALILAND
Opposition leader victorious in Somaliland elections
In Somaliland, newly-elected president Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, commonly known as Irro, called for unity as his supporters celebrated in the streets following his landslide victory over for over the incumbent president, Muse Bihi Abdi. Analysts said that the election of Irro could lead to fresh dialogue between Somaliland and the federal government of Somalia on a number of controversial issues. Irro received 64% of the votes cast, while the Kulmiye Party, led by outgoing President Muse Bihi Abdi, garnered 34%. Following his victory, Irro expressed gratitude to those who worked to help him win. He emphasized that everyone had won today and that no one was defeated. And he focused on unity of the people in his speech. Irro said that this election was not about one group being defeated while another emerged victorious; rather, it was an election of brotherhood, aimed at unifying the people and fostering coexistence and development.
TANZANIA
How giant rodents could rat on wildlife traffickers
Tanzania-based non-profit APOPO has already demonstrated the ability of the cat-sized African giant pouched rat rodent, which it calls “HeroRATs,” to sniff out landmines, tuberculosis, and even survivors among rubble in natural disaster zones. But now the organization is turning its attention (and its rats’ noses) to the global illegal wildlife trade. Estimated to be worth up to $23 billion per year, illicit wildlife trafficking is the fourth largest illegal trade industry worldwide. Traffickers disguise wildlife products in a whole host of ways. Ivory, for example, might be stained to look like wood, hidden within crop shipments and even cut up into chocolate bar-shaped pieces, coated in chocolate and wrapped up in the packaging – all in an attempt slip past visual and X-ray inspections. This is where the rats and their acute sense of smell come in. According to new research led by APOPO and published in Frontiers in Conservation Science, the rats have been successfully trained in a research facility to sniff out elephant tusks, rhino horns, pangolin scales and African blackwood – which are some of the most common wildlife products to be trafficked out of Africa.
WEST AFRICA
MALI
Traditional theater gives psychiatric patients the stage
Koteba, is a traditional form of theater practiced by Mali’s largest ethnic group, the Bambara. It mixes acting, singing and dancing and is usually performed in villages as an outlet to work through problems and an open space for satire. But at Point G, one of the largest hospitals in Bamako, koteba is also a way of offering support and a sense of community to people receiving psychiatric care. Mali has fewer than 50 mental health professionals for a population of more than 20 million, according to a 2022 report by the World Health Organization. People with mental illnesses are often left without treatment and excluded from society. Though the use of koteba as therapy hasn’t been formally studied, Souleymane Coulibaly, a clinical psychologist at the Point G hospital, said the traditional form of theater is uniquely positioned to help people in the psychiatric ward work through their problems. “Patients who attend koteba leave the hospital more quickly than those who refuse to attend the theater session,” he said. Adama Bagayoko, 67, the director of the visiting theater troupe, said the weekly performances at Point G are a rare space where patients feel heard and respected.
NIGERIA
Court Management Technology unveiled to Improve Justice Delivery in Nigeria
The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) re-introduced its Court Administration and Case Management (CACM) technology on Tuesday, Nov. 19, during a ‘Access to Justice’ Parley in Abuja, North-central Nigeria. The initiative, already deployed in six states, including Adamawa, Kaduna, Plateau, and Nasarawa, aims to revolutionise Nigeria’s judicial system by addressing procedural delays and enhancing efficiency. Supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and developed by Devon Tech, a PPDC subsidiary, the CACM project integrates advanced features such as real-time speech-to-text transcription, digital case scheduling, and secure cloud storage…Future phases include introducing virtual court sessions to facilitate remote participation and reduce logistical burdens.
How Mobihealth is driving a telemedicine revolution in Africa
As a child growing up in northern Nigeria, Dr. Funmi Adewara experienced a severe hand injury that required multiple surgeries and frequent hospital visits. These visits exposed her to the harsh realities of the country’s healthcare system. “I remember sitting in overcrowded waiting rooms, watching doctors stretched thin, unable to meet the needs of so many patients,” Adewara recalls. This formative experience ignited her passion for transforming healthcare in Africa…Since its launch, Mobihealth has impacted thousands of lives, connecting patients with doctors and healthcare professionals across Nigeria and beyond. he platform has 20 integrated telehealth clinics that offer remote consultations, diagnostics, and access to specialist care via digital health tools. Located primarily in Nigeria, these clinics are accessible to patients through various subscription plans, and are often financed through partnerships with global donor organizations and private donors. In addition to the clinics, Mobihealth has partnerships with over 200 hospitals, labs, and pharmacies, Adewara says.
Nigeria celebrates Miss Universe success amid citizenship controversy
Nigerians are celebrating the success of Chidimma Adetshina at the Miss Universe contest in Mexico Saturday. Adetshina fell just short of the title, being named first runner up, but was still crowned Miss Universe Africa and Oceania. Smart Courage, a Nigerian who runs an agency that trains beauty queens for the runway, said discrimination among Africans is a serious issue. “The aim of pageantry is to help work on social issues especially those that affect women,” Courage said. “Every time we say, ‘Black Lives Matter’ but we also have an internal issue where Africans do not see other Africans as being ‘African enough’ and that is a conversation we need to start having. Because if we do not rectify such problems within the African community, it’s going to be very difficult to say you’re speaking up for Black people around the country.” South Africa’s Home Affairs department is still investigating Adetshina’s mother for alleged citizenship fraud. Adetshina is not accused of wrongdoing as she was a baby in 2001, when authorities allege her mother committed identity theft to register their citizenship.
Abuja festival focuses on African culture in the digital age
The three-day inaugural Abuja International Poetry Festival took place last week in various venues across the Nigerian capital. It was a cultural melting pot for poets, dreamers, intellectuals, and adventurers. Under the theme “Afro Futurism and Digital Culture”, it looked at what it means to be an African poet in today’s world. Festival director Orewa Olujimi described “Afro futurism” as questioning where African art is heading. “What is the future of our art, what is poetry going to look like in a couple of years from now? In the new face and in the light of technology and digital advancement,” she said. The sessions took place both virtually and in-person, featuring established and emerging poets from across the world. These included readings, master classes, a traditional poetry concert, and ended with a Poetry Slam. Poet Chi Martins Azubuike said she found the talk about art and digital culture interesting because it looked at how one can “embrace our language” in the light of technology. Soonest Nathaniel, also a poet, described digital technology as a blessing saying it offers many more opportunities, particularly when it comes to publishing.
SIERRA LEONE
Sierra Leone loves rice and wants to free itself from imports
Rice borders on the sacred in Sierra Leone. Unless a meal includes rice, people say, you haven’t eaten at all. But as prices soar, consumers in the West African nation are giving up other food to buy it. That’s a major reason why 83% of the population is food insecure, according to the U.N.’s World Food Program. Experts blame soaring prices on a heavy reliance on imports, which supply 35% of Sierra Leone’s rice and eat up $200 million annually in foreign currency…experts said the import dependency is due to a lack of investment in agriculture, booming population growth and cheap rice imports from Asia. Sierra Leone’s agriculture minister, Henry Kpaka Musa, accused the International Monetary Fund of pressuring Sierra Leone in the 1980s to stop investing in agriculture and open its markets to imports as a condition for receiving loans. Now he and President Julius Bio plan to do it again. The government has raised over $620 million from global development banks this year to work towards food self-sufficiency, notably in rice, although Kpaka estimated the plan will cost $1.8 billion in all. Experts from the Ivory Coast-based research center Africa Rice have commended the plan as “ambitious and forward-looking.”
SOUTHERN AFRICA
ANGOLA
Award-winning activist leads nation in fight for crucial wetland protections
Fernanda Samuel has spearheaded the movement to protect mangrove ecosystems in her home country of Angola, and after a decade of advocacy, she and her fellow activists are making a noticeable difference, the United Nations reported. Mangroves are trees or shrubs that grow in wetlands with tangled thickets of roots exposed above ground. These unique intersections between forest and wetland are a vital shelter for numerous species, including marine life that many people rely on to survive. In Angola, the mangroves are a seasonal stopping place for migrating flamingos. Samuel grew up near the mangroves and remembers seeing the beautiful flamingos there throughout her childhood. “I made the decision to commit to protecting wetlands in 2016 when I realized that flamingos were disappearing from my hometown, Lobito, on the south coast of Angola,” Samuel told the U.N. “I grew up by the sea surrounded by mangroves and enchanted by the flamingos, my city’s calling card. Suddenly, construction companies arrived and started depositing rubble and making landfills for the construction of new housing and tourist areas. The mangroves were destroyed, the flamingos disappeared and I panicked.” “The biggest challenges I faced in my fight to conserve and restore wetlands were threats from powerful businessmen protected by politicians who razed vast areas of mangroves and displaced fishing communities,” Samuel told the U.N. “They wanted to own the best land along the coast and only thought about profit. However, Samuel pushed through, rallying young people in her community and fishers who rely on the mangroves for a living. Samuel has been recognized for this work. In 2020, she was a finalist for the United Nations’ Young Champions of the Earth award, and the Convention on Wetlands named her a Young Wetland Champion in 2022.
A rejuvenated railway could change how minerals move in Africa – and globally
In late August, a container vessel sailed out of Angola’s Port of Lobito carrying railway operator Lobito Atlantic Railway’s first shipment of copper from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to the US. It was a milestone moment for the Lobito Corridor, an initiative backed by a US and Europe that aims to create an efficient transport link from Africa’s mineral-rich interior to the port on its west coast for export, by rejuvenating and expanding old railways. It took the copper six days to travel from the city of Kolwezi in the DRC – home to some of the world’s largest copper and cobalt reserves – across more than 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) of rail lines to the Port of Lobito. That’s about 30 days faster than a road journey, according to Francisco Franca, the CEO of Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR), a consortium of firms that took over operations of the railway in January. Franca says LAR is investing $250 million to improve the rail lines and telecommunications infrastructure in Angola, and add 1,500 wagons to its fleet…The US is providing hundreds of millions of dollars of financing for the Lobito Corridor, a flagship of the PGI, which is built on the bones of the Benguela Railway. Feasibility studies are under way for a second, more ambitious phase of the project, which will expand the railway 800 kilometers (500 miles) to Zambia. And the US hopes to one day extend the line to the Indian Ocean through Tanzania, connecting the east and west of the continent, although these plans could change under a Trump administration.
Angola nearly lost its national animal to poaching. Here’s how it brought it back
The giant sable antelope is a majestic sight — and a rare one at that. This particular antelope, endemic only to Angola, and national animal, is critically endangered, with a population of just a few hundred. While its situation is still precarious, the giant sable is a story of conservation success — bringing an almost extinct animal back from the brink. In 1975, their prospects took a turn for the worse when a civil war broke out in Angola following its independence from Portugal. Over the next 27 years, the conflict devastated the country’s wildlife and the giant sable was no exception. The war led to intensive poaching for the animal’s meat and horns. Habitat loss, and a lack of conservation measures, exacerbated the problem. In 2003, after the war had ended, Angolan conservationist Pedro Vaz Pinto organized a small team to investigate whether any giant sables remained. Soon after, Vaz Pinto established the Giant Sable Conservation Project to begin protecting the species and boosting its population…Today, the sanctuary in Cangandala has a population of about 100 animals. Before Angola’s independence, the giant sable population was estimated to be around 2,000 to 2,500 animals.
BOTSWANA
Why Botswana’s first-ever democratic transition bodes well for Africa
Botswana’s smooth power transfer after a peaceful election marks the end of a 58-year political monopoly and a potentially new era for other African countries that haven’t known anything other than the established order for decades. Botswana chose to be a surprising exception when the October 30 presidential election delivered a landmark mandate for Duma Gideon Boko of the Botswana National Front (BNF) to become the southern African country’s sixth head of state and the first from any outfit other than the entrenched Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). If the announcement of an opposition victory without any appeals marked a pleasant anachronism in politics, what came as a bigger surprise to many was the outgoing President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, graciously conceding defeat even before the poll result was officially declared on November 1. BNF was founded in 1965, just a year before the country gained independence, and BDP assumed the reins for an uninterrupted 58-year political monopoly. At the handover ceremony on November 4, the manner in which Masisi welcomed his successor matched his promise. “I knew I had a responsibility to make sure we set a standard because we have never had a change of government, as in a different party taking over this country,” the outgoing President said. “So, the onerousness of the responsibility on me was massive, and I had to lead.”
MALAWI
Female pilots bring aviation dreams to rural children
Malawi’s first female flight crew, Captain Yolanda Kaunda and First Officer Lusekelo Mwenifumbo, is working to inspire the next generation of aviators. The pair have organized airshows to give children opportunities to see aircraft up close.
SOUTH AFRICA
Brazil hands over G20 Presidency to South Africa
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva closed the Group of 20 summit on Tuesday and handed over the presidency to Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa. “After the South African presidency, all the G20 countries will have exercised leadership of the group at least once. It will be a good time to evaluate the role we have played so far and how we should act from now on,” said Lula da Silva. Leaders of the world’s 20 major economies gathered once again on Tuesday with a lighter schedule after they issued a joint declaration the night before. At the transition of the G20 presidency to Ramaphosa, Lula recognized the historical, cultural, political, and economic values that unite the African continent and Latin America.
How a traveling ‘health train’ has become an essential source of free care
A passenger train known as Phelophepa — or “good, clean, health” in the Sesotho language — had been transformed into a mobile health facility. It circulates throughout South Africa for much of the year, providing medical attention to the sick, young and old who often struggle to receive the care they need at crowded local clinics. For the past 30 years — ever since South Africa’s break with the former racist system of apartheid — the train has carried doctors, nurses and optometrists on an annual journey that touches even the most rural villages, delivering primary healthcare to about 375,000 people a year. The free care it delivers is in contrast to South Africa’s overstretched public health care system on which about 84% of people rely…The health train has grown from a single three-carriage operation over the years to two, 16-carriage trains. They are run by the Transnet Foundation, a social responsibility arm of Transnet, the state-owned railway company. When the train began in 1994, many Black people in South Africa still lived in rural villages with little access to health facilities. It was a period of change in the country. The train began as an eye clinic, but it soon became clear that needs were greater than that. Now both trains address the booming population of South Africa’s capital of Pretoria and nearby Johannesburg, the country’s economic hub.
South African universities embrace AI, seeing it as equalizing tool
The rise of AI tools like ChatGPT has sparked debate in higher education, raising questions about ethics and integrity in teaching, learning and knowledge creation. In South Africa, some academic institutions are taking a proactive approach, integrating AI into their curricula. Experts say this step is not only innovative but also helps level the playing field among students.
Teacher recognises every learner by voice alone
Teacher Kay van Greunen has wowed everyone with the way she’s bonded with her little learners. This incredible teacher can correctly identify each and every one of her learners, simply by hearing their voices. “Hello, teacher. What’s my name?”, is all the little ones had to say in order for teacher Kay van Greunen to effortlessly respond with each of their names. The teacher sits with her back to the children who are lined up behind her. Each takes a turn to ask the teacher: “What’s my name?” while others giggle. It’s abundantly clear that this teacher adores her learners and that they adore her as well. The video, which was posted by the teacher, has been viewed over four million times and liked by 434,000 people and has captured the hearts of thousands of South Africans.
NORTH AFRICA
EGYPT
Hydrogen-powered skyscraper set for Egypt’s new capital
Egypt’s “New Administrative Capital,” a new city deep into construction outside Cairo, has prompted plenty of blue-sky thinking. But few ideas have been as ambitious as powering a skyscraper with hydrogen. The Forbes International Tower, a 240 meter (787 feet) tall office building due to be constructed close to the Iconic Tower — Africa’s tallest building — was planned from the outset to be environmentally conscious. Its developer has now revealed it intends to achieve a net-zero carbon footprint by powering the 43-floor office building via clean hydrogen, supplemented by solar panels on its facade. Powered by 75% hydrogen and 25% photovoltaics, the building would not rely on a traditional power grid, according to its developer. Constructing with materials with “low-embodied carbon” — materials with reduced associated emissions via their sourcing, manufacture and eventual disposal or reuse — could cut the carbon footprint of its construction by 58%. Meanwhile, water recycling and treatment on site will reduce freshwater demand — vital in an increasingly water-scarce country. Through these methods, the developer says it aims to achieve a “net-negative carbon vision” (removing more carbon than it emits) for the skyscraper over its lifecycle, and to become the first skyscraper in the world to register for Zero Carbon Certificate from the International Living Future Institute.
AFRICA-GENERAL NEWS
Spain will legalize hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants
Spain will legalize about 300,000 undocumented migrants a year, starting next May and through 2027, the country’s migration minister said Wednesday. The policy aims to expand the aging country’s workforce and allow foreigners living in Spain without proper documentation to obtain work permits and residency. Spain has largely remained open to receiving migrants even as other European nations seek to tighten their borders to illegal crossings and asylum seekers. Spain needs around 250,000 registered foreign workers a year to maintain its welfare state, Migration Minister Elma Saiz said in an interview on Wednesday. She contended that the legalization policy is not aimed solely at “cultural wealth and respect for human rights; it’s also prosperity.” “Today, we can say Spain is a better country,” Saiz told national broadcaster Radiotelevision Espanola. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has often described his government’s migration policies as a means to combat the country’s low birthrate. In August, Sanchez visited three West African nations in an effort to tackle irregular migration to Spain’s Canary Islands.
Video Game market in Africa is estimated to be worth 2.14 billion US dollars in 2024
According to the report Africa Gaming Market Size (2024–2029), the video game market in Africa is estimated to be worth over USD 2.14 billion in 2024. This figure could reach USD 3.72 billion by 2029. Video games have strong appeal among African youth — of the continent’s 1.6 billion inhabitants, over 400 million are between the ages of 15 and 35. Gaming is not merely a pastime; it can also be a real profession, known as esports, which includes its own rules, tournaments, prize money, and international competitions, like the Olympics Esports Games set to be held in Saudi Arabia in 2025. Kofi Sika Latzoo, a Togolese expert based in Senegal, says that South Africa leads the way, being among the first African nations to have set up video game development studios, including Free Live, one of the oldest studios on the continent. It is also one of the few countries to establish an esports federation and the first to be part of major global esports governance bodies. Other countries, including Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Ghana, and Senegal — one of the rare French-speaking markets — are highly dynamic as well. Senegal is also one of the few countries to have a legal framework since 2020 for structuring esports, including competitive gaming and video game development. Latzoo added that the global video game industry is a USD 300-billion annual market, while esports alone represents a one-billion-dollar market. The enthusiasm for this discipline is spreading globally, and Africa must keep pace, especially as it has the world’s youngest population. It’s a continent with the potential to consume and create on a large scale. Leading the way are South Africa and Morocco.
Solar power companies are growing fast in Africa
Companies that bring solar power to some of the poorest homes in Central and West Africa are said to be among the fastest growing on a continent whose governments have long struggled to address some of the world’s worst infrastructure and the complications of climate change. The often African-owned companies operate in areas where the vast majority of people live disconnected from the electricity grid, and offer products ranging from solar-powered lamps that allow children to study at night to elaborate home systems that power kitchen appliances and plasma televisions. Prices range from less than $20 for a solar-powered lamp to thousands of dollars for home appliances and entertainment systems. The International Energy Agency, in a report earlier this year, said small and medium-sized solar companies are making rapid progress reaching homes but more needs to be invested to reach all African homes and businesses by 2030. About 600 million Africans lack access to electricity, it said, out of a population of more than 1.3 billion. Among the companies that made the FT’s annual ranking of Africa’s fastest growing companies of 2023 was Easy Solar, a locally owned firm that brings solar power to homes and businesses in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Africa: The Future of Medical Research
This is a story of untapped potential, scientific breakthroughs, and a continent that’s been seriously underestimated. The continent is home to the most genetically diverse population on the planet. We’re talking about a diversity of genes – a veritable United Nations of DNA – yet, only 3% of clinical trials take place on the continent, mostly concentrated in just two countries: South Africa and Egypt. Meanwhile, 18% of the world’s population calls Africa home, and the continent shoulders 20% of the global disease burden. Clearly, the world’s been sleeping on Africa’s potential. But Professor Kelly Chibale, a leading scientist from the University of Cape Town, is determined to wake everyone up. Professor Chibale believes that Africa’s genetic diversity is an opportunity waiting to be seized. His argument is simple: if a drug works in Africa’s genetically varied population, chances are it’ll work pretty much anywhere. By testing drugs on a wider range of genes, we can fine-tune dosages for everyone before releasing them into the wild.
Africa dominates list of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies in 2024— report
Africa will account for eleven of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies in 2024, the African Development Bank Group said in its latest Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook (MEO) of the continent released on Friday. Overall, real gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the continent is expected to average 3.8% and 4.2% in 2024 and 2025, respectively. This is higher than projected global averages of 2.9% and 3.2%, the report said. The continent is set to remain the second-fastest-growing region after Asia. The top 11 African countries projected to experience strong economic performance forecast are Niger (11.2%), Senegal (8.2%), Libya (7.9%), Rwanda (7.2%), Cote d’Ivoire (6.8%), Ethiopia (6.7%), Benin (6.4%), Djibouti (6.2%), Tanzania (6.1%), Togo (6%), and Uganda at 6%. “Despite the challenging global and regional economic environment, 15 African countries have posted output expansions of more than 5%,” Bank Group President Dr Akinwumi Adesina said, calling for larger pools of financing and several policy interventions to further boost Africa’s growth. Africa’s Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook, a biannual publication released in the first and third quarters of each year, complements the existing African Economic Outlook (AEO), which focuses on key emerging policy issues relevant to the continent’s development. The MEO report provides an up-to-date evidence-based assessment of the continent’s recent macroeconomic performance and short-to-medium-term outlook amid dynamic global economic developments.
Report: Africa’s Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook
Teams confirmed for 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco
The 24 teams that will compete in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco have been confirmed. The tournament, which will be hosted by Morocco, is set to take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. The 24 teams that have qualified for the tournament are:
Morocco (Host), Senegal, Nigeria, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, Tunisia, Algeria, Mali, Cameroon, South Africa, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Cape Verde, Ghana, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Zambia, Uganda, Angola, Benin, Mauritania, Namibia, Madagascar. Morocco boasts several world-class stadiums that will host the tournament’s matches, including:
Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca: A historic venue and potential host for the final.
Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat: A modern stadium with a rich footballing history.
Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier: A state-of-the-art facility capable of hosting large crowds.
Adrar Stadium, Agadir: A picturesque stadium with stunning views.
Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh: A popular venue with a passionate fanbase.
Fez Stadium, Fez: A historic stadium with a unique atmosphere.
While Morocco was the only team currently assured of a place in the tournament as the host nation, the remaining 23 spots were decided through a rigorous qualifying process. The qualifiers, which kicked off in September 2024 and ended in November 2024, saw 48 nations divided into 12 groups, with the top two teams from each group securing their place in Morocco.
How African aviation could be set to soar
Steps Africa’s top airlines are taking to expand the continent’s aviation industry
How two creators are changing the edutainment narrative for children in Africa through animation
For years, African children relied on Western content to meet their educational and entertainment needs. Now, African animators are changing that. CNN finds out how the creators of Kunda Kids and Jeni & Keni are using animation to teach life lessons and celebrate African culture
Rhino’s toilet rules
As the world marks World Toilet Day on November 19, let’s delve into the fascinating toilet habits of rhinos. These magnificent creatures have a surprisingly mindful approach to answering nature’s call. Here are some intriguing ways rhinos observe their toilet rules.
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