December 20, 2022
Africa: Small Loans - Microcredit Means More People Can Borrow Money - but More Scrutiny Is Also Needed
Undoubtedly, financial technology (fintech) is driving greater financial inclusion. Innovations are giving people more access to financial services through mobile and computing… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigeria's Economy in 2022 - Winners and Losers
At the start of 2022, Nigerians hoped that, with less than two years to the end of President Muhammadu Buhari's administration, the government would ramp up its efforts to reduce… Read more »
December 19, 2022
Africa: What Is Burnout and How to Prevent It in the Workplace - Insights From a Clinical Psychologist
People close to you, including family members, friends, and co-workers, frequently express their "stress" at this time of year. As the end of the year draws nearer people are… Read more »
December 15, 2022
South Africa: Why Finding a New Head for South Africa's Struggling Power Utility Won't End the Blackouts
For a multitude of reasons, Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter's resignation is a huge setback for the state-owned power utility and South Africa. It comes at a time when the utility, which… Read more »
South Africa: 2022 Was a Rough Year for People Everywhere - South Africa Was No Exception
Tough economic conditions meant that 2022 was a rough year for people everywhere in the world. South Africa was no exception. But this year's crop of problems came on top of a… Read more »
December 14, 2022
Kenya: Four Essential Reads On a Year of Political Drama and Economic Hardships
The year 2022 was always going to be an eventful one. After nearly 10 years in power, President Uhuru Kenyatta was destined to leave office to make way for the winner of the August… Read more »
December 13, 2022
Africa: Ports Race Is Hyped As 'Development' but Also Creates Pathways for Plunder
Ports have long been integral to Africa's connectivity with the rest of the world. Yet over the last 15 years, a new stage in maritime infrastructure planning and development has… Read more »
Africa: Joe Biden Is Meeting African Leaders - Why Free Trade Is a Major Talking Point
African leaders face a dilemma over trade relations with the United States. Should they push for the extension of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) or for each country's… Read more »
December 12, 2022
East Africa: The Lapsset Development Corridor - Between a Bright Future and a Grim Past
The Lamu Port-Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport - or Lapsset - corridor is the flagship project of Kenya's Vision 2030 development agenda. Inaugurated in 2012, the planned corridor… Read more »
Ghana: Ghana Had a Bad Time in 2022 - 4 Reads to Catch Up On What Happened
Ghana, a country with a good reputation for democracy, human rights, governance and economic growth in Africa, endured a difficult 2022. Read more »
December 09, 2022
Africa: African Debt - How to Break Unequal Relationships in Financing Deals
Africa is facing some impossibly difficult choices when it comes to financing its development. Countries need hundreds of billions of dollars each year to meet their climate,… Read more »
December 07, 2022
South Africa: Breast Cancer Patients Battle to Maintain Treatment Because of High Transport Costs
South Africa has a two-tiered health system. Public health services - which are largely provided free of charge - are run and funded by the state. Private healthcare is owned and… Read more »
December 06, 2022
South Africa: Skills Shortages Plague Economy - Policy and Social Conditions Must Support Their Development
Many South Africans argue that the country has a skills crisis. An equal number question why it can't sort this out by "adopting the German or Swiss approach". Read more »
December 01, 2022
Africa: Twitter Lifted Its Ban On Covid Misinformation - Research Shows This Is a Grave Risk to Public Health
Twitter's decision to no longer enforce its COVID-19 misinformation policy, quietly posted on the site's rules page and listed as effective Nov. 23, 2022, has researchers and… Read more »
November 27, 2022
Nigeria: Chickens From Live Poultry Markets in Nigeria Could Be Bad for Your Health - Scientists Explain Why
Many livestock farmers treat their animals with antimicrobial medications. These are drugs that target bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. But using them the wrong way can have… Read more »
November 23, 2022
Africa: Spending Too Much Money? Tempted By Sales? These Ways to 'Hack' Your Psychology Can Help
It's late November, which means the holiday sales period has well and truly begun. If you haven't already seen your spending go up, the possibility is looming. Read more »
November 22, 2022
Africa: All Signs Point to Blowing Past the 1.5 Degrees Global Warming Limit - Here's What We Can Still Do #AfricaClimateCrisis
The world could still, theoretically, meet its goal of keeping global warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius, a level many scientists consider a dangerous threshold. Realistically,… Read more »
November 23, 2022
Africa: As U.S. Dollar Gets Stronger, African Countries Feel the Pain and Have Few Policy Options
The US dollar has been advancing rapidly in response to the Federal Reserve's resolve to keep raising policy rates for longer to regain control of stubbornly high inflation. This… Read more »
November 21, 2022
Africa: Thinking of Breaking Up With Twitter? Here's the Right Way to Do It
After a few chaotic weeks it's clear Elon Musk is intent on taking Twitter in a direction that's at odds with the prevailing cultures of the diverse users who call it home. Read more »
November 22, 2022
Ghana: Ghana Digitised Its Address System - Its Failure Offers Lessons to Other African Countries Creating Smart Cities
Smart urbanism is about using digital technologies to address urban problems. Across the continent, digital technologies and smart initiatives have been applied in myriad ways,… Read more »
November 21, 2022
Africa: Less Burping, More Meat and Milk - How Livestock Farmers Can Help Tackle the Climate Crisis #AfricaClimateHope
Africa's livestock farmers are at the forefront of climate change. Images of parched landscapes littered with the carcasses of starved cattle are becoming all too familiar as… Read more »
November 20, 2022
Nigeria: Treatment of Wastewater in Oil Fields Is Failing, Raising the Risk of Health Hazards #AfricaClimateCrisis
People need both clean, safe water and sustainable energy. That means both resources must be properly managed. But when it comes to the oil and gas industries, there's a problem. Read more »
November 16, 2022
South Africa: South Africa Can Reduce Emissions and Create Jobs. a Tough Task, but Doable
South Africa has the dubious distinction of having one of the highest rates of unemployment and inequality in the world. It is also one of the world's most emissions-intensive… Read more »
November 17, 2022
Ethiopia: Civet Musk, a Precious Perfume Ingredient, Is Under Threat.
The African civet -- an animal closely related to the mongoose and widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa -- is among four mammals known to secrete scented compounds. Civets… Read more »
November 16, 2022
Africa: Renewable Energy Will Need More Investment, or Africa Will Stay Dependent On Fossil Fuels
Renewable energy technologies such as solar photovoltaics and onshore wind power can help sub-Saharan Africa meet its energy requirements from sources that have lower emissions… Read more »