September 12, 2022
Zimbabwe: Informal Sector Plays a Key Role in Skills Development but Gets No Recognition
The informal sector plays an important role in the development of skills among Zimbabwe's disadvantaged groups, and should be recognised as an alternative training path for those… Read more »
Kenya: Maize Price Has Doubled in a Year - 6 Ways to Avoid a Staple Food Shortage
The elections in August offered Kenyans a temporary distraction from some of the challenges the country is facing. At the top of these challenges is food insecurity. In 2022, the… Read more »
September 11, 2022
South Africa: Job Creation in South Africa - the President's Advisors Discuss What It Will Take
At the end of 2021, South Africa recorded its highest unemployment rate since the dawn of democracy, at 35.3%. The figure has marginally dropped but there is still concern about… Read more »
September 09, 2022
Cameroon: Cameroon's 'Exploding Lakes' - Disaster Expert Warns Deadly Gas Release Could Cause Another Tragedy
A sudden change on 29 August 2022 in the colour and smell of Lake Kuk, in north-west Cameroon, has caused anxiety and panic among the local residents. Fears are driven by an… Read more »
September 08, 2022
Nigeria: 17 Strikes in 23 Years - A Unionist Explains Why University Lecturers Won't Back Down
Lecturers at Nigeria's public universities have been on strike 16 times since 1999. On 14 February 2022 they went back on strike to make it the 17th. Only 11 of Nigeria's 59 state… Read more »
September 07, 2022
Kenya: Lamu Port Was Meant to Deliver Great Things. But, As the Story of Local Fishermen Shows, It Hasn't
For nearly two decades, successive Kenyan governments have promoted mega infrastructure projects as a pathway to development. The Lamu Port has been one of them. Read more »
Nigeria: How Trade Can Help Beat Inequality - WTO Head Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
In a recent study South Africa was identified as ranking first of 164 countries in the World Bank's global poverty database. Underlying this inequality is its very high rates of… Read more »
September 05, 2022
South Africa: Five Things South Africa Must Do to Combat Cybercrime
Cyber-attacks are on the rise globally, with seriously negative implications for countries' strategic, national, economic and social well-being. Read more »
Kenya: Examining the Use of Social Media As a Source of Evidence in Election Petitions
The conduct of Kenya's elections has repeatedly come under close scrutiny in the courts. Petitions were lodged challenging the outcome of presidential races in 2013 and 2017, as… Read more »
September 04, 2022
South Africa: Only Elite Benefits From Black Economic Empowerment - and Covid-19 Proved It
More than two decades ago the South African government put in place a policy designed to redress racial imbalances in the country's economy. But, as I suggest in a recent paper,… Read more »
August 31, 2022
Southern Africa: Southern African Countries Can Do Better At Infrastructure - What the Choices Might Look Like
Countries in southern Africa are under a crushing burden brought about by a confluence of factors. These include the unprecedented growth in the number of young people, the… Read more »
Africa: China Has Waived the Debt of Some African Countries. But It's Not About Refinancing
In mid-August, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs surprised the world with a series of announcements. Wang Yi, Beijing's most senior diplomat, promised extensive debt relief for… Read more »
August 29, 2022
Nigeria: Nigeria's Economy - Four Priorities the Next President Must Deliver On
Nigeria is preparing to elect its next president in February 2023. That person will have a daunting task fixing a near comatose economy. Read more »
August 28, 2022
South Africa: Want to Get More Women to Start Their Own Businesses? Here's What It Takes
Globally, men are twice as likely as women to start a business. Most research into how to start a business has been focused on men. Not much has looked at why women are not fully… Read more »
Nigeria: Foreign Banks Are Absent in Nigeria. We Tracked Down Why
Privately owned Nigerian banks hold 94% of Nigerian banking assets. Only one other country in the world - Israel - has a higher share of ownership by local banks. The share of… Read more »
August 24, 2022
Somalia: Waiting for Ethiopia - Berbera Port Upgrade Raises Somaliland's Hopes for Trade
Berbera port is the main overseas trade gateway of the breakaway Republic of Somaliland. The port city is located on the Gulf of Aden - one of the globally most frequented seaways… Read more »
August 23, 2022
Nigeria: Online Fraudsters, Colonial Legacies and the North-South Divide in Nigeria
Millions of people with email accounts have undoubtedly encountered fraudulent emails that originate from Nigeria. Online fraudsters from the huge west African nation are also… Read more »
Africa: Did an Accidental 'Blood Plague' in World of Warcraft Help Scientists Model Covid Better? The Results Are In
Way before COVID, in 2005 the World of Warcraft game developers accidentally introduced an extremely virulent highly contagious disease into this game which then spread to infect… Read more »
August 22, 2022
Africa: Tips On How to Help Innovative Ideas Get Wings - From Universities to Businesses
Slowed economic growth and high unemployment almost seem the norm across Sub-Saharan Africa. There are many factors that has caused this including varying skills levels, low levels… Read more »
Zambia: Copper Mines Hard-Baked Racism Into the Workplace By Labelling Whites 'Expats'
Zambia's Copperbelt has been a centre of the world copper industry for almost a century. When mining began on an industrial scale in the 1920s, the mines employed both migrant… Read more »
South Africa: Fuel Price Subsidies - A Close Analysis Shows They Don't Reduce Poverty
Consumers in South Africa continue to grapple with a high cost of living, particularly with the latest rising fuel costs. In the last several months, the price for one litre of 95… Read more »
August 18, 2022
Africa: Social Network BeReal Shares Unfiltered and Unedited Moments From Our Lives - Will It Last?
BeReal hit the social networking scene in late 2019 but didn't take off until downloads started skyrocketing in 2022. So, what is BeReal all about, and is it here to stay? Read more »
August 21, 2022
Nigeria: Nigeria Wants to Ban Motorcycle Sales to Dent Terror Attacks. Why It Won't Work
Insecurity in Nigeria has worsened. In the north-east region, despite gains recorded by the military, the activities of jihadist terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigerians Feel the Pinch As Food Prices Continue to Spiral. There Aren't Easy Solutions
Nigeria is grappling with rising food prices, as reflected in the spike in inflation. The annual inflation rate accelerated for a sixth straight month to 19.64% in July 2022, the… Read more »
Africa: South Africa's Nuclear Sector Has Failed Its Test - the Koeberg Nuclear Plant Life Extension
South Africa's only nuclear power plant, Koeberg, has frequently been in the news in 2022, all for the wrong reasons. Read more »