South Africa: Can South Africa's Social Grants Help People Make a Better Life? Research Offers Hope

There is now a growing global consensus that additional measures are needed to support the agency of social protection beneficiaries. Such support will strengthen their… Read more »

South Africa: Social Work Is a Serious Profession - Why Not Youth Work? What South Africa Needs to Get Right

About 3.5 million South Africans aged 15-24 are disengaged from the formal economy and education system. In the first quarter of 2025, 37.1% of young people were not in employment,… Read more »

South Africa: Social Media Can Cause Stress in Real Life - Our 'Digital Thermometer' Helps Track It

Social media has reached more than half (63.9%) of the world's population since it got started in 1996. Social network platforms grew from 970 million users in 2010 to 5.41 billion… Read more »

South Africa: AI in the Courtroom - the Dangers of Using ChatGTP in Legal Practice in South Africa

A South African court case made headlines for all the wrong reasons in January 2025. The legal team in Mavundla v MEC: Department of Co-Operative Government and Traditional Affairs… Read more »

Africa: African Countries Need Strong Development Banks - How They Can Push Back Against Narrative to Weaken Them

A quiet but consequential contest is playing out in the global financial architecture. One that could determine Africa's ability to finance its own development. Read more »

Africa: What Is Françafrique? the Taboo Word That Reveals the Shifting Influence of France in Africa

The term "Françafrique" describes the political, economic and military networks built to preserve French influence in Africa. It refers to a past era but many believe that… Read more »

Africa: Africa's Trade Deal With the U.S. Was Left in Limbo - What Exporters Can Do About It

The US-Africa preferential trade deal - in place for a quarter century - expired on 30 September 2025. It's far from certain if the trade deal will be renewed and, if so, how.… Read more »

South Africa: South Africa's Coal Mines Are Leaking Methane - and No One Knows How Much

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. It is released from natural sources (like wetlands) and human activities (coal mining, and oil and gas production). It is also emitted by… Read more »

Nigeria: Nigeria's Government Is Using Digital Technology to Repress Citizens. a Researcher Explains How

Digital authoritarianism is a new way governments are trying to control citizens using digital and information technology. It is a growing concern for advocacy groups and those… Read more »

Ghana: Ghana's Banks Are Not Lending Enough to Sectors Where It Matters Most, Like Agriculture and Manufacturing

Bank lending is a major source of funding for businesses in Ghana. It helps pay for operational expenditure and investment in expansion of productive capacity. Therefore, it is… Read more »

Africa: Africa's Air Links Are Poor - Can the G20 Push for More Direct Flights to Improve Tourism and Trade?

In Africa, less than one in five continental airline routes are direct. Air connections are decided by factors like trade levels, diplomatic relations, and whether there's enough… Read more »

Africa: Cannabis Boom in South Africa and Zimbabwe Is Good for Wealthy Investors, Bad for Small Farmers

Cannabis is booming as an ingredient in everything from supplementary oils, inflammation-reducing skin creams, lip balms to health drinks and gummy sweets that promise to reduce… Read more »

Nigeria: Nigeria Needs 200,000km of Durable New Roads but It's Expensive - We Tested Plastic to Make Them Stronger and Cheaper

Nigeria doesn't have enough roads, and it's making life harder for people, especially in rural areas. The Nigerian government's latest estimate is that the country needs another… Read more »

Africa: The Great Wildebeest Migration, Seen From Space - Satellites and AI Are Helping Count Africa's Wildlife

The Great Wildebeest Migration is one of the most remarkable natural spectacles on Earth. Each year, immense herds of wildebeest, joined by zebras and gazelles, travel 800-1,000km… Read more »

South Africa: 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' Is Corporate Gaslighting - the Real Change Must Come From the Fossil Fuel Industry

"Reduce, reuse, recycle." For more than 50 years, those three Rs have been the world's go-to environmental mantra. Read more »

Africa: How 'Conflict-Free' Minerals Are Used in the Waging of Modern Wars

Minerals such as cobalt, copper, lithium, tantalum, tin and tungsten, which are all abundant in central Africa, are essential to the comforts of everyday life. Our phones, laptops… Read more »

Africa: African Languages for AI - the Project That's Gathering a Huge New Dataset

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Siri or Google Assistant are developed by the global north and trained in English, Chinese or European languages. In… Read more »

Southern Africa: High Food Prices in East and Southern Africa - Four Steps to Boost Production and Make Markets Work Better

Countries in east and southern Africa have continued to experience high and volatile food prices despite good harvests in 2025. This is especially alarming as climate-related… Read more »

South Africa: Indigenous Knowledge Systems Can Be Useful Tools in the G20's Climate Change Kit

Indigenous knowledge systems are bodies of knowledge that were developed and used by local communities for centuries. They shape how people understand their environment, solve… Read more »

West Africa: West Africa's Trade Monitoring System Has Collapsed - Why This Is Dangerous for Food Security

A decade ago countries in West Africa set up a unique trade monitoring mechanism. Its purpose was to track intra-regional trade in agricultural products and livestock in the… Read more »

Africa: Trade Is Shaping New Global Power Relations - What This Means for Africa

Over the past two decades, economic strength, trade flows, technological leadership and even consumer demand have been moving steadily from west to east. This transformation is… Read more »

Africa: China and the U.S. Are in a Race for Critical Minerals. African Countries Need to Make the Rules

Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, rare earth elements, and platinum group metals are essential for modern technologies. They are key to industries ranging… Read more »

Nigeria: What Do Nigerian Children Think About Computers? Our Study Found Out

Digital literacy is the ability to use digital tools and technologies effectively, safely and responsibly. This includes the use of smartphones and devices, navigating the internet… Read more »

Kenya: Child Malnutrition in Kenya - AI Model Can Forecast Rates Six Months Before They Become Critical

Globally, nearly half of the deaths of children under five years are linked to malnutrition. In Kenya, it's the leading cause of illness and death among children. Read more »

Ethiopia: Ethiopia Has Struggled to Build National Unity - Can Its Big New Dam Deliver It?

The formal launch of Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in September 2025 made news across the world. There was pomp and ceremony as Africa's largest hydroelectric dam was… Read more »