August 08, 2023
Senegal: Internet Shutdowns - Here's How Governments Do It
Senegal's government has shut down internet access in response to protests about the sentencing of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko. This is a tactic governments are increasingly… Read more »
West Africa: Niger Coup - Why an Ecowas-Led Military Intervention Is Unlikely
Hopes are fading for a quick resolution of Niger's coup or the potential use of force by the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) to free Nigerien president Mohammed… Read more »
August 07, 2023
West Africa: Sickle Cell Disease Is Rife in West Africa - a Fresh Approach Is Needed to Combat It
Sickle cell disease refers to a group of inherited blood disorders with symptoms like anaemia and blocked blood vessels. About 80% of the world's sickle cell disease cases occur in… Read more »
August 06, 2023
Ghana: Ghana's Housing Policy and Regulation Is Failing - Covid Proved As Much
Access to decent housing is a fundamental human right. Across sub-Saharan Africa, however, this right remains an elusive dream for many households. Read more »
August 02, 2023
Nigeria: Nigeria Battles a Deadly Diphtheria Outbreak - What It Is and How to Control It
Diphtheria has been reported in Nigeria: more than 790 confirmed cases as of 30 June 2023. There were 83 deaths among the confirmed cases between May 2022 and June 2023. Infectious… Read more »
August 01, 2023
Nigeria: Music Video Controversy in Nigeria - Logos Olori Misreads a Religious Time Bomb
Recently, Logos Olori - a Nigerian singer who is signed to Afrobeats superstar Davido's music label - released a video with supposedly Muslim men dancing to his song Jaye Lo in… Read more »
July 31, 2023
Nigeria: Kole Omotoso, the Nigerian Writer, Scholar and Actor Who Inspired a Continent
Bankole Ajibabi Omotoso, better known as Kole Omotoso, the Nigerian novelist, playwright, journalist, scholar and actor, died on 19 July 2023. His son Akin Omotoso, a filmmaker,… Read more »
Niger: What Caused the Coup in Niger? an Expert Outlines Three Driving Factors
At an emergency meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, on 30 July, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) demanded the "immediate release and reinstatement" of Niger's elected… Read more »
July 29, 2023
West Africa: Military Takeover Is a Setback for Democracy and U.S. Interests in West Africa
The West African nation Niger is under military rule following a coup in which President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown and held captive by members of his own guard. Read more »
July 30, 2023
Cameroon: What Citizens Say About Ending Six Years of Anglophone Conflict
The armed conflict in Cameroon between separatist groups and the military is in its sixth year. Armed groups are fighting for secession of the English-speaking north-west and… Read more »
July 27, 2023
Nigeria: Pesticides Are Harming Nigeria - It's Time to Update the Law
The European Union has banned the use of several pesticides, and heavily restricted others. This is because of their potential health effects or environmental contamination, or… Read more »
July 26, 2023
Mali: Mali Crisis - UN Peacekeepers Are Leaving After 10 Years - What's Needed for a Smooth Transition
The UN Security Council voted on 30 June 2023 to end its peacekeeping mission in Mali, Minusma, after Mali officially requested its complete withdrawal. Over 11,000 military… Read more »
Ghana: Pedestrians in Ghana Are Risking Their Lives - We Studied What's Distracting Them While Walking
Walking has health and environmental benefits - but it's not always a person's choice for getting around. And it does come with hazards. One fifth of the people killed on the roads… Read more »
July 24, 2023
Nigeria: Nigeria's Food Insecurity - Declaring a State of Emergency Isn't a Real Solution - Here's What Is
Nigerians doing their grocery shopping in July 2023 are paying 25% more for staple items than they did a year ago. Read more »
July 19, 2023
West Africa: Bola Tinubu Is the New Chair of Ecowas - the Burning Issues That Face the Nigerian President
Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was elected as chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on 9 July 2023. He took over from President Umaro Sissoco… Read more »
July 20, 2023
Nigeria: Nigeria's New Police Chief Faces Structural Challenges - 5 Key Issues to Tackle
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu named a new inspector general of police on 19 June 2023. He appointed the deputy inspector general, Kayode Egbetokun, to replace Usman Alkali Baba,… Read more »
July 19, 2023
Nigeria: eNaira - Nigeria's Digital Currency Has Had a Slow Start - What's Holding It Back
Nigeria was the first country in Africa to roll out a central bank digital currency. The eNaira was launched in October 2021. Read more »
July 18, 2023
Africa: Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco and Zambia Could Cause Upsets at Women's World Cup Football
Morocco and Zambia are making their Fifa Women's World Cup debut in 2023. South Africa must recover their morale after a pay dispute and Nigeria once again leads the charge for the… Read more »
July 17, 2023
Nigeria: They Eat Our Sweat - New Book Exposes Daily Struggles of Transport Workers in Lagos
Daniel E. Agbiboa's book They Eat Our Sweat: Transport Labor, Corruption, and Everyday Survival in Urban Nigeria explores the world of drivers of minibuses (danfo) and motorcycles… Read more »
Ghana: It's Time for Ghana to Enshrine Its Respect for the Right to Life - By Abolishing the Death Penalty
Thirty years have now gone by since Ghana used its gallows, a fact that indicates the country's respect for human life. It also means that Ghana is one of about 42 nations - many… Read more »
Mali: UN Troops to Withdraw From Mali - What Will Change in Terms of Security
On 30 June 2023, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to end the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (Minusma). Read more »
June 21, 2023
Ghana: Ama Ata Aidoo - The Pioneering Writer Left Behind a String of Feminist Classics
Prolific author and former Ghanaian education minister Ama Ata Aidoo passed away on 31 May 2023 at the age of 81. News of her death reverberated around… Read more »
July 13, 2023
West Africa: Fermented Food Is a Staple in West Africa - 5 Ways to Make Sure It's Safe for Eating
A typical west African menu is not complete without a fermented food or drink. These are foods that have been transformed by natural processes involving "friendly" microorganisms… Read more »
July 12, 2023
Cote d'Ivoire: Côte d'Ivoire Is Launching Its First Satellite for Earth Observation - and It's Locally Made
Côte d'Ivoire has announced plans to launch its first satellite within the next two years. A team of scientists in the fields of astrophysics and geology tell The… Read more »
July 11, 2023
Ghana: Ghana's Population Is Young and Rapidly Urbanising - Policies Need to Match the Data
Ghana's population has reached 30.8 million according to the 2021 population census. This is a 6.1 million increase from the 24.7 million recorded in 2010. Understanding population… Read more »
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