January 16, 2023
Nigeria: Nigeria's University System Needs Radical Reform
Amid strikes by Nigeria's Academic Staff Union of Universities, one thing is clear: the current funding model for the country's public universities is broken. The government's new… Read more »
January 10, 2023
Senegal: Ousmane Sembène at 100 - a Tribute to Senegal's 'Father of African Cinema'
1 January 2023 marked the centenary of the birth of Ousmane Sembène, the Senegalese novelist and filmmaker hailed as the "father of African cinema". Over the course of five… Read more »
January 09, 2023
Ghana: Why Ghana Relies Heavily On Used Cars
The sale of electric cars is growing. Globally, some 2 million electric vehicles were sold in the first quarter of 2022 - 75% more than in the first three months of 2021. Most,… Read more »
December 30, 2022
Nigeria: Nigeria Has a Coastal Litter Problem - It's Time to Clean Up
Bottles. Plastic bags. Surgical facemasks. These are just some of the 29,029 items we found along the 180km Araromi coastline Nigeria in nine months while studying marine litter.… Read more »
December 28, 2022
Nigeria: Nigeria Insecurity - 2022 Was a Bad Year and Points to Need for Major Reforms
2022 has been an eventful year in Nigeria. For one thing, it's been the precursor to the country's general elections, which are due to be held in the first quarter of 2023. That's… Read more »
December 26, 2022
Nigeria: What's At Stake As Millions Head to the Ballot Box Around the Globe
Predicting the outcome of national elections can be a mug's game. Polls are often wrong, and second-guessing how people will vote months down the line can leave even the most savvy… Read more »
December 22, 2022
West Africa: West Africa Has Experienced a Wave of Coups - Superficial Democracy Is to Blame
West Africa has seen coups and military takeovers in three countries in 2022. Like those of the past, they came with promises of a quick return to civilian regimes once… Read more »
December 15, 2022
Benin: Benin Is Building a Theme Park to Remember Slavery - Is History Up for Sale?
The Marina Project is a vast memorial and tourist complex under construction in Ouidah, a coastal town in the Republic of Benin in West Africa. The country hopes to market itself… Read more »
December 20, 2022
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 15, 2022
Benin: Benin Is Building a Themed Park to Remember Slavery - Is History Up for Sale?
The Marina Project is a vast memorial and tourist complex under construction in Ouidah, a coastal town in the Republic of Benin in West Africa. The country hopes to market itself… Read more »
Cameroon: Cameroon's Anglophone Crisis - How the Common Law Court Offers a Ray of Hope
Six years on, the crisis in the Anglophone (English-speaking) regions of Cameroon continues. Recent reports indicate that over 6,000 people have been killed. Read more »
December 14, 2022
Nigeria: Forced Mass Abortions Are a New and Disturbing Phenomenon in Nigeria
Nigeria classifies abortion as illegal except under certain medical circumstances. A recent investigation by Reuters news agency has alleged that, since 2013, the Nigerian military… Read more »
December 13, 2022
Nigeria: 2022 Was a Rollercoaster for Nigeria - 4 Essential Reads On What Went Down and How to Fix It
For Nigeria and Nigerians, the year 2022 was a rollercoaster ride of sorts. As a year preceding the country's general elections in 2023, it was expected to hold a lot of political… Read more »
December 12, 2022
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 »
Nigeria: Nigeria Failed to Qualify for the World Cup 2022 - Blame Their Disdain for Football School Structures and Development
Nigeria's national men's football team is absent from this year's World Cup in Qatar. It is only the second time since its first appearance in the tournament in 1994 that the Super… Read more »
December 08, 2022
Ghana: Why Farmers in Northern Ghana Go to Bed Hungry
Ghana is one of the few countries often praised for achieving impressive reductions in hunger. The 2022 Global Hunger Index report reveals Ghana's hunger score has declined by more… Read more »
December 07, 2022
Nigeria: Contempt of Court in Nigeria - What the Cases of Three Convicted Security Officials Tell Us
Three security chiefs in Nigeria were convicted of contempt of court in November 2022 after failing to comply with various court orders. This is the first time that officials at… Read more »
December 06, 2022
Nigeria: Jihadists and Bandits Are Cooperating. Why This Is Bad News for Nigeria
The Nigerian state has come under severe security stress in recent times. It has faced multiple national security threats: jihadist groups in the north-east; armed bandits in the… Read more »
December 05, 2022
Nigeria: Why Women Sometimes Stay With Abusers - Insights From a Nigerian Study
Domestic violence is a public health problem in most parts of the world. A 2021 United Nations report showed that one in three women aged 15-49 years in sub-Saharan Africa had… Read more »
December 04, 2022
Nigeria: Violent Extremism Could Beckon in North-Western Nigeria If Local Dynamics Are Ignored
In January 2022, in a bid to stem a tide of violent attacks and kidnappings in north-western Nigeria, the government labelled the armed groups involved in the violence… Read more »
December 03, 2022
Morocco/Senegal: World Cup 2022 - Either Morocco or Senegal Could Break the Glass Ceiling
Sixteen remaining teams are playing in the knock-out phase of the 2022 men's football Fifa World Cup in Qatar, among them two African teams - Senegal and Morocco. The knock-out… Read more »
November 30, 2022
Nigeria: Covid Deepened Inequalities in HIV Treatment - What We Learnt in Nigeria
The 2022 World AIDS Day theme is Equalize. The reason for this focus is that HIV reflects economic and social inequity. People with low socio-economic status are worst affected by… Read more »
November 28, 2022
Cameroon: Paul Biya Has Been Cameroon's President for 40 Years - and He Might Win Office Yet Again
At 89 years old, one of the oldest leaders in the world, President Paul Biya of Cameroon has marked 40 years as head of state. He assumed office in 1982. 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
Nigeria: People With Vitiligo Face Stigma - A Skin Doctor Calls for Better Support
Vitiligo - a disease which causes pale patches to develop on the skin and mucous membranes - can be psychologically devastating. The change in skin colour may even create doubts… Read more »