February 29
Ghana: Can Contract Farming Help Smallholder Farmers Build Resilience to Climate Change?
In northern Ghana, many smallholder farmers who grow crops on less than one hectare of land each are entering into contract farming. This gives them guaranteed buyers for their… Read more »
February 28
Ghana: Street Vending Helps Migrants to Survive in Accra, but It's Illegal
Moving to the city is a common strategy for the rural poor in the global south. Economic hardship pushes individuals out of their rural communities in search of opportunities.… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigeria's Security Problems Deepen As Anglophone Insurgency in Cameroon Spills Across Border
Over the past two decades, Nigeria has grappled with multiple and complex national security threats, each posing a significant challenge to its stability. Read more »
February 27
Cameroon: Benefits of Using Cleaner Cooking Fuels Are Blunted in Urban Areas Where Outdoor Air Is Polluted
Household air pollution from cooking, heating and lighting with fuels like wood, charcoal and kerosene poses a substantial global health problem. Read more »
February 24
Nigeria: Nigeria's Ban On Alcohol Sold in Small Sachets Will Help Tackle Underage Drinking
On February 5, 2024, Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control announced a ban on alcoholic beverages sold in sachets or bottles less than 200ml. The… Read more »
February 22
Africa: Learning in Two Languages - Lessons From Francophone Africa On What Works Best
Children living in multilingual communities often learn in a language at school that does not match the language they speak at home. This mismatch makes it challenging for them to… Read more »
February 21
Africa: Three Countries Leaving Ecowas Could Face Migration Hurdles
For Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, a recent decision to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has thrown up questions about how they will navigate… Read more »
February 20
Nigeria: Lagos - Drugs, Firearms and Youth Unemployment Create Lethal Cocktail
Lagos is the most populous city in Africa and a regional economic giant, having west Africa's busiest seaport. It is the centre of commercial and economic activities in Nigeria. Read more »
February 18
Mali: Slums and Guns in Bamako - What's Driving the Illegal Weapon Trade in Mali's Capital City
As west Africa urbanises, many cities have become interconnected through trade, travel and technology, and crime has increased in complexity and scope. The proliferation of arms in… Read more »
February 15
Ghana: New Vehicle Tax Aims to Tackle Pollution - Expert Unpacks How It'll Work and Suggests Reforms
Ghana has introduced an annual carbon levy on vehicles and industrial emissions. It's only the third African country to introduce an explicit carbon tax, after South Africa and… Read more »
February 14
West Africa: West Africa Trade Will Take a Hit As Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso Leave Ecowas
The membership of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has been whittled down from 15 to 12 following the unilateral withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso in… Read more »
Africa: Wagner Group Is Now Africa Corps. What This Means for Russia's Operations On the Continent
In August 2023, Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin died after his private jet crashed about an hour after taking off in Moscow. He had been Russia's pointman in Africa since the… Read more »
Africa: African Football Won the 34th Afcon, With Côte d'Ivoire a Close Second
The 34th Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) came to an end in Côte d'Ivoire with millions of viewers around the world shouting at TV screens, and an astonishing performance by… Read more »
February 08
Nigeria: Nigeria's Street Food - Tasty but Toxic? Expert Shares Advice to Make It Safer
In the lively streets of Nigeria's cities, where delicious street food is a daily delight, a wide variety of food can be bought and consumed instantly. From the sizzling suya snack… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigeria's Popular Wara Cheese Has a Short Shelf Life
Cheese is a highly nutritious food produced in hundreds of varieties around the world. It's all made by fermenting milk but the results range widely in flavour, texture and end… Read more »
February 07
Ghana: Kumasi City's Unplanned Boom Is Destroying Two Rivers - Sewage, Heavy Metals and Chemical Pollution Detected
Ghana's urban population has more than tripled in the past three decades, from 4 million to nearly 14 million people. Competition for land in cities has increased among various… Read more »
West Africa: Why Withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso Signals Trouble for the Sahel
On 27 January 2024, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger announced their plan to withdraw from membership of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), despite repeated… Read more »
Senegal: Macky Sall Throws Senegal's Democratic Credentials Into Doubt
Senegal's President Macky Sall announced in early February that presidential elections, originally scheduled for 25 February, would be postponed indefinitely. The announcement has… Read more »
February 06
Nigeria: The Plight of Women Fishers in Lagos's 'Floating Slum'
Makoko, a coastal fishing community in Lagos, Nigeria, was established by fishermen in the 19th century. It is considered the world's largest "floating slum". There are conflicting… Read more »
January 30
Ghana: V&A's Decision to Loan Looted Asante Gold Back to Ghana Has Implications for Other British Museums
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has announced a loan agreement with the Manhyia Palace Museum in the Asante region of Ghana to return gold and silver royal regalia that… Read more »
February 05
West Africa: Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Want to Leave Ecowas. a Political Scientist Explains the Fallout
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have sent Ecowas, west Africa's main political union of 15 countries, a formal notice of their withdrawal from the bloc. The three countries are… Read more »
February 02
Cape Verde: Cape Verde Is the Third African Country to Eliminate Malaria - Here's How
Cape Verde has been certified malaria-free by the World Health Organization. Read more »
February 01
Nigeria: Slaves of God - Nigeria's Traditional Osu Slavery Practice Was Stopped, but the Suffering Continues
There are global efforts to fight modern slavery, but a few traditional systems still hold strong in west Africa. These include Osu, Ohu and Trokosi. Read more »
January 30
Nigeria: Nigeria's Plastic Ban - Why It's Good and How It Can Work
Two weeks into January 2024, Nigerian authorities took steps to curb environmental degradation caused by plastic pollution in the country. Read more »
Ghana: Ghana's Looted Asante Gold Comes Home (For Now) - Asante Ruler's Advisor Tells Us About the Deal
After 150 years, 39 artefacts that form part of Asante's royal regalia are due to return to the Asantehene (ruler of the Asante people) in Kumasi, Ghana, in February and April this… Read more »