September 12, 2023
West Africa: U.S. Response to Gabon and Niger Coups Suggests Need for a New West Africa Policy in Washington
Recent coups in the West African nations of Gabon and Niger caught U.S. diplomats a little off guard. They also indicate Washington may need to reassess its policy in the region or… Read more »
West Africa: Militant Groups Threaten the Conservation of a Key West African World Heritage Site - New Study
Burkina Faso, Benin and Niger share a biosphere reserve known as the WAP complex (W-Arly-Pendjari), which spreads across the borders of the three countries. The first part of this… Read more »
September 11, 2023
Nigeria: Nigeria's Elections Were Once Again Disputed in Court, a Stark Reminder of a Weak Electoral System
Nigeria's presidential election tribunal on 6 September affirmed President Bola Tinubu's victory in the disputed February 2023 polls, dismissing the petitions of three political… Read more »
September 07, 2023
Ghana: Death and Mourning in Ghana - How Gender Shapes the Rituals of the Akan People
Gender has a significant impact on the socio-economic, political and religious experiences of Ghanaians. For Akans, the country's largest ethnic group, descent is traced through… Read more »
September 06, 2023
Nigeria: Charms and Rituals Are Used By Criminals in Nigeria - Should Police Deploy Spiritual Security Too?
Crime is among the major challenges confronting Nigeria as a nation. The pervasiveness of crime has repeatedly called into question the effectiveness and efficiency of the Nigeria… Read more »
September 04, 2023
West Africa: Ecowas Must Do These 3 Things to Break the Stalemate in Niger
It's been a month since military guards under the command of General Abdourahamane Tchiani ended 12 years of democratic governance in Niger. The situation seems to have reached a… Read more »
August 30, 2023
Ghana: Kofi Ansah Left Ghana to Become a World Famous Fashion Designer - How His Return Home Boosted the Industry
In the 1950s and 1960s, young Africans were assisted financially by their governments to study in western countries in the hope they would return to contribute to nation building.… Read more »
August 28, 2023
West Africa: Niger's Coup Weakens Regional Fight Against Boko Haram - Four Reasons Why
Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum was detained and deposed on 26 July by his military guard under the command of General Abdourahamane Tchiani. Read more »
August 30, 2023
Africa: Wagner Group - What Yevgeny Prigozhin's Death Means for Stability in Africa
The death of Yevgeny Prigozhin after his private jet crashed on August 23 has raised questions about the Wagner Group's future. Many in the west suspect Kremlin involvement in his… Read more »
August 27, 2023
Nigeria: People With HIV Are Stigmatised - Study Shows Support From Family and Friends Is Crucial to Well-Being
Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the regions most affected by HIV. In Nigeria alone, an estimated 1.8 million people are living with the virus. Read more »
August 23, 2023
West Africa: Niger Is a Key Player in the Sahel Region - 4 Security Implications of the Coup
The Niger coup - the fifth in the Sahel and sixth in the broader west Africa region in three years - has pushed the region further into political unrest and insecurity. Read more »
Ghana: Accra's Most Vulnerable Residents Were Failed During Covid - the Government Didn't Understand Their Realities
Containment measures, such as the lockdowns introduced to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, had devastating consequences for vulnerable urban populations globally. Read more »
August 17, 2023
West Africa: Niger - Ecowas Military Intervention Could Trigger 3 Bad Outcomes
The threat of military force to end the coup in Niger has led to significant divisions in the region. Read more »
August 16, 2023
Nigeria: Nigerian Women Ensure They Get the Best Possible Healthcare By Managing Unequal Power Relations With Men
Nigeria is a patriarchal society. Authority is vested in men, who tend to exert power and control over women in various spheres of life. This has an impact on women's health and… Read more »
August 15, 2023
Ghana: Mobile Money in Ghana Isn't All Good News - Customers Are Paying a Hefty Price
Fintechs, notably mobile money, have transformed banking and finance in developing and emerging economies in Africa and beyond. Financial technology (better known as fintech) is… Read more »
Ghana: Ghana's Plans for a National Cathedral Are Mired in Controversy and Delays
Ghana's government aims to build a national cathedral: a multidenominational, monumental undertaking to house religious services and state events. Plans include a 5,000-seat… Read more »
Nigeria: Bandits in Nigeria - How Protection Payments to Militias Escalate Conflict in the North-West
North-western Nigeria has become increasingly violent. This is due to the activities of militias, known locally as "bandits". These are loosely organised armed groups, reportedly… Read more »
August 13, 2023
Ghana: National Health Insurance Users Often End Up Paying As Much As Those Who Don't Belong. So Why Join?
Health financing is a challenge any country has to deal with to provide good healthcare services. It's especially important for developing countries such as Ghana, where ability to… Read more »
August 10, 2023
Nigeria: Ayobami Adebayo's New Novel Is a Modern Nigerian Tragedy About the Rich and the Poor
Nigerian writer Ayobami Adebayo took the literary world by storm with her debut novel Stay With Me in 2017. Six years later, she has followed up with an equally brilliant… Read more »
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 »