Africa: Regulating AI Use Could Stop Its Runaway Energy Expansion

Generative AI promises to help solve everything from climate change to poverty. But behind every chatbot response lies a deep environmental cost. Read more »

South Africa: Satanic Panic - 5 'Occult' Crimes That Gripped South Africa's Imagination

You might think South Africa was awash with occult crime if you scrolled through the country's tabloids, social media and even mainstream newspapers. Criminal acts performed by… Read more »

South Africa: Chalk and Talk Vs. Active Learning - What's Holding South African Teachers Back From Using Proven Methods?

As a full-time teacher completing a PhD part-time, I made a decision early on: do research that speaks to the daily realities of teachers and teaching. And so, the idea came from a… Read more »

Africa: What Is Ableism? Words Can Hurt People but African Culture Offers an Alternative

"You speak good English for a Black person." Read more »

Nigeria: Nigerian Photographer Michael Oyinbokure Challenges Stereotypes About Migrants

As migration continues to dominate global news and shape political discourse, mainstream media often carry stereotypical images of immigrants, portraying them as displaced,… Read more »

Nigeria: 2027 Nigerian Poll Could Trigger Unrest Unless Electoral Commission Is Fixed

Political activities heralding Nigeria's 2027 general elections are beginning to pick up. Read more »

Congo-Kinshasa: Ebony and Ivory - Why Elephants and Forests Rise and Fall Together in the Congo Basin

The forest elephants of the Congo Basin are critically endangered and face extinction. Read more »

South Africa: South Africa's Student Debt Trap - Two Options That Could Help Resolve the Problem

Education is widely regarded as the road to a better life. Yet the rising cost of tertiary education means many students can only go to university if they get financial aid,… Read more »

Africa: Should African Countries Lower the Voting Age to 16?

The UK is moving to lower its voting age from 18 to 16. The new legislation takes effect ahead of the country's next general election in 2029, and is aimed at boosting its… Read more »

Nigeria: Nigeria's Use of Soldiers for Civilian Tasks Comes With Serious Costs - How to Prevent This

Nigerians have experienced what it means for their government to be controlled by the military. Read more »

South Africa: Black Wattle As Firewood - How South African Communities Are Putting Invasive Species to Work

Australia's black wattle tree (Acacia mearnsii) has spread across South Africa, taking over millions of hectares of land and pushing indigenous plants aside. Economist Saul Ngarava… Read more »

South Africa: South African Environmental Groups Push to Block Shell's New Wells - How World Court Opinion Might Help

The International Court of Justice's landmark advisory opinion on climate change has come in handy for South African communities that are trying to stop global oil company Shell… Read more »

South Africa: Gender Equality Is the Goal, but How to Get There? Case Study of South Africa and Australia Shows That Context Matters

It will take an estimated 131 years for the world to achieve gender parity, defined as equal access, opportunities and outcomes for women and men across economic, political,… Read more »

Ethiopia: Ethiopia's Mega Dam Has Taken 14 Years to Build - What It Means for the Nile's 11 River States and Why It's So Controversial

In April 2011, Ethiopia began construction of Africa's largest hydroelectric dam, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), on the Blue Nile river. The dam is expected to… Read more »

East Africa: Baby Turtles Vanish Into the Indian Ocean for Years - Now a Model Shows Where They Might Go

All sea turtle species are threatened worldwide. They migrate long distances in the oceans - often thousands of kilometres - and so fall under multiple countries' laws and… Read more »

Senegal: Colonialism and Climate Risk Are Connected - Evidence From Ghana and Senegal

The experience of colonialism led to economies and societies being re-arranged in ways that have had far-reaching consequences. Read more »

South Africa: Woman-Headed Households in Rural South Africa Need Water, Sanitation and Energy to Fight Hunger - G20 Could Help

Rural homes headed by women in South Africa have many problems getting water, sanitation and energy. Electricity from the grid, flush toilets and piped water are't always… Read more »

South Africa: South Africa's Small-Scale Rooibos Tea Growers Aren't Getting Much From an Industry Deal - Why It's Not Fair

A ground-breaking benefit-sharing agreement was signed in 2019 between South Africa's lucrative rooibos herbal tea industry and two organisations representing Indigenous San and… Read more »

Congo-Kinshasa: Joseph Kabila Is On Trial for Treason in the DR Congo. What the Case Against the Former President Is All About

The Congolese military court has accused former president Joseph Kabila of treason, corruption, war crimes and supporting the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group. During court… Read more »

Chad: Military Force Isn't the Solution for Lake Chad Basin Conflict - the Key Is Rebuilding Local Economies

Fatima, a fisherwoman on Lake Chad, sets out at dawn not just to make a living from the shrinking waters, but to pay a "tax". Before casting her net, she must hand over part of her… Read more »

Kenya: Kenya Has Introduced New Banking Policies. an Economist Weighs Them Up

The Central Bank of Kenya has made two significant changes in the country's banking sector. The first is to lift a decade-long moratorium on licensing new banks. Second is to raise… Read more »

Africa: BBC Has a Long History in Africa. New Book Offers a Critical Take On the Broadcaster

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) established its first radio transmitter sites in Africa in the 1930s, to reach the British colonies and beyond. It became a model for… Read more »

Ghana: Mónica's Story - the Woman Shipped From Ghana to Portugal in 1556 to Stand Trial for Using Traditional Medicine

Standing before the Inquisition in Lisbon, Portugal in 1556, Mónica Fernandes, a woman from the coast of modern-day Ghana, was accused of casting malevolent spells and… Read more »

Ghana: Ghana's Films Don't Often Make It to Netflix - Local Solutions May Be the Answer

African filmmakers have long faced challenges in securing wide-scale distribution for their films. In this context, digital platforms such as Netflix and YouTube have been hailed… Read more »

Nigeria: God and Nollywood - How Pentecostal Churches Have Shaped Nigerian Film

In Nigeria today, one doesn't have to attend a church service to hear a sermon. The pulpit has moved - onto screens, into living rooms, and across YouTube. Read more »