March 12
South Africa: Is My Water Safe to Drink? Expert Advice for Residents of South African Cities
In early March 2024 the residents of Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city and the economic capital of the country, were hit by extended cuts in water supplies. This was a new… Read more »
Africa: What's Behind the Worldwide Shortage of Cholera Vaccines? for Starters, They're Only Made By One Company
In February 2024 the World Health Organization announced southern Africa was suffering the deadliest regional outbreak of cholera in at least a decade. At the epicentre of the… Read more »
Africa: Colonial Statues in Africa Have Been Removed, Returned and Torn Down Again - Why It's Such a Complex History
In 2020, the murder of George Floyd in the US served as a catalyst for the global Black Lives Matter movement. It sparked widespread protests against police brutality and systemic… Read more »
Nigeria: Lagos Bans Single-Use Plastics - Why I Think Nigeria Should Have Taxed Them Instead
Waste pollution is a huge problem in Nigeria, with serious impacts on the environment. In response, the Lagos state government has banned styrofoam (a type of plastic widely used… Read more »
March 11
Nigeria: Nigeria Risks Losing All Its Forest Elephants - What We Found When We Went Looking for Them
Nigeria is one of 37 African countries where elephants are found in the wild. Savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) can be found in the north and forest elephants (Loxodonta… Read more »
Africa: As the Pandemic Turns Four, Here's What We Need to Do for a Healthier Future
Anniversaries are usually festive occasions, marked by celebration and joy. But there'll be no popping of corks for this one. Read more »
Africa: The Next Pandemic? It's Already Here for Earth's Wildlife
I am a conservation biologist who studies emerging infectious diseases. When people ask me what I think the next pandemic will be I often say that we are in the midst of one - it's… Read more »
East Africa: East Africa Must Prepare for More Extreme Rainfall During the Short Rainy Season - New Study
East Africa has recently had an unprecedented series of failed rains. But some rainy seasons are bringing the opposite: huge amounts of rainfall. Read more »
Africa: Why Do Trees Need Sunlight? an Environmental Scientist Explains Photosynthesis
Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you'd like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. Read more »
Africa: Fintech Is Sold As the Answer to Africa's Problems, but Digital Money Services Have Downsides Which Media Often Overlook
The online financial products and services known as "fintech" have become deeply embedded in the economic and social life of many African countries over the past decade. Read more »
South Africa: Technology to Protect South Africa's Oceans - Experts Find That a Data-Driven Monitoring System Is Paying Off
Nine years ago South Africa put in place an innovative information management system designed to monitor and protect its seas. The country is surrounded by the Atlantic and Indian… Read more »
March 10
Nigeria: Nigeria's Ancient Ilorin City - Archaeologist Uncovers Over 1,000 Years of History
Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, is a Nigerian city with a long and rich history. However, much of its distant past is not well known. Archaeology is now uncovering more of this… Read more »
Zimbabwe: Happy Smiling African Children - Why School Tourism in Zimbabwe Shouldn't Be Encouraged
A large, air-conditioned bus draws up outside a school. Tourists, most from Europe and the US, disembark, cameras at the ready. Some have brought gifts: packages of pens and… Read more »
March 08
South Africa: Edward Webster - South African Intellectual, Teacher, Activist, a Man of Great Energy and Integrity, and the Life and Soul of Any Party
Eddie Webster (82), sociologist and emeritus professor at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, who died on 5 March… Read more »
Tunisia: Oscars 2024 - Four Daughters Is a Tunisian Masterpiece - What Makes the Film Groundbreaking
Four Daughters is the story of a Tunisian family torn apart by an extremist Islamic group. It's won several major documentary awards and is nominated for a Best Feature Documentary… Read more »
March 07
Uganda: Bobi Wine - the People's President - a Gripping Oscar-Nominated Film About Uganda's Fight for Freedom
Bobi Wine is a pop star in Uganda who uses his music for political protest and social activism. Born Robert Kyagulanyi, he became a member of parliament (MP) in 2017 and has gone… Read more »
South Africa: Women Battle When Trying to Take Climate Change Cases to Court - South Africa and Nigeria Study Shows Why
Across domestic courts in Africa, climate cases have been decided in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, with some cases pending in Uganda. However, climate litigation is still fairly… Read more »
Uganda: Lord's Resistance Army - ICC Awards Reparations to Victims of Commander Dominic Ongwen - What Happens Next
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has recently ordered reparations for victims of Dominic Ongwen, an ex-child soldier turned commander in the Lord's Resistance Army, a rebel… Read more »
East Africa: Somalia-Turkey Maritime Deal Is a Win for Both Countries, and Not a Power Play for the Horn of Africa
A recent defence deal between Somalia and Turkey has great significance for Somalia and the region's security. The agreement, which covers both land and sea, aims to enhance… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa - Women Play a Key Role in Early Childhood Learning and Care - but They Need Help Accessing University
In South Africa, the early childhood development sector is dominated by women who build creches from the ground up. These women offer services to communities that go far beyond… Read more »
Africa: Why 'One Health' Needs More Social Sciences - Pandemic Prevention Depends On Behaviour As Well As Biology
On March 11, 2024, it will be four years since the World Health Organization characterized the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak as a pandemic. And while COVID-19 continues to impact people… Read more »
March 06
Nigeria: Botched Economic Reforms Plunge the Country Into Crisis
Nigeria, Africa's largest economy, is facing an economic crisis. From a botched currency redesign to the removal of fuel subsidies and a currency float, the nation has been plunged… Read more »
West Africa: West Africa's Coast Was a Haven for Piracy and Illegal Fishing - How Technology Is Changing the Picture
The Gulf of Guinea - a coastal region that stretches from Senegal to Angola - is endowed with vast reserves of hydrocarbon, mineral and fisheries resources. It is also an important… Read more »
Africa: Fake Academic Papers Are On the Rise - Why They're a Danger and How to Stop Them
In the 1800s, British colonists in India set about trying to reduce the cobra population, which was making life and trade very difficult in Delhi. They began to pay a bounty for… Read more »
Africa: U.S. Christian Right Has Taken Aim At LGBTIQ+ Rights, Sex Education and Abortion in Africa - New Book
A new book - The US Christian Right and Pro-Family Politics in 21st Century Africa - reveals the role played by some right wing US Christian groups in trying to spread their social… Read more »