Africa: African Languages for AI - the Project That's Gathering a Huge New Dataset

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Siri or Google Assistant are developed by the global north and trained in English, Chinese or European languages. In… Read more »

Southern Africa: High Food Prices in East and Southern Africa - Four Steps to Boost Production and Make Markets Work Better

Countries in east and southern Africa have continued to experience high and volatile food prices despite good harvests in 2025. This is especially alarming as climate-related… Read more »

Africa: Ibuprofen - How an Everyday Drug Might Offer Protection Against Cancer

Ibuprofen is a household name - the go-to remedy for everything from headaches to period pain. But recent research suggests this everyday drug might be doing more than easing… Read more »

South Africa: Indigenous Knowledge Systems Can Be Useful Tools in the G20's Climate Change Kit

Indigenous knowledge systems are bodies of knowledge that were developed and used by local communities for centuries. They shape how people understand their environment, solve… Read more »

Nigeria: Thug Culture in Nigerian Politics - the Links Between State Governors, Funding and Violent Armed Groups

Since Nigeria's return to democracy in 1999, elections have consistently been marred by violence. The elections between 1999 and 2019 and in 2023 saw party clashes, physical… Read more »

South Africa: Fruit Juices in South Africa Are Getting a Free Ride - Why They Should Have the Same Health Warning Labels As Fizzy Drinks

South Africa is facing a sharp rise in obesity-related diseases like type 2 diabetes. Between 2010 and 2019, the prevalence of diabetes nearly tripled from 4.5% to 12.7%. This… Read more »

Africa: Human Ancestors Were Exposed to Lead Millions of Years Ago, and It Shaped Our Evolution

When we think of lead poisoning, most of us imagine modern human-made pollution, paint, old pipes, or exhaust fumes. Read more »

Africa: Young People Around the World Are Leading Protests Against Their Governments

The spate of public demonstrations against unemployment, corruption and low quality of life around the world is striking because of who is leading them. Young people have used… Read more »

South Africa: Rape Within Marriage Is Still Silenced in South Africa - Why Women Are Being Failed

Sexual violence in marriages is a very real issue in South Africa, but remains shrouded in silence and denial. It's a subject that Nyasha Karimakwenda has researched for many years… Read more »

Nigeria: Nigeria's Boko Haram Rehabilitation Efforts Ignore the Emotional Trauma of Soldiers - Why This Matters

Since 2009, Boko Haram has waged one of the deadliest insurgencies in Africa. Concentrated in north-east Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin, the group has killed more than 35,000… Read more »

Africa: Travel Between African Countries Is Still Hard - Fresh Ideas to Get Movement Flowing

It remains too difficult for Africans to travel between African countries. Africa-wide reforms have failed. The keynote continental agreement, the African Union's Protocol on Free… Read more »

Africa: Slender-Billed Curlews Are Officially Extinct - Here's Why the Loss of These Migratory Birds Really Matters

The slender-billed curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) has been officially declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Read more »

West Africa: West Africa's Trade Monitoring System Has Collapsed - Why This Is Dangerous for Food Security

A decade ago countries in West Africa set up a unique trade monitoring mechanism. Its purpose was to track intra-regional trade in agricultural products and livestock in the… Read more »

Africa: Africa Imports Over 70% of Its Medicines. Making Active Ingredients Locally Would Change This

Africa carries a heavy health burden. It accounts for 25% of the global disease burden despite having only 18% of the global population. Read more »

Africa: Trade Is Shaping New Global Power Relations - What This Means for Africa

Over the past two decades, economic strength, trade flows, technological leadership and even consumer demand have been moving steadily from west to east. This transformation is… Read more »

Africa: China and the U.S. Are in a Race for Critical Minerals. African Countries Need to Make the Rules

Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, rare earth elements, and platinum group metals are essential for modern technologies. They are key to industries ranging… Read more »

South Africa: Rural Women Farmers in South Africa - How Global Promises Aren't Translating Into Support On the Ground

It is well documented that women small-scale farmers are hard done by in an environment where they farm without security of tenure, which inhibits their ability to raise finance… Read more »

Africa: How Disaster-Ready Are African Countries? Study of 5 Shows Some Progress, but Also Huge Gaps

When we hear the word "disaster" we often think of floods, droughts or earthquakes - events caused by nature. But what really turns these events into disasters is how prepared we… Read more »

South Africa: Gauteng's 'Coloured' Community Feels Unsafe - Who They Are and Why They're Discouraged

The "Coloured" community in Gauteng, South Africa's economic heartland, continues to face barriers to full economic and social inclusion. Despite progress in post-apartheid South… Read more »

Nigeria: What Do Nigerian Children Think About Computers? Our Study Found Out

Digital literacy is the ability to use digital tools and technologies effectively, safely and responsibly. This includes the use of smartphones and devices, navigating the internet… Read more »

South Africa: Southern Right Whales Are Having Fewer Calves - What This Says About Ocean Health

Most people are lucky to simply get a glimpse of some fragment of a whale. A subtle puff of mist over the horizon, the curve of a dark smooth back sliding beneath the surface, or… Read more »

Africa: How Vaping Primes the Lungs for Covid-19 Damage

As colder months set in, respiratory infections begin to climb: everything from the common cold and flu to COVID-19. It's a time when healthy lungs matter more than ever. Yet the… Read more »

Kenya: Child Malnutrition in Kenya - AI Model Can Forecast Rates Six Months Before They Become Critical

Globally, nearly half of the deaths of children under five years are linked to malnutrition. In Kenya, it's the leading cause of illness and death among children. Read more »

South Africa: We Tested If a Specialised Magnetic Powder Could Remove Microplastics From Drinking Water - the Answer Is Yes

Microplastics are the crumbs of our plastic world, tiny pieces that come from bigger items breaking apart or from products like synthetic clothing and packaging. They're now… Read more »

Ethiopia: Ethiopia Has Struggled to Build National Unity - Can Its Big New Dam Deliver It?

The formal launch of Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in September 2025 made news across the world. There was pomp and ceremony as Africa's largest hydroelectric dam was… Read more »