ABUJA, NIGERIA | Xinhua | Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has directed the management of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to expand its focus area by extending interest-free loans to local students interested in skill-development programs. Tinubu gave the directive at the State House on Monday, saying it is important …

ANALYSIS | AGENCIES | As Africa heads into 2024, the renewable energy sector is set to see innovation that will transform the way energy is accessed, stored and deployed across Africa. Paul van Zijl, Group CEO at Starsight Energy, discusses 4 key trends that he thinks will profoundly shape the industry …

This makes them unsafe for reuse – experts explain the hazards ANALYSIS | BETHANIE CARNEY ALMROTH & ERIC CARMONA MARTINEZ | Plastic pollution is a menace worldwide. Plastics are now found in every environment on the planet, from the deepest seas to the atmosphere and human bodies. Scientific evidence describing harm …

Africa has a combined SACCO membership of more than 43 million, holding about USD 24.5 billion in assets Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | In an ever-evolving financial landscape, Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) are emerging as impactful entities, harnessing influence grounded in community trust and convenience to bring about …

Kabalagala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Police has announced that it has dismissed with disgrace four police officers attached to Kabalagala police station. This even  before they are charged with aggravated robbery, after they turned against a businessman, who allegedly had in their possession $30,000 and wanted to exchange it into …

Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The construction of a multi-purpose Health Science Laboratory Building at Muni University has stalled for nearly five years. In March 2019, the university signed a contract with Kisinga Construction Company for the second phase of the construction, with a planned completion date in 2022. However, …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Inspectorate of Government has requested additional time to respond to an amended application from Karamoja Affairs Minister Mary Goretti Kitutu, seeking the dismissal of new charges accusing her of causing a financial loss of 1.5 billion Shillings. The case, in which Kitutu lists the …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A significant milestone was reached in Uganda’s resource exploration journey with the granting of a 21-year mining license for the Makuutu rare earth project to Rwenzori Rare Metals Limited. This landmark agreement, signed on December 28, 2023, marks the first large-scale mining license issued under …

KIGALI, RWANDA | Xinhua | Rwanda’s sector of meetings, incentives, conferences, and events (MICE) achieved remarkable growth in 2023, generating more than 91 million U.S. dollars in revenue, up from 64 million U.S. dollars the previous year. “Rwanda hosted more than 150 conferences last year which generated more than 91 …

Geneva, Switzerland | THE INDEPENDENT | The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidance on the ethics and governance of large multi-modal models (LMMs), a type of fast-growing generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology with applications across health care. The guidelines outline over 40 recommendations for consideration by governments, technology companies, and …