NEWS ANALYSIS

Natural gas-powered vehicles are becoming increasingly popular across Africa thanks to supportive policies, infrastructure development and heightened investor appeal. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Several African nations are taking advantage of their ample natural gas reserves to introduce gas-powered four-wheel vehicles to their roads. Nigeria, the African nation with …

BEIJING | Xinhua |  The following are the top 10 world news events in the year 2023 selected by Xinhua in a chronological order: 1. Generative AI accelerates industrial transformation The number of monthly active users of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, reached 100 million in January. Generative AI …

Privatised 20 years ago, the Maputo Port’s success offers a model for African ports seeking efficiency and growth, with growth likely to continue, according to investors. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Two decades after Mozambique privatised its only international harbour, the Port of Maputo is recording remarkable progress, both …

Sheikdom ramps up multi-billion dollar investment in Africa’s freight industry, positioning itself as a logistics and trade behemoth in a post-fossil-fuel era. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | United Arab Emirates-based companies and funds are doubling down on a foray into Africa’s freight and logistics scene. Earlier this year, Emirati …

BEIJING | Xinhua |  Another Christmas has come and gone, replete with families and friends exchanging gifts beside a crackling hearth, sharing stories under a Christmas tree and enjoying traditional holiday meals. Others weren’t so fortunate, receiving church handouts, curling up in a subway station to avoid the cold or …

Africa’s vast mineral resources have always pointed to its potential as a market maker – and a global player in consumer goods. But division has kept producers and markets weak. An agreement between Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia shows how to change that, according to a new report. SPECIAL …

Ancient diamonds obtained from deep into the earth’s crust in Brazil and Western Africa have revealed groundbreaking details on the evolution processes of the earth. A new isotope lab being set up in South Africa could lead to more robust diamond analyses and focus future discoveries on the continent. SPECIAL …

 Across Africa, telcos are ushering in a new era for the ubiquitous SIM card – eSIMs embedded on smartphones – in a marketing drive propelled by the Internet of Things. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Africa’s telcos have begun an aggressive push to replace traditional plastic Subscriber Identity Module …

SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Africa’s city ecosystem is attracting billions of dollars in new projects, making them home to some of the world’s glitziest and tallest buildings. 1. The Iconic Tower, Egypt With its towering height of 385m (1266ft), the Iconic Tower is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture. …

With a surge in funding, R&D and private sector investment, Africa is primed for a transformative leap towards vaccine autonomy. A recently announced US$1.8 billion shot in the arm puts vaccine self-sufficiency within reach. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Recent approval by the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) of a US$1.8 …