Currently, close to 600 million Africans lack electricity, a critical resource for economic development ANALYSIS | RONALD MUSOKE | The World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have pledged US$50 billion to provide electricity access to nearly 300 million Africans over the next five years, through an initiative known as “Mission …
Read More »Trump’s Africa team starts to take shape
Top State Department job like to go to J. Peter Pham, a diplomatic very familiar with Ugandan issues ANALYSIS | THE INDEPENDENT REPORTER & AGENCIES | U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to nominate a former special envoy as Washington’s top Africa official, while a Republican aide is likely to be …
Read More »What Trump’s return means for Africa
America has long viewed the continent mainly through the lens of corporate interests and that’s unlikely to change COMMENT | ADEKEYE ADEBAJO | U.S. President Joe Biden’s end of 2024 trip to Angola was only his second to Africa, following his appearance at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference in …
Read More »Gavi says malaria case numbers fall in 17 African countries amid vaccine rollout
NAIROBI, KENYA | Xinhua | The delivery of 12 million malaria vaccine doses in 17 African countries since 2023 has contributed to a significant drop in caseload and fatalities among high-risk demographics including children, according to the Gavi vaccine alliance. About 5 million children in the 17 malaria-endemic African countries, …
Read More »Africa’s internet resilience shows promising growth
New Internet Society Data Reveals progress ahead of Key Conference. Zambia secured an impressive 6-point increase, followed closely by Kenya with a 5-point rise. ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia | PRNewswire | As leaders in technology and policy prepare to convene this week in Addis Ababa for the Internet Society’s 2025 Internet Development Conference, new …
Read More »Lapaire sets sights on new markets in Africa after record-breaking 2024
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Lapaire, a pioneer in eye care innovation, experienced unprecedented growth in 2024. The company opened 31 new branches, bringing its total network to 91 across its operational regions. By the year’s end, Lapaire had conducted over 275,000 free eye tests, exemplifying its mission to make …
Read More »COLONIAL AFRICA: Economic dependency and the legacy of exploitation
COMMENT | Gertrude Kamya Othieno | The arrival of mercantilism and capitalism in Africa not only disrupted traditional structures but also embedded the continent in a global economic system designed for its exploitation. For centuries, Africa was cast as a supplier of raw materials, a market for finished goods, and a source …
Read More »COLONIAL AFRICA: The disruption of traditional structures
COMMENT | Gertrude Kamya Othieno | The arrival of European powers in Africa under mercantilism and capitalism marked not only an economic shift but also a profound disruption of the continent’s traditional structures. Governance, resource management, and cultural cohesion, systems that had sustained African societies for centuries, were dismantled, replaced by models …
Read More »ShafDB, African Union sign deal to tackle Africa’s housing challenges
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | THE INDEPENDENT | Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) and the African Union (AU) have signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on addressing Africa’s critical housing and urban development challenges. The partnership which confers Shelter Afrique an Observer Status at the African Union, aligns …
Read More »Tyme caps off a tough year for African startups with a unicorn crown
Tyme’s unicorn status throws down the gauntlet for African startups in 2025 SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Tyme’s US$1.5 billion valuation after a US$150 million investment in the digital bank by Nubank has pushed it into the elite unicorn club and helped lift the gloom that had descended on …
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