Author: Editorial Staff

VOTING for the highly anticipated presidential and parliamentary elections commenced on Tuesday in Liberia, with incumbent President George Weah, the former soccer legend turned politician, seeking a second term in office. The election features a total of 19 candidates, each vying for the prestigious position to lead the West African nation. The National Elections Commission of Liberia has reported that a staggering 2.4 million eligible voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots in 5,890 polling stations across the country. President Weah faces a formidable challenge in the form of 78-year-old former Vice President Joseph Boakai, who is contesting for…

IN the shadow of a deadly earthquake in Morocco that caused nearly $12bn in damage, the world’s most powerful economic policymakers said they would focus on Africa as they work to grow and stabilising the global economy during times of war, inequality and climate change. The International Monetary Fund and World Bank are holding their annual meetings in Africa for the first time in 50 years as they face a growing chorus of criticism that poorer nations are underrepresented at the two institutions. Both have recently said they plan to give Africa additional seats on their executive boards. The conference…

BANKING and financial services group Citi has published its latest Global Perspectives & Solutions (Citi GPS) report titled: AFRICA — A New Growth Model. The report suggests that for a new growth model to emerge, African governments and the private sector are going to have to work together to take advantage of the continent’s favourable demographics, technological developments, and a changing world economy – while maintaining course to develop foundational infrastructure. Although broadly speaking Africa rode out the Covid-19 related economic crisis relatively well, with growth slowing much less than most economists’ forecast, the crisis brought to a head many…

THE African Union’s (AU’s) permanent membership in the Group of Twenty (G20), should open new avenues for responsible mining in the region. Embraced by the AU’s African Mining Vision (AMV), responsible mining is poised to assume a central role in fostering mutually beneficial sustainable development and promoting cross-border collaboration among African states. This collaboration is expected to pave the way for Africa’s seamless integration into the global economic system. Africa’s vast mineral resources are emerging as a critical driver for global green and digital transitions, making them the linchpin of stronger ties between Africa and the G20. The European Union…

THOSE who visit the website of Lelapa AI are greeted by the phrase: ‘AI for Africans, by Africans, solving African problems.’ The co-founder and CEO of this company —one of the first in the continent devoted to the development of artificial intelligence products — is Pelonomi Moiloa, a data scientist who is very concerned about producing technologies with a seal of origin that improve lives in the African continent. This young researcher, who was included among Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in artificial intelligence in 2023, began her career with a double major in biomedical and electrical engineering at…

THE National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has officially declared that Nigeria’s current satellite, Sat X, is inadequate for addressing the nation’s security challenges due to its low-resolution imaging capabilities. Dr. Halilu Shaba, the Director General of NASRDA, disclosed this at the 7th annual lecture of the Nigerian Institution of Space Engineers  expressed the need for higher resolution satellite technology to effectively combat insecurity in the country. ‘Nigeria Sat X is a remote sensing satellite with low resolution; we are thinking of high-resolution imagers that can pinpoint where problems are and solve them. You can pinpoint using 0.5 to…

ON the occasion of Nigeria’s 63rd Independence Day, a gathering of diplomats, South African government officials, members of academia, and international media convened in Pretoria, South Africa. The event highlighted the enduring friendship and robust trade partnership between Nigeria and South Africa, while also addressing diplomatic challenges. The South African government was well-represented by Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, who addressed the attendees. In his keynote address, High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in South Africa, Muhammad Haruna Manta, emphasised the strong bonds of friendship between the two nations. Manta stated, ‘Nigeria and South Africa share a…

IN a significant move to strengthen health emergency preparedness and response across Eastern, Central, and Southern Africa, the World Bank has announced its approval of a groundbreaking $1bn project. This ambitious endeavour, known as the Health Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Resilience Programme (HEPRR), aims to revolutionise multisectoral approaches to tackle health crises in the region. The HEPRR initiative, revealed on Monday by the World Bank, is set to make a profound impact on the lives of over 182 million people, with a substantial increase in beneficiaries expected over the next seven years as more countries and partners join the cause.…

INDIAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan have expressed their mutual interest in expanding bilateral trade using their local currencies, according to a joint statement released following their meeting in New Delhi on Monday. The statement, issued by the Indian Foreign Ministry, disclosed that the Indian central bank has given its approval for trade transactions to be conducted in local currencies, specifically the Indian rupee and Tanzanian shilling. This decision allows authorised banks in India and Tanzania to facilitate such trade, marking a significant step in economic cooperation between the two nations. The statement further highlighted…

A NIGERIAN court has handed down a death sentence to a police officer who was found guilty of fatally shooting a pregnant female lawyer on Christmas Day in 2022. This verdict is likely to reignite a contentious debate regarding the use of the death penalty in Nigeria, which is Africa’s most populous country. Amnesty International reports that Nigeria currently has over 3,000 individuals on death row. However, executions in the country are infrequent, leading some human rights organisations to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. The case in question revolved around police officer Drambi Vandi, who was placed…