Five trends to watch in Africa’s energy and power sector
Africa’s power and energy sector is a critical driver of growth and development across the continent – so in order to ensure that the industry reaches its full potential and addresses the energy needs of citizens, it is necessary for businesses and producers to keep up to date with a rapidly changing landscape.
In this way, we have identified five key trends that will impact on the way that people live and work:
1. Coal power plants and projects are becoming more difficult to finance as there is a greater move towards investment in low-carbon technologies and green energy
2.The growing appetite for renewable energy in emerging markets
3.The rise of battery storage
4.The power of distributed generation and the rise of smaller grids
5. The long-term move towards integrated grids through increased investment in transmissions projects
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https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/special ... -216274365
AFRICA
Closing the gap between the youth and agriculture in Africa
Agriculture and youth are a compatible pair, particularly in the African context: as one of the continent’s most critical industries and biggest sources of income, contributing a quarter of Africa’s total GDP and employing 70 percent of the labour force, it has the remarkable potential to empower what will be the youngest and biggest workforce in the world by 2040.
Africa has an increasingly youthful population. Already half the population is under the age of 25, and 72 percent of these young people are either unemployed or vulnerable. These astonishing statistics show no signs of diminishing either, with over 330 million young Africans set to enter the job market in the next 20 years and only a third of that number forecast to be able to find wage jobs.
What this indicates is a growing need for workable solutions for the youth to become productive and part of the economic mainstream. This is especially true for agriculture, which has the potential to create jobs across the continent and serve as a driver of growth. However, the industry is currently lagging in building this growth largely because of a lack of access to knowledge, skills, education and land.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/special ... -216274365
Agriculture and youth are a compatible pair, particularly in the African context: as one of the continent’s most critical industries and biggest sources of income, contributing a quarter of Africa’s total GDP and employing 70 percent of the labour force, it has the remarkable potential to empower what will be the youngest and biggest workforce in the world by 2040.
Africa has an increasingly youthful population. Already half the population is under the age of 25, and 72 percent of these young people are either unemployed or vulnerable. These astonishing statistics show no signs of diminishing either, with over 330 million young Africans set to enter the job market in the next 20 years and only a third of that number forecast to be able to find wage jobs.
What this indicates is a growing need for workable solutions for the youth to become productive and part of the economic mainstream. This is especially true for agriculture, which has the potential to create jobs across the continent and serve as a driver of growth. However, the industry is currently lagging in building this growth largely because of a lack of access to knowledge, skills, education and land.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/special ... -216274365
Op-Ed: Democratic breakthroughs in Africa – time to celebrate but worries still linger
There is much to celebrate as the world marks International Day of Democracy. The last year has seen important democratic breakthroughs in Africa. In Gambia an entrenched autocrat was forced from power. In Ghana, a sitting president lost an election for the first time.
In just the last few weeks, Kenya has also joined the club of precedent- setting nations, after the Supreme Court ruled that the election of President Uhuru Kenyatta was illegal and must be held again. Not only was this a first in Kenya, it was also the first time that the election of a sitting president had been overturned by the judiciary in Africa.
These changes reflect a broader trend in sub-Saharan Africa and much of the world. An increasing number of countries are holding multiparty elections. And an increasing proportion of these states have witnessed a transfer of power from one party or leader to another.
It’s true that more elections are now being held than at any time in human history. But recent highlights in Gambia, Ghana and Kenya mask a problematic reality, namely that the expansion of multi-party politics has often gone hand-in-hand with political and economic exclusion. Over the past five years, the level of political repression and economic inequality has increased in Africa. In turn, this has called into question the extent of the continent’s democratic gains.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/2017/09 ... -216274365
There is much to celebrate as the world marks International Day of Democracy. The last year has seen important democratic breakthroughs in Africa. In Gambia an entrenched autocrat was forced from power. In Ghana, a sitting president lost an election for the first time.
In just the last few weeks, Kenya has also joined the club of precedent- setting nations, after the Supreme Court ruled that the election of President Uhuru Kenyatta was illegal and must be held again. Not only was this a first in Kenya, it was also the first time that the election of a sitting president had been overturned by the judiciary in Africa.
These changes reflect a broader trend in sub-Saharan Africa and much of the world. An increasing number of countries are holding multiparty elections. And an increasing proportion of these states have witnessed a transfer of power from one party or leader to another.
It’s true that more elections are now being held than at any time in human history. But recent highlights in Gambia, Ghana and Kenya mask a problematic reality, namely that the expansion of multi-party politics has often gone hand-in-hand with political and economic exclusion. Over the past five years, the level of political repression and economic inequality has increased in Africa. In turn, this has called into question the extent of the continent’s democratic gains.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/2017/09 ... -216274365
In Africa, a Glimpse of Hope for Beating H.I.V.
A couple of years ago, European researchers began studying more than a thousand couples, gay and straight, in which one member had been infected with H.I.V. and the other hadn’t. These couples weren’t using condoms. But the infected partner was taking antiretrovirals successfully; the virus was suppressed, undetectable in the blood. The researchers published their results in July 2016 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Can you guess how many times, over the course of more than a year, an infected partner gave an uninfected partner H.I.V.?
A. 928
B. 0
C. 503
D. 17
The answer is B. Zero. And in that fact lies hope.
How do you stop AIDS? Not just treating H.I.V., but ending the epidemic. Even when there’s no vaccine and no cure.
Part of the answer can be witnessed in a white trailer on the grounds of a polyclinic in Hatcliffe, a dusty town in the northern part of greater Harare, Zimbabwe. Even before the trailer opens each day, the benches outside are full of people waiting for a checkup or a fresh supply of medicine for H.I.V. or the diseases that pounce on weakened immune systems.
Hatcliffe’s clinic, like all public clinics in Harare, charges $5 for visits that don’t involve either H.I.V. or tuberculosis. That may seem like a bargain to Americans. But Zimbabwe is in an economic crisis, making millions of people struggle just to buy their staples of cornmeal, sugar and cooking oil.
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/19/opin ... ctionfront
A couple of years ago, European researchers began studying more than a thousand couples, gay and straight, in which one member had been infected with H.I.V. and the other hadn’t. These couples weren’t using condoms. But the infected partner was taking antiretrovirals successfully; the virus was suppressed, undetectable in the blood. The researchers published their results in July 2016 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Can you guess how many times, over the course of more than a year, an infected partner gave an uninfected partner H.I.V.?
A. 928
B. 0
C. 503
D. 17
The answer is B. Zero. And in that fact lies hope.
How do you stop AIDS? Not just treating H.I.V., but ending the epidemic. Even when there’s no vaccine and no cure.
Part of the answer can be witnessed in a white trailer on the grounds of a polyclinic in Hatcliffe, a dusty town in the northern part of greater Harare, Zimbabwe. Even before the trailer opens each day, the benches outside are full of people waiting for a checkup or a fresh supply of medicine for H.I.V. or the diseases that pounce on weakened immune systems.
Hatcliffe’s clinic, like all public clinics in Harare, charges $5 for visits that don’t involve either H.I.V. or tuberculosis. That may seem like a bargain to Americans. But Zimbabwe is in an economic crisis, making millions of people struggle just to buy their staples of cornmeal, sugar and cooking oil.
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/19/opin ... ctionfront
AfricaCom 2017 – Celebrating 20 years of Africa’s telecoms and technology journey
AfricaCom, Africa’s largest technology, telecoms and media event celebrates its 20th anniversary in November this year, and promises delegates and exhibitors three days of thought-provoking content and cutting-edge technology and a glimpse into what the future holds in terms of digital and its impact on life as we know it.
Claim your FREE visitor pass here.
Taking place from 7-9 November at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), South Africa, organiser KNect365 has introduced a host of innovations of its own to celebrate this auspicious occasion – a brand-new and happening Technology Arena that will provide a glimpse of the potential the future holds for forward-thinkers – whether it is in the Fintech space, or E-Health, education, energy, agri-tech or more.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/sponsored/20 ... -216274365
AfricaCom, Africa’s largest technology, telecoms and media event celebrates its 20th anniversary in November this year, and promises delegates and exhibitors three days of thought-provoking content and cutting-edge technology and a glimpse into what the future holds in terms of digital and its impact on life as we know it.
Claim your FREE visitor pass here.
Taking place from 7-9 November at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), South Africa, organiser KNect365 has introduced a host of innovations of its own to celebrate this auspicious occasion – a brand-new and happening Technology Arena that will provide a glimpse of the potential the future holds for forward-thinkers – whether it is in the Fintech space, or E-Health, education, energy, agri-tech or more.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/sponsored/20 ... -216274365
The power and politics of knowledge: what African universities need to do
The idea that knowledge is infused with power and politics may sound abstract, so let me offer an example from my own life to illustrate. I was invited to a dinner proceeding a conference in an African capital city. I had expected to meet all the other speakers. But it turned out to be only for the chosen few. I could not help wondering how we’d been selected. White faces outnumbered black ones, men outnumbered women – at a conference to discuss African universities’ future role.
It was an interesting example of the power and politics of knowledge. These are factors I believe should be addressed to ensure African universities and higher education can play a more powerful role in transforming our world and empowering women.
The UN says its 2030 Agenda, which is made up of 17 sustainable development goals, is aimed at “transforming our world”. Quality education and lifelong learning, along with gender equality and empowerment of women, feature in many of the goals.
Universities and higher education, however, receive little attention in this document. So it may seem odd to focus on higher education in relation to Agenda 2030 and women. But I’ve chosen this perspective because higher education institutions in general and universities in particular are important for achieving Agenda 2030’s goals.
Universities have two main objectives: to educate students and to produce knowledge. They play a major role in procuring the human and intellectual resources needed for fulfilling the various goals of Agenda 2030.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/politic ... -216274365
The idea that knowledge is infused with power and politics may sound abstract, so let me offer an example from my own life to illustrate. I was invited to a dinner proceeding a conference in an African capital city. I had expected to meet all the other speakers. But it turned out to be only for the chosen few. I could not help wondering how we’d been selected. White faces outnumbered black ones, men outnumbered women – at a conference to discuss African universities’ future role.
It was an interesting example of the power and politics of knowledge. These are factors I believe should be addressed to ensure African universities and higher education can play a more powerful role in transforming our world and empowering women.
The UN says its 2030 Agenda, which is made up of 17 sustainable development goals, is aimed at “transforming our world”. Quality education and lifelong learning, along with gender equality and empowerment of women, feature in many of the goals.
Universities and higher education, however, receive little attention in this document. So it may seem odd to focus on higher education in relation to Agenda 2030 and women. But I’ve chosen this perspective because higher education institutions in general and universities in particular are important for achieving Agenda 2030’s goals.
Universities have two main objectives: to educate students and to produce knowledge. They play a major role in procuring the human and intellectual resources needed for fulfilling the various goals of Agenda 2030.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/politic ... -216274365
As Cancer Tears Through
Africa, Drug Makers
Draw Up a Battle Plan
In a deal similar to the one that turned the tide against
AIDS, manufacturers and charities will make chemotherapy
drugs available in six poor countries at steep discounts.
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. OCT. 7, 2017
NAIROBI, Kenya — In a remarkable initiative modeled on the campaign against AIDS in Africa, two major pharmaceutical companies, working with the American Cancer Society, will steeply discount the prices of cancer medicines in Africa.
Under the new agreement, the companies — Pfizer, based in New York, and Cipla, based in Mumbai — have promised to charge rock-bottom prices for 16 common chemotherapy drugs. The deal, initially offered to a half-dozen countries, is expected to bring lifesaving treatment to tens of thousands who would otherwise die.
Pfizer said its prices would be just above its own manufacturing costs. Cipla said it would sell some pills for 50 cents and some infusions for $10, a fraction of what they cost in wealthy countries.
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/07/heal ... d=45305309
Africa, Drug Makers
Draw Up a Battle Plan
In a deal similar to the one that turned the tide against
AIDS, manufacturers and charities will make chemotherapy
drugs available in six poor countries at steep discounts.
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. OCT. 7, 2017
NAIROBI, Kenya — In a remarkable initiative modeled on the campaign against AIDS in Africa, two major pharmaceutical companies, working with the American Cancer Society, will steeply discount the prices of cancer medicines in Africa.
Under the new agreement, the companies — Pfizer, based in New York, and Cipla, based in Mumbai — have promised to charge rock-bottom prices for 16 common chemotherapy drugs. The deal, initially offered to a half-dozen countries, is expected to bring lifesaving treatment to tens of thousands who would otherwise die.
Pfizer said its prices would be just above its own manufacturing costs. Cipla said it would sell some pills for 50 cents and some infusions for $10, a fraction of what they cost in wealthy countries.
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/07/heal ... d=45305309
Op-Ed: Why African families are larger than those of other continents
In Africa women have 4.5 children on average, while in Asia the figure is 2.1 children, in Latin America 2.0, in North America 1.9 and in Europe 1.6. On average across the world women had 2.5 children in 2017.
The high fertility rate is driving rapid population growth in Africa. Under the United Nations’ “medium scenario”, Africa’s population will be four times bigger than it currently is by the end of the century.
Fertility has actually been declining in African countries over recent decades. Forty years ago, women had 6.5 children on average. But the transition is slower than in Asia and Latin America 30 to 40 years ago. Northern Africa and Southern Africa are exceptions: fertility has fallen rapidly and is now relatively low.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/special ... -216274365
In Africa women have 4.5 children on average, while in Asia the figure is 2.1 children, in Latin America 2.0, in North America 1.9 and in Europe 1.6. On average across the world women had 2.5 children in 2017.
The high fertility rate is driving rapid population growth in Africa. Under the United Nations’ “medium scenario”, Africa’s population will be four times bigger than it currently is by the end of the century.
Fertility has actually been declining in African countries over recent decades. Forty years ago, women had 6.5 children on average. But the transition is slower than in Asia and Latin America 30 to 40 years ago. Northern Africa and Southern Africa are exceptions: fertility has fallen rapidly and is now relatively low.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/special ... -216274365
AfricaCom 2017 illuminates in an uncertain age of digital disruption and transformation
AfricaCom 2017 packs a punch with global speaker line-up
In less than a month anyone who’s anyone in African telecoms and technology will be in Cape Town at AfricaCom 2017 from 7-9 November. The continent’s single largest and most influential technology, media and telecoms (TMT) event, promises opportunities to witness future tech trends, network with the industry elite, and learn from a line-up of global thought leaders providing inspiring content.
Delegates will be able to hear Herman Singh, Group Chief Digital Officer of MTN, share his thoughts on how Africa can capitalise on the potential of disruptive technology, or the fourth wave of the mobile industry, as he puts it. M-commerce, he believes, will be far more “disruptive” than PC-based e-commerce ever was.
“The combination of identity, location and ‘transactability’ is far more disruptive than e-commerce ever was on PCs. You don’t carry a PC into a shop; your phone, you do,” he says.
Bob Collymore, CEO of Safaricom, will describe how innovative mobile network operators can bridge the digital divide and connect the next billion. (Safricom is the pioneer of Mpesa, the world’s most developed mobile payment system).
If you’re looking to discover what support mobile operators need, mobile companies Millicom, Safaricom and Orange will offer expert guidance on how the mobile network operator role is evolving in response to a rapidly shifting digital landscape.
More..
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/sponsored/20 ... -216274365
*****
Elections in Africa: democratic rituals matter even though the outlook is bleak
The multi-party systems established in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia in the early 1990s have endured despite electoral violence. But democratic hopes have been dashed or perverted throughout the rest of the region. The governments built on the ruins of the civil wars in Angola, Burundi, the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda and Rwanda have all relied on armed political groups to stay in power.
More..
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/2017/10 ... -216274365
AfricaCom 2017 packs a punch with global speaker line-up
In less than a month anyone who’s anyone in African telecoms and technology will be in Cape Town at AfricaCom 2017 from 7-9 November. The continent’s single largest and most influential technology, media and telecoms (TMT) event, promises opportunities to witness future tech trends, network with the industry elite, and learn from a line-up of global thought leaders providing inspiring content.
Delegates will be able to hear Herman Singh, Group Chief Digital Officer of MTN, share his thoughts on how Africa can capitalise on the potential of disruptive technology, or the fourth wave of the mobile industry, as he puts it. M-commerce, he believes, will be far more “disruptive” than PC-based e-commerce ever was.
“The combination of identity, location and ‘transactability’ is far more disruptive than e-commerce ever was on PCs. You don’t carry a PC into a shop; your phone, you do,” he says.
Bob Collymore, CEO of Safaricom, will describe how innovative mobile network operators can bridge the digital divide and connect the next billion. (Safricom is the pioneer of Mpesa, the world’s most developed mobile payment system).
If you’re looking to discover what support mobile operators need, mobile companies Millicom, Safaricom and Orange will offer expert guidance on how the mobile network operator role is evolving in response to a rapidly shifting digital landscape.
More..
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/sponsored/20 ... -216274365
*****
Elections in Africa: democratic rituals matter even though the outlook is bleak
The multi-party systems established in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia in the early 1990s have endured despite electoral violence. But democratic hopes have been dashed or perverted throughout the rest of the region. The governments built on the ruins of the civil wars in Angola, Burundi, the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda and Rwanda have all relied on armed political groups to stay in power.
More..
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/2017/10 ... -216274365
Africa Set To Top 1 Billion Mobile Internet Connections In Five Years: Study
Africa’s mobile internet connections are set to double in the next five years, a study showed on Monday, thanks to affordable smartphones and the roll-out of high-speed networks.
A report by research and consulting firm Ovum in London estimates that mobile broadband connections will rise from 419 million at the end of this year to 1.07 billion by the end of 2022.
“Data connectivity is growing strongly in Africa, and there are also good prospects on the continent in areas such as digital media, mobile financial services, and the Internet of Things,” said Matthew Reed, Practice Leader Middle East and Africa at Ovum.
“But as Africa’s TMT market becomes more convergent and complex, service providers are under increasing pressure to make the transition from being providers of communications services, and to become providers of digital services.”
Mobile phone operators such as MTN Group, Orange and Bharti Airtel are investing heavily in high-speed networks to meet demand from users who are increasingly using phones for everything from paying their bills to streaming videos and surfing the internet.
Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by Hugh Lawson
******
How Digital Technology Can Help Reinvent Basic Education In Africa
African countries have worked hard to improve children’s access to basic education, but there’s still significant work to be done. Today, 32,6 million children of primary-school age and 25,7 million adolescents are not going to school in sub-Saharan Africa. The quality of education also remains a significant issue, but there’s a possibility the technology could be part of the solution. The digital revolution currently under way in the region has led to a boom in trials using information and communication technology (ICT) in education – both in and out of the classroom.
A study carried out by the French Development Agency (AFD), the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), Orange and Unesco shows that ICT in education in general, and mobile learning in particular, offers a number of possible benefits. These include access to low-cost teaching resources, added value compared to traditional teaching and a complementary solution for teacher training.
This means that there’s a huge potential to reach those excluded from education systems. The quality of knowledge and skills that are taught can also be improved.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/2017/11 ... -216274365
Africa’s mobile internet connections are set to double in the next five years, a study showed on Monday, thanks to affordable smartphones and the roll-out of high-speed networks.
A report by research and consulting firm Ovum in London estimates that mobile broadband connections will rise from 419 million at the end of this year to 1.07 billion by the end of 2022.
“Data connectivity is growing strongly in Africa, and there are also good prospects on the continent in areas such as digital media, mobile financial services, and the Internet of Things,” said Matthew Reed, Practice Leader Middle East and Africa at Ovum.
“But as Africa’s TMT market becomes more convergent and complex, service providers are under increasing pressure to make the transition from being providers of communications services, and to become providers of digital services.”
Mobile phone operators such as MTN Group, Orange and Bharti Airtel are investing heavily in high-speed networks to meet demand from users who are increasingly using phones for everything from paying their bills to streaming videos and surfing the internet.
Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by Hugh Lawson
******
How Digital Technology Can Help Reinvent Basic Education In Africa
African countries have worked hard to improve children’s access to basic education, but there’s still significant work to be done. Today, 32,6 million children of primary-school age and 25,7 million adolescents are not going to school in sub-Saharan Africa. The quality of education also remains a significant issue, but there’s a possibility the technology could be part of the solution. The digital revolution currently under way in the region has led to a boom in trials using information and communication technology (ICT) in education – both in and out of the classroom.
A study carried out by the French Development Agency (AFD), the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), Orange and Unesco shows that ICT in education in general, and mobile learning in particular, offers a number of possible benefits. These include access to low-cost teaching resources, added value compared to traditional teaching and a complementary solution for teacher training.
This means that there’s a huge potential to reach those excluded from education systems. The quality of knowledge and skills that are taught can also be improved.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/2017/11 ... -216274365
Mobile phones and development
How the taxman slows the spread of technology in Africa
Excerpt:
Overall, technology will probably make Africans wealthier, healthier and better educated by dramatically lowering the costs of development. Take power as an example. Getting electricity to the two-thirds of Africans without it in the old way—by building generating stations and an electricity grid—would cost some $63bn a year (compared with just $8bn being spent now) and still take until 2030. But the falling costs of solar cells and batteries, and innovative business models, mean that millions of Africans are now able to bypass the grid and get electricity from rooftop installations for a few dollars a week.
Unfortunately, instead of seizing such opportunities, many African governments are energetically discouraging the spread of technology. Many ban genetically modified crops, refusing even to accept them as food aid when their people are starving. Almost all invest far too little in science and research, and have byzantine visa systems that discourage skilled immigration. And they tax mobile phone and internet companies at punitive rates. In 2015 mobile-phone operators in 12 African countries paid taxes and other fees equivalent to 35% of their turnover, says the GSMA, an industry lobby. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has one of the lowest rates of phone penetration in the world, taxes on mobile operators made up 17% of government revenues.
African taxmen pick on phone companies because they make lots of money and keep excellent records in a continent where both these things are rare. There is no doubt that governments need the cash. Tax to GDP ratios in Africa are still very low—on average below 17%, compared with 35% in OECD countries—and public debt is rising rapidly. It is now above 50% of GDP in almost half of the region’s countries, and the cost of servicing it is onerous. Some people dismiss phone companies’ complaints about tax as mere whingeing. They point out that such firms have grown rapidly despite high taxes.
More...
https://www.economist.com/news/middle-e ... lydispatch
How the taxman slows the spread of technology in Africa
Excerpt:
Overall, technology will probably make Africans wealthier, healthier and better educated by dramatically lowering the costs of development. Take power as an example. Getting electricity to the two-thirds of Africans without it in the old way—by building generating stations and an electricity grid—would cost some $63bn a year (compared with just $8bn being spent now) and still take until 2030. But the falling costs of solar cells and batteries, and innovative business models, mean that millions of Africans are now able to bypass the grid and get electricity from rooftop installations for a few dollars a week.
Unfortunately, instead of seizing such opportunities, many African governments are energetically discouraging the spread of technology. Many ban genetically modified crops, refusing even to accept them as food aid when their people are starving. Almost all invest far too little in science and research, and have byzantine visa systems that discourage skilled immigration. And they tax mobile phone and internet companies at punitive rates. In 2015 mobile-phone operators in 12 African countries paid taxes and other fees equivalent to 35% of their turnover, says the GSMA, an industry lobby. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has one of the lowest rates of phone penetration in the world, taxes on mobile operators made up 17% of government revenues.
African taxmen pick on phone companies because they make lots of money and keep excellent records in a continent where both these things are rare. There is no doubt that governments need the cash. Tax to GDP ratios in Africa are still very low—on average below 17%, compared with 35% in OECD countries—and public debt is rising rapidly. It is now above 50% of GDP in almost half of the region’s countries, and the cost of servicing it is onerous. Some people dismiss phone companies’ complaints about tax as mere whingeing. They point out that such firms have grown rapidly despite high taxes.
More...
https://www.economist.com/news/middle-e ... lydispatch
A Wave of New Fiction From Nigeria, as Young Writers Experiment With New Genres
Abubakar Adam Ibrahim was bracing for a backlash when he published his provocative debut novel, “Season of Crimson Blossoms,” in Nigeria two years ago. The novel centered on a devout Muslim grandmother who has an affair with a young gang leader in his 20s, and in telling the story of a 55-year-old widow’s sexual awakening, Mr. Ibrahim took on issues like female sexuality, drug use, political corruption and ethnic violence — subjects considered taboo within northern Nigeria’s conservative and predominantly Muslim Hausa culture.
“We thought there would be a fatwa,” he said. “It talks about something that’s shocking and controversial for many people.”
Instead, Mr. Ibrahim has been hailed as a rising literary star. He won the Nigeria Prize for Literature, which comes with a $100,000 reward, and received the African Writers’s Residency Award from Germany’s Goethe Institute. The Nigerian publishing house Cassava Republic acquired international publication rights to the novel, and released it in South Africa, Kenya, Germany, Britain and earlier this year in the United States.
Mr. Ibrahim belongs to a new generation of young Nigerian novelists who are gaining international prominence, and his unexpected success offers the latest sign that the country’s flourishing literary scene is giving rise to some of the most groundbreaking and boundary-pushing fiction on the continent.
Nigeria has long been a vibrant literary hub, home to prominent and widely celebrated writers like the Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Ben Okri and, more recently, the novelists Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Lola Shoneyin and Helon Habila. In the past, successful African writers often first gained renown abroad, yet weren’t widely read in their homelands. But now, many of Nigeria’s promising young authors are increasingly building an audience at home, where there is a growing appetite for fiction that addresses contemporary issues.
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/23/book ... iters.html
Abubakar Adam Ibrahim was bracing for a backlash when he published his provocative debut novel, “Season of Crimson Blossoms,” in Nigeria two years ago. The novel centered on a devout Muslim grandmother who has an affair with a young gang leader in his 20s, and in telling the story of a 55-year-old widow’s sexual awakening, Mr. Ibrahim took on issues like female sexuality, drug use, political corruption and ethnic violence — subjects considered taboo within northern Nigeria’s conservative and predominantly Muslim Hausa culture.
“We thought there would be a fatwa,” he said. “It talks about something that’s shocking and controversial for many people.”
Instead, Mr. Ibrahim has been hailed as a rising literary star. He won the Nigeria Prize for Literature, which comes with a $100,000 reward, and received the African Writers’s Residency Award from Germany’s Goethe Institute. The Nigerian publishing house Cassava Republic acquired international publication rights to the novel, and released it in South Africa, Kenya, Germany, Britain and earlier this year in the United States.
Mr. Ibrahim belongs to a new generation of young Nigerian novelists who are gaining international prominence, and his unexpected success offers the latest sign that the country’s flourishing literary scene is giving rise to some of the most groundbreaking and boundary-pushing fiction on the continent.
Nigeria has long been a vibrant literary hub, home to prominent and widely celebrated writers like the Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Ben Okri and, more recently, the novelists Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Lola Shoneyin and Helon Habila. In the past, successful African writers often first gained renown abroad, yet weren’t widely read in their homelands. But now, many of Nigeria’s promising young authors are increasingly building an audience at home, where there is a growing appetite for fiction that addresses contemporary issues.
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/23/book ... iters.html
Op-Ed: How Africa can create a Continental Free Trade Area
Ours is a continent rich in resources. From the coffee beans and cotton to mineral ores and oil wells, Africa is world-renowned for its raw materials.
However, exporting raw materials alone will not allow Africa to reach its potential. Indeed, the recent slump in global commodity prices has served as a harsh reminder that our traditional reliance on raw materials needs to evolve. It is only by transforming our commodities into value added goods that Africa will reap the full benefits of our natural strengths. Transforming our resources will create larger profit margins, growth and jobs. This transformation will, however, require a big industrialisation drive across the continent to foster trade and growth.
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https://www.cnbcafrica.com/insights/201 ... -216274365
Ours is a continent rich in resources. From the coffee beans and cotton to mineral ores and oil wells, Africa is world-renowned for its raw materials.
However, exporting raw materials alone will not allow Africa to reach its potential. Indeed, the recent slump in global commodity prices has served as a harsh reminder that our traditional reliance on raw materials needs to evolve. It is only by transforming our commodities into value added goods that Africa will reap the full benefits of our natural strengths. Transforming our resources will create larger profit margins, growth and jobs. This transformation will, however, require a big industrialisation drive across the continent to foster trade and growth.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/insights/201 ... -216274365
Billions to be spent unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit of Africa
Abidjan) An effort that hopes to draw billions in investment in Africa from Europe wrapped up at the Palace of Culture in Abidjan this week. In many ways, there couldn’t have been a better place for talk of a free market drive to revive the economies of Africa.
For Cote D’Ivoire, for all its economic difficulties, scarce capital and heavy taxes, has a claim to being an economic phoenix rising from the ashes of a violent civil war. Ever since the Ivorian army marched back to its barracks, in 2011, the country has seen signs of an economic revival akin to that of post-Genocide Rwanda and post-war Singapore. In fewer than seven years of peace, Cote D’Ívoire has thrown its doors open to foreign investors on its way to a growth rate of more than 8%, albeit from a very low base.
The European Union-Africa Forum, in Abidjan this week, was here to discuss an ambitious plan to help unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of Africa to create jobs and wealth. The EU is pushing a plan to prise investment out of a tight European financial market – especially from the big pension funds – to plough into entrepreneurs with emphasis on women and the youth.
More..
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/west-af ... -216274365
Abidjan) An effort that hopes to draw billions in investment in Africa from Europe wrapped up at the Palace of Culture in Abidjan this week. In many ways, there couldn’t have been a better place for talk of a free market drive to revive the economies of Africa.
For Cote D’Ivoire, for all its economic difficulties, scarce capital and heavy taxes, has a claim to being an economic phoenix rising from the ashes of a violent civil war. Ever since the Ivorian army marched back to its barracks, in 2011, the country has seen signs of an economic revival akin to that of post-Genocide Rwanda and post-war Singapore. In fewer than seven years of peace, Cote D’Ívoire has thrown its doors open to foreign investors on its way to a growth rate of more than 8%, albeit from a very low base.
The European Union-Africa Forum, in Abidjan this week, was here to discuss an ambitious plan to help unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of Africa to create jobs and wealth. The EU is pushing a plan to prise investment out of a tight European financial market – especially from the big pension funds – to plough into entrepreneurs with emphasis on women and the youth.
More..
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/west-af ... -216274365
Africa needs about $90bn yearly to meet infrastructure needs – AU
VIDEO
Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy at the African Union says Africa needs about 90 billion dollars annually for the next 10 years to bridge its Infrastructure deficit.
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2017/ ... -216274365
VIDEO
Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy at the African Union says Africa needs about 90 billion dollars annually for the next 10 years to bridge its Infrastructure deficit.
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2017/ ... -216274365
Africa urged to create more jobs for its youth
According to Abdou Souleye Diop President of the African South-South Relations Commission there is a need to address the size of Africa’s informal economy. He spoke to CNBC Africa on the side-lines of the EU-Africa Business forum about the need for Africa to create jobs for its youth.
VIDEO
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2017/ ... -216274365
According to Abdou Souleye Diop President of the African South-South Relations Commission there is a need to address the size of Africa’s informal economy. He spoke to CNBC Africa on the side-lines of the EU-Africa Business forum about the need for Africa to create jobs for its youth.
VIDEO
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2017/ ... -216274365
Africa’s plan to deal with bogus medicines
LONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) – Last July, Ugandan officials seized fake versions of the cancer drug Avastin on sale in Kampala, revealing only the tip of an iceberg of bogus medicines found all too often in Africa.
It wasn’t a very good fake. The bottles contained blue-grey tablets, whereas genuine Avastin is a liquid given by infusion, and the fraudsters labelled the manufacturer as AstraZeneca . The real thing is made by Roche.
The low bar for criminals pushing dodgy drugs in Africa is just one reason why the continent needs to up its game in medicines regulation.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates one in 10 drugs sold in developing countries is fake or substandard, leading to tens of thousands of deaths, many of them of African children given ineffective treatments for pneumonia and malaria.
Sub-Saharan Africa has more than its fair share, accounting for 42 percent of reports of counterfeit and low-quality products the U.N. agency has received since 2013.
Bad drugs flourish when regulation is weak and there is a lack of access to quality treatments. At the moment, Africa has a patchwork of national agencies, many short of funds and expertise to clamp down on fakes or approve genuine drugs efficiently.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/zdnl-mc/2017 ... -216274365
LONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) – Last July, Ugandan officials seized fake versions of the cancer drug Avastin on sale in Kampala, revealing only the tip of an iceberg of bogus medicines found all too often in Africa.
It wasn’t a very good fake. The bottles contained blue-grey tablets, whereas genuine Avastin is a liquid given by infusion, and the fraudsters labelled the manufacturer as AstraZeneca . The real thing is made by Roche.
The low bar for criminals pushing dodgy drugs in Africa is just one reason why the continent needs to up its game in medicines regulation.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates one in 10 drugs sold in developing countries is fake or substandard, leading to tens of thousands of deaths, many of them of African children given ineffective treatments for pneumonia and malaria.
Sub-Saharan Africa has more than its fair share, accounting for 42 percent of reports of counterfeit and low-quality products the U.N. agency has received since 2013.
Bad drugs flourish when regulation is weak and there is a lack of access to quality treatments. At the moment, Africa has a patchwork of national agencies, many short of funds and expertise to clamp down on fakes or approve genuine drugs efficiently.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/zdnl-mc/2017 ... -216274365
How technology will advance the African economy
The African Development Bank suggests that Africa’s GDP could increase to over $15 trillion in 2060. Central to this growth will be access to financial services through bridging the digital divide.
VIDEO
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2017/ ... -216274365
The African Development Bank suggests that Africa’s GDP could increase to over $15 trillion in 2060. Central to this growth will be access to financial services through bridging the digital divide.
VIDEO
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2017/ ... -216274365
Mobile phones are not a panacea for Africa’s youth unemployment crisis, these interventions might help
Many in the international development community view technology –not least, mobile phones – as a possible panacea for Africa’s youth unemployment crisis. Their use is sharply on the rise. Mobile phones reduce the need for physical travel, allow rapid access to information about job openings and enable people to contact potential employers. They can be used to help run more efficient businesses.
Research my colleagues and I conducted as part of a study funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council and the Department for International Development found that some young people in Africa are using mobile phones successfully to access or create employment. But mobile phones are failing many more young people in their search for employment and livelihoods.
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The study, conducted in Ghana, Malawi and South Africa, suggests some important reasons why phones may be unable to help young people fulfil their employment dreams. Our findings demonstrate that phone connections are not enough. Connectivity is only useful if it opens up access to employment opportunities that will pay a living wage.
That’s the crux of the problem: there simply aren’t enough quality jobs available. Ghana and Malawi have extensive informal sectors which have long provided at least some work for young people. Mobile phones have opened up some new opportunities in the informal sector – young people sell airtime or repair handsets, or may grow their service and trading businesses through the phone.
South Africa, meanwhile, has failed to grow a vibrant informal sector since apartheid ended in 1994. Its young people tend to be looking for work in the formal sector, and most do not have the employability skills that might make mobile phones useful to achieving this goal.
More..
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/technol ... -216274365
Many in the international development community view technology –not least, mobile phones – as a possible panacea for Africa’s youth unemployment crisis. Their use is sharply on the rise. Mobile phones reduce the need for physical travel, allow rapid access to information about job openings and enable people to contact potential employers. They can be used to help run more efficient businesses.
Research my colleagues and I conducted as part of a study funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council and the Department for International Development found that some young people in Africa are using mobile phones successfully to access or create employment. But mobile phones are failing many more young people in their search for employment and livelihoods.
Advertisement
The study, conducted in Ghana, Malawi and South Africa, suggests some important reasons why phones may be unable to help young people fulfil their employment dreams. Our findings demonstrate that phone connections are not enough. Connectivity is only useful if it opens up access to employment opportunities that will pay a living wage.
That’s the crux of the problem: there simply aren’t enough quality jobs available. Ghana and Malawi have extensive informal sectors which have long provided at least some work for young people. Mobile phones have opened up some new opportunities in the informal sector – young people sell airtime or repair handsets, or may grow their service and trading businesses through the phone.
South Africa, meanwhile, has failed to grow a vibrant informal sector since apartheid ended in 1994. Its young people tend to be looking for work in the formal sector, and most do not have the employability skills that might make mobile phones useful to achieving this goal.
More..
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/technol ... -216274365
Wi-Fi but no water: Can smart tech help Africa’s cities’ poor?
BARCELONA, Jan 5 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – In the picturesque Barcelona district of El Born, residents can get a better night’s sleep nowadays because garbage trucks pass only when bins in the street are full, thanks to high-tech sensors that detect when they need to be emptied.
Meanwhile, a few streets away, magnetic sensors under the road surface allow drivers to find out in advance if a parking space is free – saving them time and cutting back on vehicle emissions.
Other high-technology solutions for street lamps, traffic lights and parking meters have been deployed in Spain’s second-largest city in recent years.
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One theatre is even decked with a smart vertical garden on its outer wall, which collects its own rainwater via a solar-powered system on the roof.
As one of Europe’s richest cities, most of Barcelona’s inhabitants already have good access to municipal services and a high quality of life.
But in poorer parts of the world, urban experts say efforts to improve cities with cutting-edge technology can run into challenges, particularly when applied in slums.
“A 24-hour smart water meter can only be possible if you’re connected to the water system in the first place,” said Ayona Datta, a reader in urban futures at King’s College London.
In developing countries, technology may be introduced across a city to make transport or water services more efficient, but will likely only work in its richer areas, she added.
The idea of giving the same thing to everyone in both middle-class and low-income neighbourhoods can be problematic, she said.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/technol ... -216274365
BARCELONA, Jan 5 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – In the picturesque Barcelona district of El Born, residents can get a better night’s sleep nowadays because garbage trucks pass only when bins in the street are full, thanks to high-tech sensors that detect when they need to be emptied.
Meanwhile, a few streets away, magnetic sensors under the road surface allow drivers to find out in advance if a parking space is free – saving them time and cutting back on vehicle emissions.
Other high-technology solutions for street lamps, traffic lights and parking meters have been deployed in Spain’s second-largest city in recent years.
Advertisement
One theatre is even decked with a smart vertical garden on its outer wall, which collects its own rainwater via a solar-powered system on the roof.
As one of Europe’s richest cities, most of Barcelona’s inhabitants already have good access to municipal services and a high quality of life.
But in poorer parts of the world, urban experts say efforts to improve cities with cutting-edge technology can run into challenges, particularly when applied in slums.
“A 24-hour smart water meter can only be possible if you’re connected to the water system in the first place,” said Ayona Datta, a reader in urban futures at King’s College London.
In developing countries, technology may be introduced across a city to make transport or water services more efficient, but will likely only work in its richer areas, she added.
The idea of giving the same thing to everyone in both middle-class and low-income neighbourhoods can be problematic, she said.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/technol ... -216274365
How African refugees are helping girls learn to avoid abuse, early marriage
(Thomson Reuters Foundation) – In western Uganda’s Kyangwali refugee settlement, Tamari Mutesi teaches tailoring to young women who do not go to school.
The initiative she works with aims to combat violence against young single mothers and other refugee girls, including those mistreated by their husbands, by helping them gain economic independence.
Mutesi, 27, a refugee from Democratic Republic of Congo, has trained more than 25 of her peers since 2008, after she and several friends learned the trade from an experienced tailor.
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Her trainees have now started their own tailoring businesses, earning enough to be self-reliant. Adelphine Ingabire, 22, said her income is about 10,000 Ugandan shillings ($2.74) a day.
“I feel so happy to see fellow girls getting skills to stand for themselves, to feed their families, and help their parents and neighbours,” said Mutesi.
Her work is backed by a group started in 2005 by four refugee boys from Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Sudan – named COBURWAS after those countries – who wanted to help children living in Kyangwali camp go to school.
One of the boys, Joseph Munyambanza, fled the war in Democratic Republic of Congo aged six.
Later, he and his adolescent peers raised funds by working on farms and constructed a classroom. They identified the neediest children and enrolled them to study.
Realising girls aged 10 and above were most at risk of falling out of school and into early marriage, the COBURWAS International Youth Organization to Transform Africa (CIYOTA) launched a scheme to help them complete primary school and enter secondary school. It set up a hostel for about 50 girls, enabling them to study.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/east-af ... -216274365
(Thomson Reuters Foundation) – In western Uganda’s Kyangwali refugee settlement, Tamari Mutesi teaches tailoring to young women who do not go to school.
The initiative she works with aims to combat violence against young single mothers and other refugee girls, including those mistreated by their husbands, by helping them gain economic independence.
Mutesi, 27, a refugee from Democratic Republic of Congo, has trained more than 25 of her peers since 2008, after she and several friends learned the trade from an experienced tailor.
Advertisement
Her trainees have now started their own tailoring businesses, earning enough to be self-reliant. Adelphine Ingabire, 22, said her income is about 10,000 Ugandan shillings ($2.74) a day.
“I feel so happy to see fellow girls getting skills to stand for themselves, to feed their families, and help their parents and neighbours,” said Mutesi.
Her work is backed by a group started in 2005 by four refugee boys from Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Sudan – named COBURWAS after those countries – who wanted to help children living in Kyangwali camp go to school.
One of the boys, Joseph Munyambanza, fled the war in Democratic Republic of Congo aged six.
Later, he and his adolescent peers raised funds by working on farms and constructed a classroom. They identified the neediest children and enrolled them to study.
Realising girls aged 10 and above were most at risk of falling out of school and into early marriage, the COBURWAS International Youth Organization to Transform Africa (CIYOTA) launched a scheme to help them complete primary school and enter secondary school. It set up a hostel for about 50 girls, enabling them to study.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/east-af ... -216274365
Menstruating girls 'banned from crossing Ghanaian river to get to school'
Excerpt:
Girls have reportedly been banned from crossing a river while menstruating by authorities in a central district of Ghana. As a result they are said to miss 20 out of 60 days of their school classes.
They have also been blocked from crossing on Tuesdays due to an apparent directive from a river god that is being enforced by traditional leaders, BBC Pidgin, the corporation's West African digital service reported.
The Ofin River ruling affects girls in Upper Denkyira East district.
"Sometimes I think that we need to ask for some form of accountability from these gods who continue to bar a lot of things from happening, to account for how they have used the tremendous power that we have given them," said Shamima Muslim Alhassan, a United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) menstrual hygiene ambassador.
The UN believes one in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa miss school during their period - potentially totally a fifth of a school year.
More...
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/me ... ailsignout
Excerpt:
Girls have reportedly been banned from crossing a river while menstruating by authorities in a central district of Ghana. As a result they are said to miss 20 out of 60 days of their school classes.
They have also been blocked from crossing on Tuesdays due to an apparent directive from a river god that is being enforced by traditional leaders, BBC Pidgin, the corporation's West African digital service reported.
The Ofin River ruling affects girls in Upper Denkyira East district.
"Sometimes I think that we need to ask for some form of accountability from these gods who continue to bar a lot of things from happening, to account for how they have used the tremendous power that we have given them," said Shamima Muslim Alhassan, a United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) menstrual hygiene ambassador.
The UN believes one in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa miss school during their period - potentially totally a fifth of a school year.
More...
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/me ... ailsignout
Closing the infrastructure gap in Africa
‘Shaping the Future of Long-Term Investing, Infrastructure and Development’ is one of the themes that will be tackled at the icy slopes of Davos this Week. It’s estimated that the global infrastructure backlog stands at about $1trillion. Here in Africa – that number stands at around $100billion, according to figures from the African Development Bank. The problem is, demand for infrastructure far outstrips supply. We see this every day – in terms of demand for housing, healthcare, education, and transport as a few examples. If we don’t close the gap – we will find it very difficult to achieve any form of inclusive economic growth.
Video:
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2018/ ... -216274365
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What Africa needs to do to attract investment
As global leaders in Business, civil society and labour meet at the 48th annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, we discuss the geopolitics which they meet under. Joining CNBC Africa to discuss Africa’s place in the global agenda and the current threats facing the world from climate change to nuclear war is Peter Fabricius, Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies.
Video
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2018/ ... -216274365
‘Shaping the Future of Long-Term Investing, Infrastructure and Development’ is one of the themes that will be tackled at the icy slopes of Davos this Week. It’s estimated that the global infrastructure backlog stands at about $1trillion. Here in Africa – that number stands at around $100billion, according to figures from the African Development Bank. The problem is, demand for infrastructure far outstrips supply. We see this every day – in terms of demand for housing, healthcare, education, and transport as a few examples. If we don’t close the gap – we will find it very difficult to achieve any form of inclusive economic growth.
Video:
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2018/ ... -216274365
******
What Africa needs to do to attract investment
As global leaders in Business, civil society and labour meet at the 48th annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, we discuss the geopolitics which they meet under. Joining CNBC Africa to discuss Africa’s place in the global agenda and the current threats facing the world from climate change to nuclear war is Peter Fabricius, Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies.
Video
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2018/ ... -216274365
Why we need to do more to support entrepreneurship – Strive Masiyiwa
Video
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2018/ ... -216274365
The number of people living in poverty across the world has reduced by half to about 800 million in the past 25 years. However, half of this population is in Africa making it necessary for the continent to take advantage of the rapid technological change to create inclusive growth. CNBC Africa’s Charles Gitonga spoke to Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Chairman of Econet on this and more.
Video
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2018/ ... -216274365
The number of people living in poverty across the world has reduced by half to about 800 million in the past 25 years. However, half of this population is in Africa making it necessary for the continent to take advantage of the rapid technological change to create inclusive growth. CNBC Africa’s Charles Gitonga spoke to Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Chairman of Econet on this and more.
Op-Ed: Top 6 factors not to ignore when investing in Africa
Foreign investors are increasingly becoming aware of the tremendous potential and financial reward the African continent offers. Foreign Direct Investments (FDI’s) deliver a number of important contributions to economic development in terms of employment and foreign exchange. In 2016, Africa benefitted from USD 51 billion of FDI. There are various investment opportunities that will generate investor returns whilst contributing towards economic and social development such as Agribusiness, Infrastructure and Healthcare amongst many other areas. Global investment firm Quantum Global has recently developed an innovative tool designed to guide investors on the most attractive African markets for investment in the short to medium term.
Each component of the newly developed Africa Investment Index (AII) (Growth, Liquidity, Risk, Business Environment, Demographics and Social Capital factors) enables for calculation of the risk premium for each African country – therefore presenting a more substantial case when considering African investment opportunities. Countries are then ranked in the AII according to their score.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/2018/02 ... -216274365
Foreign investors are increasingly becoming aware of the tremendous potential and financial reward the African continent offers. Foreign Direct Investments (FDI’s) deliver a number of important contributions to economic development in terms of employment and foreign exchange. In 2016, Africa benefitted from USD 51 billion of FDI. There are various investment opportunities that will generate investor returns whilst contributing towards economic and social development such as Agribusiness, Infrastructure and Healthcare amongst many other areas. Global investment firm Quantum Global has recently developed an innovative tool designed to guide investors on the most attractive African markets for investment in the short to medium term.
Each component of the newly developed Africa Investment Index (AII) (Growth, Liquidity, Risk, Business Environment, Demographics and Social Capital factors) enables for calculation of the risk premium for each African country – therefore presenting a more substantial case when considering African investment opportunities. Countries are then ranked in the AII according to their score.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/2018/02 ... -216274365
This is why Africa needs to look to its rural areas
Excerpt:
While the prospects of lifting rural communities out of poverty look good, progress is slowed down by rapid population growth. According to the report, between 2015 and 2030, the combined population of Africa and Asia is expected to rise from 5.6 billion to more than 6.6 billion. It further states that in sub-Saharan Africa, the number of people aged 15 – 24 years is projected to increase by more than 90 million by 2030, with the highest rise in rural areas. The large increases in youth population will create a challenge of unemployment in the decades to come. There is low productivity in the industrial sector and agriculture, which means new job seekers will struggle to find employment. As a result, those who migrate from rural areas to the cities will likely add to the growing numbers of the urban poor.
According to the report, rural communities are therefore likely to escape poverty if they remain in rural areas and not move to urban areas. The solution is to drive investment to rural areas and create policies that support small-scale farmers. Currently, smallholder food producers have little to no access to profitable markets and value chains, which are dominated by large producers and retailers.
To ensure small-scale farmers meet the food demand both in urban and rural areas, policies need to be introduced that “reduce the barriers limiting their access to inputs; foster the adoption of environmentally sustainable approaches and technologies; increase access to credit and markets; facilitate farm mechanisation; revitalize agricultural extension systems; strengthen land tenure rights; ensure equity in supply contracts; and strengthen small-scale producer organisations.”
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/zdnl-mc/2018 ... -216274365
Excerpt:
While the prospects of lifting rural communities out of poverty look good, progress is slowed down by rapid population growth. According to the report, between 2015 and 2030, the combined population of Africa and Asia is expected to rise from 5.6 billion to more than 6.6 billion. It further states that in sub-Saharan Africa, the number of people aged 15 – 24 years is projected to increase by more than 90 million by 2030, with the highest rise in rural areas. The large increases in youth population will create a challenge of unemployment in the decades to come. There is low productivity in the industrial sector and agriculture, which means new job seekers will struggle to find employment. As a result, those who migrate from rural areas to the cities will likely add to the growing numbers of the urban poor.
According to the report, rural communities are therefore likely to escape poverty if they remain in rural areas and not move to urban areas. The solution is to drive investment to rural areas and create policies that support small-scale farmers. Currently, smallholder food producers have little to no access to profitable markets and value chains, which are dominated by large producers and retailers.
To ensure small-scale farmers meet the food demand both in urban and rural areas, policies need to be introduced that “reduce the barriers limiting their access to inputs; foster the adoption of environmentally sustainable approaches and technologies; increase access to credit and markets; facilitate farm mechanisation; revitalize agricultural extension systems; strengthen land tenure rights; ensure equity in supply contracts; and strengthen small-scale producer organisations.”
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/zdnl-mc/2018 ... -216274365
How innovation is turning education on its head in Africa
We live in exciting times where our daily lives are dominated by innovation. The education landscape is also gradually changing as new inventions and new ways of teaching become the norm. It’s worth noting that innovation does not only mean technology, but it encompasses any creative, new way of doing things. If it improves learning, processes and systems, or solves a real problem, then it is innovation.
We want to highlight some of the ways in which creativity has been applied to solve some of these plaguing educational issues, across the African continent. They include:
High and unaffordable fees.
Lack of access to learning material for pupils.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/east-af ... -216274365
We live in exciting times where our daily lives are dominated by innovation. The education landscape is also gradually changing as new inventions and new ways of teaching become the norm. It’s worth noting that innovation does not only mean technology, but it encompasses any creative, new way of doing things. If it improves learning, processes and systems, or solves a real problem, then it is innovation.
We want to highlight some of the ways in which creativity has been applied to solve some of these plaguing educational issues, across the African continent. They include:
High and unaffordable fees.
Lack of access to learning material for pupils.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/east-af ... -216274365
Africa’s aviation industry has a problem, but this could be the future
Africa is a single continent, comprising of 54 separate countries. Trade with the rest of the world can often be difficult and complex. Thirteen of the countries are landlocked, making air travel the best mode of transportation – especially considering the poor land infrastructure and terrain.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/insights/wor ... -216274365
Africa is a single continent, comprising of 54 separate countries. Trade with the rest of the world can often be difficult and complex. Thirteen of the countries are landlocked, making air travel the best mode of transportation – especially considering the poor land infrastructure and terrain.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/insights/wor ... -216274365
African nations urged to avoid hydropower reliance
African nations need to diversify energy supply, particularly countries reliant on hydropower, industry experts said at an energy conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
The region has been affected by severe droughts in recent years, affecting not only food security but also energy supply in countries that make heavy use of hydropower.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/interna ... -216274365
African nations need to diversify energy supply, particularly countries reliant on hydropower, industry experts said at an energy conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
The region has been affected by severe droughts in recent years, affecting not only food security but also energy supply in countries that make heavy use of hydropower.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/interna ... -216274365
How electricity changes lives: a Rwandan case study
More than 1.1 billion people in developing countries lack access to electricity. Some 590 million live in Africa, where the rural electrification rate is particularly low at only 14%.
A lack of access to electricity hampers development. It affects everything from people’s ability to learn to the creation of enterprises and the provision of public services like health care. This lies behind the United Nation’s goal of countries achieving universal access to electricity by 2030.
But the investment requirements to meet this goal are enormous. According to the International Energy Agency investments worth $640 billion will be needed if the UN goal is going to be met. About $19 billion is required every year in sub-Saharan Africa alone.
In spite of the importance of electrification, little evaluation has been done on the socioeconomic impact of investments into providing power. We set about plugging this gap in our paper that focuses on Rwanda. We looked at the effects of electrification on households, firms, health centres and schools in rural areas.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/east-af ... -216274365
More than 1.1 billion people in developing countries lack access to electricity. Some 590 million live in Africa, where the rural electrification rate is particularly low at only 14%.
A lack of access to electricity hampers development. It affects everything from people’s ability to learn to the creation of enterprises and the provision of public services like health care. This lies behind the United Nation’s goal of countries achieving universal access to electricity by 2030.
But the investment requirements to meet this goal are enormous. According to the International Energy Agency investments worth $640 billion will be needed if the UN goal is going to be met. About $19 billion is required every year in sub-Saharan Africa alone.
In spite of the importance of electrification, little evaluation has been done on the socioeconomic impact of investments into providing power. We set about plugging this gap in our paper that focuses on Rwanda. We looked at the effects of electrification on households, firms, health centres and schools in rural areas.
More...
https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/east-af ... -216274365