Africa - The African Mirror

Apr

2024

Basketball’s influence in Africa is growing, latest NBA data shows

FROM growing live game viewerships to a surge in social media numbers and an increase in merchandise sales, a new NBA Africa report shows a growth in the number of Africans interested in basketball. According to Silalei Shani, a basketball commentator and former Kenya basketball team captain, “What is happening now is that the basketball audience is connecting more and can be measured because of central areas of interest and at large scale basketball events that have come up in recent years, such as the BAL.” “Credit has to go to social media, marketing and content creators. Basketball content is…

Apr

2024

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Africa’s stadium boom can be used to build prosperity beyond sports

NEWS

AFRICA continues to strategically fortify its sports infrastructure, especially stadiums, not only to nurture its abundant talent but also to harness the lucrative economic potential of the sector. Morocco is currently on track with the development of a massive 115,000-seater stadium as it prepares to host the 2030 World Cup, jointly with Spain and Portugal. Last month, the country’s National Agency for Public Facilities (ANEP) unveiled a consortium led by Oualalou + Choi of Morocco and US multinational design company Populous as the selected design contractors of what will become the largest stadium in the world. That title is currently…

Apr

2024

By SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Elite hotel chains dial up investments in Africa with $3,000-a-night rooms

NEWS

AFFLUENT domestic and overseas tourists are driving a surge in high-end hotels in Africa, where a single night's stay can cost more than US$3,000. Over 396 luxury hotels totalling 75,364 rooms are currently in development across the continent, according to the 2024 W Hospitality Group's development pipeline report. "The top 10 brands account for about half of all chain hotels and resorts under construction in Africa, with the top 5, being Hilton, Radisson, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Protea Hotels and Four Points by Sheraton, all having similar numbers," it says. "Three of those top 5 brands are owned by Marriott…

Apr

2024

By YOLANDI ERNST and SALLY ARCHIBALD

Africa now emits as much carbon as it stores: landmark new study

ENVIRONMENT

A landmark new study has found that, in the last decade, the African continent has started emitting more carbon than it stores. When the total amount of carbon that is sequestered by natural ecosystems (such as the soil and plants in grasslands, savannas and forests) exceeds the amount of total carbon emissions within a system, it’s referred to as a net sink of carbon. But, the study found, as natural ecosystems are converted for agricultural purposes, the carbon storage capacity is decreasing – while the rate of emissions is increasing. Yolandi Ernst of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in…

Apr

2024

By CONRAD ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Africa begins licensing crypto as verified transactions hit US $117 billion

NEWS

REGULATORS in Africa are taking steps to bring crypto entities under official oversight as treasuries seek to blunt fiscal risks amid a surge in demand for digital assets. Authorities in South Africa and Nigeria, the continent's most 'crypto-ready' countries, are leading the continent's efforts to place crypto dealers under a licensing regime to protect consumers against money laundering and terrorism-related risks. Bringing crypto dealers under government radar will also ensure that future transaction benefits flow into the exchequer, and will help safeguard the value of local currencies. South Africa's Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) recently approved operating licenses for 59…

Apr

2024

By FRANZISKA SUCKER

Digital trade protocol for Africa: why it matters, what’s in it and what’s still missing

SPECIAL FEATURES: ANALYSIS

IN February 2024, African heads of state adopted a draft protocol to regulate digital trade within the continent. This significant yet challenging course for Africa’s digital economy fits into the broader trade agreement, designed to create a single continental market for the free movement of goods, services, capital and people. Franziska Sucker explains the protocol, why it matters and what still needs to be done. What is digital trade, and how big is it in Africa? Digital trade refers to the cross-border exchange of goods, services and other tradable items that is enabled by digital technologies. Africa’s market share of…

Mar

2024

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Africa’s renewable energy sector is shattering gender norms

ENVIRONMENT

AFRICA'S fast-evolving renewable energy landscape is catalysing a shift in gender dynamics, with more women seizing employment opportunities than in the traditional energy sector, according to a new report. According to the report, “more women are assuming positions as business creators, energy producers, distributors, and service providers,” challenging longstanding gender norms prevalent in the energy industry. The report, “Empowering Women in Clean Energy: Advancing and Retaining an Equitable Workforce”, by The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet draws insights from over 150 female professionals employed at different levels in the renewable energy sector. Traditionally, the energy sector has been…

Mar

2024

By BIRD STORY AGENCY

bird TenX: 10 major horticultural exports from Africa

NEWS

AGRICULTURE is a central part of Africa’s economy, accounting for up to 35% of the continent’s GDP. Apart from trade in cash crops, the horticulture subsector is witnessing growth in a range of horticultural products, filling supply gaps in global markets. Here are some of the 10 major horticultural export products Africa supplies to global markets. 1. Cut flowersThe global cut flower trade is a crucial export sector for several African nations. Kenya and Ethiopia stand out, ranking in the top 10 global exporters, according to the World Atlas. Last year, individual government reports showed the two exported 134,000 and…

Mar

2024

By OPENING doors for private investors has spurred a rise in investments in Ethiopia's key sectors, allowing the country to maintain higher economic growth rates than its African and global peers and elevating its global reputation.

Economic reforms propel Ethiopia to world’s third fastest growing nation brand status

NEWS

ONGOING economic reforms that are also seeing Ethiopia opening up its traditionally closed sectors to private investment are helping to lift the country’s image, globally, according to a new report. UK-based Consultancy, Brand Finance in its Global Soft Power Index 2024 ranked Ethiopia the third fastest-growing nation brand in the world. In the ranking of the most valuable nations, Ethiopia’s brand value grew 23% - the highest growth in Africa - and the Brand Finance report said positive economic prospects had significantly contributed to the improvement. “Ethiopia is the fastest-growing African Nation Brand this year. It was one of the…

Mar

2024

By SOPHIA LABADI

Colonial statues in Africa have been removed, returned and torn down again – why it’s such a complex history

SPECIAL FEATURES: ANALYSIS

In 2020, the murder of George Floyd in the US served as a catalyst for the global Black Lives Matter movement. It sparked widespread protests against police brutality and systemic racism. It also ignited debates about historical symbols of oppression, such as statues of figures associated with racial injustices. SOPHIA LABADI, Professor of Heritage, University of Kent These debates presented colonial statues in Africa as having been contested and toppled for many years, ever since African states gained independence. Indeed, colonial statues were at the heart of the colonial world, symbolising its violence, white supremacy and the erasure of pre-colonial…