Africa - The African Mirror

Mar

2024

Women battle when trying to take climate change cases to court – South Africa and Nigeria study shows why

ACROSS domestic courts in Africa, climate cases have been decided in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, with some cases pending in Uganda. However, climate litigation is still fairly new. Climate lawsuits are an important way to access justice. This is particularly true for African women because, as research has shown, climate change affects women more than men in key areas including farming, health, water, access to electricity, migration and conflict. PEDI OBANI, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Bradford I research how the law can be applied to cases of climate change, inclusive development, water governance and sustainability. In…

Mar

2024

By PHILIP KOFI ADOM

Climate change: alarming Africa-wide report predicts 30% drop in crop revenue, 50 million without water

NEWS

AFRICAN countries will suffer significant economic loss after 2050 if global warming is not limited to below 2°C, a new study by the Center for Global Development has found. Environment and energy economist Philip Kofi Adom is the author of the report. He synchronised many years of research by climate change scientists and researchers and found that West and East Africa will fare worst. We asked him about his findings. PHILIP KOFI ADOM, Associate Professor, School of Economics and Finance, University of the Witwatersrand You found climate change will reduce Africa’s crop earnings by 30%. How will this affect people?…

Mar

2024

By NYASHA CHINGONO

Africa to be $2.5 trillion short of climate finance by 2030, UN says

ENVIRONMENT

AFRICA will be $2.5 trillion short of the finance it needs to cope with climate change by 2030, a U.N. official said, adding that the continent has contributed the least to greenhouse gas emissions while seeing some of the worst impacts. Africa attracts only 2% of global investments in clean energy but needs $2.8 trillion of investment in the sector by 2030, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa chief economist Hanan Morsy told a conference in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, warning against the consequences of under-funding. "We end up in a vicious circle with investment shortfalls increasing exposure risk and worsening…

Feb

2024

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Africa’s music and sports icons are forging a tech-sports fusion through investments

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AFRICA'S music and football luminaries are increasingly channelling their resources towards the continent's tech startups, utilizing their wealth and expansive global networks to secure their futures while fostering community-level social change. Nigerian musician and businessman Oluwatosin Ajibade, also known as Mr. Eazi, is widely recognised as a master of this new trend. In a December 2023 appearance on the podcast Silverbacks Valley, Ajibade explained how the intersection of music, technology and entrepreneurship had landed in his favour. “Music has given me access to networks and finances, but I've never really left technology and entrepreneurship because that's what I've always been,”…

Feb

2024

By BIRD STORY AGENCY

bird TenX: Hailing 10 of Africa’s most spoken languages

NEWS

DATA analysis platform Statista estimated in 2021 that there were more than 2000 active African languages. Technological advancements like AI translation tools are helping to harness the power of language beyond celebrating cultural heritage. However, an understanding of the unique features of key languages is important to an understanding of Africa's diverse cultures. 1. Swahili is primarily spoken in East and Central Africa and has links to hundreds of dialects since it’s predominant in the Bantu family of African languages. Spoken by as many as 150 million people, it’s an official language in Tanzania, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of…

Feb

2024

By ALEX LAWLER, NATALIE GROVER and NOAH BROWNING

Europe, Africa oil markets tighten, lending support to futures

BUSINESS

RED Sea shipping delays and OPEC+ supply cuts are tightening physical oil markets in Europe and Africa as well as the Brent crude market structure, lending further support to oil futures prices, according to traders, LSEG data and analysts. A sustained rise in crude prices would lift energy, transportation and manufacturing costs and threaten to unwind some of the recent falls in global inflation, just as major central banks are expected to begin cutting interest rates. On Thursday, the benchmark Brent crude futures market structure hit its most bullish since October. The premium of the first-month contract to the six-month…

Feb

2024

By RACHEL SAVAGE and CHRIS MFULA

Zambia’s kwacha is Africa’s best-performing currency in 2024

BUSINESS

ZAMBIA'S kwacha is Africa's best-performing currency against the U.S. dollar so far this year after the central bank sharply tightened monetary policy, but analysts said it would strengthen sustainably only if the country attracts more foreign investment. The kwacha has rallied 13.8% to 22.8 against the greenback in 2024, according to LSEG data, after the central bank raised commercial banks' reserve ratios and then hiked interest rates earlier this month, in a bid to reverse a decline in the currency that had pushed up inflation. "The kwacha's performance this year has been remarkable," said Danny Greef, Co-Head of Africa at research firm…

Feb

2024

By SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

BMW bets big on Africa’s green hydrogen industry with SA fuel cell test vehicle

NEWS

BMW has claimed its place as the breakout star in Africa's race for commercial hydrogen mobility with the unveiling of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in South Africa. In a shot in the arm for Africa's fledgling green hydrogen industry, the automaker chose Southern Africa for the test drive of its BMW iX5 Hydrogen. The continent has been seeking to leverage its renewable energy potential alongside key minerals like platinum in a bid to lead what is fast becoming a global industry. Recent announcements of major investments in green hydrogen, including a hydrogen export port at Boegoebaai in South Africa…

Feb

2024

By DANNY BRADLOW

Africa’s debt crisis needs a bold new approach: expert outlines a way forward

SPECIAL FEATURES: ANALYSIS

IT hasn’t been easy for African states to finance their developmental and environmental policy objectives over the past few years. Recent events suggest that the situation may be improving. For the first time in two years, three African states have been able to access international financial markets, albeit at high-interest rates. Kenya, for example, is now paying over 10% compared to about 7% in 2014. Many African countries continue to face challenging sovereign debt situations. DANNY BRADLOW, Professor/Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancement of Scholarship, University of Pretoria Total external debts as a share of Africa’s export earnings increased from…

Feb

2024

By SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Africa’s growth trend signals return to faster expansion

BUSINESS

ELEVEN of the world's 20 fastest-growing economies will be in Africa in 2024, according to new forecasts from the African Development Bank (AfDB), despite recent shocks like inflation, increased debt and higher interest rates. The 2024 outlook adds some zing to a solid if patchy performance in 2023, when 15 African states posted growth rates of over 5%. Growth in 2024 will push the combined continental GDP to around US$3.5 trillion, according to German data research firm, Statista. Economic acceleration across the continent stems from structural shifts, enhanced infrastructure, and investment-driven productivity, signalling a robust continental revival. “Growth in Africa’s…