Government performance ratings improve slightly, but still overwhelmingly negative. Key findings Six in 10 Africans (59%) describe their country’s economic condition as “fairly bad” or “very bad.” A slim majority (51%) say their country’s economic situation has worsened over the past year. About half (49%) of citizens are optimistic that their country’s economic situation will…
Night has fallen over the town of Zémio, in the east of the Central African Republic. In a few hours, the December 2025 presidential election is due to take place, but the rebels of the “Azande Ani Kpi Gbe” (AAKG) militia have launched an offensive to seize the city and derail the polls. The Senegalese…
AethexAI raised $3 million in pre-seed funding to build voice AI systems for enterprises in Africa and the Middle East, where customer support still depends heavily on phone calls. The round was led by 4DX Ventures, with participation from Enza Capital, Dorm Room Fund, Mojo Ventures and Stanford GSB 26 Fund. Individual investors included Stanford…
Foras.AI invested in Efham.ai, an Arabic-language AI education platform developed by Egypt-based NixAI, as demand grows for artificial intelligence skills across the Middle East and North Africa. The size of the investment was not disclosed. Efham.ai said the funding will support its plan to build what it describes as the first Arabic community focused on…
“Today, everyone recognises that trade is as much a security issue as an economic one.” European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde made this comment in February 2026, while addressing the Munich Security Conference. Although she was speaking about Europe, her words matter profoundly for Africa. The continent’s 54 economies face a three-way tension that has…
The United Nations paused on Friday to pay tribute to the more than 4,500 peacekeepers who lost their lives in the line of duty over the past 78 years. The commemoration of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers came hours after another blue helmet serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) died from…
The African Public Relations Association (Apra) and China Media Group have joined the Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) as strategic partners for the Effective Communicators Conference 2026. The partnership was announced during the launch of the conference in Windhoek yesterday. In a recorded message, Apra secretary general Omoniyi Ibietan said the collaboration reflects the organisation’s commitment…
When the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on June 11, 2026, matches will be played across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Millions of fans will arrive through multiple airports and will pack into stadiums, airports, hotels, bars and public transit systems over five weeks. That makes the World Cup not just…
In his new role as WFP’s Acting Executive Director, Carl Skau gives his take on a global hunger crisis where conflict, rising costs and funding cuts are pushing food insecurity higher while aid struggles to keep pace. We are facing a perfect storm, with record-high levels of hunger that risk getting even higher at the…
West Africa stands at a defining moment in its development journey. The region is richly endowed with mineral resources, a youthful population, and growing industrial ambition. At the same time, it faces rising energy demand, climate vulnerability, infrastructure deficits, and increasing expectations for inclusive growth. In this context, responsible mining and sustainable power development are…
