Nearly 136 million people in Africa live with hearing difficulties: tackling the crisis with a smartphone and an app

Nearly 136 million people in Africa live with hearing difficulties: tackling the crisis with a smartphone and an app

By De Wet Swanepoel, University of Pretoria In rural Kenya, 64-year-old John Kamau’s world of silence is about to change. For decades, isolated by hearing loss from the community’s vibrant life and his grandchildren’s conversations, he sees hope when a community health worker visits with a smartphone in hand. This isn’t just any visit; it’s the gateway to Kamau’s reconnection with the world, facilitated by breakthrough digital […]

April 18, 2024 19

Africa

Nigeria cracks down on illegal jet operations

Nigeria has suspended the licenses of three private jet operators in the country. Aviation authorities say they were engaged in commercial operations in violation of the law. Tesem Akende reports from Jos.

April 17, 2024 31

Africa

Togo’s opposition denounces proposed new constitution

The opposition in Togo has denounced a proposed new constitution as a power grab, intended to extend the reign of President Faure Gnassingbé. According to the BBC, the reforms would see the West African country move from a presidential to a parliamentary system. But the opposition says they are a ruse to keep Mr Gnassingbé - already in his fourth term - in power.

April 17, 2024 4

Africa

NBA Africa-Africell collaboration points to the growing influence of private sector in Africa sport

By Bonface Orucho, via bird story agency The recent unveiling of a new indoor basketball court by NBA Africa and Angolan telecoms company Africell is another example of how private sector partnerships are helping to fast-forward sports development across Africa, while governments are missing the opportunity, according to a Nigerian sports analyst. Sports and entertainment expert Adedamilola Adedotun, lead sports strategist at The Temple in Nigeria, […]

April 17, 2024 22

Africa

Volvo’s e-truck rental program is a milestone for Africa’s e-mobility quest

By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency Swedish automaker Volvo has introduced an electric truck rental program under the Equipment-as-a-Service (EaaS) model in South Africa in a move that could cut huge emissions from the transport sector. The company also intended the service to democratise access to eco-friendly transport solutions in Africa. “The intention is to bring down the “barrier to entry” for those with the environmental ambition to […]

April 17, 2024 30

Africa

A decade after the kidnapping of the Chibok girls in Nigeria, what has the #BringBackOurGirls movement achieved?

By Temitope Oriola, University of Alberta In April 2014, the terrorist organization Boko Haram kidnapped 276 high school girls in Chibok, a town in northeast Nigeria. About 57 of the girls managed to escape on the night of their capture. Boko Haram had demonstrated its intentions regarding the education of girls and young women prior to the mass kidnapping — two months before the Chibok kidnapping, Boko Haram […]

April 17, 2024 11

Africa

Kenya’s shilling is gaining value, but don’t expect it to last – expert

By Odongo Kodongo, University of the Witwatersrand Shortly after Kenya’s 2022 elections, the shilling depreciated rapidly against the US dollar – the country’s main currency for international transactions – fuelling a wave of political discontent. More than a year later, the Central Bank of Kenya, taking its cue from the International Monetary Fund, said that the run on the shilling was a market correction for a […]

April 17, 2024 10

Africa

African countries start business classification to shore up green investment

By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency Kenya has joined South Africa and Rwanda in offering a "green investment" handbook as African countries race to close a huge climate financing gap. The draft Kenya Green Finance Taxonomy (KGFT), published by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) in mid-April, is expected to help position the country for green funds and make the investment climate more attractive. Targeting banks, […]

April 17, 2024 18

Africa

Impact of AI, hybrid work top HR challenges in 2024

Navigating the impact of artificial intelligence and hybrid work models will be the top challenges affecting the role of HR professionals in 2024. These were the main points emerging from the HR Connect event held today, hosted by SAP at the Maslow Hotel in Johannesburg. Kholiwe Makhohliso, Managing Director for Southern Africa at SAP, says business and HR leaders are grappling with the complexities of a new […]

April 17, 2024 10