How to fight poverty without aid

May 14, 2015 Non-profit global venture fund, Acumen has announced its expansion to support social entrepreneurship in Latin America. The impact investor will be headquartered in Bogotá and will invest in innovative entrepreneurs and establishments in Colombia and Peru. Despite the rapid growth of Colombia’s economy over the years, inequality still persists in the country. While

How much are you paying for fuel?

May 14, 2015 In last two weeks, Nigerians have been forced to queue for fuel and pay about a dollar more than the official price, despite being citizens of Africa’s biggest oil producer. Its four grounded refineries have ensured most of its local consumed petroleum products are shipping from Europe and the US, a situation

Burundi President Nkurunziza faces attempted coup

May 14, 2015 A coup attempt has been launched in Burundi to try to overthrow President Pierre Nkurunziza, amid unrest over his bid to be re-elected to a third term. Thousands of people in the capital, Bujumbura, celebrated the announcement by Major General Godefroid Niyombare. But the coup outcome is far from clear. The presidency

Farmers Fight Real Estate Developers for Kenya’s Most Prized Asset: Land

May 13, 2015 Vegetables grown in the lush soil of this quiet agricultural community in central Kenya’s fertile wetlands not only feed the farmers who tend the crops, but also make their way into the marketplaces of Nairobi, the country’s capital, some 150 km south. Spinach, carrots, kale, cabbages, tomatoes, maize, legumes and tubers are

Life In The Diaspora: 12 South Africans Making It In The U.S.A.

May 11, 2015 There’s a joke in South Africa that the country’s greatest export is highly skilled people who leave in search of better opportunities. South Africans who emigrate go mainly to English-speaking countries. By 2010 the research consultancy Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies said there were up to 700,000 South Africans living abroad, with 192,000

South African mercenaries’ secret war on Boko Haram

May 13, 2015 Mercenaries from South Africa have proved quietly decisive in helping the Nigerian military turn around its campaign against Boko Haram, writes Colin Freeman in Abuja. With their roots in South Africa apartheid-era security forces, they do not fit the standard image of an army of liberation. But after just three months on

How To Make It As A Nigerian In America

May 13, 2015 Its Easy to Succeed in America For so long-I have heard about how difficlult it is for Nigerians and black people to succed in America. With evidence I have come to the conclusion that this is actually the opposite. Indeed a new book by Yale law professor Amy Chua lists Nigerians amongst

Opinion: Banking Africa’s Unbanked – Time For A Reality Check

May 11, 2015 Plenty of progress has been made on increasing the size of Africa’s banked population. The trouble is, from the amount of noise that is made about the topic, you would be forgiven for thinking we had fixed the problem when we really haven’t. According to the World Bank, today, 62 per cent

Foreign tech investors face culture shock in Africa

May 11, 2015 Issues involved grow in importance as foreign VC funding in Africa increases With venture capital into Africa on the rise, tech startups are excited about the increase in funding from developed countries, but relationships with foreign investors are not always smooth. Differences among cultures, economies and business environments are a big reason

Ebola can be transmitted through sex – WHO warns

May 9, 2015 The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued an interim advice on the possibility of Ebola Virus of being sexually transmitted. The WHO had directed all Ebola survivors and their sexual partners to receive counselling to guard against possible transmission of the disease. This is contained in a statement made available by WHO