The Africa Hour

Epizode

• We Can Fund the Mine: Why is it so Hard to Finance What Comes Next? 09.07.2026 56min

  Cement is a system enabler - the essential foundation shaping the world around us. From houses and offices to roads and highways, it is the superstructure of urban society and key for renewable energy infrastructure. Across Africa, vast limestone reserves are being transformed into cement, to meet surging local demand and close the continent’s infrastructure gap. Despite the mineral abundance and market demand, developing the capacity to support this industrial  transformation faces systemic constraints. In this fifth episode of The Africa Hour Season 2, we explore capital finance: what it takes to fund the transition from raw extraction to high-value goods - competitively and at scale. In conversation with industry and policy experts, we analyse the structural challenges underlying the financial architecture of the cement industry and industrialization more broadly across Africa.We examine Nigeria’s pioneering cement industry, a success story of self-sufficiency, to draw out the critical insights and policy lessons it offers for starter industries elsewhere on the continent.  Guests: Ebipere Clark is a seasoned consultant specializing in capital markets, energy and infrastructure sectors, climate action policy and finance. He is the Managing Partner at Frontier-Alpha LLP. His expertise in energy transitions, climate finance, and infrastructure development is supported by his pivotal role in the 2013 Nigeria electricity market privatization and commercialization. Ebipere’s work focuses on integrating climate action into national development plans and legislation and on shaping policies for sustainable economic growth. He regularly advises governments, development institutions, and think tanks on energy, infrastructure, and climate financing and strategies.Karabo Mokgonyana is an international trade lawyer and development practitioner specializing in climate and energy diplomacy. As the Energy Co-Lead at Power Shift Africa, she steers the organisation’s energy programme and its Just Transition strategy. Mokgonyana leads diplomacy and public finance engagement with governments, diplomats, and multilateral development banks, including the World Bank, IMF, and African Development Bank. Her portfolio includes managing continent-wide campaigns, authoring policy briefs on critical energy transition minerals, and advancing development-justice frameworks to secure equitable investment pathways for the African green economy.Further readings:Africa’s Industrialisation Index 2025 by AfDAfrica's Manufacturing Puzzle: Evidence from Tanzanian and Ethiopian Firms by Xinshen Diao et al.Effect of financial deepening and institutional factors on industrial value added: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa by Ogundajo Oyeyemi et al.Industrialization in Sub-Saharan Africa: Seizing Opportunities in Global Value Chains by World BankA country-platform playbook for scaling adaptation finance by Ebipere ClarkWorld Bank’s New Minerals Strategy Could Make or Break Africa by Karabo Mokgonyana Strategic industrial policy for sustainable development in Africa: the case of cement manufacturing by Michael OdijieThe Foreign Exchange Constraint at the Heart of Development Finance by Ebipere ClarkCivil Society, Diaspora, and Philanthropy Commit to Drive Africa’s New Financial Architecture by AfDBThe Transformative Power of Digital Remittances in Africa by Liwaaddine Fliss
• We Have the Bauxite: Why Don't We Have the Power to Smelt It? 11.06.2026 57min

  Aluminum is omnipresent, from beverage cans to the cars we drive. It is also at the heart of the global green energy transition, serving as a key input for clean technologies. But while aluminum powers this transition, producing it is incredibly energy-intensive.In this episode of The Africa Hour, we explore the critical role of energy in transforming minerals into high-value goods. Turning bauxite into aluminum requires refining and smelting processes that are famously power-hungry.In West Africa, Guinea is a global bauxite powerhouse, holding the world’s largest reserves. Despite this dominance, Guinea remains a raw commodity exporter. In neighboring Ghana, a country with more modest reserves, a coordinated national effort is underway to build a fully integrated aluminum value chain.While energy infrastructure remains a bottleneck across Africa, the bauxite sector offers a glimpse of what is possible. In this episode, we look at where early signs of this industrial momentum are taking shape.Guests: Dr. Edem Amegashie-Duvon is the Commercial and Trading Director at the state-backed Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), driving the development of a globally competitive integrated aluminum industry. An expert in international trade and commodities, he previously spent over two decades in leadership roles with the Ghana Cocoa Board and the Cocoa Marketing Company, including serving as Deputy Managing Director and London Manager. Today, he leverages this deep expertise to elevate Ghana’s strategic mineral value chains and maximize local economic impact.Sekinat Ojeniyi is a strategic communications and advocacy professional and Senior Consultant at Africa Practice. She advises Development Finance Institutions, philanthropic foundations, and financial services organizations on reputation management, stakeholder engagement, and narrative development across Africa. Passionate about economic transformation, Sekinat focuses her work on shaping vital conversations around infrastructure, energy access, regional integration, trade, and investment. Ultimately, she aims to drive inclusive growth, support sustainable development, and improve outcomes for the continent's most underserved populations.Charles Ofori is the policy lead for Climate Change and Energy Transition at the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP). He spearheads research and advocacy across the extractive and power sectors, focusing on critical minerals, methane emissions, the solar PV value chain, and clean cooking. His extensive project expertise spans natural gas dynamics, local labor absorption, and gender-responsive budgeting in mining communities. Charles’ primary research interests revolve around risk mitigation and investment decisions for utility and small-scale renewable energy technologies across Africa.Further readings:World Energy Outlook 2025 by IEA Electricity Regulatory Index for Africa 2024 by  African Development Bank Industrial Development Report 2026 by UNIDOEvaluation of the Proposed Integrated Aluminium Industry and the $2 Billion Chinese Barter Deal by Benjamin Boakye and Charles Ofori for ACEPA Real Options Approach to Investment Timing Decisions in Utility-scale Renewable Energy in Ghana by Charles Ofori et al. Industrialisation in Africa: The Role of Energy Transition by Bruno Nkoa and Arnaud Fonguen-Kong-NgohEnergy Development and Industrialization: Evidence from Africa by Admasu MarutaIndustrial development in Africa: The role of energy price volatility by Chimere O. Iheonu et al. Dancing on the grid: Electricity crises, energy vulnerability, and manufacturing jobs in South Africa by Gideon Ndubuisi et al. Advancing sustainable industrial development in Africa: the role of institutional quality and renewable energy by Musibau Babatunde and Joshua AfolabiGreen Industrial Policy and Industrialisation in Africa by Arkebe Oqubay
• The DRC Has the Cobalt, Why Isn't It Building the Batteries Yet? 07.05.2026 58min

  Across Africa, countries hold the minerals that underpin modern industry. But turning these into higher value products depends on something less visible: the technical expertise, training systems, and institutional linkages that turn raw materials into complex products.In this episode of The Africa Hour, we explore the topic of skills through one of the most demanding manufacturing processes today: batteries. From chemistry and engineering to software and quality control, battery production requires a tightly coordinated system of capabilities.Using the Democratic Republic of Congo as a central case, we examine what it would take to build those capabilities locally, and where the current gaps lie.We also look outward, to China, where skills systems have been built deliberately over time, linking education, training, and industry at scale.Guests:Geruad Neema is a China-Africa relations expert, focusing on natural resources governance and the impact of great power competition on African countries. He is also the Africa editor for the China-Global South Project. He has led research on China’s copper and cobalt supply chains in the DRC and also advised government agencies and think tanks on China-Africa mining relations. Prof. Kaniki Tumba is an academic at the School of Chemical and Minerals Engineering, North-West University, and an Associate Editor for the South African Journal of Chemical Engineering. He is lead at the South African Circular Minerals and Metals Initiative, and a Research Director at the African Center of Excellence for Advanced Battery Research. His research focuses on chemical engineering thermodynamics, mineral processing, and renewable energy storage.Prof. Hercule Kalele is the Head of the Department of Petrochemistry and Refining at the University of Kinshasa and the Technical Director at the Congolese Battery Council. In his current role, he oversees the implementation of the battery and electric vehicle value chain within the DRC. A Professor of Chemistry and Electrochemistry, he holds a doctorate in Chemistry and Materials Physics with a specialisation in active materials for batteries and electric supercapacitors. Further readings:A Battery Industry in the Central African Copperbelt? Regional and Geopolitical Dimensions by Patience Mususa and Michel S. Lutandula for APRI Africa's Development Dynamics 2024 by OECD Blue Metal Blues: Cobalt, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and China by SAIIAHow can Africa make the most of its transition minerals? by Just Minerals Africa Identification of Skills Gaps in South Africa by the Department of Higher Education and Training (South Africa)Incentives for SMEs to Invest in Skills: Lessons From European Good Practices by OECDLearning Outcomes of African Engineering Students in a Chinese Context: A Qualitative Study by Jiabin ZhuOn China, Minerals, and Power Competition by Christian G.N. Byamungu for CSISSpecial economic zones – an instrument for industrialization and the development of skills in Central Africa by ECA
• Why Is Southern Africa’s Steel Manufacturing Declining If It Has Chrome and Iron? 01.04.2026 55min

  Southern Africa holds some of the world’s most important minerals for steelmaking. South Africa alone dominates global chrome reserves and remains a major producer of iron ore, manganese, and vanadium. Yet despite this resource base and a once-strong industrial foundation, steel manufacturing in the region is in decline.In this second episode of The Africa Hour Season 2, we explore manufacturing: what it really means to make things locally – competitively and at scale. In conversation with experts from policy, academia, industry, and organised labour, we unpack the structural challenges shaping the chrome and steel sectors in both South Africa and Zimbabwe. From rising electricity costs and unreliable power supply to weak domestic demand, global overcapacity, and increasing imports, the pressures are deeply interconnected.We then turn to the question of green manufacturing, examining what it would take to produce steel in a way that is both competitive and climate responsible, and how energy systems and evolving global regulations are redefining the terms of industrial competitiveness.Guests:Lufuno Munzhelele is Principal Analyst at the South African Iron & Steel Institute, specialising in steel markets, trade policy, and industrial sustainability. She provides market intelligence and policy analysis shaping the sector’s development. With over a decade of experience in trade investigations and industrial policy advisory, she has worked with industry, government, and development finance institutions to strengthen local steel value chains and competitiveness. She holds a Master of Commerce in Development Economics.Kuda Manjonjo is a Just Transition Advisor at PowerShift Africa, with experience spanning civil society engagement, community organising, and academia. His work focuses on monitoring and evaluation, research, and advocacy. He holds degrees in Labour and Globalization, Political Science from the University of Zimbabwe, and Labour and Economic Sociology from the University of the Witwatersrand, and is currently pursuing a PhD.Leanne Govindsamy is a human rights and environmental lawyer with 16 years of experience across law, policy reform, litigation, research, and advocacy. She previously led the Corporate Accountability and Transparency programme at the Centre for Environmental Rights and helped establish the Fair Finance Coalition Southern Africa and the Fair Steel Coalition. Her past roles include a clerkship at the Constitutional Court of South Africa, legal practice at Cheadle Thompson and Haysom, and Head of Legal and Investigations at Corruption Watch. She holds an LLM from the University of Notre Dame, as well as an LLB and a Master’s in Anthropology from the University of the Witwatersrand.Wouter Bam is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia. He previously held an Associate Professorship at Stellenbosch University. His research focuses on industrial policy, particularly mineral-based development in Africa. He holds a joint PhD from KU Leuven and Stellenbosch University, a master’s from the University of Cambridge, and a BEng from Stellenbosch University.Tengo Tengela is Trade and Industry Policy Coordinator within the COSATU Policy Unit. He previously worked at the NUMSA Policy and Research Institute and as a Parliamentary Officer with the NEHAWU Parliamentary Office. He represents organised labour in social dialogue institutions, including NEDLAC’s Trade and Industry and Fiscal and Monetary Policy Chambers.Further readings:Inside the Manhize Blueprint: How Zimbabwe is Betting on The Steel Industry to drive Industrialization  by PowerShift Africa A Just Steel Transition by Leanne Govindsamy for the Centre for Environmental Rights ArcelorMittal South Africa to cease long steel production by April by Reuters  Greening China’s ‘brown steel’ investments in Zimbabwe by Kuda ManjonjoBeneficiation might not be a silver bullet by W. Bam W.  & K. de Bruyne
• Why Isn't Zambia the World’s Copper Cable Factory? 05.02.2026 55min

  Copper powers everyday life, from phone chargers and power grids to electric cars and data centres. Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo are central to the global copper supply, yet most of the value generated from that copper is captured far from where it is mined.In this opening episode of Season Two of The Africa Hour, we introduce the concept of mineral value chains and explain why value is distributed unevenly along them. Tracing copper’s journey from the Copperbelt to global markets, the episode shows how different stages of the value chain are located in different places, and why extraction alone delivers far less economic benefit than the activities that come after it. Drawing on voices from industry, policy, and journalism, the episode lays the groundwork for the season ahead. It explores a simple but powerful question: can Africa stop exporting opportunity and start building its future with the minerals the world depends on?Guests:William Clowes is a journalist for Bloomberg, based in Johannesburg, where he covers Africa’s metals and mining sector. He is currently the Africa metals and mining correspondent and previously reported from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria. Read William’s latest reporting for Bloomberg here. Gilbert Makore is the Africa Regional Director at the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) International Secretariat, where he oversees the organisation’s work across 29 African countries. He joined the EITI in April 2020 and is based in Oslo, Norway. Prior to this, he was based in Nairobi, Kenya, where he worked with Oxfam as East Africa Extractives Advisor and Interim Country Director. Gilbert has also held senior roles with organisations including Pact, Publish What You Pay, and the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association, working across extractives governance, transparency, and accountability.Sokwani Chilembo is the Chief Executive Officer of the Zambia Chamber of Mines. A mechanical engineering graduate of the University of Birmingham, he has held senior roles across mining, manufacturing, regulation, and industry leadership in Zambia. He began his career in the copper mining sector before moving into management roles in mining services, soft commodity trading, and the FMCG sector with Zambian Breweries. Sokwani is also the former President of the Mining Industry Association of Southern Africa (association of SADC chambers of mines) and has served on the African Mining Indaba Advisory Board’s Governmental and Policy Committee. Further readings:Industrialisation in Africa: Leading countries and reasons for their success, by Theophilus Acheampong, Prince Asare Vitenu-Sackey for APRI: https://afripoli.org/industrialisation-in-africa-leading-countries-and-reasons-for-their-success From ore to more: Mineral partnerships for African industrialisation by Sarah Logan and Theophilus Acheampong for ECFR: https://ecfr.eu/publication/from-ore-to-more-mineral-partnerships-for-african-industrialisation/?utm_source=chatgpt.com Value addition for who? Challenges to local participation in downstream critical mineral ventures in Zambia by K.C Barron et al. for The Extractive Industries and Society: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214790X24001503#bib0047 Leveraging Zambia’s Energy Transition Minerals: Roadmap for Economic Transformation by The World Bank: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2025/07/01/leveraging-zambia-afe-energy-transition-minerals-roadmap-for-economic-transformation Positioning Zambia for a copper-plus future by Allegra Saggese, Benjamin Shawa and Shahrukh Wani for the International Growth Centre: https://www.theigc.org/publications/positioning-zambia-copper-plus-future Back to basics: How is copper produced? By Mining For Zambia: https://miningforzambia.com/back-to-basics-how-is-copper-produced/
• Season 2: Trailer 27.01.2026 4min

  This season of The Africa Hour explores minerals-based industrialisation and development in Africa, asking a simple but difficult question: how does Africa turn its mineral wealth into lasting economic value?Each episode follows a specific mineral and a set of country case studies, tracing what happens from extraction through processing, production, and use. Through conversations with experts, producers, workers, and policymakers, the season looks at how industries actually function on the ground, where systems enable value creation, where they constrain it, and why progress has proven uneven.Rather than treating industrialisation as an abstract policy goal, the series focuses on how Africa builds in practice: how things are made, what powers production, how labour and logistics shape outcomes, and how institutions and global forces influence what is possible. Along the way, it highlights both the structural challenges facing minerals-based development and the signs of momentum already taking shape across the continent.This trailer offers a first look at the questions, stories, and voices that will shape the season.
• Episode 12: How Is Egypt Digitizing the Bottleneck Which Is the Suez Canal? 06.06.2024 49min

  Before we dive into this episode, we want to say a huge thank you to our listeners who have been tuning in for the past year. This episode concludes The Africa Hour’s first season on digitalization on the African continent. It was a wonderful experience and APRI hopes to be back soon with a new season and fresh, informative, and critical policy content. Egypt is keen on foreign capital, and is creating special economic zones to attract investors. One such zone is along the man-made Suez Canal -  one of the most important maritime trade routes globally. Even the tiniest of problems in the Canal can significantly derail operation for the thousands of shipping vessels that pass through the channel every year. Authorities are leveraging this crucial corridor, and in 2015, created a special trade zone around the Canal to boost local production of automotives, chemicals, construction materials and so on. As the zone slowly develops a decade after though, can authorities use technology to pull investors in faster? And can the zone become a green hydrogen production hub to help clean up the very-polluting shipping sector?GuestsMohamed Ibrahim Hafez is a prolific expert and advisor in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). He has advised countries in the Middle East and Africa - including Egypt - on strategies and policies to boost investment and elevate SEZ ecosystems. Presently, he is a researcher at the Center for Policy, Citizenship and Society at Nottingham Trent University. He was formerly a policy advisor at the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones in Egypt (GAFI) and is also a fellow of the Asia Global Institute, in addition to being a Chevening Scholar.Naira Hatem Is the Africa Race to Zero connector with the Climate Champions Team. She is an expert in environment policy issues in Egypt and across the MENA region, and has contributed to research projects on energy transitions in AfricaProfessor Akram Soliman Elselmy is a veteran academic and engineer, who has researched and trained across the MENA region and further afield in the UKand the US. He is currently the Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the esteemed Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, and formerly led the Port Training Institute (PTI). Prof. Elselmy is also the chairman of the organizing Committee of "MARLOG" - the International Conference on Maritime Transport and Logistics.Further Readings How the Suez Canal Economic Zone is aiding Egypt's economic resurgence https://www.fdiintelligence.com/content/locations/middle-east-africa/egypt/how-the-suez-canal-economic-zone-is-aiding-egypt-s-economic-resurgence-76816 The Suez Canal: Forthcoming Strategic and Geopolitical Challenges: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-15670-0_1 Unlocking Economic Potential: Transforming Egypt's Ports into Global Hubs: https://www.arabfinance.com/News/newdetails/9578 Suez Canal Economic Zone: from a transit area to an innovation hub in Egypt: https://www.sr-m.it/index.php?ctrl=Events&mod=events&action=info_events&slug=suez-canal-economic-zone-from-a-transit-area-to-an-innovation-hub-in-egypt&lang=en Supporting the development of the Suez Canal Economic Zone: https://www.oecd.org/mena/competitiveness/suez-canal-economic-zone.htm Second Phase of Suez Canal Economic Zone Digitalization Launched: https://energycapitalpower.com/2nd-phase-suez-canal-digitalization-ebrd/
• Episode 11: How Can Namibia Capitalize on Digital Nomad Visas? 25.04.2024 39min

  Since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, remote working has become an important part of business cultures across the world, including in Africa. Namibia, with its deserts and beaches, wants to capitalize on that opportunity, and attract ‘digital nomads’ to spend needed foreign exchange in the country, using a new visa category it launched back in 2022. But, two years on, the numbers of digital nomads who’ve passed through the program remains low. So what does Namibia need to do to compete for the global remote working community that boasts a market of more than 30 million people?Guests*Andreas Kresnel is a leading immigration expert on southern Africa, and is the founder of IBN Immigration Solutions. Based in South Africa, Andreas has worked on immigration issues in the region for more than a decade, opening two international IBN offices in Windhoek and Kenya in that time. He is the author of 3 books, including The Corporate Immigration Guide to southern Africa. Find Andreas' quick take on the Namibia's nomad visa here*Lazarus Amukeshe is an award-winning business and investigative journalist with The Namibian, one of the country's biggest newspapers. He has covered developments on Namibia's nomad visa scheme since its 2022 launch. Lazarus was the 2023 Editors Forum Journalist of the Year in addition to being the best Business/Finance journalist. His latest reports are here. *Prithwiraj (Raj) Choudhury is the Lumry Family Associate Professor at the Harvard Business School where he prolifically researches the future of work, particularly the changing geography of work. Raj has also analysed the productivity of remote working and nomad visas. He is an Associate Editor at Management Science and is on Forbes' Future of Work-50 list (2023). Read Raj's take on why nomad visas can boost local economies here.Further Readings: Namibia’s Nomad Visa https://nipdb.com/nomadvisa/  A guide to Namibia’s digital nomad visa https://digitalnomadsinafrica.com/destinations/namibia-digital-nomad-guide/  Namibia approves first nine nomad visa applications https://www.namibian.com.na/namibia-approves-first-digital-nomads/  Namibia welcomes first digital nomads https://neweralive.na/posts/namibia-welcomes-first-digital-nomads  Digital nomad visas are on the rise in Africa https://techcentral.co.za/digital-nomad-visas-africa-south-africa/233185/  Africa Woos Tech Talent As Remote Work Visa Trend Grows Worldwide: https://weetracker.com/2023/09/26/africa-woos-tech-talent/  This spectacular African country now has a digital nomad visa https://www.timeout.com/news/this-spectacular-african-country-now-has-a-digital-nomad-visa-101922 
• Episode 10: Is Ethiopia Ready for the Artificial Intelligence Era? 22.02.2024 46min

  Ethiopia is marketing itself as the leading artificial intelligence (AI) player in Africa. The country is not just mouthing off though – it has some credits to back its claim. Some parts of Sophia the robot were developed right in Addis Ababa. Several Ethiopian startups are also using AI to develop products like language apps focused on local languages. Ethiopia is covering its base on the policy side too, with a new artificial intelligence institute, and a national AI policy in the making. But does this east African country have what it takes to be the AI powerhouse while avoiding ethical problems? GuestsHruy Tsegaye is a leading AI voice in Ethiopia. He is a co-founder at iCog Labs, the first private AI/Robotics company in East Africa - and the CEO of Mindplex, a decentralized media platform. Hruy is also a prolific AI researcher, and has published multiple articles on the state of AI in Africa. You can find some of his pieces on how decentralised AI can help solve development problems here.Abdullahi Tsanni is a science journalist currently reporting for the prestigious MIT Tech Review in Boston. His work, which covers a wide range of issues across technology, science and health, has appeared in publications like STAT News, Nature, and The British Medical Journal. His recent report on the startups leading the race in programming AI specifically for African languages like Amharic is here.Finally, Dr Taye Girma is the Deputy Director General at the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute, and is one of the brains behind the upcoming national AI policy. The Institute is one of the first such government departments in Africa, and is working on how AI can help boost the health, finance, transportation and agriculture sectors. Dr Girma is one of the founders of the Institute, and is at the center of AI research and practice in Ethiopia. He is also a professor of Computer Engineering with a focus on AI at the Addis Ababa Science and Technology University.Further Readings Nation Strengthening AI Technology to Modernize, Enhance Efficiency: Institute Director-General: https://www.ena.et/web/eng/w/eng_3633464 Whose Job Will AI Replace? Here's Why a Clerk in Ethiopia Has More to Fear Than One in California: https://theconversation.com/whose-job-will-ai-replace-heres-why-a-clerk-in-ethiopia-has-more-to-fear-than-one-in-california-216735 Grand Challenges Ethiopia: Catalyzing Equitable AI Use to Improve Global Health: https://www2.fundsforngos.org/latest-funds-for-ngos/grand-challenges-ethiopia-catalyzing-equitable-ai-use-to-improve-global-health/  The AI Startup Outperforming Google Translate in Ethiopian Languages: https://restofworld.org/2023/3-minutes-with-asmelash-teka-hadgu/  Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institutes Discusses Intellectual Property Rights for its Products: https://www.aii.et/ethiopian-artificial-intelligence-institutes-discuss-about-the-intellectual-property-rights-for-the-products-developed-by-the-institute/  African Union (AU) Continental AI Strategy for Africa: https://www.nepad.org/news/african-union-artificial-intelligence-continental-strategy-africa A Sceptical Approach to the Future of AI and Emerging Technologies in Today’s Africa:https://medium.com/@Hruy.T/a-sceptical-approach-to-the-future-of-ai-and-emerging-technologies-in-todays-africa-d03abb04b8bfThe Future of AI Statistics in Africa - Is the Continent Really Ready?: https://www.isi-web.org/article/future-ai-statistics-africa-continent-ready#:~:text=digital%20solutions%20into%20their%20statistical,steps%20to%20formulate%20AI%20policies
• Episode 9: Will Tiny Cabo Verde Succeed in Becoming West Africa’s Tech Giant? 18.01.2024 55min

  Cabo Verde has always been, to many on the African continent, a small slice of beach resorts perfect for a holiday get away. Tourism is one of the key revenue earners for this small west African country, along with manufacturing and the services industry. But since 2019, the Cape Verdean government has been pushing a new digital plan that aims to position the country as a major tech hub in the sub region, rivaling countries like Nigeria and Ghana, West Africa’s tech heavyweights. But Cabo Verde, in addition to having fewer natural resources and a smaller economy, has a huge brain drain problem, with more of its population outside the country than inside it. So how will the country achieve its goal? Will targeting youths for tech training and building a fancy technology park with state of the art facilities to host start-up companies deliver the momentum the country needs?Guests:Uyoyo Edosio is a Principal Innovation and technology expert at the African Development Bank (AfDB) where she manages a multi-million dollar portfolio focused on digital innovation and education. She's MIT-trained, and has advised governments on their digital strategies, on the continent, and well beyond. Uyoyo is currently the program lead for the Cape Verde Technology Park Project at AfDB. In one of her most recent opinion pieces, Uyoyo lays out how African governments can tweak regulations to enable entrepreneurs to test products or services without the usual bureaucracy.Pedro Lopes is the Cabo Verdean Secretary of State of the Digital Economy. Before that, he was the country's Secretary of State for Innovation and Technical Training, the youngest-serving government official at the time. Pedro is also a former YALI fellow and is credited with receiving several awards, including being named on the MIPAD Most Influential People of African Descent under 40. He also organized the first-ever Tedx in Praia. In 2018, Pedro was profiled by Forbes Magazine. Further Readings: Official Page - Cape Verde Tech Park: https://www.techpark.cv/  AfDB Cape Verde Park Project Overview: https://projectsportal.afdb.org/dataportal/VProject/show/P-CV-GB0-004  IOM Facts and Figures, Cape Verde: https://www.iom.int/node/106721/facts-and-figures  AfDB Agrees Loan For Cape Verde Technology Park: https://www.constructafrica.com/news/afdb-agrees-loan-cape-verde-technology-park  Cape Verde Receives 15 Million Lean for Two Data Centers: https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/cape-verde-receives-15-million-loan-for-two-data-centers/  African Development Bank Partners With Cabo Verde to Boost Climate-Resilient Technology Park: ​​https://thefintechtimes.com/african-development-bank-partners-with-cabo-verde-to-boost-climate-resilient-technology-park/  A Guide to Cabo Verde’s Digital Economy - US Department of Commerce https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/cabo-verde-digital-economy Testing the Brain Gain theory - Micro evidence from Cape Verde - IZA Institute of Labor Economics https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/5048/testing-the-brain-gain-hypothesis-micro-evidence-from-cape-verde
• Episode 8: Tackling Disaster Prevention Digitally: How Is Data Driving Climate Risk Management in Mozambique? 21.12.2023 48min

  Digital disaster and climate risk management in Mozambique holds immense potential for bolstering the country's resilience in the face of increasing climate-related challenges. With its vulnerability to cyclones, flooding, and droughts, Mozambique can benefit significantly from advanced technologies like remote sensing, satellite imagery, and data analytics to monitor and predict natural disasters. These digital tools enable early warning systems and efficient disaster response, helping save lives and mitigate economic losses. Additionally, leveraging digital platforms for climate adaptation strategies, such as crop modeling and water resource management, can empower local communities and authorities to make informed decisions. As Mozambique continues to grapple with climate change impacts, digital solutions offer a promising pathway to enhance preparedness and minimize the devastating effects of environmental disasters.Guests:Filipe Mate is a geographer and an environmental researcher with the Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo. He is a prolific analyst in the field of disaster risks and climate change. Filipe completed a Masters in Risk Management from Durham University in 2021, with a dissertation focusing on the preparedness in Beria before Cyclone Idai hit in 2019.Tomás Queface is a researcher and security expert. He is currently a consultant with ACLED - a renowned global conflict data gathering project. Tomás helps monitor the ACLED project - Cabo Ligado, a Mozambique conflict observatory providing cutting edge, real time data and data analysis on political violence in the country.Luis Nhachote is a journalist and researcher covering Mozambique. He is a board member of the Forum for African Investigative Reporters and is the founder of investigative platform Centro de Jornalismo Investigativo.Further Readings: https://nepad.org/blog/employing-emerging-technologies-reduce-impact-of-cyclones-case-of-mozambique-and-malawi  https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2023/09/11/early-warning-system-saves-lives-in-afe-mozambique  https://www.preventionweb.net/news/fair-winds-climate-forecasts-mozambique  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262880035_Using_data_digitalization_to_inform_climate_change_adaptation_policy_Informing_the_future_using_the_present 
• Episode 7: In Oil-rich Algeria, Can Authorities Keep the Focus on Renewables? 16.11.2023 47min

  Algeria seemed on track with its renewable energy transition. Like many north African countries, Algeria has experienced negative climate change impacts and recognises that there’s a global shift towards renewables that it too must follow. Already as early as 2010, the government announced it would green about a third of its energy mix by 2030, and launched a big solar and wind energy program. And then, Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and sent European countries scrambling for gas across the Mediterranean. Since then, billions of dollars have been pumped into oil and gas explorations in Algeria, with investments in the green energy field slowing in comparison. As fossil money continues to pour in, can Algiers find the will to stay focused on renewables?Guests:Achref Chibani is a journalist and prolific researcher focusing on energy and climate change and human rights in North Africa and the Middle East. He is currently a fellow at the European University Institute's School of Transnational Governance. His recent policy papers on Algeria's energy transition and on the future of hydrogen in the Gulf can be found here and here.Radia Sedaoui is the Chief of the Energy Section at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) . Radia has taken part in several high-level panel discussions on renewable energy systems and is spearheading the UN's REGEND program, which aims to promote small scale renewable energy projects for the benefit of Arab women in rural communities. She was formerly a corporate leader at Sonatrach, Algeria's oil company.Zine Labidine Ghebouli is a scholar on Algerian politics and Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. He is a fellow, past and present, with several top institutions, including the European Union Council on Foreign Relations and the Arab Reform Initiative. Zine's recent paper on Europe and Algeria's gas romance in the wake of the Ukraine war and his review of a post-Hirak Algeria are here and here.Further readings: https://www.thecairoreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cr46-cr46-ghebouli-full-page-lr.pdf https://www.mei.edu/publications/hydrogen-fuel-future-moving-gccs-climate-mitigation-agenda-forward https://www.mei.edu/publications/algeria-charts-path-renewable-energy-sector-development https://www.zawya.com/en/projects/utilities/algeria-plans-clean-energy-projects-for-electricity-exports-to-europe-ht6vof8w https://timep.org/2022/08/24/algerias-green-energy-transition-an-energy-transition-diverted-by-oil-and-gas-profits/ https://www.unescwa.org/publications/energy-vulnerability-arab-region https://www.unescwa.org/publications/progress-arab-region-decade-sustainable-energy
• Episode 6: The Cost of Connecting - Can Cameroon Catch up? 07.09.2023 52min

  Cameroon really has no excuse for poor internet: Some of Africa’s biggest internet service providers operate in the country, including MTN and Orange, and the country is connected to five fiber optic submarine internet cables. Yet, internet broadband speeds in this central African country lag frustratingly. Added to that, internet costs are high, intensifying the digital divide between the poor and rich in a country where 47 percent of the population falls below the international poverty line for low-middle income countries. Cameroon’s internet affordability and quality has improved in recent years, but there’s a long way to go. In a digital world where countries are racing to deliver faster internet speeds at dirt-cheap costs, and where easy access to the internet is one measure of a nation’s development, can Cameroon catch up?Guests Judith Murungi is a lawyer, prolific legal researcher and an advocate at the High Court of Kenya. She is affiliated with several institutions, including the O'Neill Institute at Georgetown University and the NGO, Internet Sans Frontieres. Judith is currently researching AI regulations in Africa and has contributed to reports on the state of the internet in Africa, including 'Cross Border Digital Policies in Africa.'Amindeh Blaise Atabong is a seasoned freelance investigative journalist based in Yaounde. He has covered everything from conflicts to internet shutdowns in Cameroon, and has been published in Quartz and Reuters among several other reputable platforms. You can read Amindeh's coverage of the recent #ModeAvion237 protests here.Kathleen Ndongmo is a communications specialist and a digital rights campaigner based in Cameroon. A 'Pan African Good Troublemaker', Kathleen has spoken out loudly against human and internet rights violations in the country and was a leading voice in the 2017 'Bring Back Our Internet' campaign. She was also a 2018 Fellow with the Open Internet for Democracy Initiative. You can read some of her writing on digital rights in Africa here.  Vox Pops - Pius Ayeni, Akoko Regina, Madame Sambo ClaudetteFurther Readings Cameroon Doubled Internet Penetration Rate in 4 Years: https://www.businessincameroon.com/economy/0103-12986-cameroon-doubled-mobile-internet-penetration-rate-in-4-years-although-challenges-remain Cameroon Internet Shutdowns Cost Anglophones Millions: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/1/26/cameroon-internet-shutdowns-cost-anglophones-millions  Camtel, Orange, MTN, Nexttel… Cameroon’s Telecoms Watchdog Doles out Fines: https://www.theafricareport.com/311211/camtel-orange-mtn-nexttel-cameroons-telecoms-watchdog-doles-out-fines/  Cameroon Is Being Sued for Blocking the Internet in Its Anglophone Regions: https://qz.com/africa/1192401/access-now-and-internet-sans-frontieres-sue-cameroon-for-shutting-down-the-internet  The Number of Internet Users in Cameroon Grew by 10.6% in 2022: https://www.businessincameroon.com/banking-and-finance/2601-12940-the-number-of-internet-users-in-cameroon-grew-by-10-6-in-2022  Digital 2023 Report - Cameroon: https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-cameroon Judith Murungi, Participant Reflection on #FIFAfrica22: Effective Engagement in the UPR Process for Digital Rights Promotion, The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA),<https://cipesa.org/2022/10/participant-reflection-on-fifafrica22-effective-engagement-in-the-upr-process-for-digital-rights-promotion/> Judith Murungi, Electronic Retailing in Kenya: Addressing Consumer Protection Legal and Implementation Challenges, University of Nairobi, <http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/157268?show=full>  Contribution to the Global Digital Compact as a fellow of the South School on Internet Governance (SSIG) , <https://www.linkedin.com/posts/olgacavalli_south-school-on-internet-governance-global-activity-7044464679523360768-05yT?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop> 
• Episode 5: Will Digital IDs Deliver for the Rwandan People? 03.08.2023 46min

  Around 1 billion people in the world are unregistered, with no means or documents to identify them. According to the World Bank, half of those people live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Across the continent, governments are struggling to provide adequate identification schemes for their citizens. The results are a weakened ability to deliver services and social grants, especially to vulnerable peoples such as the disabled, and the elderly. Rwanda wants to fix that. New smart IDs that will carry biometric components like fingerprints and iris scans are set to be rolled out in a few years. But does the country have the physical and legal infrastructure to make the rollout a success? Guests: Hilda Barasa is a Senior Policy Advisor with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. Her research covers digitalisation processes in Africa and around the world. Her recent paper, co-authored with two of her colleagues, explores how digital IDs can help four African countries, including Rwanda, better reach marginalized groups, including women in rural areas and the elderly.Hudson Kuteesa is a seasoned journalist with The New Times, covering everything from technology to health. He has reported prolifically on the new smart IDs that Rwanda plans to roll out. His report detailing how Rwanda's proposed smart IDs will be a game changer is here.Katelyn Cioffi is a Senior Research Scholar at NYU's Center for Human Rights and Global Justice researching how digital government initiatives, including biometric ID systems, affect human rights. Katelyn has worked extensively on social justice issues at various organisations including Amnesty International. Katelyn was a 2018 Fulbright Fellow at the Amsterdam Center for International Law, University of Amsterdam.Further Readings Rwanda initiates legislative digital ID amendment to include stateless persons, children: https://www.biometricupdate.com/202304/rwanda-initiates-legislative-digital-id-amendment-to-include-stateless-persons-children Digital ID Can Help to Better Serve Marginalised Groups in Society: https://www.institute.global/insights/tech-and-digitalisation/digital-id-can-help-to-better-serve-marginalised-groups-in-society  African Countries are struggling to build robust identity systems: https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2019/12/05/african-countries-are-struggling-to-build-robust-identity-systems Digital Identity in Rwanda, Case Study: https://researchictafrica.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Rwanda_31.10.21.pdf 
• Episode 4: Nigeria’s Cashless Transition: How Long Will it Take? 06.07.2023 44min

  Cash is still king in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy, despite a decades-long push by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to switch to alternative modes of payment. Some 90 percent of transactions are cash-based, according to Bloomberg. Fees have been levied on cash withdrawals since 2012 but cash use remains high. In 2021, the CBN launched the eNaira -- a central bank digital currency or CDBC -- making Nigeria one of only 11 countries to do so. And last December, the Bank followed up on that by abruptly banning old naira notes and releasing lower volumes of the re-designed naira. It backfired: the currency change resulted in a cash scarcity crisis. The eNaira though, seems to be stronger. So what should the CBN do next?Guests: Chimgozirim Nwokoma is a Senior Reporter with TechPoint, one of Nigeria's leading tech publications. Chimgozirim's recent analysis on why Nigeria is not ready for cashless is here. You can also listen to Chimgozirim on the Techpoint Africa Podcast here.Olubunmi Ayantunji is a legal practitioner and a legislative Draftsman with a focus on public policy. He is the founder of The Policy Roundtable and was a one-time consultant to a Nigerian parliament committee. Olubunmi has helped draft several bills, including the Plastic Bags Prohibition and Management Bill. He has also analyzed the recent cashless policy on Nigerian media channels.Kelechukwu Ogu is an analyst with SBM, one of Nigeria's leading geopolitical intelligence platforms. Kelechukwu has worked prolifically on researching financial policies in Nigeria. He was a key contributor to new research from SBM - 'Strapped' - that focuses on the effects of the severe cash crunch resulting from a recent currency change policy by the Muhamadu Buhari-led administration.Further Readings:Strapped: Impact of the Cash Scarcity on Individuals and Businesses - https://www.sbmintel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/202305_Strapped.pdfNigeria’s Cashless Policy (Central Bank of Nigeria) - https://www.cbn.gov.ng/cashless/Cash-Less%20FAQs.pdfAccess to Financial Services in Nigeria 2020 Survey - https://a2f.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/A2F-2020-Final-Report.pdfNigeria and Digital Banking: A Revolution Still Waiting to Happen - https://theconversation.com/nigeria-and-digital-banking-a-revolution-still-waiting-to-happen-203435
• Episode 3: What Are The Challenges in Taking South African Music Digital? 04.05.2023 59min

  There’s no doubt that we are in the golden age of African music: The industry is experiencing an unprecedented era of recognition around the world. Some of the most streamed artists and songs  hail from South Africa, particularly in the rising Amapiano genre. But despite the seeming success,  South African artists faced a hard time during the pandemic, and continue to face numerous challenges. Can music platforms and policy makers work together to ensure a fairer system for creatives?Guests: Aidin Caye is a DJ and producer based in Johannesburg. His film, The State of the Arts, produced at the peak of pandemic lockdowns in South Africa, documented the dire experiences of musicians and other industry creatives. More about Aidin: https://aidincaye.com Watch State of the Arts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nXAJnKOj64 Gwen Ansell is a researcher with the Gordon Institute of Business Science and was a one-time visiting professor at the Center for Jazz Studies, Columbia University. Ansell is a prolific journalist and media trainer, and is the author of several books, including Soweto Blues. Read Ansell’s blog https://sisgwenjazz.wordpress.com.Andre Le Roux is the Managing Director of IKS Cultural Consulting. He formerly led the South African Musician Rights Organisation (SAMRO) Foundation. He has been a prominent voice in the industry, advocating for better fee collection systems and for better pay for musicians.Further readings for those who want to learn more Report “Taking Music Online in South Africa”: https://iksafrica.com/reports/Digital-Futures-Two-Taking-Music-Online-in-South-Africa.pdf  Report “Live Streaming in South Africa”: https://iksafrica.com/reports/Digital-Futures-online.pdf  Why African Artists Are Not Enjoying the Full Benefits of Streaming Services: https://techcabal.com/2021/03/26/data-why-african-artistes-are-not-enjoying-the-full-benefits-of-streaming-services/  Why Policymakers Should Support Africa’s Growing Music Industry: https://blogs.worldbank.org/nasikiliza/why-policymakers-should-support-africas-growing-music-industry  An Africa-Focused Music Download Service Raised $6 Million From Its IPO to Help Pay Artists: https://qz.com/africa/1902340/mdundo-ipo-raises-6-4m-to-take-on-spotify-apple-music-in-africa  AI Music generation - Coming for a Gig Near You? https://sisgwenjazz.wordpress.com/2023/03/28/ai-music-generation-coming-for-a-gig-near-you/ The Kiffness: https://www.thekiffness.com 
• Episode 2: Does Kenya Need to Be Much Tougher on Fintechs? 06.04.2023 49min

  Kenya is perhaps one of Africa’s most advanced cashless economies. MPesa - the mobile payment platform - has gained almost total dominance of the market. At least 30 million Kenyans of the country's 53 million population use MPesa for daily transactions. Fintechs in general have seen a massive emergence in this ecosystem - among them popular digital lending apps that many use to access quick loans without the stress of collateral requested by traditional banks. But there are allegations of data breaches and manipulation by the app operators. Customers too, have reported scenes of harassment and abuse by lending companies when they fail to pay up their loans. The Central Bank of Kenya regulates Fintechs in the country, but are the rules strict enough to discourage malpractices? Our host, Dr. Olumide Abimbola, discusses this and other pressing questions with guests Carlos Mureithi, Ariana Issaias, Cynthia Amutete and Kevin Mutiso. GuestsCarlos Mureithi is a journalist covering tech and other topics in Africa. He is currently the Africa Correspondent for the Boston-based paper, the Christian Science Monitor.Ariana Issaias and Cynthia Amutete are seasoned advisors with Kenyan law firm, Bowmans, specializing in financial technology.Kevin Mutiso is the Chairman of the Digital Financial Services Association Kenya and founder of Oye, which provides insurance to Kenya’s boda boda riders.Further readings for those who want to learn more All Africa, Kenya Tops Continent by a Mile in Internet Penetration: https://allafrica.com/stories/202101220350.html  Pulitzer Center, Debt Slavery in Kenya on Fintech Explosion: https://pulitzercenter.org/projects/debt-slavery-kenya-fintech-explosion Privacy International, Perspectives on the Harms of Unregulated Fintech: https://privacyinternational.org/long-read/4619/perspectives-harms-unregulated-fintech  Borgen Project, Closing the Internet Connectivity Gap in Kenya: https://borgenproject.org/internet-connectivity-gap-in-kenya/  Quartz, Kenya Is Preparing to Crack Down on a Flood of High-Interest Loan Apps: https://qz.com/africa/1975202/kenya-prepares-to-crack-down-on-high-interest-loan-apps  Strathmore University, Privacy and Data Protection Practices of Digital Lending Apps in Kenya: https://cipit.strathmore.edu/privacy-and-data-protection-practices-of-digital-lending-apps-in-kenya-report/
• Bonus Episode: What Are the Legal Repercussions of Twitter Layoffs in Ghana? 23.03.2023 15min

  Since Elon Musk took over Twitter in October, 2023, he has laid off thousands of staff, cutting the company’s workforce by more than half. In Accra, Ghana where the Africa team is based, Musk disengaged all but one employee. Now, former staffers there are seeking redress for their firing, claiming Musk violated Ghana’s labor laws. In Accra, Olumide Abimbola speaks to Carla Olympio, the lawyer taking on the case.GuestsCarla Olympio is a corporate lawyer and communications specialist. She is the founder and Managing Partner of Accra-based Agency Seven Seven. Educated in Ghana and the United Kingdom, Olympio acquired broad experience in law and across the varied industries of media, mining and oil and gas before setting up the Agency. The lawyer is currently leading negotiations with Twitter on behalf of former employees based in Accra.
• Episode 1: Can African Countries Hold Big Tech Accountable? 02.03.2023 38min

  Welcome to The Africa Hour, the podcast that takes a deep dive into pressing policy issues in African countries, providing expert analysis and insights from various perspectives. In today's episode, we are focusing on Ghana, where the tech industry is currently grappling with the aftermath of Twitter's recent decision to lay off all but one member of its 20-person team in Accra, which is the hub of its African operations. The affected employees have initiated legal action against Twitter, citing violations of Ghanaian employment laws. This situation raises important questions about how multinational tech companies operating in Africa are adhering to local labor laws and respecting the rights of their employees. Therefore, we will be examining the Ghanaian legal framework for hiring and firing, and also delving into broader issues around the treatment of tech workers across the continent. So sit back, relax, and join us as we explore this critical topic. Please subscribe, rate and share.Host: Olumide AbimbolaProducer: Shola LawalProduction Assistants: Nora Chirikure & Kwabena NkurumahVisit our website: https://afripoli.org/podcasts/
• The Africa Hour 16.02.2023 2min

  A Podcast by APRI