By Africanews Abdelmadjid Tebboune has paid his respects to former Algerian leader Liamine Zeroual, whose death at the age of 84 has prompted nationwide mourning in Algeria. Images released by the presidency show Tebboune standing solemnly beside Zeroual’s coffin at the Mohamed Seghir Nekkache Military Hospital, where the former president died after a long illness. Authorities have declared three days of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast across the country. Born in the eastern city of Batna in 1941, Zeroual was a former soldier who rose through the ranks of the National Liberation Army, which fought for independence from…
Author: Montage Africa
By AFP Arab foreign ministers on Sunday unanimously named former Egyptian foreign minister Nabil Fahmy the Arab League’s new Secretary General. Fahmy will be officially approved by Arab leaders at the next summit, set to be held in Saudi Arabia, before starting his five-year term in July. The former top diplomat, who led Egypt’s foreign ministry from June 2013 to July 2014, will become the eighth Egyptian head of the Cairo-based regional bloc, succeeding Ahmed Aboul Gheit. The 22-member bloc has only had one non-Egyptian secretary general — Tunisian Chedli Klibi in the 1980s — when Egypt was suspended for…
By Gigi Ncgobo, Venture Scale Lead at Injini So, you’ve successfully rolled out an EdTEch pilot programme. Thousands of tablets have been deployed, there are glowing dashboards, and you’ve got high “time-on-app” statistics. You may have even received some great press. But have you actually succeeded? After all, there are hundreds of EdTech startups across Africa, but how significant an improvement has there been in key metrics like literacy and numeracy over the years? In South Africa – the continent’s most developed and biggest economy – the evidence is mixed, at best. The most recent Progress in International Reading Literacy…
Three people, two women and a man, have been confirmed dead after a three-storey building that was being used as a church collapsed on worshippers in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, on Sunday. Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak said 20 others, most of them women and children, had been rescued and were being treated in various hospitals. There was “90-95% certainty that we no longer [have] any persons [trapped]”, he added. Emergency teams worked through the night under floodlights searching for victims inside the structure’s remains. The cause of its collapse, which happened after heavy rain, is unknown, with the interior minister…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP Catholics across Nigeria marked Palm Sunday, beginning the Holy Week with prayers and processions. The observance commemorates the biblical account of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, symbolising peace and humility. This year’s celebrations come as many Nigerians face rising living costs and ongoing insecurity. Some worshippers said the message of hope associated with Palm Sunday remained relevant despite the challenges. “Nigeria is going to be better whether we like it or not, and Christ is our hope,” said faithful Frank Mordi. Omowunmi Mubi, another Catholic faithful, said she hoped the Easter period would bring hope…
The ants are flying in Kenya at the moment. During this rainy season, swarms can be seen leaving the thousands of anthills in and around Gilgil, a quiet agricultural town in Kenya’s Rift Valley that has emerged as the centre of a booming illegal trade. The mating ritual sees winged males leave the nest to impregnate queens, who also take flight at this time. This makes it the perfect time to chase down queen ants to sell on to smugglers who are at the heart of a growing global black market, that taps into the pet craze for keeping ants…
Sol Plaatje University (SPU) formally inaugurated its second Chancellor, Thebe Ikalafeng, in a ceremony that placed the life, intellectual legacy and enduring relevance of Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje at the centre of institutional expression. The ceremony was opened by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Debra Meyer, who welcomed guests and set the tone for the occasion as one of reflection, institutional pride and renewed commitment to the University’s founding values. Taking place in the 150th year of Plaatje’s birth, the ceremony reflected a commitment to advancing knowledge that is both locally grounded and globally engaged. The day began with a ceremonial procession linking…
Behind Africa’s most powerful brands are the strategists shaping their trajectory. Today, that reality takes center stage with the launch of the ACMO 100, the first benchmark ranking dedicated to Africa’s leading marketing professionals. Initiated by Brand Africa, in partnership with African Business, MiPAD and AMA, this inaugural edition highlights 100 decision-makers from over 20 countries, operating across key sectors including financial services, telecommunications, consumer goods, fintech and aviation. Built on more than 15 years of research into Africa’s most admired brands, the ACMO 100 addresses a long-standing paradox: while non-African brands continue to dominate perceptions across the continent, African…
ersatile record producer Epic Minds has released a new single, Kufeziwe, featuring vocalist Ms P.O.V. The track is the first in a series of releases leading up to an upcoming EP of the same name. Kufeziwe brings together electronic production with Afro-influenced elements, led by a measured and emotive vocal from Ms P.O.V. The song reflects themes of completion and personal progress, with a sound that sits comfortably across both electronic and contemporary African music spaces. Listen to the official single here: Active since 2008, Epic Minds first gained wider attention in 2012 when the track Jiva was featured in the Red Bull Beat…
By Rédaction Africanews Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni travelled to Algiers on Wednesday. It is her second visit to Algeria since taking office and Meloni comes with clear goals: more gas supplies and tighter relations. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Algiers on Wednesday on a working visit. The timing of her trip is not random: as the war in the Middle East is negatively affecting liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from Qatar, Italy is in need of more LNG from other countries. With Algeria already in first place for gas exports to Italy (around 30% of Rome’s total…