Author: WAJ Team

Mariam Eniola Bolaji of Nigeria has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first African athlete to win a badminton medal at the Paralympics or Olympics. At the Paris Paralympics on Monday, Bolaji clinched the bronze medal in the women’s singles SL3 category, marking a significant achievement for both her and the continent. The 18-year-old athlete delivered an impressive performance, defeating Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyna with convincing scores of 21-9 and 21-9. Bolaji’s victory is especially poignant given the circumstances surrounding her journey. It comes three years after the tragic death of her coach, Bello Oyebanji, who died in a road…

South Africa’s state-owned logistics firm reported a significant increase in its losses for the fiscal year ending in March 2024, reaching 7.3 billion rand ($408.72 million), up from 5.1 billion rand the previous year. Facing substantial debt, the company has struggled to maintain effective freight rail and port services, which has hampered economic progress in the country. Despite an 11% rise in revenue driven by tariff increases and greater rail and port volumes, net operating expenses surged by over 19%, primarily due to costs associated with ongoing legal challenges.

The $10 billion project involves drilling for oil in the Lake Albert region of northwestern Uganda and constructing a 1,443-kilometre (900-mile) heated pipeline to transport the crude oil to Tanzania’s Tanga port on the Indian Ocean. A recent report from a non-profit organization, which included interviews with numerous local residents, outlines a series of abuses associated with the Kingfisher project. The report details various forms of mistreatment experienced by the local population. The organization’s Executive Director, Brad Adams, condemned the project, stating that it is deeply concerning that a venture promoted as a path to prosperity for Uganda is instead…

Between April and June, South Africa saw nearly 6,200 murders, according to recent police statistics. This represents a slight 0.5 percent decrease from the previous year. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu emphasized the pressing nature of the crime issue facing the new coalition government during a recent press briefing in Cape Town. In the same period, incidents of rape increased by 0.6 percent, with a total of 9,309 reported cases. Additionally, authorities uncovered 44,735 drug-related offenses, attributed to significant police operations targeting drug syndicates that led to major drug seizures. Beyond the Numbers Recently, elite police forces uncovered a multi-million-dollar crystal…

On Friday, the German military completed its withdrawal from an airbase in Niger, ending its operations in the country. The final troops returned home, concluding their mission in the volatile Sahel region. An interim agreement reached in late May had permitted German forces to use the Niamey airbase until the end of August. However, failed negotiations to extend this agreement were largely due to the withdrawal of legal immunity for the personnel stationed there. Joint statements from senior military officials of both nations confirmed the withdrawal but emphasized that military cooperation between the two countries will continue. Five cargo planes,…

Congo is at the center of a significant mpox outbreak, which the World Health Organization recently designated as a global public health emergency. Vaccines are expected to arrive soon to address the new virus strain, and the government has approved an initial $10 million to tackle the crisis. At the Kavumu hospital, which has admitted 900 patients with symptoms over the past three months, healthcare workers are struggling with severe shortages of medication. The head doctor reported daily shortages and a steep decline in international aid. Currently, 135 patients, including both children and adults, are being treated in three large…

Severe rainfall in Niger has claimed at least 15 more lives, regional officials reported on Sunday, adding to the growing toll of the ongoing downpours affecting the country. Since June, intense rains have been battering Africa’s Sahel region, and the recent deaths in Niger contribute to a total of over 217 fatalities nationwide during this period. More than 350,000 individuals have been impacted by the floods. Last week, rising waters nearly cut off the capital, Niamey, from the rest of the nation before the situation improved. The most recent casualties occurred on Friday in Maradi, Niger’s economic hub, which has…

Algeria has recently gained membership in the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB), a move announced by the country’s finance ministry. The approval was finalized on Saturday and disclosed by the bank’s head, Dilma Rousseff, during a meeting in Cape Town, South Africa. This membership marks a crucial step for Algeria in its efforts to integrate more deeply into the global financial system, as emphasized by the finance ministry. The BRICS New Development Bank, originally established by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, was designed as an alternative to established global financial entities like the World Bank and IMF. Algeria’s…

On September 1, 1969, Libya underwent a dramatic change with the onset of the Libyan Revolution, also referred to as the 1 September Revolution. This significant event saw Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and his Free Officers Movement overthrow King Idris I and the Senussi monarchy. The coup, executed with impressive precision and minimal bloodshed, led to the creation of the Libyan Arab Republic and marked the beginning of Gaddafi’s leadership. By the late 1960s, the Libyan monarchy was faltering despite substantial oil revenue, which had the potential to elevate Libya’s economic status. However, the wealth was unevenly distributed, leading to widespread…

TotalEnergies has disclosed the sale of two of its oil fields in Nigeria, which is Africa’s foremost oil exporter. The fields in question, Olo and Olo West, have been purchased by Aradel Holdings, a Nigerian company, for $19.5 million, as reported. This divestment is part of TotalEnergies’ broader strategy to reduce its investments across Africa. The company is streamlining its oil and gas portfolio and implementing cost-cutting measures, including reductions in management. Notably, in July, TotalEnergies sold a 10% stake in Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited and exited from 18 oil and gas projects situated in the Niger…

The Okavango Diamond Company (ODC) is pursuing a $300 million credit facility from local banks to enhance its diamond purchases, as revealed by Finance Minister Peggy Serame. The move comes as ODC aims to strengthen its position in the diamond market amidst a challenging economic landscape. Established in 2012 to operate independently of De Beers, ODC currently sources 25% of its diamonds from Debswana, a joint venture between the government of Botswana and Anglo American’s De Beers. Under a new 10-year agreement, ODC’s share of Debswana’s diamond output is set to increase from 30% initially to 50%, marking a significant…

Zambia has implemented stricter measures to enforce cybersecurity laws, targeting online hate speech, propaganda, defamation, and child abuse. Critics argue that these actions may infringe on freedom of speech. The government has activated section 54 of the 2021 Cybersecurity and Cybercrimes Act, which penalizes individuals who, with the intent to endanger others, publish harmful information in any form through computer systems. Convictions can result in up to five years in prison. Officials have urged the public to follow the law and avoid social media content that could lead to legal issues. Additionally, administrators of platforms like WhatsApp have been warned…

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) wrapped up a two-day meeting in Cameroon on Friday, pledging to support member states in tackling armed conflicts, violent extremism, economic struggles, and climate challenges. The OIC recognized that these issues have driven many civilians in its 57 member countries into poverty. The meeting, attended by about 500 delegates including foreign ministers, diplomats, and senior officials, concentrated on the pressing issues faced by member nations. Boukary Sawadogo, Burkina Faso’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia and the OIC’s representative, expressed satisfaction with the strong commitments made by member states to provide direct aid to countries addressing…

The World Health Organization’s Director-General has indicated that mpox outbreaks in Africa could potentially be controlled within the next six months. He mentioned that the initial batch of vaccines is expected to reach Congo soon. Currently, Africa has only received a fraction of the necessary vaccines to mitigate the virus’s spread, with Congo reporting the highest number of cases—over 18,000 suspected infections and 629 fatalities. The Director-General stressed that with strong leadership from governments and close collaboration among stakeholders, the outbreaks could be managed within six months. Although mpox cases have been increasing recently, the death toll remains relatively low.…

The United Nations has announced a $100 million allocation to support ten critical humanitarian crises in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East. The largest portions of this funding will address urgent needs in Yemen ($20 million) and Ethiopia ($15 million), where severe hunger, displacement, disease outbreaks, and climate-related challenges are prevalent. Additional funds will be directed to Myanmar ($12 million), Mali ($11 million), Burkina Faso ($10 million), Haiti ($9 million), Cameroon ($7 million), Mozambique ($7 million), and El Niño-impacted Burundi ($5 million) and Malawi ($4 million). An official from the UN’s humanitarian division highlighted the pressing need for…

Intra-African agricultural trade has reached an unprecedented $17 billion, surpassing its previous high from 2013, according to the latest Africa Agriculture Trade Monitor. Released during a hybrid event in Kigali on August 29, the report evaluates trade performance amid challenges like climate change, water use, and carbon emissions. It also examines how trade interacts with climate change, focusing on the carbon footprint of agricultural production and transportation, water content in traded goods, and the impact of climate stress on agricultural yields. The data shows that trade values surged from $5.4 billion in 2003 to $16.1 billion by 2013. Despite a…