Category: Africa-Caribbean News

AI Skills and Compute Africa Foundation Launches in Rwanda

Mr Mohammed

The AI Skills and Compute Africa Foundation (AISCA Foundation) (https://AISCAfrica.org) officially launches in Kigali to dismantle the barriers to AI innovation, strengthening Africa’s artificial intelligence ecosystem says an official statement issued in Kigali,Monday. Through this initiative,it noted, AISCA Foundation aims to provide equitable access to compute, skills development, research support, and community building. Backed by seed funding from founding technology partner Cassava Technologies, AISCA Foundation is bridging the “compute gap” to ensure African AI researchers and innovators can develop world-class AI solutions locally, while building a scalable pipeline for continental talent development.…

Rethinking BECE in the Era of Free SHS: From Gatekeeping to Placement Reform

Mr Mohammed

By Kofi Asare,Executive Director,Africa Education Watch,Ghana Background Before the introduction of Free SHS, the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) primarily functioned as a gatekeeping mechanism that determined whether a child could progress to secondary education. Admission into second cycle institutions depended heavily on aggregate performance, and for many candidates, BECE effectively separated progression from exclusion. In that context, its broad, high stakes structure was aligned with a system in which access to secondary education was limited and competitive. Emergence  of the Free SHS Policy The Free SHS policy fundamentally changed…

Italian Engineering Giant Webuild Clinches Samoter Innovation Award for Africa’s Largest Dam

Mr Mohammed

By: Addis Insight,First Published,May 14, 2026 Italian construction titan Webuild has officially secured the prestigious Samoter Innovation Award 2026. The accolade recognizes the company’s groundbreaking work on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a project that is redefining the landscape of renewable energy in Africa. Why the GERD Won Big Presented at the Samoter International Construction Machinery Exhibition in Italy, the award celebrates more than just “building a wall.” The judges highlighted the GERD as a masterpiece of technological and engineering excellence. “The recognition highlights the GERD not only for its complexity but for its…

Deepening Cross-border Investments…EDB, Mauritius takes Pragmatic action

Mr Mohammed

Story: Mohammed A. Abu Cross-border investment in West Africa is a complex mix of formal Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) concentrated in key hubs like Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal, and massive Informal Cross-Border Trade (ICBT) that supports local livelihoods. While regional integration efforts remain high, investors face challenges such as infrastructural deficits, regulatory inconsistencies, and security issues Key Drivers and Sectors  Mineral Resources & Energy: Mining (bauxite, manganese, gold) and infrastructure projects are the primary recipients of capital. Substantial multinational and regional capital flows target energy transitions and clean energy corridors.…

IEA opposes renewal of Gold Fields Tarkwa mining lease, calls for greater Ghanaian ownership

Mr Mohammed

First Published,13 May 2026 6:31pm   The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has intensified calls for Ghana to prioritise local ownership of its natural resources, opposing the renewal of Gold Fields’ lease for the Tarkwa mines as it approaches expiration in 2027. Speaking at a press conference in Accra, former Chief Justice and IEA Fellow Sophia Akuffo supported calls for increased Ghanaian participation in the management of the country’s mineral resources, stressing the need for greater national control over strategic assets. The IEA said the proposed lease renewal or extension…

GoldBod targets $400 million weekly gold purchases under GANRAP – CEO

Mr Mohammed

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, Esq. has revealed that government, through the Ghana Accelerated National Reserve Accumulation Programme (GANRAP), is targeting the purchase of three tonnes of gold every week in a move expected to generate over $400 million weekly for Ghana’s economy through 2028. According to Mr. Gyamfi on TV3’s Key Points Program on Saturday, May 9, 2026, the programme seeks to purchase 2.45 tonnes of gold weekly from the artisanal and small-scale mining sector, while large-scale mining companies are expected to…

Dangote, Rabiu from Kano Top List of Africa’s Richest Men

Mr Mohammed

Nigerian billionaires Aliko Dangote and Abdul Samad Rabiu, both from Kano State, have emerged among Africa’s richest individuals, according to the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranking seen by Daily Trust. ‎ ‎The Bloomberg ranking, which is updated daily to reflect real-time movements in global wealth, showed Dangote retaining his position as Africa’s richest man with a net worth of $34.9 billion, while Rabiu climbed to become Africa’s third-richest billionaire with an estimated fortune of $18.5 billion. ‎ ‎South African luxury goods magnate Johann Rupert ranked as Africa’s second-richest person with…

U.S. solar energy firm plans $750 million power grid expansion across four African countries

Mr Mohammed

Renewvia Energy Corp. is expanding its solar-powered mini-grid operations into four African countries as renewable energy providers increasingly move to address the continent’s widening electricity deficit. Renewvia Energy Corp. is expanding its solar-powered mini-grid operations into Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The company plans an investment of about $750 million to provide roughly 2.1 million electricity connections across these countries. Sub-Saharan Africa faces significant energy poverty, with nearly 600 million people lacking access to electricity. Renewvia currently operates 24 mini-grids in Kenya and Nigeria and is…

Village Capital backs two Ghanaian startups with $350,000 from latest fund

Mr Mohammed

By Opeyemi Kareem,First Published,6th May, 2026 Village Capital, a global nonprofit that backs high-impact startups across emerging markets, has deployed $350,000 from its latest fund into two Ghanaian startups, marking the first investments from a vehicle designed to channel capital to early-stage African companies building essential services. The funding comes from the Africa Ecosystem Catalysts Facility (AECF), a $4 million investment fund launched in July 2025 in partnership with the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. The facility targets startups addressing economic mobility and climate resilience through locally grounded…

Africa could replace lost Middle East oil supplies – Nigeria tells global investors

Mr Mohammed

Segun Adeyemi, Africa Business Insider,First Published,07 May 2026 08:24 AM Nigeria and several African oil-producing nations could benefit from a major global supply gap created by escalating tensions in the Middle East, according to Nigeria’s upstream petroleum regulator, which says the continent is increasingly being viewed as a critical alternative source of crude oil and natural gas. Africa is emerging as a key alternative oil supplier after an estimated 10 million barrels per day were removed from the global market due to Middle East tensions. Nigeria’s oil regulator says declining…