AFRICA

Abuja, Nigeria | Xinhua | The Nigerian government on Friday unveiled the long-awaited national carrier, Nigeria Air, in a major step forward for the aviation sector in the most populous African country. The aim of setting up the national carrier is to re-position the most populous African country as a prominent …

Mogadishu, Somalia | Xinhua | The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) on Friday revealed that al-Shabab militants stormed a military base said to be manned by Ugandans in southern Somalia. Uganda’s Defence Spokesperson Felix Kulayigye confirmed the incident. ” There was an early morning attack on our troops in …

A new era of virtual universities is revolutionising learning in Africa, through accessible, tech-driven platforms. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | West Midlands Open University (WMOU) is Nigeria’s first private virtual institution to “go live”, part of wave of openings that is sweeping the continent. The country’s National University Commission …

Gabarone, Botswana | Xinhua |  Botswana has submitted a bid to host the 36th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2027 to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), according to a statement issued on Wednesday. After Namibia withdrew from the joint bid due to financial constraints, the bid solidifies Botswana’s …

Sharon Kyolinakyo & Charles Ssekitoleko impress coaches Lady Jaydee and Awilo Longomba Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The thrilling 8th episode of The Voice Africa connected by Airtel, featured Sharon Kyolinakyo who became the first Ugandan talent to be selected by Coach Lady Jaydee after performing Happiest Year by …

Nancy Karigithu is one of seven contenders pitching for the top job at the International Maritime Organization. If successful in the July elections, Karigithu would be the first African and first female elected in IMO’s 75-year history. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | Nancy Karigithu, a globally recognised maritime expert …

Africa’s largest oil refinery goes live in Nigeria as the continent’s largest oil producer seeks to cut fuel importation costs. The refinery promises to turn Nigeria from a net importer to a net exporter of refined oil. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | In a ceremony attended by heads of …

Kampala, Uganda | Xinhua | Troops from 10 East African countries on Monday began a two-week training at the United Nations Regional Service Centre in Uganda. Personnel from Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda participated in the training that aims to create synergies and enhance …

New facility in Accra hopes to link the rapidly growing African population Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | In its quest to ramp up uptake of digital services on the continent, the Africa Data Centres, the largest network of interconnected, carrier-and cloud-neutral data centre facilities on the continent, has acquired land …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Less than 10% of the workers in sub-Saharan Africa save for old age, the lowest rate for any region in the world. That implies most of the breadwinners today won’t be able to afford basic items after retirement. A pension plan is meant to commit …