Global mobility report unveils unexpected leader in open-border policy — Africa, with Burundi as the most visa-friendly nation in the world for international travel. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | African states are leading the global travel sector’s recovery, boasting 12 out of the top 20 most open countries for …
Read More »Fresh scramble for Africa’s critical minerals
Africa’s first Critical Minerals Summit sees global powers lining up to secure mineral supplies for the energy transition SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | At least ten global powers are training their eyes on Africa’s critical mineral supplies, according to the organisers of an upcoming event in South Africa. Europe, …
Read More »Angola, Congo and Zambia bet on iconic railway to tap critical minerals
Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo have handed the Lobito rail corridor rehabilitation to foreign private investors to spur exports of critical minerals required for clean energy and to boost intra-Africa trade. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Until the 1970s, the Lobito rail corridor was one of the …
Read More »State of the news: Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa high up the media trust ladder, TikTok advancing rapidly
According to a recent digital news report, Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria continue to have high levels of trust for the news, despite younger audiences increasingly turning to Tiktok for updates. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | According to the recently released Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023, Kenya has …
Read More »Ethiopia’s second telco license likely to ignite global investor interest
The prospect of a second private telecoms licence in Ethiopia comes after a massive previous bid by regional giant MTN failed Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | BIRD AGENCY | Ethiopia’s July 1 unveiling of a tender for a second new telecommunications license opens Africa’s second-largest market to more competition and comes …
Read More »Farmers are saying goodbye to blackouts and power bills
In Kenya, small and medium-sized farmers – and even upmarket households – are adopting biodigesters to turn their animal waste into biogas, which they use for cooking fuel and lighting. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | Thirty-three-year-old Kelvin Maina Njuguna considers himself a ‘full-time farmer’. He rears cows, pigs, goats, and …
Read More »Comics renaissance underway in Nigeria with Universal Studio Deal
Universal Studio Group’s UCP and Nigeria’s Comic Republic recently announced a partnership to create a film and TV series featuring characters from Comic Republic’s Vanguards Universe. We spoke with the team at Comic Republic to gain insight into their journey and future plans. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | Growing …
Read More »How the cookie crackdown plays to Africa’s text messaging strengths
In an era of AI and blockchain, the simple text message seems distinctly old-fashioned. But text messaging’s USSD technology remains a key feature for African businesses. Here’s how a crackdown on customer information sharing suddenly makes USSD even more attractive. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | African businesses are continuing …
Read More »From conflict to regional peacekeeping: The steady rise of Sierra Leone
From a history marked by periods of conflict to now sitting on the world’s most powerful Security Council, Sierra Leone has made significant progress SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | Sierra Leone has made remarkable progress in overcoming a tumultuous past marked by conflict and has emerged as a leading …
Read More »Investors train eyes on African youth with gaming campuses
Giant tech firms, game studios and other gaming investors have launched an aggressive hunt for young Africans with the talent, skills, passion – and jobs – to sustain long-term investments in the gaming sector SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | In early June, Maliyo, a game studio in Nigeria began …
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