While American tech giants such as Apple, Google and PayPal compete and fail to agree on the standards for digital wallets, a financial technology platform proudly developed in Africa is set to expand across the Continent. Safaricom, the Kenyan wireless services company that operates the M-Pesa network, recently issued a major corporate announcement. Vodacom, a South…
English artist Damien Hirst is in hot water for cultural appropriation at this year’s Venice Biennale. His exhibit includes a golden head that mimics the work of artists from Ile-Ife, Nigeria. This is particularly remarkable given that this is a hugely important year for Nigeria, with artists representing their country at a national pavilion for the…
The glamorous stage where the English National Ballet performs is worlds away from the grinding poverty of the Kuwinda slum in Kenya. Yet that stage appears to be where one former Kuwinda resident is destined to be seen. Sixteen-year-old Joel Kioko is a phenomenon in the ballet world. Like many male dancers, he came to…
Venice Biennale is an arts organization in Venice, Italy that organizes a prestigious bi-annual contemporary art exhibition. Art collectors and dealers flock to the event and it helps artists get discovered and make sales. This year is a landmark year for Nigeria, with a special pavilion for Nigerian artists included. This is the first time in…
A legislative proposal being considered in the Egyptian Parliament would require citizens to acquire a license if they wish to access Facebook and other online social networks. The social media license would be issued by the government only after the Egyptian citizen has furnished his or her national ID number, email address and the usernames…
In a political move that would only appease his most ardent voter base, United States President Donald Trump removed the country from the Paris Climate Agreement; in doing so, Trump unequivocally affirmed his personal belief about climate change being a hoax. Trump’s decision has been widely criticized in diplomatic circles, by other nations, and in…
With a total population of nearly 100 million people, Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa. The country’s long history of conflict, drought and famine meant that its huge population has been long considered somewhat of an economic burden rather than a valuable resource. However, the Ethiopian government is now hoping that it can turn the…
FOLD 2017 accomplished its mission. As a Festival of Literary Diversity, the second-annual event brought together established and emergent writers of varied backgrounds in a space that fed their souls, created dialogue and provided down-to-earth guidelines and information about writing and publishing. Held recently in Brampton, Ontario, a city known for its culturally diverse population, FOLD…
With pomp, circumstance, fanfare, some political rhetoric, and lots of promise, the people of Kenya welcomed the maiden ride of the Standard Gauge Railway, now known as SGR, the first high-speed rail project in Eastern Africa. The historic event started in the port city of Mombasa, 472 kilometers away from the capital city of Nairobi. President…
The final day of May 2017 will mark a new age of economic progress for the Republic of Kenya; this is when President Uhuru Kenyatta will climb aboard the new Standard Gauge Railway, which people will know as SGR, for a maiden ride from the port city of Mombasa to the bustling metropolis of Nairobi. The…
