From labelling requirements for artificial intelligence to a new legal right to all-day school care, several new laws and regulations take effect in Germany in August 2026. While some changes mainly affect businesses, others will have a direct impact on families, workers and everyday consumers. Here is our guide to the seven changes that matter most, explained without the legal …

With voluntary access to Germany’s full Integrationskurse (integration courses) still largely closed to asylum-seekers and people with a Duldung (toleration permit) — even after the partial reopening from 1 August 2026 — Erstorientierungskurse (EOK, “first orientation courses”) remain, for now, the main structured option available to them. Here is what they are and how to access one. What they are …

Germany has partly lifted its months-long freeze on voluntary admissions to Integrationskurse (integration courses), but the reopening — which takes effect on 1 August — offers little relief to asylum-seekers and people living with a Duldung (toleration permit). This is a follow-up to our earlier reports on the funding crisis affecting integration courses, including our last week’s story on warnings …

What does Cape Verde’s remarkable World Cup journey mean to its global diaspora? In this deeply personal reflection, renowned academic, former MEP and respected voice in the African diaspora in Europe, Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, explores how the Blue Sharks’ success became a powerful celebration of identity, belonging and pride for Cape Verdeans — and Africans everywhere. The extraordinary journey of …

A summer visit home to Nigeria became much more than a family reunion for Belgium-based writer Collins Nweke* and his wife, Tonia. It turned into a deeply moving journey of gratitude, memory and rediscovery — one that reminds all of us, especially those living in the diaspora, of the people whose quiet influence shaped our lives. This heartfelt essay will …

As Nigeria continues to grapple with the migration of doctors and nurses, this year’s National Diaspora Day will focus on how medical professionals abroad can help strengthen the country’s healthcare system. Nigerians around the world are invited to participate online in the two-day event. _____________ The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has invited Nigerians living around the world to participate …

For international travellers, a passport is more than an identity document—it is a key that determines how freely its holder can move around the world. The latest Henley Passport Index 2026, regarded as one of the most authoritative measures of global travel freedom, ranks passports according to the number of destinations their holders can enter without obtaining a visa in …

Forty-six human rights and humanitarian organisations say three years of EU-Tunisia migration cooperation has fuelled violence, torture and desert expulsions — and are demanding Brussels cut off support to Tunisian security forces. Forty-six human rights and humanitarian organisations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and SOS Humanity, have called on the European Union to publicly condemn human rights violations in …

For more than three decades, Reiseservice Sacco has helped thousands of people travel between Europe and Africa, earning a reputation built on trust, expertise and personal service. But how has the company stayed successful in an era of online booking platforms, volatile airfares and constant changes in the aviation industry? In this exclusive interview with The African Courier, founder Sandro …

Following media reports on Germany’s plan to cut integration course funding to €590 million in 2027, the country’s Adult Education Association says the real cut is worse than providers were told — and has accused the government of “dismantling” one of Germany’s most effective integration tools. Germany’s Association of Adult Education Centres (Deutscher Volkshochschulverband) has sharply criticised the federal government …

The 15th Africa Festival Potsdam lived up to its reputation as one of Brandenburg’s most vibrant multicultural events, drawing people from across the region for a day of music, food, dance and cultural exchange. Held last weekend, the festival transformed the city into a lively meeting place where Africans, Germans and members of other migrant communities celebrated diversity and the …

The European Union has tightened its short-stay visa policy for Guinean nationals, accusing the West African country of failing to cooperate in taking back citizens who are staying irregularly in EU member states. The move marks the first time Guinea has been subjected to such measures under the EU’s visa leverage mechanism and signals Brussels’ growing willingness to use visa …

Europe has reached a demographic turning point. According to the European Commission’s latest Demography Report 2026, the continent’s population has reached its peak and will begin to decline in the coming decades. The report concludes that without immigration, the European Union’s population would shrink by around 130 million people by 2100, highlighting the crucial role migration plays in sustaining Europe’s …

More than a year after 21-year-old Afro-German Lorenz A. was shot dead by a police officer in Oldenburg, the city’s regional court (Landgericht Oldenburg) has formally admitted charges of negligent homicide against the officer involved, clearing the way for a criminal trial. The court decision marks a significant step in a case that has become a focal point in Germany’s …

Nigeria has finally resolved a technical fault that caused some of its electronic passports to fail verification at foreign border checkpoints The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced that all of the country’s digital certificates used to verify the authenticity of e-passports have been successfully uploaded to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Public Key Directory (ICAO PKD). The process was …

Why the attacks on Kylian Mbappé reveal the persistence of colonial stereotypes in international football, writes Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana* in this opinion piece Every FIFA World Cup reminds us that football has the power to unite people across continents, cultures and languages. Yet the 2026 tournament has also revealed something far less inspiring: the persistence of colonial stereotypes in the …

The Nollywood Film Festival Germany returns to Frankfurt from 31 July to 1 August 2026, bringing together filmmakers, actors, musicians, entrepreneurs and fans of African cinema for two days celebrating one of the world’s fastest-growing film industries. Combining film screenings, live entertainment and the prestigious Nollywood Europe Golden Awards (NEGA), the event aims to strengthen cultural ties between Africa and …

The Interview That Became a Debate By Collins Nweke When I accepted an invitation for a live interview on News Central TV — an independent 24-hour news channel based in Lagos that focuses on Nigerian and African affairs — I expected my usual engaging conversation with a team of three brilliant anchors. But within minutes of going live, it became …

Germany’s independent Federal Police Commissioner, Uli Grötsch, this week presented his first annual report to Bundestag President Julia Klöckner — and the findings make for uncomfortable reading. In the twelve months covered by the report, Grötsch, whose office was appointed by the Bundestag to oversee the work of the Federal Police, received 279 submissions from members of the public. The …

A 40 percent cut to language course funding and an 80 percent reduction in independent asylum counselling services signal a sharp shift in Germany’s approach to newcomers Germany’s federal government is planning major cuts to integration programmes next year, significantly reducing funding for language courses and independent asylum counselling despite continued demand for both services. According to the draft 2027 …