ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, February 24, 2021/ — Digital platforms in Africa should scale up to take advantage of the continent’s surging demand for creative content, said Africa Investment Forum Senior Director Chinelo Anohu, adding that the African Development Bank flagship entity is providing advisory services and investment support to creative players. The Africa Investment Forum was working to promote content …

How an IOM frontline worker goes beyond return counselling by providing African migrants in Germany with the support they need Berlin – It is a full day for Danielle Al-Qassir at the foreign immigration office in Berlin. “I have clients calling me on my work phone, my private phone and the landline, and we have clients coming in in-person,” she …

In order to strengthen political dialogue and promote economic relations, Professor Robert Dussey, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Togolese Abroad, held diplomatic talks on February 16, 2021 with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in St. Petersburg. According to reports, Professor Dussey’s visit was on the invitation by Moscow, and came on exactly one year after their …

The number of asylum applications in Europe fell by almost a third last year. A total of 461,300 applications, 31 per cent fewer than in 2019, were filed, according to EASO, the EU’s asylum office based in Valletta, Malta. The main reason for the decline, according to EASO, is the Corona pandemic travel restrictions. The figures cover all initial applications …

A look into the ban on cryptocurrency in Nigeria by Ibrahim Moshood and Oneyka Cindy Ojogbo, Associate and Senior Associate respectively of the international law firm Centurion Law Group In a letter dated 5 February 2021[1], the Nigerian government through its apex bank – the Central Bank of Nigeria (“CBN”) – clamped down on cryptocurrencies in Nigeria. The letter specifically …

Calls for political consequences are loud as Germany commemorates the first anniversary of the racist killings in the western German city of Hanau. On 19 February 2020, a 43-year-old German shot dead nine people with foreign roots in Hanau out of sheer racially-motivated hate — One year ago, on 19 February 2020, a 43-year-old German in Hanau had shot and …

Mastercard and MTN empower millions of consumers in Africa to make payments on global platforms, advancing digital financial inclusion · Partnership will enable millions of MTN customers to pay on global online platforms with a Mastercard virtual payment solution linked to MTN MoMo wallet · Mastercard’s technology will enable new digital commerce opportunities for consumers and merchants with or without …

The global pandemic has accelerated the need for true digitisation as African customers demand a more seamless digital customer experience from their communications service providers (CSPs), writes Pikie Monaheng, CEO at Amdocs South Africa JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 17, 2021/ —  It’s no secret that CSPs need to transform their businesses to compete in the continent’s highly competitive communications landscape …

The security situation in Nigeria is worsening by the day as marauding bandits, camouflaging as herdsmen, roam across the country kidnapping for ransom, waylaying travellers, killing farmers and generally making the country unsafe. Added to the security troubles of the country is the possibility of inter-ethnic clashes flaring in different parts of the country caused by worsening inter-communal relationship. Members …

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the first vaccine for its COVAX program, aimed at ensuring equitable access to vaccines in Low- and middle-income countries. On Monday, the UN health agency issued emergency approval for the AstraZeneca vaccine, with deliveries expected to commence by March. The approval comes after a study in South Africa indicates that the AstraZeneca vaccine …

The World Trade Organisation has confirmed Nigeria’s former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next Director-General. She is the first woman and the first African to lead the international trade body. According to a statement by the organisation on Monday, her term is scheduled to start on 1 March 2021. The term, which is renewable, will expire on 31 August 2025. …

The immediate past chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE), Hon Kenneth Gbandi, has called on the body to withdraw the award it once conferred on the current governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, if he does not deny a recent statement credited to him on security in Nigeria. Mohammed had last week said that herdsmen were …

 Britain’s Karim Ahmad Khan was elected on Friday by the parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as the new chief prosecutor for a nine-year term starting in June. The Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court held its second resumed nineteenth session on 12 February 2021 at the UN Headquarters in New York. …

Lagos, Nigeria: Following the decision of the Lagos State Judicial Panel to allow the Lekki Concession Company to reopen the Lekki tollgate where soldiers opened fire on peaceful protesters, killing many in cold blood on 20 October 2020, Nigerian youths protested on Saturday to show their dissatisfaction of the decision. Despite the presence of heavy security operatives on ground, youths …

Since 14 December, travellers returning home and those entering Germany from a risk area (Risikogebiet) have to be mandatorily tested for the coronavirus infection prior to entry or immediately thereafter. Those entering from a risk area must present a negative coronavirus test within 48 hours of entry. In addition, they must undergo a ten-day quarantine, which can be shortened after …

Highly contagious variants of the coronavirus from Brazil and South Africa are spreading in Austria, France and the Czech Republic and causing concerns Germany. Entry checks will be stricter as from Sunday at German borders with neighbouring countries due to new travel restrictions introduced by government to check the spread of the more dangerous coronavirus mutations.  Federal Interior Minister Horst …

Munich/Pforzheim, February 11, 2021 – Photovoltaics (PV) is booming in Europe, with around 18.7 gigawatts (18,700 megawatts) of new capacity installed last year. In addition to rooftop and ground-mounted solar module installations, the development of new areas of production – such as on façades, artificial bodies of water and fields – is key. Agrivoltaics involves the use of agricultural land …

A new airline begins commercial operations in Nigeria on Friday, 12 February. The Enugu-based United Nigeria recently received approval to commence operation and was handed an Air Operators Certificate (AOC) by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), having fulfilled all mandatory regulatory requirements.  The airline will conduct its inaugural flight on Friday, taking off from the domestic wing of Murtala …

According to the resolution of the Corona Summit, a meeting between Chancellor Angela Merkel and the premiers of the 16 federal states on the management of the pandemic, on Wednesday the lockdown measures in force will be extended in principle until 7 March. Among the key other decisions made at the meeting was that individual federal states should decide on …

The federal and state governments have agreed to extend the existing shutdown measures in Germany. On Wednesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the premiers of the 16 federal states reached decisions on the further course of the pandemic’s management. Highlights of the resolution of the Corona Summit at a glance: Lockdown extended until 7 March Corona infection numbers are falling, but …