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A group of artists have started a journey across West Africa in a rickety school bus. They want to bring culture to the region with their rolling art space while collecting inspiration for their own works. Adrian Kriesch reports from Lagos. Nigerian-born artist Emeka Udemba looked annoyed. The yellow Mercedes school bus, his new home for the next six weeks, …

For the first time, a literary festival devoted to the work of African writers will hold in Germany. From 26-28 April, more than 35 African writers will gather in Berlin for the African Book Festival, featuring readings, poetry, spoken word and theatre performances, panel discussions, book signings and networking events. Among the writers expected in the German capital city are …

The BBC today officially opened its new bureau in Lagos, home to three new services in Igbo, Pidgin, and Yoruba. The bureau boasts a new state-of-the-art TV studio and two radio studios and can house up to 200 people. The BBC’s investment in Nigeria has created over 100 new jobs in Lagos and means that BBC News is now available in five …

Digitalback Books has announced that it has signed a digital license agreement with the African Writers Series publisher, Pearson. The agreement will allow readers from participating institutions to access and download the African Writers Series titles from the innovative Africa focused digital platform. The iconic Heinemann African Writers Series was launched in 1962 and played a crucial role in publishing …

Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi is the latest recipient of the US$165,000 Windham Campbell Prize. The Prize is awarded every year to eight artists. Makumbi – who’s from Uganda and moved to the UK 17 years ago – is the author of Kintu, a novel based on Buganda oral history and myth. The African writer also won the Commonwealth Short Story Prize …

Gambia’s minister of tourism, Hamat Bah, has declared sex tourists unwanted in the country. “We are not a sex destination. If you want a sex destination, you go to Thailand. The Gambia is not a sex destination. We are not, we are not and please every Gambian must sing that song,” Bah said in an interview in January. He went …

Ethiopian Aviation Academy (EAA) Addis Ababa has been ranked among the top World Aviation Training Centres by Aviation Voice, a global aviation news provider engaged in the ranking of global aviation training centres. The ranking is against 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators to provide the most comprehensive and balanced ranking covering the full range of a training centre’s areas of …

The BBC has launched its new Igbo and Yoruba services, as part of an expansion in local languages aimed at more in-depth reporting of countries around the world. The digital-only services went live online and on social media on Monday (19 February), joining a platform for Pidgin speakers that was launched last year and has attracted widespread interest. The Igbo …

A monument will be erected in honour of Bob Marley in Harare, Zimbabwe. In 1980, the world-renowned reggae icon performed during the Independence Day celebrations of the country. On 17 April 1980, Marley took to the stage and launched the young country of Zimbabwe into revolutionary reggae songs. For many Zimbabweans, it’s a night they still reflect on with much …

Rapid scanning of passports will mean shorter border control queues for travellers at Africa’s second busiest airport, enhancing border crossing experience for millions of visitors. Gemalto, the world leader in digital security, is supplying Cairo International, the second busiest airport in Africa, with automated document readers that will enable faster border crossings for millions of travellers, whilst ensuring rigorous security …

A Black themed carpet was laid out for the star at the European premiere of “Black Panther” in London on Friday. British Oscar nominee Daniel Kaluuya was in attendance, saying the film turns Western colonialism on its head. The film is reported to have already broken records – with more pre-sales of tickets than any other Marvel movie. The cast …

The popular dancehall singer Priscilla Opoku-Kwarteng, popularly known as Ebony Reigns, died after her car collided with a bus. She would have been 21 in a week’s time. According to police, the 20-year-old singer and two military officers were on board a Jeep from Sunyani heading towards Kumasi when it collided head-on with a VIP bus heading towards Sunyani from …

The 68th Berlin International Film Festival – Berlinale – kicks off on 15 February in the German capital city. The Berlinale is one of the biggest international film festivals alongside the Cannes and Toronto film festivals. Up to 400 films are shown every year, mostly international or European premieres, and the festival, the world’s second largest audiovisual event, sells more …

Lufthansa has overhauled its livery, changing the background of its iconic century-old logo from yellow to blue. The crane, remains the airline’s iconic symbol, but it has been slimmed down in this incarnation and is surrounded by a thinner ring giving it more space. The German airline officially unveiled its new brand image on Wednesday (7 February) at company events …

South Africa’s male choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo won a Grammy award at Sunday’s ceremony. Their album “Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration” won in the Best World Music Album category. The album is a tribute to the group’s founder, Joseph Shabalala. With their soulful voices and traditional Zulu dance moves, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has sold millions of albums worldwide …

South African jazz legend and anti-apartheid activist Hugh Masekela has died, aged 78. Masekela “passed peacefully” in the country’s commercial capital, Johannesburg “after a protracted and courageous battle with prostate cancer,” his family said in a statement on Tuesday. “It is with profound sorrow that the family of Ramapolo Hugh Masekela announce his passing. After a protracted and courageous battle …

The second edition of Queen of Nollywood Awards Germany took place recently. The event, which honoured practitioners of the Nigerian home-grown movie industry, was attended by hundreds of fans of the African movie industry, including a sister of former President Barack Obama. The presence of Dr Auma Obama, from Kenya, in the south-western German city of Ludwigshafen on 2 December …

In a bold initiative, a group has started a school in Germany to teach an African language to children of African origin in the Diaspora. Saturday (20 January) witnessed the official opening of the Igbo Language School in Frankfurt. Igbo is the language of the Igbo people, one of Nigeria’s three biggest ethno-national groups. Attended by members of the Nigerian …

Deutsche Welle’s new series “African Roots” uses online comics and radio broadcasts to highlight 25 important African personalities. The project, funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, is aimed at young audiences. Vera Tellmann reports. The portraits cover a long period of time, ranging from Dinknesh, the “Mother of Mankind” in present-day Ethiopia, to legendary rulers of the Middle Ages such …

Following is the Joint Declaration of the Member Countries on the Regional meeting for Europe, Central Asia and North America on the International Decade for People of African Descent: Representatives of States from Europe, Central Asia and North America participated in a regional meeting which took place in Geneva on 23 and 24 November 2017, with the participation of experts …