The opening of the Accra Marriott Hotel near the Ghanaian capital marks the Marriot hotel group’s debut in West Africa. The hotel is located opposite the Kotoka International Airport, and just a few kilometres outside of Accra’s central business district providing easy access to major corporate businesses, government entities and well known city landmarks. With 208 well-appointed rooms, three dining …

Africa’s economy is projected to continue to rise to 3.2% in 2018 and to a further 3.5% in 2019. This is according to the latest World Bank report released early 2018. According to the report, non-resource intensive countries are expected to expand at a solid pace, helped by robust investment growth. South Africa, Nigeria and Angola, the region’s largest growing …

World Cup-bound African teams have received a major boost after FIFA agreed to advance each of the five countries US$2 million ahead of the global football fiesta which kicks off in Russia next month. The 2014 World Cup in Brazil saw the Ghana and Cameroon national teams arguing with their football associations over bonus payments: Cameroon arrived late, Ghana’s government …

After being at the centre of attention in 2017, Germany’s Africa policy has somewhat stagnated. But Foreign Minister Heiko Maas wants to keep communications open and is visiting Ethiopia and Tanzania this week. Ludger Schadomsky of DW reports. Germany’s Africa policy is back in the spotlight, this time at the highest level. Only six weeks after assuming office, German Foreign Minister …

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to immediately cease the importation of codeine. The ban is specifically in respect of codeine as an active pharmaceutical ingredient for cough preparations. The directive is meant to curb an addiction crisis exposed by the BBC in a recent undercover film. The …

There is a “critical period” for learning a second language, with people remaining adept learners until the age of 17 or 18, when their ability drops, according to a new study. Conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the study suggests that the “critical period” for learning a new language is much longer than scientists had previously thought. “It was …

Starting, Tuesday 1 May, and continuing weekly throughout the year, BBC Sport Africa will bring the issues, the personalities, the buzz, the key moments and the trends in sport from across the continent. The 30 minute programme will cover many different sports including those that are little-known, and will be featuring everyone from the most famous sports stars to rising …

Around every second migrant in Germany fails the language test at the end of integration courses, a newspaper reports. It suggests a lack of adequate attendance could be one factor in the low success rate. More than half of refugees and migrants to Germany are unable to pass a basic language test at the end of integration courses offered to …

Africa Eye – a new documentary strand from the BBC launches today with an in-depth investigation into the plague of addiction to cough mixture across Nigeria. The new strand will deliver up to 20 original and high-impact investigations from across Africa every year.   Nisha Kapur, Commissioning Editor for TV said: “Africa Eye will promote the culture of investigative journalism across …

Billions of dollars in remittances flowed to Africa in 2017. The money could go further if it wasn’t more expensive to send money to Africa than anywhere else in the world, a new World Bank study finds. Immigrants sent a $38 billion (€31.1 billion) back home to Africa in 2017, according to a new World Bank briefing paper. Nigeria accounts …