August, 2026

• 23 August

  EU biometric checks double airport waiting times

  

  Passengers travelling to the EU from outside the bloc are facing significantly longer waits at passport control following the full implementation of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), with African travellers among those most exposed. Travellers flying into some of Europe’s busiest hubs this summer have faced waits far longer than in previous years, as the European Union’s new Entry/Exit …

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• 18 August

  Nigeria launches Diaspora Mortgage Scheme in London

  

  Many Nigerians living abroad know the frustration of trying to build or buy a home back in Nigeria through family members, friends or intermediaries — sometimes with disappointing and costly results. A newly launched diaspora mortgage scheme by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) aims to offer a safer, more transparent and institutional route to home ownership for Nigerians …

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• 15 August

  Nigeria Sends Passport Intervention Team to the UK

  

  Nigeria has deployed a special Passport Intervention Team (PIT) to the United Kingdom to help clear a backlog of passport applications and make it easier for Nigerians in one of the country’s largest diaspora communities to get pending, new and renewed passports. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) announced the deployment in a statement issued on Sunday, 9 August 2026. The …

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• 15 August

  South Africa launches Electronic Travel Authorisation system

  

  South Africa has officially launched its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, a major overhaul of the country’s visa and entry system that is intended to make travel faster while strengthening border security. President Cyril Ramaphosa officially launched the system at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on 12 August 2026, describing the reform as part of the government’s wider programme …

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• 15 August

  What Airlines Don’t Tell Passengers About Flight Compensation

  

  When a flight is delayed, airlines routinely dismiss compensation claims with two words: “extraordinary circumstances.” Yet under EU law, this phrase is narrowly defined, and the burden of proof rests with the carrier. On Africa‑Europe routes, thousands of passengers accept refusals that wouldn’t withstand scrutiny, often forfeiting up to €600 per person. In this article, Saint‑Yves Kodjo* explains what compensation …

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• 15 August

  Cape Verde: A Lesson from a Small Nation

  

  The 2026 World Cup will be remembered as the tournament in which a small island nation of fewer than 600,000 inhabitants compelled the world to reconsider some of its assumptions. It reminded us that, in the community of nations, greatness is determined neither by the size of a territory nor by the number of its inhabitants. Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, a …

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• 15 August

  Berlin Introduces Payment Card for Newly Arriving Asylum-Seekers — What You Need to Know

  

  Berlin has become the last of Germany’s 16 federal states to introduce the Bezahlkarte (payment card) for asylum-seekers, ending a long-running delay and bringing the state in line with the rest of the country. From now on, newly arriving asylum-seekers in Berlin will receive their benefits on a card rather than as cash — a change that will directly affect …

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• 8 August

  Nigerian Diaspora 2026: From Dialogue to Actionable Commitments

  

  Nigeria’s 2026 National Diaspora Day ended with a push to turn the expertise of Nigerian doctors and other health professionals abroad into a more permanent part of the country’s healthcare system. The two-day event, held on 24 and 25 July at the Presidential Villa in Abuja and attended virtually by Nigerians around the world, followed the government’s pre-event call for …

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• 7 August

  Germany plans wider use of AI in asylum and migration procedures

  

  Germany is moving towards a wider use of artificial intelligence in asylum, visa and residence procedures, with the federal government arguing that the technology could make migration administration faster and more consistent. But the proposed rules are already raising concerns about privacy, discrimination and the risk of allowing algorithms to influence decisions about people’s lives. The federal cabinet approved a …

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• 7 August

  African festivals not to miss before summer ends!

  

  There’s still time to catch the best of African music and culture in Germany this summer. From lively street festivals to open-air concerts, here are the events worth making time for before the season ends. African Music Festival Emmendingen 7 – 9 August / Emmendingen, Schlossplatz The festival celebrates its 26th anniversary this year. What began as a modest gathering …

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