This Week in Africa

Feb 24, 2023

Check out our “Overview of Nigeria’s 2023 elections” before Nigerians go to the polls on Saturday. Here is the week in Africa:

Quote of the week

“A new Nigeria is possible. For the first time, government is going to care about you.” – Nigerian presidential candidate Peter Obi

Nigerian elections

Our 2023 Nigerian Election Overview is out!

Struggle for rights and freedom

This brief explains how to leverage local elections to advance Somalia’s transition to multi-party democracy. This Nigerian NGO is providing money to Nigerian women politicians to enable them to run. These are beautiful photos of the Afar Region under war. At least nineteen soldiers are killed in north Burkina Faso this week. This is what two Pan-African giants can teach us about nuclear proliferation. Malawians are disillusioned with democracy after elections.

Listen to this intriguing podcast about the impact that Pan-African University could play in knowledge production on the continent. Nkata talks to Achille Mbembe on “becoming planetary.” What does incoming Deputy President of South Africa Paul Mashatile bring to the table? Are we really in a period of global democratic decline?

African international relations

Simbarashe Gukurume locates the youth in US-Africa cooperation and investments. The African Union vows “zero tolerance” to undemocratic change. These are eight priorities for the African Union in 2023. This is how Germany hopes to shape the future with Africa. Why are some African countries not condemning Russia?

Africa’s rapid urbanization

Charter Cities Institute opened their Lusaka office this week. Kibera is greening its streets. Learn more about the politics of transport in Lagos and urban economic development in Nairobi City. This is a cool article about youth marginalization and the gangs of Freetown. Elmond Bandauko offers these fieldwork reflections from using participatory photovoice with street traders in Harare, Zimbabwe. His articles on the “Power of a Camera,” spatial planning in Zimbabwe, and Zimbabwe’s New Capital City look fantastic.

The World Bank outlines how it plans to manage urban spatial growth. Secondary cities provide a space to stimulate economic development in East Africa. Check out this article on street naming and political identity in postcolonial African cities. Can identifying “priority complex problems” catalyse urban reform?

Research corner

Dan Paget reinterprets authoritarian populisms in Magufili’s Tanzania. This new article finds that inclusive refugee-hosting can improve local development and prevent public backlash. This excellent new special issue centers feminists and feminism in protests in Africa, with articles on Senegal, Kenya, South Africa, Cameroon, and Sudan.

The week in development

Ken Opalo explains agricultural policy failures in Africa. DR Congo demands $17 billion more in investment from its infrastructure deal. In South Africa, murders are back to levels last seen in 2003. Ghana’s National Cathedral construction is stalled amidst economic crisis. McKinsey outlines the future of payments in Africa. Learn more about how failing agriculture in Senegal is pushing people to migrate to Europe. The Lagos Food Bank Initiative tackles food insecurity in the city.

Alice Evans asks Alessandra Cassar: Why are women less competitive (are they)? What is dignity?

Africa and the environment

The war against pangolin poaching. Kenyan president William Ruto calls for accountability for world polluters. More power cuts in South Africa. Drought in Horn of Africa projects to be worse than 2011 famine. This is how to get polluting cars off Ghana’s roads. Nigerian candidates avoid discussing climate change. This is how Scotland pays back for climate change in Malawi. Climate change makes malaria a wider risk across the continent. Could a green wall help promote peace in the Sahel?

Daily life

Tafa speaks: “The painting is greater than the artist.” This is cool: Exploring South Africa’s black wine scene. Atlas provides cool images of the African continent. Trial by pork. Check out Jane Kalu’s story about the peculiar friendship of a young Nigerian girl who goes to live with her uncle in Canada. Afrochella in Ghana!

All the best,

Jeff and Phil