Africa’s Social Impact Lens: Nigeria’s Record-Breaking Youths and A Call for Sustainable Development
In April 2024, Africa’s Social Impact Lens (ASIL) captured significant milestones and successes achieved by Africa’s vibrant youths. In Nigeria, breaking records and blazing trails to foster economic development are rampant across diverse sectors. With news on alternative education, travel and tourism, politics and leadership, ASIL highlights topics on trailblazers from West Africa in the global media for their innovative ideas, leaders ramping up investments in East Africa, and development as a means to a sustainable end.
Read our in-country analysis below on Nigeria and Zambia, as well as trending news stories from Algeria, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, and Burundi.
In-Country Analysis: Nigeria and Zambia in Focus?
The sudden interest to break records and create impact has surged in Nigeria since Hilda Baci broke the Guinness World Records for the ‘longest cooking marathon’. Nigerians are spurred to diversify their approach to creating sustainable impact through alternative initiatives, writing their names in the sands of time. In this regard, we celebrate Nigerian Chessmaster Tunde Onakoya , for attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon (totaling 60 hours of playtime) to raise $1 million towards the education of children across Africa. Conversely, we celebrate Pelumi Nubi , a British-Nigerian solo driver and content creator who drove approximately 6750 kilometers from London in the United Kingdom to Lagos, Nigeria in 68 days. Through this experience, Pelumi traveled across 17 countries, making a total of 80 visited countries in her travel record. She is steadfast in advocating for women’s safety and care as criteria to make the world a better place for women to thrive.?
Posing as an opportunity to highlight Africa’s infrastructure, mobility, access, and travel challenges (even for Africans on the continent), we extend a hearty congratulations to Russ Cook , a Briton who ran from South Africa to Tunisia and shared his experiences and challenges through the adventure on social media.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) (NERC) has directed the System Operator (SO) at the TRANSMISSION COMPANY OF NIGERIA (TCN) to cut back supplies to customers in Benin Republic, Niger, and Togo to boost domestic supply. The regulator has announced a cap of 6% on the total available grid generation for international off-takers for the next six months, starting from May 1st. International customers collectively owned Nigerian power companies a total of $12.02 million in unpaid debts for services provided.
Earlier this year, President Hakainde Hichilema declared that Zambia, Africa’s second-largest copper producer, was grappling with a national disaster caused by drought. This extreme dryness as a result of climate change threatens national food security, as well as water and energy supply for millions in the country. Due to power cuts and load shedding, heavy reliance on charcoal as a cooking fuel has heightened in Zambia, leading to increased environmental degradation that further fuels the climate disaster. To curb deforestation and mitigate the impacts of climate change, the Government of Zambia has issued a ban on charcoal production permits in three districts; Mumbwa, Itezhi Tezhi, and Shibuyunji.
Cc: LusakaTimes
At the Global Gateway High-Level Event on Education in Brussels, the European Union Commissioner, Jutta Urpilainen signed a €110 million grant to fund Zambia’s National Development Plan and Free Education Initiative, showcasing the EU’s commitment to invest in quality education for all. The funds will help enhance the quality of primary and secondary education, reduce girls’ dropout rate, increase accessibility for learners with disabilities, and boost early childhood education and development in the Luapula and North-Western Provinces.
Cc: European Union
Trending News on Africa: Word from Algeria, and Zimbabwe
The Algerian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has signed a partnership agreement with Baladna, the largest dairy food producer in Qatar, to develop the world’s largest integrated dairy farming and production project. The Qatari food company said the project will meet 50% of Algeria’s demand for powdered milk (which is an important industry in Algeria) and create 5,000 direct local jobs. The project will cover a 170,000-hectare area in the Adrar province, and produce 1.7 billion liters of milk a year from 270,000 cows, enough to supply everybody in the country with three liters of milk each month.
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Cc: AL-Monitor
In the bid to resolve the country’s money crisis and create a credible national currency, Zimbabwe has replaced its dollar with the ZiG, short for Zimbabwe Gold. This happens to be the country’s sixth attempt at establishing its currency since 2008 when inflation crossed 500 billion percent, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates. The new banknotes and coins have capped its highest denomination at 200 ZiG notes, valued at approximately $15. Will Zimbabwe’s new currency backed by gold and foreign currency reserves stabilize the economy?
Cc: Voice of America
Notes from East Africa: Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Burundi
Africa’s climate situation due to drought and torrential rainfalls is causing more harm than good, and requires urgent attention. East Africa is in dire need of finance and climate action to balance the escalating aftermath of these extremely harsh weather conditions. The rising death tolls, food insecurity, and widespread disaster across the affected countries are negatively impacting millions of families, and threatening the ability of countries to achieve sustainable development goals by 2030. This drives the call to action for more in-focus goals aimed at saving lives, properties, and the environment. What can be done to move beyond words and strategies to action?
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Authored by: Gloria Edukere | Edited by: Evelyn Dan Epelle, FMNES
Development Communications Strategist
10 个月I wonder what record I will break if I put my mind to it? ??