Author: Elan

There was a time when cotton was more than just another crop in Kenya. In parts of the country, it was white gold. Farmers planted it knowing that the harvest could pay school fees, put food on the table and keep money circulating in rural communities. Cooperatives provided a link between farmers and markets, ginneries kept workers employed and textile mills had a ready source of raw material. In Mpeketoni, Lamu County, David Njuguna, chairman of the Lake Kenyatta Cooperative Society, remembers those days vividly. He was born here and grew up watching his parents cultivate cotton on land they received in a settlement…

We highlight five entrepreneurs building businesses in West Africa across sectors ranging from retail and footwear manufacturing to fitness.1. Ghana: From side hustle to 16 stores – a retail entrepreneur’s storyIn 2012, Charles Antwi-Boahen was scraping by as a commission-only salesman at an air-conditioning company in Accra, often struggling to cover his own transport costs. Noticing that customers kept asking for split air conditioners – a product his employer didn’t sell – he cut a referral deal with local appliance distributor Electroland. That side hustle became Kab-Fam, an electronics and home appliance retailer that today operates 16 stores across Ghana.…

Once primarily worn as wrappers and ceremonial dress, Akwete cloth is finding new life in contemporary clothing and university training. Weavers, educators and heritage specialists say expanding its market could preserve generations of knowledge while creating new livelihoods. For three to four weeks, Uchechi Ahunanya will sit close to the wooden loom in Obohia-Ndoki in Abia State, Nigeria, her hands moving steadily across a dense curtain of purple thread. Against the workshop’s warm ochre walls, fine strands stretch above and around her as she carefully builds the cloth line by line, guiding each thread into place. For Ahunanya, weaving Akwete cloth…

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Airtel has launched Africa’s first commercial satellite-to-mobile service in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through a partnership with Starlink, the Elon Musk-owned satellite internet company, which currently has 650 launched satellites. According to Airtel DRC Managing Director Thierry Diasnova, the launch follows groundwork preparations and a pilot of Starlink’s mobile data and messaging services in Kenya in March. The development also follows the strategic partnership between Airtel Africa and Starlink announced in December 2025.  Airtel DRC Managing Director Thierry Diasnova The launch marks a historic moment for Airtel Africa and the continent towards the push to bridge the…

New EU guidelines, why AI sparkles aren’t enough, when AI labels are required, and what the rules mean for AI-powered features and products. Brought to you by Design Patterns For AI Interfaces, friendly video courses on UX and design patterns by Vitaly.There’s been a lot of confusion and panic this week about “huge fines”, “drastic measures” and “sweeping new AI rules” in the EU. In reality, it’s a lot more narrow — and a lot more sensible. And mostly it’s about making AI more obvious when it actually needs to be obvious — especially for AI-generated content.Starting from Aug 2,…

Working together With US-Sahel joint intelligence services closing in, Kevin Rideout’s abductors were looking for a way out. A general view of a street in Niamey © Photo by AFP Published on August 14, 2026 at 16:47 pm (GMT +1) An American missionary who was seized by three gunmen outside his home in Niamey last fall is now in the custody of US officials following improved coordination with the Russian-backed military juntas that control the region.Kevin Rideout, a pilot with North Carolina-based evangelical group Serving in Mission (SIM), was kidnapped on 21 October by unknown assailants. He is believed to…

Listen to this article Tokyo is redefining its engagement with Africa, transitioning from traditional aid-based approaches to strategic venture capital (VC) investments focused on long-term partnerships, innovation and capacity building. Several Japanese private companies are making Japan’s presence felt in Africa’s VC landscape, particularly in high-growth sectors such as fintech, climate tech and mobility. Growing demand for innovative, technology-driven solutions in Africa has drawn increasing interest from international investors. VC funding in Africa rose from over US$2 billion in 2019 to a peak of US$5.2 billion in 2022. Though investment declined to around US$3.6 billion in 2023, the continent’s start-up…

Africa’s startup funding activity slowed sharply in July 2026, with 47 startups raising a combined $102.2 million across disclosed deals. Data compiled by Nairametrics shows that the funding landscape remained heavily concentrated, as the top 10 funded startups attracted $88.85 million, accounting for 86.94% of all capital raised during the month. This means nearly nine out of every ten dollars invested in African startups during the month went to just ten companies. Three startups involved in merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions did not disclose the value of their deals during the period, as the deal values were not disclosed and…

Ahunna Eziakonwa: Time to dismantle Africa’s risk premium – African Business Ahunna Eziakonwa: Time to dismantle Africa’s risk premium – African Business