Author: Elan

Beyond the terror inflicted on non-nationals, people forced to leave mid-treatment have lost access to critical treatment, carrying clinical risks that will outlast the processing centres. On 29 June, public health professionals warned that the unlawful “30 June” deadline set by anti-migrant groups risked triggering a public health emergency. That warning has materialised: in just over a week, the government processed tens of thousands of people – driven from their homes by violence or the threat of it – through the Musina Temporary Repatriation Processing Centre and the Beitbridge border post. This process has been blind to people’s humanity, reducing…

Researchers at Stanford University and Singapore Management University found that Polymarket’s five-minute Bitcoin prediction markets create incentives for traders to manipulate spot prices around settlement, allowing sophisticated participants to profit at the expense of retail traders.The study examined contracts in which traders bet on whether Bitcoin’s price would end above or below a predetermined level after five minutes. Because the contracts settle using Chainlink price feeds based on Bitcoin’s price at the end of each trading window, traders have an incentive to influence the spot market immediately before settlement.Analyzing trading activity before and after Polymarket introduced the contracts in July…

In a bid to accelerate Nigeria’s clean energy transition, Sterling Bank and StarTimes Nigeria have launched Sterling Solar Financing Hubs inside StarTimes retail outlets. This initiative embeds on-the-spot solar financing at the point of purchase, with a joint target of reaching ₦2 billion in renewable energy financing by the end of 2026. The initiative builds on an existing partnership that has already facilitated over ₦600 million in solar financing transactions over the past year. The new 2026 target represents more than a threefold expansion, aimed at enabling thousands of Nigerian households and small businesses to transition to reliable, affordable, and…

Many companies assume everyone craves new AI features. But the reality is that most people don’t want more AI — at least not in the way most AI leaders envision it. Brought to you by Design Patterns For AI Interfaces, friendly video courses on UX and design patterns by Vitaly.Many companies silently assume that everybody wants more AI in their lives. That people are craving new AI features, new AI products, new AI workflows — that would all magically replace all existing outdated practices and broken ways of working.But in reality, it seems like people don’t want more AI at…

duck and dodge President Mahama’s response to devastating floods is a sprawling new administrative capital. But urban planners warn that shifting ministries will not cure the systemic problems choking the historic metropolis. Floods in Ghana’s capital, Accra, leave many areas submerged. © Zoomlion Ghana Limited Published on July 15, 2026 at 18:00 pm (GMT +1) In Accra, the rain does not simply fall. It exposes. By the time Ghana‘s late-June floods receded, brown water turned streets into rivers and gutters into traps. Cars sat half-submerged. Families stood in the wreckage of rooms where the waterline had climbed above the windows.…

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 ecosystem maintained a resilient funding momentum in the first half of 2026, even as investors became increasingly selective in deploying capital. Data analyzed by the Nairametrics Research team revealed that a total of 241 startups raised $1.58 billion between January and June 2026, with the top 10 startups alone securing $948 million, representing 60.09% of all disclosed funding during the period. The figures also reveal that 19 startups did not disclose the amount of their funding rounds, suggesting that the continent’s total capital inflow could be higher than what is reported. Notably, South African fintech Pay@, with an…

West Africa’s coastal cities are not sinking by accident – African Business West Africa’s coastal cities are not sinking by accident – African Business

Nine years ago, Binance didn’t exist, and fewer than 6 million people on Earth owned any cryptocurrency at all. This week, the exchange marked its ninth birthday, claiming a user base larger than the population of most G20 nations, and made clear it no longer thinks of itself as just a crypto exchange. Binance now boasts of 323 million registered users across more than 100 countries, up roughly 7% in the first half of 2026. This represents an estimated 43% of the world’s cryptocurrency holders. Lifetime trading volume across the platform has crossed $156.4 trillion, a figure the company says…

Moniepoint Inc has appointed Rose Muturi, former Branch Kenya CEO, as the chief executive for Kenya, as the Nigerian fintech unicorn bolsters its expansion strategy in East Africa following the acquisition of Sumac Microfinance Bank earlier in the year. The Nigerian fintech, in an emailed response on Tuesday, confirmed the appointment, stating that Muturi has been brought on board to oversee the company’s strategic direction and not to manage its new local subsidiary.   The appointment suggests that the unicorn is moving from securing a regulatory foothold in East Africa’s biggest economy to building a banking business. The acquisition of Sumac…