Ever thought about the magic that could happen, if travelers could seamlessly move from one African country to the next? It would become the ultimate tourism hotspot. From the pyramids of Egypt to the vibrant markets of Marrakech, the wild safaris in Kenya, and the serene beaches of Seychelles, there is so much to explore in Africa. But first, this would mean addressing the thorny issue of ease of movement.
Rwanda is the latest country to embrace this vision. The country is granting visa-free entry to all Africans. In the words of President Kagame, “Any African can get on a plane to Rwanda whenever they wish and they will not pay a thing to enter our country.” This is a bold move that is sure to boost tourism and promote cultural exchange.
While the East African country has opened its doors to position Africa as “a unified tourism destination”, South Africa’s visa policy continues to tell a different tale, one that transcends tourism. This week, we explore what South Africa stands to gain when it relaxes its stringent visa policies.
Data released by the office of South Africa’s Presidency indicates that the country approved less than half of its visa applications from 2015 to 2021. South Africa (SA) rejected 52% of critical skills visa applications during this period. Read more.
Kenya’s stock market is struggling to impress investors and has recorded a deeply bearish run this year. According to Bloomberg’s tracking of 92 global benchmarks, Kenya’s stock market is the world’s worst performer. Read more.
The World Bank has warned that many smaller developing countries are facing a “silent debt crisis” as they confront the effects of high US interest rates on their already fragile economy. Read more
Oladimeji Balogun started life with dreams that didn’t work out but found other ways to gain the fulfillment he wanted. He planned to impact lives by saving them, literally. But now, he impacts them by managing them. Read Balogun’s pivot journal here.
Nigerian fintech might be on the verge of a fraud crisis. This year, we have seen an uncomfortably high number of reports about companies losing millions to cybercriminals. Even the big names have not been spared. Read more.
The Gaza war has been a contentious and deeply distressing conflict, sparking mixed reactions around the world. The call for a boycott of Israel has garnered a lot of momentum, as it aims to target the economic, academic, and cultural sectors of the country. Read more.
Every sector of Nigeria’s economy suffered a devastating impact from the naira devaluation that hit the country this year. The telecom industry was not left out as the two major players had their fair share of the economic downturn. Read more.
Crowdyvest Limited, a Nigerian agritech-focused crowdfunding platform, recently disclosed that it owes 3,700 crowdfunding investors ₦7.7 billion. An internal document obtained by TechCabal confirms that the company failed to meet its payment commitments to customers in 2021. Read more.
Africa is one of the largest cotton producers in the world. 37 out of 54 African countries produce cotton, and the region accounts for about 20% of the world’s cotton production. Cotton farming is a vital source of income and livelihood for millions of Africans, especially smallholder farmers. Read more.
Lagos State is set to house its first film city. The film city, spanning a sprawling 100 hectares, will serve as a comprehensive production hub, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and all the necessary infrastructure to bring the magic of filmmaking to life. Read More.
Uganda, Gabon, Niger, and the Central African Republic (CAR) have been expelled from AGOA, a special US-Africa trade program. The countries either seriously violated human rights or weren’t moving towards democracy. Read more.
In this week’s podcast, Chioma Ude shares insights on the business of the Nigerian movie industry and the advancements that led to its increased global appeal.
Press play👇to listen to a snippet of our latest podcast.
Ijeoma Onah discusses the intricacies of marketing and exporting Nollywood content globally.
Soft power - To attract, persuade, influence, and shape preferences through culture. Nigeria has effectively done this through entertainment. Our music, films, and content transcend borders, commanding global attention. As master storytellers, we are leveraging new technologies to amplify our cultural influence.
