Hello Venturer,
I've always found the quote, "Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go," to be profoundly touching. It's one of those sayings that hits you right in the heart, don't you think?
Holding onto something, whether it's a relationship, a job, or even a dream because we think it's a sign of our strength. We think that by holding on, we're showing our resilience and determination. And yes, sometimes that's exactly what we need to do.
But here's the thing, dear venturer. Sometimes, the real strength lies in knowing when it's time to let go. It doesn't mean you're weak; it means you're wise and brave enough to embrace the possibilities that come with change. I wish more African leaders would show this type of strength.
This week, we explore how Mali’s military government has postponed the country’s presidential election for the second consecutive time and the dire impact it could have on its economy.
P.S. We can’t wait to share our latest digital magazine issue, 'The New Wave of Nigeria's Soft Power' with you, it captures the magic behind Nigeria's entertainment renaissance!
Torinmo Salau,
Staff Writer
What’s new?
Presidential election on hold, what could this mean for Mali?
The military junta in Mali has postponed its presidential elections scheduled for February 2024, which was anticipated to restore the country to a democratically elected civilian government. This is the second time that Mali’s military government has postponed the country’s presidential election. Political parties in Mali have condemned the decision of the junta to postpone the elections indefinitely. Read more.
G20 summit spotlights the rail and minerals set to fuel Africa’s international rise
the new US and EU-backed Lobito Corridor railway line spotlighted at the G20 summit – connecting the mineral-rich DRC and Zambia to the Angolan coast – notably aims to accelerate the exporting of critical raw materials and the development of regional value chains. Read more.
My Pivot Journal: How Toyin Adeoye went from being a Vet to UX writing
Toyin likes to believe Veterinary medicine chose her. It wasn’t always her first or third choice but she grew to love it. However, when she realized that it was not an easy career to pursue in Nigeria, especially with bills to pay, she opted for a new skill. Read more.
What are the latest investments made in Africa?
Africa is poised for mass industrialization as access to digital and mobile technology is growing fast, and the infrastructural gap is decreasing. Additionally, the American government has adopted ground-breaking measures to assist investors. Read more.
How solving Africa’s water and sanitation crisis will unlock opportunities – Mtchera Chira
In this interview with Ventures Africa, Mtchera Chirwa, Coordinator of the African Water Facility (AWF), uncovers the dire situation of Africa’s water and sanitation crisis, the opportunities the continent is missing out on and what it will take to solve this problem. Read more.
Nigeria’s economic growth drops in 2023 – World Bank
The persistent economic downturn in major economies of the region is weighing Sub-Saharan Africa’s economic performance down. In 2023, the economic growth is forecast to decelerate to 2.5% in 2023, from 3.6% in 2022. Nigeria is projected to grow at 2.9, due to lower international prices and currency pressures affecting oil and non-oil activity. Read more.
Weekly Economic Index: CBN’s new governor, Germany to support ECOWAS & Auto24’s expansion
Here are three big stories from Africa’s business and policy landscape you didn’t miss but should keep in mind this week. Read more.
The VA Pod
In this week’s podcast, we speak to Christian Idiodi, Rebecca King, co-founder at Innovate Africa, Kenechukwu Nwankwo, Senior Product Manager at Mono, and Olatunde Adejumo, Head of Product Management, Inclusion Business at Interswitch Group.
Press play👇to listen to a snippet of our latest podcast.
Follow this link to listen to the full conversation, and subscribe to the VA Pod.
Mini Issues
VivaTech 2023: Is AI truly limited?
Read the mini issue of our coverage of Viva Technology, Europe’s biggest technology conference, which was held in Paris, France, from June 14th to 17th, 2023.
Africa’s Business Heroes – Empowering Africa's next-gen entrepreneurs?
Since 2019, ABH, Jack Ma Foundation’s philanthropic program, has identified, showcased, and supported the next generation of African entrepreneurs through its inclusive and sector-agnostic prize competition.
Our weekly collectibles
Creators say they struggle to gain a foothold in a font market dominated by Monotype. Discover where fonts come from.
In this digital age, it’s impossible to know where your information is going or what it’s going to be used for. Find out why You Are Not Responsible for Your Own Online Privacy.
What makes a fraudster succeed? Find out in the fake genius: a $30 billion fraud.
Where do you draw the line between reality and make-believe? Find out why Celebrities can’t stop showing us who they really are.
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