Category: Africa

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Mauritian Startup Black Swan Wins the MEST Africa Challenge 2025

Source: APO

Black Swan, a Mauritius-based FinTech startup, has been named the winner of the MEST Africa Challenge (MAC) 2025 (https://Meltwater.org), following a high-energy Grand Finale at Innovation City, Cape Town on November 26, 2025.

Led by the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa) and powered by Absa Group, the MEST Africa Challenge is one of the continent’s leading Pan-African pitch competitions, providing a platform for early-stage startups to secure funding, mentorship, and global visibility.

The 2025 edition turned its focus to FinTech; spotlighting startups and embedded financial solutions driving inclusion, smarter payments, and digital transformation across Africa’s economies.

Co-founded by Derick Kazimoto, Black Swan is on a mission to “Make Africa Bankable.” Across Africa, millions of consumers and MSMEs remain invisible to formal lenders because their data is fragmented, informal, and difficult to verify; a gap that locks out capable borrowers and limits credit growth. Black Swan tackles this challenge by turning fragmented data into instant credit intelligence that enables precise affordability assessments and inclusive lending at scale. Its platform helps financial institutions see real risk, unlocking new pathways for growth and economic mobility across the continent.

“Africa’s financial system cannot see the true creditworthiness of millions of consumers and Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) because their data is fragmented, informal, and invisible to traditional lenders,” said Derick Kazimoto, Co-founder and CEO of Black Swan. “This invisibility locks out capable borrowers, limits credit growth, and slows economic mobility. Our mission is to make Africa bankable.” Kazimoto added, “We believe Africa is shifting from informal, collateral-heavy lending to data-driven credit. A transformation that’s changing how banks and FinTechs trust, lend, and grow.”

MAC 2025 attracted hundreds of applications from eight of Absa priority markets, including Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique, Seychelles, and Mauritius. After a rigorous selection process, ten startups advanced to the Cape Town finale, where they pitched to a panel of judges comprising investors, Absa executives, and industry leaders.

The Grand Finale was a celebration of Africa’s ingenuity;  where founders showcased real, scalable solutions tackling challenges across payments, credit, insurance, and trade finance.

“Congratulations to Black Swan and all ten finalists of this year’s MEST Africa Challenge,” said Ashwin Ravichandran, Portfolio Advisor at MEST Africa. “This year showed a clear shift toward building for scale; founders are prioritizing compliance, interoperability, and cross-border readiness from day one. FinTech is now powering real sectors like agriculture, energy, and trade, and that’s where lasting impact will come from. At MEST, we’re inspired to see entrepreneurs building solutions that are deeply local yet globally adaptable. It reflects a new maturity in African innovation; grounded in customer realities, and ambitious enough to scale across borders.”

As the 2025 winner, Black Swan will receive US $50,000 in equity investment, entry into the MEST Portfolio, and the opportunity to pilot commercial solutions with Absa business units across Africa; support that will help the company scale its technology and expand its impact across the continent.

“This year’s Challenge brought forward solutions that reflect how people and businesses want to manage their financial lives in a simpler, more accessible, and more integrated way. Black Swan secured the winning position because their solution meets a clear need and shows potential to complement the services we provide across our markets. The Challenge has revealed just how much opportunity exists to enhance customer experiences through thoughtful innovation,” says Tawanda Chatikobo, Head of Digital for Absa Regional Operations (ARO), Retail and Business Banking.

Now in its seventh year, the MEST Africa Challenge has become a launchpad for early-stage founders across the continent; offering visibility, mentorship, and access to partners who can help them grow. The Challenge continues to serve as a bridge between emerging startups and established industry players, uniting the agility of innovation with the scale of corporate collaboration.

“Congratulations to Blackswan on reaching this milestone. What resonated with us was the technical discipline behind their approach: the architecture, the clarity of the build, and the way they’re thinking about scaling responsibly. For us, the Challenge is about expanding Absa’s view of the technology landscape and identifying where new capabilities or partnerships might emerge.” Tamu Dutuma, Head of Strategy and Transformation for Technology at Absa Regional Operations (ARO).

Since 2008, MEST Africa has trained and supported over 2,000 entrepreneurs and invested in over 90 startups. The MEST Africa Challenge (MAC) is its flagship pan-African pitch competition designed to identify and support high-potential technology ventures.

Visit: https://apo-opa.co/48Rjvn5

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa).

Media Contact (MEST Africa):
Ophesmur Adjei
Marketing and Communications Manager
marketing@meltwater.org

About MEST Africa:
Established in 2008 as the non‑profit arm of Meltwater, the Meltwater Foundation drives job creation and economic growth in Africa through software entrepreneurship. Headquartered in Accra, Ghana, the Foundation’s Entrepreneurial Support Organisation, MEST Africa, delivers a full-time, in-person intensive tech‑entrepreneurship training to emerging talent from more than 22 African countries and provides early‑stage investment to promising ventures. To extend this impact, the Foundation launched MESTx, a suite of collaborative programs designed and delivered with like‑minded partners to expand digital‑skills training and startup acceleration across the continent. Since its inception, the Meltwater Foundation has trained 2,000+ entrepreneurs and invested in 90+ startups across the continent; fueling innovation, creating jobs, and shaping Africa’s next generation of tech entrepreneurs.

Learn more about MEST Africa: https://Meltwater.org

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Fossil hunters find tracks of animals from about 3 million years ago – a first in South Africa

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Charles Helm, Research Associate, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University

South Africa is well known for its fossil heritage, a record of plants and animals that tells us what the world was like long ago.

Over the past 15 years, our research group at the African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience at Nelson Mandela University has studied some of these ancient species by examining the tracks and traces they left during the Pleistocene Epoch (a period from about 1.8 million years ago to 11,700 years ago, sometimes known as the “Ice Ages”). We have identified more than 350 vertebrate tracksites along the coast from this time. These animals left their tracks and traces in sandy surfaces that hardened into rock over time. The oldest fossil track we’ve found is around 400,000 years old.

All this time we were aware that there might be more, even older trace fossils to find further inland. We knew that up to 30km inland there were cemented dunes formed from wind-blown sand, probably around 3 million years old. These dunes, which are now rock, are known as the Wankoe Formation.

Wankoe Formation. Charles Helm, Author provided (no reuse)

However, there were problems with finding any fossils there. There seemed to be a relatively limited number of suitable rock outcrops, showing what used to be dune surfaces. And often those that we did find were eroded and calcified: good for finding caves and mineral formations (like stalagmites), but not for finding tracks – or so it seemed. In addition, much of the Wankoe Formation is on private property, and permission would be needed to access potential sites.

We realised that to find any fossil traces we would have to focus on the areas where the original rock layers were well preserved and visible. Then one of our team members, Given Banda, identified what appeared to be a trackway on an inland surface near his home community. This was a spur to action, and next, when staying in the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve to research nearby coastal tracks, we chanced upon more inland track-like features. A more thorough reconnaissance in the reserve followed, and the more we looked, the more tracks we found, including one that’s certainly a trackway (see photo below).

Arrows point out a pedestalled (raised) vertebrate trackway in the Pliocene Wankoe Formation, South Africa. Charles Helm, Author provided (no reuse)

The results of our findings were recently published.

No vertebrate tracks had previously been identified in the Wankoe Formation. We have found that the formation is rich in fossils and that vertebrate tracks are common there. Furthermore, these seem to be the first recorded Pliocene vertebrate tracks described from southern Africa. The Pliocene was an epoch from about 5.3 million to 2.6 million years ago. These findings therefore add to what we know about ancient environments.

Read more: Exquisite new fossils from South Africa offer a glimpse into a thriving ecosystem 266 million years ago

New treasure trove of fossil tracks and traces

New fossil site in South Africa’s Western Cape province. Charles Helm, Author provided (no reuse)

The Wankoe Formation track discoveries are important for three main reasons:

  • they might tell us more about body fossils

  • we might find traces of human ancestor species

  • the tracks are raised rather than indented, which is rare.

Firstly, there is a wonderful Pliocene body fossil site just a few hundred kilometres away. Known as Langebaanweg or, more popularly, the West Coast Fossil Park, the site boasts a vast array of extinct creatures. The body fossil record and trace fossil (ichnological record can not only complement each other, but have the potential to yield new findings that constructively inform and enrich each other.

For example, on the coast we have found trackways of giraffe and giant tortoises, that were not known to inhabit the region based on the body fossil record. We hope that we can complement the body fossil record with our ichnological findings. Already we have identified a tracksite that suggests a possible wolverine trackmaker, consistent with the finding of an extinct wolverine at Langebaanweg.

Secondly, when we started work on the younger deposits on the coast 15 years ago, we knew that we needed to be on the lookout for hominin tracksites, as we were aware that ancestral hominins had been there at the time. Since then, we have found more than 20 such sites. These make up by far the largest archive of hominin tracksites more than 40,000 years old in the world.

Read more: Fossil finds: footprints on South Africa’s coast offer a glimpse into our ancestors’ lives

We can try to apply similar thinking to our Pliocene discoveries inland from the coast.

Pliocene deposits are not encountered that often in Africa, and these Western Cape examples seem to be among the only ones described from southern Africa. The Laetoli site in Tanzania is globally famous for its australopithecine trackways, which remain the only tracks of these possible ancestors of our Homo genus from the Pliocene. They are also the oldest unequivocal tracks of their kind in the world.

Read more: The Maasai legend behind ancient hominin footprints in Tanzania

While we have not yet found tracks that are conclusively of primate origin in the Wankoe Formation, and we do not know precisely when australopithecines may have first appeared in this region, we are aware of the potential, and need to keep exploring.

3D photogrammetry model of a trackway in the Pliocene Wankoe Formation; scales are in metres. Charles Helm, Author provided (no reuse)

Thirdly, the tracks we are finding are different, and are special in their own right. Many of them are “pedestalled”, meaning that instead of forming hollows, they are raised above the surface.

The principle of their origin can easily be replicated on a modern dune surface, provided that the sand is slightly moist (cohesive) and a strong wind is blowing. If you walk along such a surface, you will leave your tracks in the form of depressions. But if you return an hour later, they might be raised above the surface. This is because you will have compressed underlying layers when you made your tracks, and the wind has blown the surrounding sand away but is not strong enough to remove the compressed areas below your tracks. The same principle occurs in snow, where it is much more readily observed (see photo below).

These pedestalled trackways in snow in Antarctica survived for weeks after the tracks were registered. Dr Raoul Scoltz, Author provided (no reuse)

Fossilised pedestalled tracks are globally rare, and the potential for finding more of them is intriguing.

Read more: Fossil treasure chest: how to preserve the geoheritage of South Africa’s Cape coast

More to find?

Our subsequent explorations have continued to deliver results, and we now realise that even rocks that have been weathered can sometimes preserve tracks, sometimes in profile. (See photo: the underlying layers have been distorted by the weight of the trackmaker.)

Track viewed in profile in the Wankoe Formation; scale bars = 10cm. Charles Helm, Author provided (no reuse)

We have also found body fossils in the form of trees, roots and bone material embedded in these layers of wind-blown, hardened sand that require further study.

It is perhaps not surprising that the dunes that now form the Wankoe Formation contained tracks on their surfaces. However, the welcome news is that despite all the calcification and weathering that has occurred, evidence of these tracks has not been obliterated.

We now realise that if we know where to look, there will be many suitable surfaces and exposures to explore. And the possibility of finding the tracks of ancestral hominins from the Pliocene forms a new “holy grail” for our research team.

– Fossil hunters find tracks of animals from about 3 million years ago – a first in South Africa
– https://theconversation.com/fossil-hunters-find-tracks-of-animals-from-about-3-million-years-ago-a-first-in-south-africa-267567

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Un couple de médecins trouve une nouvelle passion auprès de Mercy Ships et donne un nouveau sens à sa vie

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

Alors que de nombreux couples se préparent à prendre leur retraite, Elaine et David Sigalet ont choisi une voie différente. Une voie qui leur permet de traverser les océans, de transformer des vies et d’approfondir leur lien d’une manière qu’ils n’avaient pas imaginée. Au terme de leur carrière médicale, ce couple canadien a trouvé un nouveau sens à sa vie auprès de Mercy Ships (www.MercyShips.org), une organisation humanitaire internationale qui dispense des soins chirurgicaux gratuits et des formations aux professionnels de la santé locaux dans les régions les plus défavorisées d’Afrique.

Pour les Sigalet, le bénévolat au sein de cette ONG a été une expérience profondément salvatrice. Actuellement à bord du Global Mercy™ pour la quatrième fois, les Sigalet incarnent la vocation du service, alliant compétence et générosité, bien au-delà de l’engagement bénévole.

David, chirurgien pédiatrique, pratique chaque jour des opérations qui transforment la vie des enfants, soignant leurs hernies, enlèvant leurs tumeurs et redonnant espoir à leurs familles.

« Ce qui me fait revenir, c’est le sentiment d’appartenance à une communauté », confie David. « Nous ne transformons pas seulement des vies individuelles, nous construisons un système durable. L’accent mis sur la formation des populations locales est la partie la plus significative, car nous laissons quelque chose derrière nous. »

Elaine a également constaté les fruits de son travail, en particulier avec les infirmières locales.

« Aujourd’hui, je travaille avec des infirmières que j’ai formées il y a plus d’un an, et leurs connaissances et leur capacité à réfléchir de manière critique se sont vraiment améliorées. C’est très satisfaisant de voir cette évolution. »

Elaine est titulaire d’un doctorat en éducation médicale et occupe le poste de coordinatrice de simulation au sein de l’équipe Enseignement, Formation et Promotion de la santé (ETA) de Mercy Ships. Son rôle consiste à créer des scénarios médicaux réalistes qui permettent aux professionnels de santé locaux de s’exercer et de perfectionner leurs compétences dans un environnement sûr et sans risque. C’est une garantie que le savoir et les compétences continuent de porter leurs fruits longtemps après que le navire a quitté le port.

Des études récentes (https://apo-opa.co/3KC76uX) montrent que la formation par simulation en Afrique subsaharienne peut améliorer considérablement les compétences chirurgicales et cliniques des professionnels de santé locaux. Par exemple, une analyse complète a révélé que la formation par simulation est une méthode très prometteuse pour améliorer l’accès et la qualité des compétences chirurgicales dans les régions mal desservies. En concevant et en dispensant cette formation assistée à bord du Global Mercy, Elaine Sigalet met la théorie en pratique.

Mariés depuis 39 ans, les Sigalet affirment que leur mission commune à bord du navire-hôpital de Mercy Ships les a encore rapprochés. Entre les longues journées à l’hôpital et les soirées tranquilles et propices à la réflexion sur le pont, ils ont redécouvert ce qui les avait initialement réunis : la conviction partagée que la spiritualité et la compassion peuvent changer le monde.

« Nous essayons de toujours nous asseoir ensemble pour les repas, d’assister aux réunions et offices et de faire des promenades le soir », confie Elaine. « Servir les autres côte à côte a approfondi notre relation et conforté nos croyances. Tant que vous ne l’avez pas vécu, vous ne pouvez pas vraiment comprendre. Cela donne à la vie et à l’amour une toute nouvelle dimension.”

Distribué par APO Group pour Mercy Ships.

Pour plus d’informations sur Mercy Ships, veuillez contacter : 
international.media@mercyships.org

À propos de Mercy Ships:
Mercy Ships est une organisation humanitaire internationale qui déploie les deux plus grands navires-hôpitaux civils au monde, l’Africa Mercy et le Global Mercy, pour fournir des soins de santé gratuits et de première qualité aux plus démunis. L’ONG internationale soutient également le développement des systèmes de santé des pays hôtes par la formation des professionnels de la santé et la rénovation d’infrastructures. Fondé en Suisse en 1978 par Don et Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships est intervenu dans 55 pays. A bord de ses navires, une moyenne de 2 500 bénévoles par an, issus de 60 pays, contribuent à l’œuvre de Mercy Ships. Des professionnels tels que chirurgiens, dentistes, personnel infirmier, formateurs dans le domaine de la santé, cuisiniers, marins, ingénieurs et agriculteurs dédient leur temps et leurs compétences à cette cause. Avec des bureaux dans 16 pays et un Centre opérationnel pour l’Afrique basé à Dakar, au Sénégal, Mercy Ships se met au service des nations en restaurant santé et dignité.

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Jagersfontein Tailings Dam owner "ignored structural instability warning"

Source: Government of South Africa

The technical investigation into the failure of the Jagersfontein Fine Tailings Storage Facility (FTSF), has found that the owner of the tailings dam, Jagersfontein Development (Pty) Ltd, may have been aware of structural instability along the southern wall.

Water and Sanitation Deputy Ministers David Mahlobo and Sello Seitlholo officially released the long-awaited findings, which was presented to residents of Jagersfontein on Friday, 28 November 2025, more than three years after the catastrophic collapse on 11 September 2022, resulted in the tragic loss of life, leaving scores of people homeless as well as pollution of the environment and water resources.

The delegation, which included Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae and Kopanong Local Municipality Mayor Xolani Tseletsele, met community members at the Mayibuye Community Hall, where they relayed the findings of the report to the community.

Instability known since 2019

The technical investigation, conducted by experts from the University of Pretoria (UP) and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), found that the owner of the tailings dam, Jagersfontein Development (Pty) Ltd, may have been aware of structural instability along the southern wall as early as 2019.

According to the report, the company attempted to stabilise the slope by adding large volumes of material to stabilise the slope, which was not effective, but continued to raise the dam wall and deposit more tailings into the dam.

The report further indicates that the construction/raising of the tailing’s storage facility was based on conceptual designs and that no detailed designs were done to enable the safe construction of the facility. In addition, there was no construction supervision by a registered engineering professional.

The investigation also revealed that when the dam breached on the southern wall of the tailings dam, one compartment collapsed, leading to containment of approximately 5.9 million cubic meters (mᵌ) of fine tailings being released downstream and causing flooding and destruction of infrastructure and property, including power lines. 

Two people were confirmed dead, and one person remains missing, and is presumed dead.

Design and construction failures

In addition to warnings of instability, the report identified critical engineering and regulatory failures. Among the most serious findings:

•    The facility was constructed and raised based on conceptual designs only, with no detailed engineering designs to support safe construction.

•    No registered engineering professional supervised the construction, raising concerns about compliance with industry standards.

•    Part of the southern wall was built on a pre-existing tailings dump of low structural strength, resulting in a weak foundation that contributed significantly to the collapse.

Addressing the community, Deputy Minister Mahlobo said he would have preferred to see the mine closed down in light of its non-compliance with government directives.

However, government will also have to consider the livelihood of residents who reside in the area as the mine provides job opportunities to some of the residents.

“It is a fine balancing act, saving jobs and saving lives,” Mahlobo said.

A full copy of the report can be accessed on the Department of Water and Sanitation’s website www.dws.gov.za – SAnews.gov.za
 

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Breaking: Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Mandisa Maya, other Leaders Named African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year 2025

Source: APO

African Leadership Magazine (ALM) (www.AfricanLeadershipMagazine.Co.UK) is excited to announce the winners of the African Persons of the Year (POTY) 2025 Awards, concluding a rigorous three-stage process that included continent-wide public nominations, a comprehensive editorial review, and a highly competitive global online poll that closed on 30 November 2025. This year’s exercise recorded exceptional engagement from Africans across the world, underscoring widespread public interest in celebrating leadership excellence across governance, business, philanthropy, innovation, and public service.

The ALM Persons of the Year Awards is Africa’s premier public-choice recognition, celebrating leaders whose vision, courage, and innovative actions in 2025 are shaping the continent’s development trajectory. Among the distinguished honourees, H.E. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President of Namibia, and H.E. Mandisa Maya, Chief Justice of South Africa, emerged as recipients of African Political Leader of the Year and African Female Leader of the Year, respectively. The 2025 winners collectively embody a pan-African community of trailblazers whose work spans sectors and geographies but aligned a shared commitment to advancing sustainable development, strengthening institutional resilience, and driving inclusive economic growth on the continent.

In his statement, Dr. Ken Giami, Publisher of African Leadership Magazine, highlighted that “As Africans, we must champion our own stories and recognise those shaping the continent’s future. This year’s awardees exemplify leadership that strengthens institutions, drives innovation, safeguards peace, and unlocks opportunity — showing what is possible when Africans lead with vision, courage, and purpose.”

The winners and runners-up will be formally presented with the awards trophy and instruments of honour during the flagship annual African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year awards ceremony, scheduled for 27–28 February 2026 in Accra, Ghana. The highlights of the event would include the POTY awards presentation, high-level plenary, business investment showcases, states and countries’ investment opportunities showcases, roundtable discussions, and multi-networking sessions, as well as an unveiling of the African Leadership Magazine special POTY edition.

The African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year (POTY) Ceremony is Africa’s premier annual celebration of visionary leadership and excellence, convened by African Leadership Magazine (ALM). Now in its 15th year, the event brings together heads of state, policymakers, corporate leaders, and development partners to recognise individuals and institutions driving people-centred, transformative leadership across the continent. The 2026 edition promises to be bigger than previous editions as it projects to host over 400 delegates and reach a global digital audience of more than one million through live streaming and media partnerships, spotlighting transformative governance, peacebuilding, economic cooperation, and sustainable development.

The 2025 AFRICAN LEADERSHIP MAGAZINE PERSONS OF THE YEAR — FULL LIST OF WINNERS

African Political Leader of the Year

  • Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President of Namibia — Winner
  • Patrice Talon, President of Benin — 1st Runner-up

African Female Leader of the Year

  • Mandisa Maya, Chief Justice of South Africa — Winner
  • Esperança da Costa, Vice President of Angola — 1st Runner-up

African Educationist of the Year

  • Barnabas Nawangwe, Vice Chancellor, Makerere University — Winner
  • Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir, Minister of Education, Somalia — 1st Runner-up

Africa Peace & Security Leader of the Year

  • Mbaye Cissé, Chief of the General Staff, Armed Forces of Senegal — Winner
  • Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson, AU Commission, Djibouti — 1st Runner-up

African Industrialist of the Year

  • Samuel Dossou-Aworet, Founder & Chairman, Petrolin Group, Benin — Winner
  • Phuthuma Nhleko, Chairman, Phembani Group, South Africa — 1st Runner-up

African Philanthropist of the Year

  • Mr. Samuel Tafesse, Founder, Sunshine Investment Group, Ethiopia — Winner
  • Mensa Otabil, Founder, International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Ghana— Runner-up

Young African Leader of the Year

  • Khalil Suleiman Halilu, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Nigeria — Winner
  • Darshan Chandaria, Group CEO, Chandaria Group, Kenya — 1st Runner-up

African Public Sector Leader of the Year

  • Debele Kabeta, Commissioner, Ethiopian Customs Commission — Winner
  • Charles Anosike, DG/CEO, Nigeria Meteorological Agency — 1st Runner-up

African Public Health Champion of the Year

  • Esperance Luvindao, Minister of Health, Namibia — Winner
  • Mekdes Daba Feyssa, Minister of Health, Ethiopia — Runner-up

African Agricultural Development Leader of the Year

  • Girma Amente, Minister of Agriculture, Ethiopia — Winner
  • Bruno Linyiru, DG, Agriculture & Food Authority, Kenya — 1st Runner-up

African Government Minister of the Year

  • Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, Minister of Finance, Sierra Leone — Winner
  • Lee Maiyani Kinyanjui, Cabinet Secretary, Kenya — 1st Runner-up

African Lawmaker of the Year

  • Austelino Tavares Correia, President, National Assembly, Cape Verde — Winner
  • Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Nigeria — 1st Runner-up

Special African Philanthropist Icon Award

  • Rali Mampeule, Founder/CEO, South African Housing & Infrastructure Fund — Winner

Young African Philanthropist of the Year

  • Wicknell Chivayo, CEO, Intratrek, Zimbabwe — Winner

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Leadership Magazine.

For media and other enquiries, contact:
Ehis Ayere
Group General Manager
African Leadership Magazine UK
ehis@africanleadershipmagazine.co.uk
+44 203 051 1883

About African Leadership Magazine:
The African Leadership Magazine, published by the African Leadership Organisation (UK), focuses on presenting the best of Africa to a global audience, telling the African story from an African perspective while developing solutions to the continent’s current challenges. We have committed the last 19 years to promoting impactful leadership on the continent and promoting African opportunities globally through an ecosystem of quality Afro-positive content, Africa trade facilitation and market entry solutions, Afro-centric communities and business networking platforms, as well as through public sector training and consulting.

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Volunteer recruitment begins for Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games

Source: APO

As excitement continues to build ahead of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) (https://apo-opa.co/4p76mwQ), the Organising Committee has opened applications for its volunteer programme, inviting people from Senegal and beyond to contribute to the delivery of the first Olympic sporting event to be held in Africa.

KEY FACTS

  • Dakar 2026 launches its volunteer programme, “Jambaar26” open from 1 December 2025 until 31 January 2026, aiming to recruit over 6,000 volunteers.
  • The name “Jambaar26” comes from the Wolof word “jambaar,” meaning “hero,” a tribute to the volunteers’ essential role.
  • Jambaar26 is open to all interested people; volunteers will support operations such as event logistics, transport, accreditation, ceremonies, media services and spectator support.
  • From 1 to 7 December 2025, a national volunteer-mobilisation tour will visit Senegal’s 14 regions to promote the programme and facilitate registration.

Opening on 1 December 2025, the programme, known as Jambaar26, will recruit more than 6,000 volunteers to support a wide range of operations across the Games. Open to anyone wishing to be part of this global sporting event, the programme offers participants the opportunity to develop new skills, gain experience behind the scenes and help welcome athletes and visitors from around the world. Registration will run exclusively on https://apo-opa.co/44ovkjd until 31 January 2026.

A PROGRAMME OPEN TO ALL

Taking its name from the Wolof word “jambaar” – meaning “hero” and often used in Senegal to recognise exemplary individuals – Jambaar26 highlights the important role that the volunteers will play in supporting the YOG. While the programme is expected to attract significant interest from Senegalese youth, Jambaar26 is open to anyone who wishes to contribute to the success of Dakar 2026 and gain first-hand experience of a major international sporting event.

Volunteers will support day-to-day operations across both competition and non-competition venues, contributing to functional areas such as sports events, ceremonies, transport, accreditation, media services and spectator experience.

To be considered for the programme, applicants must be at least 18 years old and have a basic command of French and English. Selected volunteers will be required to participate in the training sessions provided by the Organising Committee and be available for at least 10 days during the Games.

A NATIONAL TOUR TO INSPIRE AND MOBILISE COMMUNITIES

To encourage nationwide engagement, the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee (YOGOC) will organise a National Volunteer Tour from 1 to 7 December 2025, travelling across all 14 regions of Senegal to meet potential volunteers and share information about the programme.

The tour will begin on 1 December in Thiès, before three caravans set out across the country. Stops will include Fatick, Kédougou and Diourbel (2 December); Kaolack and Louga (3 December); Kolda (4 December); Kaffrine and Sédhiou (5 December); Saint-Louis (6 December); and Matam, Tambacounda and Ziguinchor (7 December). A final event will take place in Dakar on 14 December.

Throughout the tour, YOGOC teams will provide details on roles, requirements, benefits and the registration process; meet with local authorities and associations; and showcase the core values of volunteering, such as teamwork, inclusion and solidarity. The initiative aims to foster national enthusiasm for Dakar 2026 and build a diverse, motivated volunteer community representing every region of the country.

The Dakar 2026 YOG will take place from 31 October to 13 November 2026, bringing together 2,700 of the world’s best young athletes aged up to 17. The Games will be held across three host sites in Senegal: Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Olympic Committee (IOC).

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Le recrutement des volontaires pour les Jeux Olympiques de la Jeunesse de Dakar 2026 commence

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

Alors que l’enthousiasme gagne du terrain à l’approche des Jeux Olympiques de la Jeunesse (JOJ) de Dakar 2026 (https://apo-opa.co/48HNfnj), le comité d’organisation a lancé le processus de candidature pour son programme des volontaires, invitant les Sénégalais et le reste du monde à participer à l’organisation du premier événement sportif olympique à se tenir en Afrique.

FAITS MAJEURS

  • Dakar 2026 lance son programme des volontaires, Jambaar26. Le processus de candidature débute le 1er décembre 2025 pour s’achever le 31 janvier 2026. L’objectif est de recruter plus de 6 000 volontaires.
  • L’appellation “Jambaar26” vient du terme wolof – héros – un hommage au rôle déterminant joué par les volontaires.
  • Jambaar26 est ouvert à tous ; les volontaires apporteront notamment leur aide dans la logistique, le transport, l’accréditation, les cérémonies, les services médias et le soutien aux spectateurs.
  • Du 1er au 7 décembre 2025, une tournée nationale parcourra les 14 régions du Sénégal pour mobiliser les volontaires, promouvoir le programme et encourager les inscriptions.

À partir du 1er décembre 2025, le programme, baptisé Jambaar26, recrutera plus de 6 000 volontaires qui seront affectés en renfort à de multiples tâches pendant les Jeux. Ouvert à toutes celles et ceux qui souhaitent participer à cet événement sportif mondial, le programme offre aux participants la possibilité d’acquérir de nouvelles compétences, de découvrir les coulisses des JOJ et d’accueillir les athlètes et les visiteurs du monde entier. Les inscriptions se feront uniquement sur la plateforme https://apo-opa.co/44ovkjd jusqu’au 31 janvier 2026.

UN PROGRAMME OUVERT A TOUTES ET TOUS

Tirant son appellation du terme wolof “jambaar” – héros – souvent utilisé au Sénégal pour désigner des personnes exemplaires, Jambaar26 met en avant le rôle important que joueront les volontaires à l’occasion des JOJ. Le programme, qui devrait susciter un vif intérêt auprès de la jeunesse sénégalaise, est néanmoins ouvert à toute personne désireuse de contribuer au succès de Dakar 2026 et d’acquérir une expérience pratique d’un événement sportif international majeur.

Les volontaires prendront part aux opérations quotidiennes sur les sites de compétition et autres, en travaillant dans les secteurs fonctionnels suivants notamment : épreuves sportives, cérémonies, transport, accréditation, services médiatiques et expérience des spectateurs.

Pour que leur demande soit prise en compte, les candidates et les candidats doivent être âgés de 18 ans révolus et posséder des connaissances de base en français et en anglais. Les volontaires retenus devront participer aux séances de formation proposées par le comité d’organisation et être disponibles pendant dix jours au moins lors des Jeux.

UNE TOURNEE NATIONALE POUR INSPIRER ET MOBILISER LES COMMUNAUTES

Pour encourager la mobilisation au niveau national, le comité d’organisation des Jeux Olympiques de la Jeunesse (COJOJ) de Dakar 2026 organisera du 1er au 7 décembre 2025 une tournée nationale qui parcourra les 14 régions du Sénégal afin de rencontrer toutes celles et ceux qui souhaitent rejoindre les rangs des volontaires pour leur présenter le programme.

La tournée débutera le 1er décembre à Thiès, avant de sillonner le pays en empruntant trois itinéraires. Elle s’arrêtera à Fatick, Kédougou et Diourbel (2 décembre) ; Kaolack et Louga (3 décembre) ; Kolda (4 décembre) ; Kaffrine et Sédhiou (5 décembre) ; Saint-Louis (6 décembre) ; et Matam, Tambacounda et Ziguinchor (7 décembre). Dernière étape : Dakar le 14 décembre.

Tout au long de la tournée, les équipes du COJOJ fourniront des informations détaillées sur les postes à pourvoir, les conditions requises, les avantages d’être volontaire et le processus d’inscription. Elles rencontreront également les autorités et les associations locales et mettront en avant les valeurs qui sont au cœur du volontariat : le travail d’équipe, l’inclusion et la solidarité. Cette initiative entend susciter l’enthousiasme pour Dakar 2026 dans tout le pays et donner naissance à une communauté de volontaires plurielle et motivée, représentant toutes les régions du Sénégal.

Pour rappel, les JOJ de Dakar 2026 se tiendront du 31 octobre au 13 novembre 2026 et réuniront 2 700 des meilleurs jeunes athlètes du monde âgés de 17 ans au maximum. Ils se dérouleront sur trois sites hôtes au Sénégal : Dakar, Diamniadio et Saly.

Distribué par APO Group pour International Olympic Committee (IOC).

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Africa Finance Corporation Raises Record US$524m in Dual-Currency Samurai Loan Facility

Source: APO – Report:

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, has closed a landmark US$524 million equivalent dual-currency Samurai term loan facility.

The transaction marks AFC’s largest Samurai loan to date and reinforces the Corporation’s growing footprint in Japan’s capital markets amid rising investor confidence in its credit fundamentals. The three-year syndicated facility, comprising US$505 million and JPY 3 billion, was significantly oversubscribed following strong demand from Japanese lenders.

AFC’s strong traction in Japan has been supported by a series of milestones, including its 2019 debut samurai loan, its 2023 guarantee of the Arab Republic of Egypt’s JPY75 billion Samurai Bond, and the award of an A+ (Stable) long-term issuer credit rating by the Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) earlier this year. AFC’s 2022 Samurai facility of US$419 million equivalent (US$412 million and JPY 1 billion) matured in October 2025 and was fully repaid by AFC.

AFC maintains a strong presence in Asian capital markets, where it has raised over US$1.3 billion in the past decade across Chinese, Indian and Korean loan facilities.

 “Japan continues to be an important and strategic market for AFC,” said Banji Fehintola, Executive Board Member and Head of Financial Services at AFC. “The strong support from Japanese lenders in our latest Samurai loan underscores the depth of confidence in AFC and the trust we have built with investors over the past few years. This successful transaction strengthens our funding base and expands our global investor reach as we continue mobilising capital to address the infrastructure deficit in Africa.”

The new facility was arranged by long-standing relationship banks, Mizuho Bank, MUFG Bank and SMBC Bank International, which acted as Mandated Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners. The transaction drew strong momentum from AFC’s lender roadshow held during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in August.

In a further demonstration of deepening engagement with Japanese and Asian investors, the facility welcomed several first-time  lenders to AFC, including Bank of Taiwan, China Construction Bank Corporation, First Commercial Bank, Taiwan Business Bank, The Chiba Bank, The Shizuoka Bank, and The Yamanashi Chuo Bank.

Proceeds from the facility will be used for general corporate purposes, supporting AFC’s mandate to drive sustainable development through infrastructure investment across Africa.

– on behalf of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).

Media Enquiries:
Yewande Thorpe
Communications
Africa Finance Corporation
Mobile: +234 1 279 9654
Email: Yewande.thorpe@africafc.org

About AFC:
Africa Finance Corporation was established in 2007 to be the catalyst for pragmatic infrastructure and industrial investments across Africa. AFC’s approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development, and risk capital to address Africa’s infrastructure development needs and drive sustainable economic growth.

Eighteen years on, AFC has developed a track record as the partner of choice in Africa for investing and delivering on instrumental, high-quality infrastructure assets that provide essential services in the core infrastructure sectors of power, natural resources, heavy industry, transport, and telecommunications. AFC has 47 member countries and has invested over US$17 billion in 36 African countries since its inception.

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Africa Data Centres and CSSi South Africa partner to bring expanded data storage capabilities to South African enterprises

Source: APO – Report:

Africa Data Centres (www.AfricaDataCentres.com), a business of Cassava Technologies, a global technology leader of African heritage, has entered into a strategic partnership with CSSi SA, a leading Cloud and VM Provider and distributor of data storage, servers, and data centre equipment.

Under the agreement, CSSi SA have structured an alliance to deploy racks and provide data sovereignty for South African customers, with up to three tiers of redundancy between three different data centre footprints. Located at Africa Data Centres’ facilities in Cape Town (CPT1) and Johannesburg (JHB1), and connected with 100GB links to CipherVault™ in Midrand. The availability of these racks will meet the growing local demand for redundant, reliable and next-generation data storage and colocation services.

“CSSi SA’s expansion into our South African facilities underscores the critical need for secure, high-performance data storage solutions in an era of rapid digital transformation. As businesses across South Africa and the broader African market accelerate their digital strategies, the demand for scalable, compliant, and resilient infrastructure has never been higher,” said Adil El Youssefi, Chief Executive Officer of Africa Data Centres. “This partnership reflects a shared commitment to addressing these challenges, ensuring that enterprises have the reliability and security required to manage growing data volumes while navigating an increasingly complex regulatory environment.”

CSSi SA’s  data centre – CipherVault™ in Midrand, Johannesburg, will connect to Africa Data Centres’ JHB1 facility. This integration will provide its clients with seamless connectivity and redundant solutions, enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring business continuity.

“The ability to leverage scalability, partner with the best Data Centre provider today in South Africa, and using economies of scale which allow us to reduce the cost of data centre operations for our customers was always the key reason for this partnership. Today being one of the largest disgtributors in Africa of Storage, SSD and Hard Drives, coupled with Server supply, allows our customers to save significant costs by being a single entity to offer tin to service, backed by 99.9% plus uptime guarantees. With over 15 years of operational experience from our own Data Cnetre, it made sense to partner with the best Africa can offer, and we honoured to have a partner such as ADC” said James Grcic, CEO of CSSi SA “Today this means, clients have more flexibility, can scale on demand, and SMB’s and resellers can migrate into Data Centres’ with costs as much as 65-70% less then what they could of envisaged, with access to world-class infrastructure, as we move into offering AI and GPU solutions as another first in SA

Through this partnership, CSSi SA strengthens its ability to deliver high-performance, scalable solutions and significantly reduces the barriers to entry for both small and corporate clients in this market. “We see this partnership as unique, due to the growing demand for new hardware technology, with an insatiable demand for Data Sovereignty, uptime guarantees, and being able to offer world-class data centre facilities with the lowest latency, nationwide network and providing it right here in SA for South Africa,” concluded Adil.

– on behalf of Africa Data Centres.

About Africa Data Centres:
Africa Data Centres owns and operates Africa’s largest network of interconnected, carrier and cloud-neutral data centre facilities. Bringing international experts to the pan-African market, Africa Data Centres is a trusted partner for rapid and secure data centre services and interconnections across Africa. Strategically located in South, East and West Africa, our world-class data centre facilities provide a home for all business-critical data for Africa’s small, medium and large enterprises and global hyper-scale customers. https://www.AfricaDataCentres.com/

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Jagersfontein Tailings Dam owner ignored structural instability warning sings

Source: Government of South Africa

The technical investigation into the failure of the Jagersfontein Fine Tailings Storage Facility (FTSF), has found that the owner of the tailings dam, Jagersfontein Development (Pty) Ltd, may have been aware of structural instability along the southern wall.

Water and Sanitation Deputy Ministers David Mahlobo and Sello Seitlholo officially released the long-awaited findings, which was presented to residents of Jagersfontein on Friday, 28 November 2025, more than three years after the catastrophic collapse on 11 September 2022, resulted in the tragic loss of life, leaving scores of people homeless as well as pollution of the environment and water resources.

The delegation, which included Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae and Kopanong Local Municipality Mayor Xolani Tseletsele, met community members at the Mayibuye Community Hall, where they relayed the findings of the report to the community.

Instability known since 2019

The technical investigation, conducted by experts from the University of Pretoria (UP) and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), found that the owner of the tailings dam, Jagersfontein Development (Pty) Ltd, may have been aware of structural instability along the southern wall as early as 2019.

According to the report, the company attempted to stabilise the slope by adding large volumes of material to stabilise the slope, which was not effective, but continued to raise the dam wall and deposit more tailings into the dam.

The report further indicates that the construction/raising of the tailing’s storage facility was based on conceptual designs and that no detailed designs were done to enable the safe construction of the facility. In addition, there was no construction supervision by a registered engineering professional.

The investigation also revealed that when the dam breached on the southern wall of the tailings dam, one compartment collapsed, leading to containment of approximately 5.9 million cubic meters (mᵌ) of fine tailings being released downstream and causing flooding and destruction of infrastructure and property, including power lines. 

Two people were confirmed dead, and one person remains missing, and is presumed dead.

Design and construction failures

In addition to warnings of instability, the report identified critical engineering and regulatory failures. Among the most serious findings:

•    The facility was constructed and raised based on conceptual designs only, with no detailed engineering designs to support safe construction.

•    No registered engineering professional supervised the construction, raising concerns about compliance with industry standards.

•    Part of the southern wall was built on a pre-existing tailings dump of low structural strength, resulting in a weak foundation that contributed significantly to the collapse.

Addressing the community, Deputy Minister Mahlobo said he would have preferred to see the mine closed down in light of its non-compliance with government directives.

However, government will also have to consider the livelihood of residents who reside in the area as the mine provides job opportunities to some of the residents.

“It is a fine balancing act, saving jobs and saving lives,” Mahlobo said.

A full copy of the report can be accessed on the Department of Water and Sanitation’s website www.dws.gov.za – SAnews.gov.za