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Kaspersky shares 5-step safety action plan on what to do when you discover your phone is missing

Source: APO – Report:

Misplacing a device, or having one stolen, is a stressful occurrence. Along with the inconvenience of no longer having a smartphone or tablet comes the risk of unauthorised access to banking accounts and the potential for identity theft. With this in mind, Kaspersky experts (www.Kaspersky.co.za) have released a practical, minute-by-minute action plan for the moment you realise your phone is missing.

Step 1: Try to locate it via another device

The first step that could help to find your phone is to activate the Find My Device feature for Android or Find My for iOS to locate it. You can enter your Google or Apple ID account from the other device and see the list of devices linked to the account. Kaspersky for Android (https://apo-opa.co/4wM0HRl) users can locate their device using the “Where Is My Device” feature via the My Kaspersky web portal. It is important that in order to use any functionality related to the device location, all those features must be activated in advance.

Step 2: Block your phone and watch for scammers

After logging into the account and finding the missing device in the device list, set it to “Lost” mode. After that, click the “Вlock” button. You can set a new password, as well as add a message or a contact number that the person who found the phone will see. If the device is not connected to the Internet, the lock will take effect as soon as it connects.

Along with locating the device, Kaspersky for Android (https://apo-opa.co/4wM0HRl) users can go beyond simple locking:

  • Turn on a loud alarm, even if the phone is on silent. Perfect for finding it under a couch or forcing a thief to abandon it.
  • Take a Mugshot. On devices with a front camera, Kaspersky captures a photo of the person currently using your phone. This evidence can be shared with authorities. Kaspersky’s Mugshot feature works even if the thief ignores native lock commands.

Stay cautious, if the phone falls into the hands of intruders, they may try to contact you and extort personal data to access the phone. It’s highly recommended to warn your friends and relatives about the device loss whilst your mobile phone can be used for calls or messages from your number with requests for money or questions, all of which should be ignored.

Step 3: Block access – SIM, bank cards, passwords

Promptly contact the mobile operator and block your SIM card, so you will eliminate the risk of using it for unscrupulous purposes. Also contact your bank to block any cards linked to the device or unlink those accounts.

After that, think about resetting passwords for all important services and log out of your accounts wherever possible. If you use a password manager (https://apo-opa.co/4ntbwmI), change its master password to protect all saved credentials.

If you’ve enabled SIM Watch in Kaspersky’s app in advance, the solution automatically blocks the device the moment someone inserts a new SIM card. This stops thieves from using their own SIM to bypass your locks.

Additionally, it’s recommended to protect the Kaspersky app itself from being uninstalled. Thieves often try to remove security apps first. Kaspersky’s anti-uninstall protection (one of the features of Where Is My Device) prevents the app from being removed and blocks changes to system settings – without your screen lock password.

Step 4: Check for the backups

As for other data such as photos, notes or messages stored on the phone, unfortunately, it will be only possible to restore it if you have backups or syncing with the cloud configured. If you had enabled device backups before the loss, you can restore almost everything, from contacts and photos to text messages.

Step 5: Remotely erase your device, if there is no hope of finding it

In parallel with how you perform all the actions described above, it is highly recommended to report the loss to local authorities and follow their guidance. However, if you are certain that the phone cannot be recovered, the final recourse is to completely erase all data from the device. This can be performed via Find My Device feature for Android, Find My for iOS or from the My Kaspersky web portal (for Android).

“In the routine of daily operations, it is easy to overlook how many critical aspects of our digital lives are tied to our mobile devices, and how seldom we consider that losing a phone may lead not only to inconvenience, but also to data loss, compromised access to essential accounts, or even identity theft. At Kaspersky, we think in advance for your safety, going beyond just an antivirus solution. We fully understand the risks and disruptions that a lost or stolen phone can cause. That is why our solutions are designed to mitigate those risks,” comments Dmitry Kalinin, Senior Malware Analyst at Kaspersky.

Step 0: Protect yourself in advance

Here are some additional steps that, if taken in advance, may significantly reduce the negative effects of losing the phone:

  • Enable location tracking. Both Android and iOS have special functionality to track a phone’s location and remotely erase data from it. Kaspersky for Android (https://apo-opa.co/4wM0HRl) provides this functionality with the Where Is My Device feature activated.
  • Allow automatic backups. Due to the regular backups all photos, videos, documents, contacts, and other important data can be recovered if the phone goes missing.
  • Store all sensitive data in the protected format. Use a dedicated security solution like Kaspersky Password Manager (https://apo-opa.co/4ntbwmI), which apart from securely keeping passwords, logins and bank cards, has a special secret vault functionality aimed at storing important documents, for example, scanned Passports/IDs and PDF files, addresses and notes. 
  • Set immediate auto-locks. This ensures the phone is always locked when not actively being used, helping to prevent thieves or cybercriminals from accessing stored information.
  • Keep the phone physically secure. While being in a public place, avoid leaving a device unattended or easily accessible such as on tables or in back pockets.

– on behalf of Kaspersky.

For further information please contact:
Nicole Allman
nicole@inkandco.co.za

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About Kaspersky:
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. With over a billion devices protected to date from emerging cyberthreats and targeted attacks, Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative solutions and services to protect individuals, businesses, critical infrastructure and governments around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading digital life protection for personal devices, specialized security products and services for companies, as well as Cyber Immune solutions to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. We help millions of individuals and nearly 200,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.Kaspersky.co.za.

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In Sudan, a migrant community reveals a resistance to malaria: the genetic study helping shape medicine

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By David Comas, Full Professor, Universitat Pompeu Fabra; Instituto de Biología Evolutiva (IBE – CSIC – UPF)

Sudan lies at the crossroads of Africa and the Middle East. It has played a key role in human demographic movements, reflected in the diversity of its cultures and languages. Although much of the country is arid, the Nile River has long acted as a corridor for trade, facilitating human migration through the region for thousands of years.

This makes Sudan a valuable place to study human genetic diversity and evolutionary history, which has important implications for understanding population-specific adaptation and health.

The Copts are a population that migrated from Egypt from the 7th century and mixed with populations in neighbouring regions, but also remained somewhat isolated. Copts are historically distinguished by their Christian faith and their language. In Sudan their numbers are estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands.

As a group of evolutionary biologists we conducted a genomic study to understand the complex demographic history and identify signals of adaptive selection among Sudanese people. Our research is the first whole-genome sequencing study carried out in Sudan. This is a method scientists use to read and analyse a person’s complete DNA, the full set of genetic instructions, to understand traits, ancestry and disease risk.

Our research covered a total of 125 individuals from five population groups, defined by their language and cultural identity, known as ethnicity.

We found that Sudanese Copts showed unusually high resistance to Plasmodium vivax, the most geographically widespread malaria-causing parasite. This protection comes from a genetic variant they acquired after mixing with local Nilo-Saharan people.

Similar examples of recent adaptation to malaria after population mixing have previously been reported in Madagascar, Cabo Verde and Pakistan. But this is the first time such a process has been documented within mainland Africa itself.

The selection signal observed in Sudanese Copts is among the strongest ever detected in humans.

These findings show that strong natural selection can reshape the human genome very rapidly and that recent demographic history is crucial for understanding present-day genetic patterns. These can help explain differences in disease susceptibility across populations, informing medical research and public health strategies.

Human migrations in the region

The expansion of Arabic-speaking people in north Africa started in 639 CE in Egypt and gradually moved southward. It intensified between the 10th and 11th centuries with the migration of Bedouin groups into north Africa and Nubia. By the 16th century, the spread of Arab culture and Islamic faith contributed to the collapse of the last Christian kingdoms in the region.

But some populations remained in more isolated areas and preserved their own languages and cultural traditions. These include Nilo-Saharan-speaking groups in Darfur, around the Jebel Marra mountains, and Kordofanian speakers from the Nuba Mountains.

These mountainous regions also acted as partial genetic barriers. They limited interactions with surrounding populations. Today these populations show little or no genetic influence from the Arab expansion.

Our study confirms this pattern reported in previous studies. With the use of whole-genome sequencing data, our findings further strengthen this insight.

Adaptive selection to malaria protection

Our study indicates that around 1,000-1,500 years ago, the ancestors of Sudanese Copts intermarried with local Nilo-Saharan groups. The geographical barrier is not applied for all Nilo-Saharan speaking groups, only for those from Darfur. Copts could have admixed with other groups with a Nilo-Saharan origin but living in a more accessible area. The individuals from Darfur are the group in our dataset that better represent these ancestors, but that does not mean they are their direct ancestors. Through this mixing, they acquired the Duffy-null allele. This is a genetic variant (one of the different versions of a gene) that is widespread in Africa south of the Sahara.

This allele is a classic example of natural selection in humans, showing strong geographic differentiation between African populations and the rest of the world. The Duffy-null allele prevents the expression of the ACKR1 receptor, a protein found on red blood cells, used by P. vivax to enter and infect these cells.

Individuals who have inherited the allele lack this receptor and are therefore protected against this form of malaria.

Because the Duffy-null allele is rare among north African and Middle Eastern groups, it would not be expected to be prevalent in Copts. However, our findings show that about 89% of Sudanese Copts carry it.

Our study shows that after admixture with local populations, the variant was introduced into the Coptic population. Natural selection meant it was passed down through generations and became more common.

Having the allele gave people a survival advantage in a malaria area. Sudan reported over half million cases of P. vivax malaria in 2017. There is little or no information on regional variation, but the presence of the adaptive variant in Darfur does not necessarily mean adaptation occurred there.

This provides a clear example of a genetic population adapting to disease, occurring within the past 1,500 years.

Fixing Africa’s under-representation

Our study also identified more than one million previously unknown genetic variants, over 1,500 of which may affect genes and their functions. This highlights a major gap in global genomic databases. These are still heavily biased towards people of European ancestry, although Africa harbours the greatest genetic diversity. North Africa, in particular, has often been overlooked.

It’s important to know more about the genetic heritage of different populations because, as the Coptic resistance to malaria shows, it can guide medical research and help understand human evolution better.

Although whole-genome sequencing has transformed the study of human health and disease, truly global representation remains essential. Africa, as the birthplace of modern humans, harbours the greatest genetic diversity on Earth and should therefore be a top priority for genomic research.

This study fills important gaps in our understanding of Sudan’s and Africa’s demographic histories and increases diversity in global genetic datasets. It also shows the importance of including recently mixed populations to obtain a fuller picture of human evolution.

Hisham Y. Hassan was a co-author on the article.

– In Sudan, a migrant community reveals a resistance to malaria: the genetic study helping shape medicine
– https://theconversation.com/in-sudan-a-migrant-community-reveals-a-resistance-to-malaria-the-genetic-study-helping-shape-medicine-278806

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Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Meets UN Deputy Secretary-General

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha, May 14, 2026

HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thaniآ met on Thursday with HE Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Amina J. Mohammed, who is visiting the country. 

During the meeting, they discussed cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to enhance and develop them. They also emphasized the role of the UN and its efforts aimed at promoting security at the regional and international levels.

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Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Meets Canadian Foreign Minister

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha, May 14, 2026

HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met Thursday with HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Anita Anand, currently visiting the country.

During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen them, in addition to the regional developments, including efforts related to the ceasefire between the United States and Iran and broader de-escalation initiatives aimed at enhancing regional stability.

The two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a strategic dialogue between the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.

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Africa-Focused Independents Expand African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 Speaker Lineup as Exploration Accelerates

Source: APO – Report:

Africa-focused independents are set to play a defining role at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 – scheduled for October 12-16 in Cape Town – as companies expand portfolios, redevelop mature assets and pursue frontier exploration opportunities across the continent. From Angola and Namibia to Nigeria, Chad and Kenya, a new generation of independent operators is strengthening Africa’s upstream landscape through targeted acquisitions, high-impact drilling campaigns and infrastructure-led development strategies.

Afentra continues to advance exploration across proven shallow water provinces in Angola. Alongside its Block 3/05 and Block 3/05A partners, the company recently carried out a two well program, starting with the spudding of Pacassa SW. The program aligns with a multi-well redevelopment plan aimed at scaling reserves and boosting production from the current 5,856 bpd to upwards of 9,000 bpd. The partners plan to spud the Impala-2 development well, while hydraulic workover program preparations are ongoing with execution planned for late 2026 or early 2027. Onshore, the company is advancing technical studies at Blocks KON 15 and 19, with a planned 2D seismic acquisition program on the cards. Afentra’s CEO Paul McDade joins AEW 2026 to discuss these programs. 

Nigeria’s Oando PLC recently made its foray into Angola, securing operatorship of Block KON 13. The move comes as the company expands its portfolio beyond Nigeria’s borders, leveraging its experience in the country to unlock new basins across the region. Oando’s existing portfolio encompasses more than 14 oil and gas assets across Nigeria and São Tomé and Príncipe. This is supported by a pipeline network of 1,255 km, 14 flow stations and gas processing capacity in excess of 3.6 billion standard cubic feet per day. Wale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, Oando PLC, joins AEW 2026 to discuss the company’s growing portfolio and how regional lessons can support exploration in new markets.

With a portfolio of high-impact Atlantic-margin oil and gas assets, Sintana Energy continues to drive exploration across key projects in Namibia and Angola. The company has exposure to eight blocks across both countries, covering both deepwater and onshore acreage. In April 2026, Sintana Energy announces plans for a second listing on the Namibia Securities Exchange, signaling a new phase of financial maturity. The move comes as the company prepares for several exploration programs in Africa, including the advancement of the Mopane campaign at Namibia’s PEL 79. Robert Bose, CEO, Sintana Energy, is expected to share further insight during AEW 2026.

Rhino Resources is also advancing Namibian exploration programs, while broadening its footprint into South Africa’s onshore Karoo Basin. The company is engaged in a multi-well drilling campaign in Namibia’s Orange Basin, targeting FIDs between late 2026 and early 2027 across operated and partner-led projects. These include the Volans and Capricornus discoveries at PEL 85. In South Africa, the company is advancing a six-well campaign targeting helium, methane and hydrogen resources. Further insights into these projects will be shared at AEW 2026 as Travis Smithard, CEO, Rhino Resources, confirms his participation.

Meanwhile, as an American publicly-traded company with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa, ERHC Energy Inc has centered its operations around de-risked exploration, cost efficient development and high-margin production. The company has stakes in Kenya’s Block 11A, and while no wells have been drilled to date, the acreage offers promising geology and is supported by extensive 2D seismic coverage. In Chad, ERHC Energy Inc has stakes in three oil blocks in the Doseo and Doba Basins, while in the Joint Development Zones between Nigeria and São Tomé and Príncipe, has exposure to six of the areas nine blocks. Peter Ntephe, CEO, ERHC Energy Inc, joins AEW 2026, where he is expected to share insights into these projects.

“Independent operators are moving quickly, taking strategic risks and unlocking value in both mature and frontier basins across the continent. AEW 2026 will provide a critical platform for these firms to engage investors, governments and technical partners as they advance the next generation of African energy projects,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.

– on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Government probes SA athletes’ concerns about living conditions in Ghana

Source: Government of South Africa

Government probes SA athletes’ concerns about living conditions in Ghana

Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has initiated an investigation into concerns raised by South African athletes participating in the 24th African Athletics Senior Championship in Ghana about conditions at the on-site accommodation, and has taken steps to address the situation.

This follows the circulation on social media of a video by South African athlete Aiden Smith, who raised concerns about the living conditions and catering provided at the accommodation venue.

McKenzie has requested a full report from Athletics South Africa on the conditions experienced by the delegation and the circumstances that gave rise to the complaints.

“The welfare of our athletes is non-negotiable. We need to understand what led to these concerns, and our department will continue to monitor the remaining days of competition. We look forward to welcoming our athletes home after the weekend,” the Minister said on Thursday.

Upon seeing the video and subsequent media reports, the Minister immediately directed the department to arrange alternative hotel accommodation in Accra for Team South Africa, and the offer was communicated to the team.

Smith has been competing at the 24th African Athletics Senior Championships in Accra, Ghana, from 12 to 17 May 2026, where South Africa has fielded a competitive team of 34 athletes.

The tournament brings together more than 1 500 athletes and officials from across the continent. Ghana is hosting the event for the first time.

The athletes have since indicated that their immediate concerns have been addressed, and they have elected to remain at the Championships venue accommodation for the remainder of the competition. 

It is also noted that the 48 countries participating in the African Senior Athletics Championships are staying at the University of Accra in Ghana, where the 2023 African Games were held. —SAnews.gov.za

 

 

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Home Affairs corruption crackdown leads to two more arrests

Source: Government of South Africa

Home Affairs corruption crackdown leads to two more arrests

The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed two additional arrests in separate corruption and fraud operations, bringing the total number of arrests linked to Home Affairs-related cases in May 2026 to six.

The arrests stem from coordinated efforts between the department’s Counter Corruption and Security Services branch and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, as authorities intensify action against misconduct within immigration and civic services systems.

In the first operation on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, a naturalised foreign national was arrested at the Harrison Home Affairs office in Johannesburg.

Investigators allege the suspect falsely claimed paternity of five foreign children, enabling their fraudulent registration on the National Population Register under a South African identity document.

In a second operation on 11 May 2026, a senior immigration officer was arrested at the White River Home Affairs office in White River following an authorised entrapment operation.

The official is accused of demanding payment in exchange for the return of identity and travel documents belonging to a Mozambican national.

Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber said the latest arrests reflect an accelerating internal cleanup campaign, warning that corrupt officials and complicit members of the public will face consequences.

“We are now securing dismissals, arrests and prosecutions on a near-weekly basis as Home Affairs ramps up our cleanup operation,” Schreiber said.

“Every crooked official and complicit member of the public must know that it is now only a matter of time until their turn arrives.”

He added that the department would continue its efforts to root out corruption through a combination of disciplinary action and criminal prosecutions, saying “the days of sleeping soundly are over for the corrupt”. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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2026 declared “Year of action” for South African youth

Source: Government of South Africa

2026 declared “Year of action” for South African youth

South Africa has entered a decisive “year of action” for its youth, as government calls on young people, institutions, and society at large to unite under a bold national programme aimed at reshaping the country’s future.

Delivering a keynote address at the Media launch of the Golden Jubilee commemoration of the 1976 youth uprising, held in Soweto, on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) declared 2026 a turning point, anchored in the theme “RESET@50 – The Future Calls.”

The Minister said that just as young people organised in May 1976 toward a day of action, today’s generation must organise toward a year of national action.

“This is not just a campaign. It is a call to action: to remember truthfully, not through selective memory, but the full truth of pain, courage, betrayal, resilience and sacrifice,” the Minister said.

Democracy’s gains for young people

The Minister highlighted the significant strides made since 1994, when young South Africans first entered a system promising political freedom, equal citizenship and a renewed social contract.

The adoption of the Constitution in 1996, now marking its 30th anniversary, entrenched rights to dignity, equality and freedom, laying a foundation for expanded opportunities.

Chikunga noted that since then, the government has expanded access to education, student funding, youth development institutions, public participation platforms, skills development and employment pathways.

“Through generations of student activism and progressive deliberate policy choices of the democratic state, enrolment in the public university sector grew from 495 356 students in 1994 to 1 077 768 students in 2022. By 2025, public universities were projected to enrol over 1.15 million students, while TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) colleges were projected to enrol over 587 000 students,” Chikunga said.

The Minister attributed sustained student activism, particularly the #FeesMustFall movement between 2015 and 2017, for accelerating progress toward accessible higher education.

She highlighted that through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), nearly 3.9 million students benefited from R192 billion in funding between 2019 and 2023.

Government has also strengthened institutional support for youth development. 

The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), established through legislation in 2008 and recently amended in 2024, continues to play a central coordinating role.

In this financial year, government has allocated R1.8 billion to the NYDA to expand entrepreneurship, employment pathways and skills development, including support for youth-owned enterprises.

The Presidential Youth Employment Intervention has created a large-scale platform linking young people to opportunities, with more than 4.78 million young people registered on the National Pathway Management Network, and over 1.67 million earning opportunities secured by 2025.

The basic education sector has also contributed, with over 320 000 young people gaining work opportunities in approximately 23 000 public schools during the first phase of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative.

“These gains matter. They show that democracy has created institutions, opened doors, and placed resources behind youth development. But the next phase must be measured by completion, transition, absorption, ownership and dignity,” Chikunga said.

Despite these achievements, the Minister cautioned that access alone is no longer enough. The next phase, she said, must focus on outcomes: completion of education, transition into work, economic participation, and dignity.

The Minister said the RESET@50 initiative calls for closer collaboration between higher education institutions, Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), and industry.

She said universities and TVET colleges must work with industry to co-create curricula with employers to ensure graduates are equipped for real economic opportunities.

“To the private sector and strategic institutions, your presence must translate into concrete commitments [including] jobs and work experience, support for youth-owned enterprises, and investment in future skills.

Social, political and economic transformation

The Minister emphasised that RESET@50 is not only an economic intervention, but a broader societal transformation.

She said that a social reset is needed to rebuild cohesion and address challenges such as Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), substance abuse, harmful masculinities, mental health challenges, racism, sexism, ableism, and social fragmentation.

A political reset must strengthen accountability and responsiveness, ensuring that the state listens, implements, and accounts to young people and society at large, while an economic reset must move young people from participation to ownership, and from access to real pathways.

“It must prepare young people for an economy already shaped by artificial intelligence, data, cybersecurity, digital platforms, e-commerce, green technologies, advanced manufacturing and new forms of work. We cannot allow the digital economy to become a new geography of exclusion,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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Youth rally behind renewed national pledge

Source: Government of South Africa

Youth rally behind renewed national pledge

As the country marks 50 years since the 1976 youth uprising, South African youth have adopted a renewed national pledge under the banner of “RESET@50 – The Future Calls,” committing themselves to action, unity and transformation.

The Youth Pledge, unveiled during the media launch of the Golden Jubilee commemoration of the 1976 youth uprising, on Thursday, positions young people not only as heirs to a legacy of struggle, but as active drivers of South Africa’s future.

The pledge opens by honouring the generation of 1976, whose courage and sacrifice helped secure the freedoms enjoyed today.

“We gather to honour the courageous youth of 1976 — a generation whose sacrifice shaped our nation and secured the right to learn, to dream, and to participate fully in a democratic South Africa,” the pledge reads.

Central to the pledge is a call for today’s generation to move beyond remembrance and take responsibility for shaping the present and future. It emphasises building a country anchored in dignity, justice, opportunity and inclusion.

Young people commit to improving the quality of life for all citizens and unlocking the potential of every individual, while acknowledging that the freedoms gained through democracy must be actively advanced.

Drawing inspiration from the spirit of the 1976 uprising, the pledge outlines a shared national purpose to foster learning and innovation, uphold compassion and integrity, and promote patriotism and nation-building.

It reflects a generation determined to contribute meaningfully to society, while strengthening social cohesion and collective responsibility.

Expanding access and opportunities

A key focus of the pledge is the expansion of access to education, skills development, culture and economic participation.

READ | Education is key to fixing South Africa’s future: Lesufi

It recognises that while democracy has opened doors, significant inequalities remain, particularly for young people from poor and working-class backgrounds, those in rural communities, and young women and persons with disabilities.

The pledge calls for:
•    Equal access to quality education from early childhood through higher education.
•    Stronger support for youth-owned enterprises and economic participation.
•    Bridging the gap between education and employment.
•    Ensuring that no young person is excluded from opportunities due to financial or social barriers.
It also highlights the need to address the growing number of young people not in employment, education or training, stressing that access must translate into meaningful outcomes.

READ | Youth face growing burden of unemployment and inequality

A call to future generations

Under the theme: “The Future Calls,” the pledge commits to opening pathways for generations to come by investing in knowledge, skills and innovation.

It frames youth development as an intergenerational responsibility, ensuring that progress made today creates lasting opportunities for tomorrow.

In a unifying conclusion, the pledge affirms a collective vision rooted in equality, dignity and freedom.

“Freedom lives in every generation,” it declares, reinforcing the idea that each generation must actively defend and deepen the gains of democracy. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

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African Leadership Magazine Announces Nominees for the 16th African Business Leadership Awards (ABLA) 2026

Source: APO

African Leadership Magazine (www.AfricanLeadershipMagazine.co.uk) today announced the nominees for the 16th African Business Leadership Awards (ABLA) 2026, recognising outstanding African business leaders, policymakers and enterprises driving economic transformation, innovation, governance excellence, and sustainable development across the continent. Public voting for the Awards is now officially open and will run until 22 May 2026, providing stakeholders across Africa and the diaspora the opportunity to participate in celebrating and affirming exceptional leadership and institutional impact across Africa’s business and public sectors.

Now in its 16th year, the African Business Leadership Awards (ABLA) has become Africa’s premier platform for recognising transformational leadership, corporate excellence, and outstanding contributions to the continent’s economic growth and global competitiveness.

The selection process began with an open call for nominations, followed by a rigorous editorial screening and shortlisting exercise conducted by the African Leadership Magazine Editorial Board. The ongoing public voting phase now allows stakeholders across Africa and the diaspora to participate directly in the selection process, while the final stage will involve a comprehensive editorial assessment of voting outcomes, supporting evidence, measurable impact, and institutional performance before winners are officially announced. Public votes account for 65% of the final decision-making process, while the remaining 35% is based on supporting evidence and editorial evaluation, ensuring a transparent, credible, and merit-driven selection framework.

The 2026 nominees represent Africa’s leading business executives, reform-driven policymakers, multinational corporations, financial institutions, regulators, and emerging enterprise leaders whose contributions continue to strengthen business ecosystems, deepen regional integration, attract investments, and advance the continent’s global competitiveness.

The winners of the 16th African Business Leadership Awards (ABLA) will be formally honoured and presented with their instruments of honour during the Awards Ceremony and strategic stakeholder engagements scheduled for 2–3 July 2026 at the prestigious House of Lords, London, United Kingdom, which will convene senior business executives, policymakers, investors, diplomats, regulators, and influential stakeholders from across Africa and the international community.

Full List of Nominees for the 16th African Business Leadership Awards (ABLA) 2026

African Business Leader of the Year

  1. James Mwangi, Group MD/CEO  Equity Group Holdings Plc, Kenya
  2. Daniel McKorley, Executive Chairman, McDan Group, Ghana
  3. Adaora Umeoji, Group Managing Director/CEO, Zenith Bank Plc, Nigeria
  4. Mohamed Mansour, Chairman, Mansour Group, Egypt
  5. Sayyu Dantata, Founder & Chairman, MRS Holdings Limited, Nigeria

African Female Business Leader of the Year

  1. Halima Aliko Dangote, Group Executive Director, Dangote Industries, Nigeria
  2. Akiko Seyoum Ambaye, Founder & CEO, Orchid Business Group PLC, Ethiopia
  3. Catherine Lesetedi, CEO Botswana Insurance Holdings Limited (BIHL)
  4. Kapumpe Chola, CEO First National Bank (FNB) Zambia
  5. Catherine Tchokonté, CEO Airtel Madagascar
  6. Fatoumata Mbalou Sanogo, CEO Petroci Holding, Cote d’Ivoire

African Finance Minister of the Year

  1. John Mbadi Ng’ongo, Cabinet Secretary, National Treasury and Economic Planning, Kenya
  2. Nadia Fettah Alaoui, Economy and Finance Minister, Morocco
  3. Cassiel Ato Forson, Minister for Finance, Ghana
  4. Louis-Paul Motazé, Minister of Finance, Cameroon

Central Bank Governor of the Year

  1. Eyob Tekalign, Governor, National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE)
  2. Yvon Sana Bangui, Governor, Bank of Central African States
  3. Lesetja Kganyago, Governor, South African Reserve Bank
  4. Emmanuel Tutuba, Governor, Bank of Tanzania

Business-Friendly Governor of the Year

  1. Alex  Otti, Executive Governor of Abia State, Nigeria
  2. Wavinya Ndeti, Governor of Machakos County, Kenya
  3. Adanech Abebe, Mayor of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

African CEO of the Year

  1. Boye Olusanya, Group Managing Director/CEO, Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc
  2. Sebastião Gaspar Martins, Chairman & CEO, Sonangol Group, Angola
  3. Jeremy Awori, CEO, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Togo
  4. Nour Eddine Daoudi, Chairman & CEO, SONATRACH Group, Algeria

African Company of the Year

  1. Vodacom Group, South Africa
  2. Dangote Group, Nigeria
  3. Orascom Construction, Egypt
  4. Coris Bank International, Burkina Faso
  5. OCP Group, Morocco

African Brand of the Year

  1. Ethiopian Airlines
  2. Airtel Africa
  3. United Bank for Africa
  4. Attijariwafa Bank (Morocco)

African Regulator of the Year

  1. National Communications Authority, Ghana
  2. Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA)
  3. Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA)
  4. Banque Centrale du Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo

Industry Personality of the Year

  1. Ahmed Elsewedy, Group President/CEO, Elsewedy Electric, Egypt
  2. Yasser Shaker, CEO Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA)
  3. Owen Silavwe, MD/CEO, Copperbelt Energy Corporation PLC, Zambia
  4. Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd)

Trade & Investment Minister of the Year

  1. Shadiya Alimatou Assouman, Minister of Industry and Trade, Benin
  2. Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, Minister of Trade, Cameroon
  3. Basílio Zefanias Muhate, Minister of Economy, Mozambique
  4. Rui Miguêns de Oliveira, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Angola

Trade & Investment Promotion Agency of the Year

  1. Ethiopian Investment Commission
  2. Uganda Investment Authority
  3. InvestSA  (South Africa)
  4. Economic Development Board Mauritius (EDB Mauritius)
  5. Ghana Investment Promotion Centre

Young Business Leader of the Year

  1. Abdoul Karim Diallo, Director General, Société Nationale d’Organisation et de Commerce (SONOCO) Guinea
  2. David Mantiziba, Founder/CEO, Wildfin Microfinance Zimbabwe
  3. Yahya Tarek Diab, CEO, Veros Petroleum Ltd, Ghana
  4. Daniel Ekali Kwizombe, CEO, DEK Engineering & Electrical Contractors, Malawi
  5. Imad Bouiboukir, CEO, MI Travaux — Morocco

African Tech & Digital Economy Leader of the Year

  1. Galaxy Backbone Nigeria
  2. Safaricom Kenya
  3. Ethio Telecom (Ethiopia)
  4. Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet)

CSR & Community Development Impact Award

  1. Mastercard Africa
  2. Debswana Diamond Company (Pty) Limited, Botswana
  3. East African Breweries Limited
  4. Bakhresa Group, Tanzania
  5. Namdeb Diamond Corporation (Pty) Ltd (Namibia)

Africa Business Integrity Leader Award

  1. KCB Group (Kenya)
  2. Salaam Somali Bank
  3. Générale de Banque de Mauritanie (GBM)
  4. CBAO Groupe Attijariwafa Bank, Senegal
  5. Mauritius Commercial Bank

Capital Market / Stock Exchange of the Year

  1. Ghana Stock Exchange
  2. Egyptian Exchange
  3. Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange — Tanzania
  4. Uganda Securities Exchange
  5. Nigerian Exchange Group

African Diaspora Business Leader of the Year

  1. Adebayo Ogunlesi, Global Infrastructure Partners / BlackRock, Nigeria
  2. Ismail Ahmed, Founder/Chairman, WorldRemit, Somaliland
  3. Helmy Eltoukhy, Chairman, Guardant Health, Egypt

Lifetime Achievement Award

  1. Sam Jonah – Executive Chairman, Jonah Capital Equity Fund, Ghana
  2. Jim Ovia, Founder, Zenith Bank Nigeria

To cast your vote, visit: https://www.AfricanLeadershipMagazine.co.uk

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Leadership Magazine.

For media and other enquiries:
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), presents the best of Africa to a global audience—telling the African story from an African perspective while advancing practical solutions to the continent’s most pressing challenges. For over 19 years, we have championed impactful leadership and promoted African opportunities worldwide through an integrated ecosystem of Afro-positive content, trade facilitation and market-entry support, high-level networking platforms, and targeted public-sector training and advisory services.

Follow African Leadership Magazine across its official platforms for updates and announcements relating to the 2026 African Business Leadership Awards

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