Category: English

Source: APO

• Eight-Year Journey from Single Employee to 100-Strong Team Managing $8 Billion Portfolio Value Demonstrates Africa’s Infrastructure Investment Potential.
• Africa50 symbolises the new Africa; an Africa that depends on itself, promotes cooperation between Africans, and builds shared prosperity, says President of Mozambique

Africa50 (www.Africa50.com), the investment platform established by African governments and the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org), said on Wednesday it has surpassed $1.4 billion in managed assets, marking an extraordinary transformation from one staff member to a continental powerhouse driving Africa’s infrastructure revolution.

The disclosure was made at the General Shareholders Meeting of the platform in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, attended by the country’s President, Daniel Chapo, President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, and numerous dignitaries and representatives of development partners.

President Chapo highlighted the shared vision that led the country to join Africa50 in 2024. “Africa50 is a key partner to help us implement this vision [to become a reference country in logistics and power,” he said. “We are transforming ideas into projects to provide employment for the youth and more revenues for the government to invest in economic, social, and sustainable development.”

He commended the leadership of Dr Adesina, who is also Chairman of the Board of Africa50, and said: “Africa50 symbolises the new Africa; an Africa that depends on itself, promotes cooperation between Africans and builds shared prosperity.”

From humble beginnings to continental clout

Dr Adesina told the gathering that the total value of Africa50’s portfolio companies now exceeds $8 billion, underscoring the platform’s pivotal role in addressing Africa’s $170 billion annual infrastructure financing gap.

“Within eight years, Africa50 has become a leader on infrastructure financing in Africa, demonstrating creativity and innovation that transforms how we approach continental development,” the Bank President said. “From just one staff member when we started, Africa50 now employs 100 exceptional professionals and serves 37 shareholders across 33 countries and four institutions.”

The platform’s remarkable growth is reflected in its Africa Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, which successfully mobilized $275 million from over 20 African institutional investors, including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and insurance companies. This, the Africa50 Chairman said, represents the most substantial institutional investor confidence ever in Africa’s infrastructure opportunities.

Alain Ebobissé, CEO of Africa50, said, “The truth is this: the solutions to Africa’s infrastructure gap are already before us. Africa can and must lead the efforts to close the infrastructure gap in our continent, working with our non-African partners. Africa50 was built for moments like these: We are agile. We are responsive. We are focused on achieving results with speed and at scale.”

The 2025 General Shareholders Meeting also provided Africa50 an opportunity to formalize its growing influence through two strategic Memorandums of Understanding:

• MOU with Electricidade de Mozambique for the development of three transmission lines under an Independent Power Transmission (IPT) framework. This will help support the government’s ambition to achieve universal electricity access by 2030 and become a significant exporter of power across the Southern African Development Community.
• MOU with the Ministry of Communications and Digital Transformation, to build a new data centre facility in Maputo and modernize the existing one.

Africa50 also sealed two significant pan-African deals, including the first close of the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa (AGIA), an initiative envisioned by Dr. Akinwumi Adesina. The AGIA deal anchors the first close of $115 million for Africa’s leading green infrastructure initiative.

In addition, it signed a framework agreement with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) Secretariat for the development and financing of trade-enabling infrastructure to boost intra-African trade.

African Development Bank and Africa50 footprints in Mozambique

Adesina said the investments by Africa50 complement broader support from the African Development Bank, that has delivered $1.6 billion to Mozambique over the past decade, representing 41% of total Bank financing in the 48 years since the Bank began financing operations in the country.

The investment includes $400 million in senior debt financing for the country’s flagship $20 billion Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) plant project in Cabo Delgado, as well as the $34 million Mozambique Energy for All Project, which has connected over 45,500 households to electricity.

The Bank’s energy sector investments have helped to double Mozambique’s national energy access rate from 30% in 2018 to 60% in 2024. The Bank has also supported agricultural transformation through special agro-industrial processing zones, including the Pemba-Lichinga corridor, while financing critical transport infrastructure along the Nacala and Beira corridors that enhance regional trade connectivity for the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Africa50’s investments in Mozambique include the following:

• Equity investment in the 175 MW Central Termica de Ressano Garcia (CTRG) gas-fired power plant
• Finalization of project development agreements for three transformation lines under an independent power transmission framework, partnering with Power Grid and Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM)
• Data Center Facility in Maputo City

Looking ahead

Adesina, who is preparing to conclude his tenure as President of the African Development Bank Group and Chairman of Africa50 on September 1, 2025, emphasized the Bank’s robust transformation in the ten years since he became President.

This includes the Bank receiving a historic increase in its capital from $93 billion to $318 billion, its High 5 development priorities delivering positive impact on 565 million people, maintaining its AAA rating, being ranked globally as the best multilateral financing institution, and as the most transparent development finance institution in the world.

In addition, the African Investment Forum, launched in 2018 by the Bank and eight other institutions to accelerate Africa’s economic transformation through strategic investment, has since mobilized over $225 billion in investment interest.

“To close Africa’s infrastructure gap requires that we build and scale up partnerships—joining our hands around the Baobab tree of infrastructure opportunities,” Adesina said. “Together we are stronger, and Africa50 represents the strongest platform for unlocking global capital for African development.”

Looking ahead, he affirmed continued commitment to the continent: “I will not be stepping back, I will be stepping forward in our collective drive to unlock global capital for Africa.”

Speech: http://apo-opa.co/4lrmXc7

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Media Contact:
Emeka Anuforo,
Communication and External Relations Department
Email: media@afdb.org

About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

Source: APO

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Every day in West Africa, thousands of women walk through border posts carrying produce like cassava, tomatoes, or maize to sell in neighbouring countries. They are unrecognized but vital parts of the region’s food systems and economies.

But many face harassment at checkpoints, along with demands for bribes. Border processes may not be in a language that they speak. The border crossings themselves have poor infrastructure. And women often have limited access to banking or other financial services.

Coordinated efforts are underway to tackle these challenges within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Forty regional officials met from 24 to 26 February 2025 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to endorse a slate of solutions, including:

• establishing legal clinics at border posts
• providing gender-sensitivity training for customs and transport officials
• launching simplified declaration systems for small traders
• deploying visual, mobile-accessible tools to help women comply with trade procedures
• engaging men as allies

‘We need to ensure regional trade policy becomes a tool for inclusive growth, where women are not just participants, but empowered leaders,’ said Sandra Oulate, Director of the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC). 

The International Trade Centre (ITC) is working with ECOWAS and the main German development agency GIZ on the ECOWAS Agricultural Trade (EAT) programme. The goal is implement solutions like these to make cross-border trade safer, simpler, and more inclusive for women.

The workshop brought together representatives from ECOWAS, national gender and agriculture focal points, chambers of commerce, and development partners including ITC, Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF), West Africa Association for Cross-Border Trade, in Agro-forestry-pastoral, fisheries products and Food (WACTAF), and the West African Food Systems Resilience Programme.

Salimata Thiam, an EGDC representative, said participants were encouraged to ‘identify concrete actions that could be implemented within the framework of the EAT project to boost the role of women in regional trade’.

ITC presented several tools under development: a new regional trade guide for women, a policy paper on women in agrifood trade, and findings from gender-sensitive border assessments to support informed policymaking.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.

Source: APO

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The photo, painting, and sculpture exhibition displayed at the National Festival 2025 by the Ministry of Defense and other artists has been reported to make a significant contribution to preserving and transferring Eritrea’s cultural and historical heritage.

Noting that “one photo has the power of a thousand words,” Maj. Fesehaye Teklai, Acting Head of Promotion and Information at the Ministry of Defense, said the exhibition includes 40 photographs, 23 paintings, and 8 wooden sculptures. He emphasized that these works play an important role in conveying historical events and values.

Maj. Fesehaye went on to say that the general content of the exhibition reflects the unity of the public and members of the Defense Forces, the heroism of successive generations, construction of houses, water reservoirs, and social service institutions, as well as the culture and traditions of the Eritrean people, water and soil conservation, and road renovation.

Artist Fesehaye Zemicael, for his part, said that the painting exhibition—presented by both veteran and emerging artists, goes beyond entertainment, serving as an important tool in preserving history and culture.

Visitors to the exhibition highlighted the significance of the displays in preserving and transmitting the history, culture, and identity of the Eritrean people. They also called for such exhibitions to be held regularly, beyond confined to festivals.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO

Global energy and consultancy group Wood Mackenzie has confirmed its participation as a Silver Partner at African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025, scheduled for September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town. Backed by over five decades of global experience, Wood Mackenzie’s partnership reaffirms the firm’s strategic commitment to shaping Africa’s energy narrative through data-driven insight and trusted industry partnerships.

The firm has worked extensively with national governments and state-owned energy companies to develop long-term energy strategies, evaluate exploration potential and structure critical infrastructure projects. Recent contributions by Wood Mackenzie to Africa’s energy strategy includes supporting the Republic of Congo’s first Gas Master Plan, developed in partnership with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons. The plan is set to guide monetization, domestic use and export strategies for gas resources – anchored by developments such as the Marine XII LNG project, which delivered its first cargo in early 2025 and is progressing toward a 3.5-billion-cubic-meter-per-year expansion phase.

AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

In its latest 2025 outlook, Wood Mackenzie forecasts that Africa’s upstream capital expenditure will stabilize around $40 billion annually, with significant activity in gas and LNG-led developments. New discoveries across Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast and Libya, combined with major finds by multinational oil and gas company Shell in Namibia’s Orange Basin, underscore the continent’s rising profile in global exploration.

Meanwhile, Wood Mackenzie is also spearheading thought leadership on Africa’s energy transition. According to the firm’s 2025 Energy Transition Outlook: Africa, the continent’s electricity demand will double by 2050, while bioenergy’s share in residential and commercial energy demand will decline from 81% today to 70% in a base scenario – and 50% in a net-zero pathway. The firm notes that despite this growth, Africa will contribute just 3-6% of global emissions by 2050, emphasizing the importance of a balanced energy mix that includes oil and gas. According to the outlook, solar additions in Africa dropped to 3.5 GW in 2024, down from 4 GW the previous year, with South Africa leading deployment. At the same time, sub-Saharan Africa’s oil and gas production grew by 5%, driven by output gains in Nigeria, Mozambique, Senegal and the Republic of Congo.

With critical insight into both hydrocarbon and renewable energy markets, Wood Mackenzie continues to support Africa’s goals of energy security and climate resilience. At AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025, Wood Mackenzie will be represented by a senior delegation, including Mansur Mohammed, Head of Business Development, Africa; Gavin Thompson, Vice Chairman-Europe, Middle East and Africa; David Parkinson, Head of Exploration; and Ian Thom, Research Director-Upstream. The team is expected to deliver presentations and participate in high-level panel discussions on upstream investment, gas development and Africa’s energy transition.

“Wood Mackenzie’s data-driven insights offer investors greater clarity into the vast opportunities present in Africa’s energy sector. Their robust data, strategic foresight and trusted guidance make them a go-to partner for global investors, project operators and governments looking to navigate Africa’s evolving energy landscape,” states Tomás Gerbasio, VP of Commercial and Strategic Engagement, African Energy Chamber.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Source: APO

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UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk today expressed outrage at the large-scale attack by the Rapid Support Forces on the besieged city of El Fasher and the adjoining Abu Shouk camp for the internally displaced that left scores of civilians dead.

Preliminary information obtained by the UN Human Rights Office indicates that at least 57 civilians were killed in the 11 August attack on El Fasher, including 40 internally displaced people in Abu Shouk camp, in Sudan’s North Darfur state. The Office is also following up on allegations of executions of IDPs in the camp during the attack.

“It is with dismay that we yet again witness an unimaginable horror inflicted upon civilians in El Fasher, who have endured over a year of siege, persistent attacks and dire humanitarian conditions,” said Türk. “Such repeated attacks on civilians, which raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law, are totally unacceptable and must stop.”

Monday’s attacks are the latest in a series of RSF assaults on camps for displaced people in and around El Fasher. Between January and June, the Abu Shouk camp came under attack by the RSF at least 16 times, leaving at least 212 IDPs dead and 111 others injured.

“Once again, I am raising the alarm about the serious risk of ethnically motivated persecution as the RSF tries to seize control of El Fasher and Abu Shouk camp,” said Türk.

UN Human Rights staff recently travelled to eastern Chad and interviewed more than 150 survivors of the RSF attacks on Zamzam camp in April. Their testimonies corroborated previous documentation of serious human rights violations and abuses against civilians during the deadly attack on Zamzam camp and their flight to Tawila, including killings, widespread rape and gang rape, enforced disappearances and torture. They also said that there are no safe exit routes from El Fasher.

The UN Human Rights Chief reiterated his call on all parties to take urgent measures to ensure the protection of civilians, including safe passage out of conflict-affected areas. He also urged them to agree promptly to humanitarian pauses in besieged areas, so that aid can reach those in need.

“I urge third States to use all their influence to put an end to these violations,” said Türk. He also called for those responsible to be brought to account. “Accountability is crucial to break this cycle of persistent and egregious violations,” he said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Source: APO

As Zambia accelerates towards its Mission 300 goal of 10,000MW by 2030, the C&I Energy + Storage Summit Zambia (https://apo-opa.co/45qShmN) is an unmissable platform for commercial and industrial leaders to secure energy independence and drive sustainable growth for the C&I sector.

Day 1 kicks off with a powerhouse keynotes by Hon Minister Makozo Chikote, Minister of Energy, Zambia. Hosted by Brian Mainza, Assistant Director Technical at Zambia’s Ministry of Energy; attendees will dive into Mission 300’s objectives to support private sector participation in the power sector and thereby support an industrialisation agenda driven by the agriculture, mining, manufacturing and tourism sectors.

A must-attend panel on mitigating energy risks features panellists such as Chabuka Kawesha from the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Muntanga Lindunda from the Zambia Association of Manufacturers, and Helen Zulu from ENGIE Energy Access.

Project showcases reveal real-world successes, including Vertiv’s Zambia mining project, Zambia Sugar‘s initiatives, and how a gold mine in South Africa is utilising embedded generation. The afternoon tackles financial barriers in a panel with experts like Chikoma Kazunga from Africa GreenCo and Brian Tahinduka from Stanbic Bank.

Masterclasses provide hands-on expertise: The Role of PPAs in Accelerating Private Sector Renewable Energy Investments hosted by Jo Dean of Enerj Carbon Management; Understanding the Basics of Battery Energy Storage for C&I led by Henry Myburgh of Vertiv Africa; and Building Your Business Case for Embedded Generation.

Workshops on accelerating solar adoption round out the day.

Day 2 features a keynote by Chabuka Kawesha of the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, followed by insights on Zambia’s Open Access Regime. A panel on reshaping the energy sector includes Mulenga Bwalya from Copperbelt Energy Corporation and senior representatives from the Ministry of Energy and ZESCO.

Discussions continue with Unlocking Solar and Storage for C&I by Jo Dean and What is the Cost of Energy? hosted by Billy Onyango of Kenya Power.

We close with The Future of Storage for Hydro-Dependent Countries moderated by Dr Johnstone Chikwanda, Global Ambassador of Energy and Climate Change, Forum of African Traditional Authorities (FATA); and Safety & Sustainable Asset Management for Solar PV Projects by Matanda Mwewa of the Solar Industry Association of Zambia.

C&I Energy+Storage Summit is committed to the Zambian market as part of a long-term strategy to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and storage solutions for the C&I sector. By fostering collaboration between businesses, government and solution providers, the C&I Energy+Storage Summit aims to create a sustainable energy ecosystem that supports Zambia’s economic growth and industrial resilience. “Zambia’s C&I sector is critical to the nation’s economic development, and our multi-year commitment ensures that this summit will deliver actionable insights, strategic partnerships, and cutting-edge technologies to transform the energy landscape,” says Chanelle Hingston, Portfolio Director.

Don’t miss C&I Energy + Storage Summit, taking place on 27-28 August 2025 at The Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka. Download the programme: https://apo-opa.co/45qSk1X. Register: https://apo-opa.co/3Hd5SEV.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

Contact:
For sponsorship or hosted buyer enquiries
contact Marcel du Toit
marcel.dutoit@wearevka.com

For speaking opportunities
contact Babalwa Bungane
babalwa.bungane@wearevuka.com

For press enquiries
contact Natalie Simms
natalie.simms@wearevuka.com

About VUKA Group:
As part of the Power and Energy Portfolio of VUKA Group (https://WeAreVUKA.com/), this Summit aligns with VUKA’s mission to connect industries, spark innovation, and fuel economic growth. VUKA Group is a premier organiser of conferences, exhibitions, and events across Africa, delivering tailored platforms for networking, knowledge sharing, and business development in energy and related sectors.

Source: APO

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Mr. Beraki Kidane, a forestation expert at the Forestry and Wildlife Authority, indicated that an effective greening campaign is being carried out with strong community participation.

Regarding the greening program undertaken by ministries, national associations, and members of the Defense Forces, Mr. Beraki said that more than 1.1 million tree seedlings planted in areas stretching from Beleza to Martyrs Park are in good condition.

Mr. Beraki went on to say that from 2021 to 2024, as part of water and soil conservation efforts, 435 hectares of terraces were constructed and 210 hectares renovated. Fifty percent of the program was implemented by members of the Defense Forces, 25% by national associations and companies, 20% by the students’ summer work program, and 5% through community involvement.

Regarding activities in 2025, Mr. Beraki noted that in the first six months of the year, 21 hectares of terraces and 5,162 water diversion schemes have been constructed, and more than 70,000 tree seedlings have been planted.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO

• 1,844 people killed between January 2021 and June 2023
• Gunmen killed over 400 people in Imo state between 2019 and 2021
• Hundreds of people arbitrarily detained and forcibly disappeared

The Nigerian authorities’ persistent failure to address the security crisis in the country’s South-East region has created a free-for-all reign of impunity in which numerous state and non-state actors have committed serious human rights violations and killed at least 1,844 people between January 2021 and June 2023, Amnesty International said today.

The report, A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in Southeast Nigeria, documents unlawful killings, torture and other ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and displacement at the hands of rampaging gunmen, state-backed paramilitary outfits, vigilantes, criminal gangs and cults in the South-East region between January 2021 and December 2024.

“The Nigerian authorities’ brutal clampdown on pro-Biafra protests from August 2015 plunged the South-East region into an endless cycle of bloodshed, which has created a climate of fear and left many communities vulnerable. Assassinations of prominent personalities and attacks on highways, security personnel and facilities are chilling reminders of the region’s insecurity,” said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

“The government must stop turning a blind eye to the unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, enforced disappearances, and destruction of properties in the South-East region. Authorities must live up to their constitutional and international human rights obligations including by ensuring all suspected perpetrators are brought to justice in fair trial, no matter who they are, and that victims and their families have access to justice and effective remedies.”

The report is based on interviews with 100 people, including survivors, victims’ relatives, civil society members, lawyers, traditional leaders, and religious leaders. Amnesty International also conducted research missions to Owerri in Imo state, Asaba in Delta state, Obosi in Anambra state, and Enugu in Enugu state between April 2023 to November 2023.

Violent attacks by “unknown gunmen”

Gunmen killed over 400 people in Imo state between January 2019 and December 2021, often emerging from their camps unmasked to carry out attacks on residents, police stations, and vigilante offices. The raids have triggered reprisal attacks resulting in death and injury for thousands of residents.

Victims described how the gunmen appear, routinely demanding money from communities during burial ceremonies and weddings. Anyone who resists risks being subjected to violent attack during the night, and their house set on fire.

Ebulie, who survived an attack by gunmen in Ihiala told Amnesty International: “The “unknown gunmen” are armed – some come with guns, cutlasses, and machetes. If they come for an attack, anyone that blocks their way, they will kill them. It has been a terrible situation, people are scared…”

Nigerian authorities continue to blame the pro-Biafran organization IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) and its militant arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) for most of the deadly attacks in the region. IPOB/ESN deny involvement in the activities of the “unknown gunmen” and their camps.

However, the enforcement of a sit-at-home order by IPOB/ESN, across the South-East region, issued on 9 August 2021, has led to human rights violations with people beaten or even killed for defying the order. Schools have been shut, exams disrupted, forcing children to stay away from schools. Markets have been closed with harsh economic consequences for communities across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.

Climate of fear and disruption to daily life

Insecurity in South-East Nigeria has affected people’s rights including the rights to life, physical integrity, security, liberty and freedom of movement. Many people have not travelled to their hometowns for several years for fear of attack or abduction. Traditional marriage and burial ceremonies that were normally conducted in people’s ancestral homes now mostly take place in other communities outside the South-East due to fear of attack by the gunmen.

Gunmen have turned some communities into “ungoverned spaces,” by sacking traditional rulers, displacing residents, and taking total control of communities, including Agwa and Izombe in the Oguta Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo state and Lilu in Ihiala LGA of Anambra State.

Amnesty International’s report also documents abuses and killings by various cult groups, which operate unchecked amidst a thriving drug business, in several towns in Anambra state, including Obosi, Awka, Onitsha, Ogidi and Umuoji.

The report reveals how the state-backed Ebube Agu paramilitary force, established by the South-East governors on 11 April 2021, has been used as a tool to harass and intimidate opponents and critics of the state governments. It is also responsible for arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, and destruction of homes.

During military operations in the South-East, Nigerian security agencies, including the military and police, committed unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, enforced disappearances, and destruction of property.

Despite the scale of the atrocities against the people, justice and adequate reparations have eluded victims of the violence.

“No one knows exactly the number of people killed in the southeast since August 2015. Many people have been declared missing or forcibly disappeared. The number of high-profile killings and the consistent fear of possible attacks, anywhere and anytime, show how badly the authorities are failing to protect lives and property and ensure law and order. Impunity for these human rights crimes continues to have a chilling effect on the enjoyment of other human rights,” said Isa Sanusi.

“The Nigerian authorities must uphold their constitutional and international human rights obligations by guaranteeing, protecting and ensuring the rights to life, physical integrity, and liberty security and safety of the people and stemming the tide of rampant insecurity in South-East region. Authorities must undertake prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, transparent and effective investigations into all allegations of violations and abuses committed by state and non-state actors in the region.”

Background

Amnesty International has been documenting human rights violations by state, non-state, criminal gangs, and state backed paramilitary outfits in the south since August 2015. This report builds on the research published on 24 November 2016, detailing brutal  crackdown on pro-Biafra activists by Nigerian security forces. Findings of this report were shared with the governors of South-East states and Nigeria’s security agencies. No response was received.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

Source: APO

In celebration of Women’s Month, Smarter Mobility Africa and WiN are proud to announce a powerful and timely webinar, Powering Progress: Women, E-Mobility & Safer Transport in Africa, taking place on Wednesday, 20 August 2025.

This free, virtual event will bring together women who are leading the charge in making transport systems across Africa safer, smarter, and more inclusive. The webinar offers a unique blend of lived experience, policy innovation, and practical solutions focused on improving mobility for all.

Event Details

• Date: Wednesday, 20 August 2025
• Time: 10:00 (WAT) | 11:00 (SAST) | 12:00 (EAT)
• Registration: https://apo-opa.co/3JcPAMH
• Hosted by: Smarter Mobility Africa & WiN
• Sponsored by: uYilo Electric Mobility Programme

Key Sessions and Speakers

• Women in eMobility
  Edem Foli, Programme Manager, uYilo Electric Mobility Programme
  Exploring women’s leadership in electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and battery tech.
• SHE CAN Tool: Embedding Gender & Safety in Transport
  Oluwaseun Sonoiki, Legal Counsel, LAMATA
  Presenting an award-winning initiative transforming safety in public transport systems.
• Empowering Safe Transit
  Tenele Ndlovu, Project Manager: Zero-Emission Buses, C40 Cities
  Addressing anti-harassment strategies in the electrification of public bus fleets.
• Safety in Public Transport within the Minibus Taxi Industry
  Rebecca Phala, Head of Communication, SANTACO
  A focused look at improving safety in Africa’s most widely used transport mode.

Moderator: Sudeshnee Pillay, Conference Producer, Smarter Mobility Africa

Why You Should Attend

• Gain insights on inclusive innovation in e-mobility
• Learn proven strategies to improve women’s safety in transport
• Understand key dynamics in the minibus taxi industry
• Connect with leaders shaping Africa’s transport future
• Participate in live Q&A and stand a chance to win Women in Mobility prizes

This webinar forms part of the lead-up to the Smarter Mobility Africa summit, taking place in Johannesburg from 30 September to 2 October 2025. As Africa’s leading event for sustainable and inclusive mobility, the summit will continue this vital conversation on the ground.

Learn more: https://WeAreVUKA.com/mobility/sma-summit

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

Additional Links:
Webinar Link: https://apo-opa.co/3JcPAMH
Website Link: https://apo-opa.co/4lo7gSY
Sponsorship/Exhibitor Link: https://apo-opa.co/4n15nNx
Free Pass: https://apo-opa.co/4mJyCEk
Ticket: https://apo-opa.co/45yMlXs

Media Contact:
Timothy Adrigwe
Marketing Specialist, Smarter Mobility Africa
mobilitymarketing@wearevuka.com