Author: Giza Mdoe

Laser-powered Taara Lightbridge, an firm owned by Google, is competing with Elon Musk’s Starlink to advance access to internet services in Africa. Taara is targeting some 860 million people in Africa who currently go without reliable internet access. Taara Lightbridge offers affordable, high-speed internet that rivals satellite broadband solutions. As Elon Musk’s satellite internet services firm Starlink grows its footprint in Africa, rival Google’s Taara Lightbridge has stepped in for a share of the growing number of consumers in the vast continent. Taara Lightbridge is the brainchild of Alphabet, the parent company of tech giant Google and is envisioned to…

East Africa’s public transport sector, once synonymous with chaos and pollution, is now leading a quiet green revolution. From electric buses in Kenya to CNG-powered fleets in Tanzania, the region is ditching diesel for clean energy. Could this unexpected shift be the most defining leap to a sustainable future for urban mobility? Across the populous cities and towns of East Africa, a quiet revolution is underway. The familiar roar of diesel engines is being replaced by the hum of electric buses, the whir of three-wheeled motorcycles, and the smooth glide of trains powered by clean energy. Even Compressed Natural Gas…

Ethiopia is set to construct Africa’s largest airport at a projected cost of $7.8 billion. Set for completion in 2040, the airport will have the capacity to handle 110 million passengers a year and provide aprons for 270 aircraft. While AfDB has pledged ‘full commitment’ to fund the project, Ethiopian Airlines Group is engaging other financiers, including the EXIM Bank of China. Ethiopia, home to Africa’s largest airline, has announced plans to build the continent’s biggest airport, set to rival global aviation hubs such as Dubai International and London’s Heathrow. Designed as a state-of-the-art airport city, the facility will have…

Did you know that the push to decarbonize the world requires immense volumes of copper?  Statistics show that the annual demand of copper could reach 50 million metric tonnes by 2050. However, large scale extraction of this vital mineral carries enormous cost to the environment. Copper remains a vital mineral powering modern development, but its extraction comes at a significant cost to both the environment and economies. According to the Vice Provost for Research and Enterprise and the Armourers and Brasiers’ Chair in Materials Science at Imperial College London, Prof. Mary Ryan, “Copper brought us out of the stone age,…

Uganda’s booming second-hand clothing market supports thousands of livelihoods but generates massive textile waste, with up to 48 tonnes discarded daily, most of it ending up in landfills. While informal waste collectors and tailors repurpose some textiles, the country lacks structured recycling systems, exacerbating environmental challenges. The Uganda Circular Textiles Project presents a solution by promoting upcycling and a circular textile economy, which could create green jobs, reduce waste, and attract investment in sustainable fashion. In Uganda’s Owino market, one has to muscle their way as stalls overflow with piles of second-hand clothing, with traders out-shouting each other to win…

Saudi Arabia’s Neom futuristic city estimated to costs in excess of $8.8 trillion. Neom features a floating industrial complex, global trade hub, tourist resorts. The city, which is powered by 100% renewable energy, is plagued by delays and cost overruns. Neom, an ambitious fusion of architecture and ecology, is a futuristic city under construction in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk Province. Touted as an unprecedented mega-investment, it serves as a case study for policymakers in Africa, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges of large-scale urban development. According to a recent statement from Neom’s management, the project is set for completion by 2039.…

Tanzania to import 100MW of electricity from Ethiopia via Kenya. Regional power pools enhance power trade and reliability. Power trade builds regional integration, diplomacy. Power trade—the import and export of electricity—is expanding across East Africa, with Tanzania now set to import 100MW of energy from Ethiopia. The Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) will facilitate the import, aiming to reduce power losses and improve electricity distribution in the country’s Northern Zone. The government, in a recent statement, announced that this initiative aligns with Tanzania’s broader strategy to enhance energy efficiency and ensure a stable power supply nationwide. By integrating into the…

Aramco CEO says the energy industry should “abandon the fantasy of phasing out fossil fuels.”. At the moment, green energy solutions are too expensive for commercial viability. For Africa, while leaders welcome green energy investments, they continue to sign ambitious investments to explore oil & gas. Green energy transition is facing challenges as global leaders in oil production, Saudi Arabia says current initiatives have failed and calls for more investment in oil. “New energy sources can complement fossil fuels but not replace them, he said. Investment in all sources of energy was needed to meet global energy demand,” quoted the…

UN requires G7 countries to commit 0.7% of their Gross National Income to development aid. However, the US is the largest donor of international aid according to the UN. Statistics from One Campaign show that the G7 and the EU Institutions’ share of aid to Africa is at a near 50-year low. The cuts to international aid by U.S. President Donald Trump (and billionaire Elon Musk) have sparked global outrage, including in Africa. However, given that the United Nations recognizes Washington as the single largest donor of global aid, can we definitively say Trump (or Musk) is wrong? Consider this:…

Tanzania has entered into an agreement to build a 5000 capacity conference centers in Arusha city. New facility named Mount Kilimanjaro International Conference Centre (MKICC) is projected to be operational in 2027. The project will cost $144.7 million (TSh385 billion) and features a hotel, helipad, and modern residential suites. Tanzania is building what is projected to be East Africa’s largest and most modern conference facility, the Mount Kilimanjaro International Conference Centre (MKICC), in Arusha city. The memorandum of understanding for the construction of the MKICC was signed this week between the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) and the Public Service Social…