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At the turn of the millennium, the Rwandan government purposed what became known as Vision 2020. The government’s goal in implementing this policy was to move from an agricultural-based economy to a digitized and middle-income society by the year 2020. Having made this bold assertion, the government facilitated the linking of the country to global wireless networks. With increased connectivity, Rwanda’s tech revolution began.  

To date, mobile phones are very popular in the country, with connectivity available in rural areas. In asserting its commitment to the provision of ICT tools and programs, the Rwandan 500 franc note is embossed with a picture of young children working on laptops. ICT gadgets are also available for purchase on credit facilities, with smaller tech companies partnering with leaders in the industry to avail such options to the consumer. 

Nonetheless, production remains very low, and this is true for most other parts of the continent as well. Even though Africa has some of the world’s largest water bodies and is surrounded by the Atlantic on the West and the Indian Ocean on the East, the Mediterranean Sea in the North and the merging of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to the South, the continent contributes only a small percentage of the global fish supply. 

Tanzania is looking to change this fact. Following a presidential order to boost fish production, the country is embarking on a gigantic project to harvest 12 tonnes of fish per month.  Undertaken by the country’s National Service (military branch) the project is expected to also produce more than 200,000 fish seeds.

The ceremony was attended by local and regional dignitaries – heads of states, ministers, heads of diplomatic missions and international organizational heads. H.E. Museveni in his speech gave highlights and assurance to the business community around the East African region, Africa and the world at large,  stating that the National Resistance Movement (NRM), – the ruling party, stands for Pan-Africanism which translates into economic and political integration. Economic integration in this case refers to having a common market for products and freely doing business within the borders of the neighbours. This is an assurance that the Ugandan market specifically, is open for interested economies and individual business owners and investors. 

There are thousands upon thousands, if not millions, of African artifacts scattered all across Europe. According to the most commonly cited figures from a 2007 UNESCO forum, 90 per cent to 95 per cent of sub-Saharan cultural artifacts are housed outside Africa. Many, like the works from Benin, were taken during the colonial period and ended up in museums across Europe and North America. 

Be they in national museums or private collections, African masks, paintings, carvings, sculptures, potteries—all ancient and priceless—are being held abroad, and the keepers refuse to return them. 

For the purpose of formalities let us look at the arguments posed by museums.  After all these are the places where the artifacts are on public display and clearly labeled, for instance, ‘Ancient Benin Bronze Axe 1897’ yet the piece is in a French museum and the museum will not release it back to the Kingdom of Benin—present day South Nigeria.

Kenya is one of the most diversified and fastest growing economies in Africa, with an average growth rate of 5.7%, inching closer by the day to its ambitious vision of becoming a middle-income country in the next decade. Central to this robust growth has been the invaluable contribution made by co-operatives, popularly known as Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOS); which not only play a pivotal role towards the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but also leave an ineffaceable mark in the lives of millions of members, so much so that the country was recently selected in a series of country studies by the renowned international co-operative research group, the U.S Overseas Co-operative Development Council (OCDC).  

The future of Africa is fenced around its ability to utilize renewable energy potential. Harnessed effectively, Africa stands to become the next world powerhouse and take over energy production once and for all.  

In this context, the African sun has plenty of potential to transform the continent’s energy generation landscape.  Africa is endowed with plenty of renewable energy, hydropower and natural gas. 

The International Energy Agency points to Africa as a region harbouring nearly 17 per cent of the global population but it only holds four per cent of global power supply investment. 

According to Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands 2020 survey, Africans prefer foreign brands over local ones. In 2011, the representation of African brands seemed very optimistic when they registered a 34% representation, but in 2020 it dropped to an all-time low of 13%. 

< p class="fade">This is a worrying statistic as it may indicate that Africa is failing to meet the needs of its growing consumer market, which was worth $1.4 trillion in 2020. The AfCFTA if properly implemented will create an even bigger continental free trade zone with a potential market of 1.7 billion people. 

In 2013, Rio Tinto had to write down its Mozambican assets by US$3 billion as a result of failure to transport its coal to port for export. The company had invested huge sums of money based on assumptions of vast coking coal reserves that it would export. Upon the insurgence of extremist rebel groups, with escalating violent activities, the rail network was disrupted and there were increased security risks for normal operations to continue. 

The company suffered great loss as it failed to recoup its capital outlay and eventually failed to continue its operations. The high-security risks at a time when investment capital is yet to be recouped, have the potential to turn away more foreign capital injections in the gas-rich country. 

Unification is the key to success in the 21st century. This can be seen with the advent of development pacts across the world, particularly the G5, G20, and SADC (Southern African Development Community) to mention a few. 

According to the Kenya High Commission in Dar es Salaam, Kenya and Tanzania have maintained close relations over many years founded on similar ideas in areas such as the rule of law, fundamental freedoms, social and economic order, and good governance, and with a special focus on economic and financial market issues. 

A survey conducted in 34 African countries between 2016 and 2018 shows that people are chiefly concerned about the future of work, be it job availability, quality, or growth. The gig economy is essential for the people of Africa because of its ability to provide a source of income to the inexperienced and unemployed majority. Formal jobs are only available to a few, while most people work in the informal sector as subsistence farmers, vendors, small-scale traders and numerous other roles. 

Africa has a growing youth population that will need to be absorbed into the productive sector. An estimated 122 million new entrants are expected to join the labour market in the next two years, and it is impossible for an equal number of formal jobs to be created for these people.