Home Blog Page 172

AI in Africa: 5 issues that must be tackled for digital equality

Editorial
-
0
AI in Africa: 5 issues that must be tackled for digital equality

By Rachel Adams, University of Cape Town

IF it’s steered correctly, artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to accelerate development. It can drive breakthroughs in agriculture. It can expand access to healthcare and education. It can boost financial inclusion and strengthen democratic participation.

But without deliberate action, the AI “revolution” risks deepening inequality more than it will expand opportunity.

As a scholar of the history and future of AI, I’ve written about the dangers of AI widening global inequality. There’s an urgent need to develop governance mechanisms that will try to redistribute the benefits of this technology.

The scale of the AI gap is stark. Africa holds less than 1% of global data centre capacity. Data centres are the engines that drive AI. This means the continent has minimal infrastructure for hosting the computing power necessary to build and run AI models.

While only 32 countries worldwide host specialised AI data centres, the US and China account for over 90% of them.

And only about 5% of Africa’s AI talent (innovators with AI skills) have sufficient access to the resources needed for advanced research and innovation.

Leaders and policy-makers from around the world must grapple with an uncomfortable truth: AI is not equally distributed, and without deliberate action it will magnify global divides.

But they also still have the chance to set a new trajectory – one where Africa and the global majority shape the rules of the game. One that ensures AI becomes a force for shared prosperity rather than exclusion.

To achieve this, five critical policy areas most be addressed. These are data; computing capacity; AI for local languages; skills and AI literacy; and AI safety, ethics and governance. These are not just African priorities; they’re global imperatives.

1. Compute and infrastructure

Access to computational power has become the defining chokepoint in today’s AI ecosystem. African researchers and innovators will remain on the margins of the AI economy unless there is investment in regional data centres, GPU clusters (a group of computers working together on large-scale AI processing) and secure cloud infrastructure.

Europe, by contrast, has pooled over US$8 billion in establishing the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking to ensure the continent has computing capacity for local innovations.

African countries should press for funding and partnerships to expand local capacity. They will also need to insist on transparency from global providers about who controls access, and ensure regional cooperation to pool resources across borders.

2. Data governance

AI systems are only as good as the data they’re trained on. Much of the continent’s data is fragmented, poorly governed, or extracted without fairly compensating those it’s collected from. Large, diverse and machine-readable datasets are used to teach AI models about the contexts and realities the data reflect.

Where ethical stewardship frameworks exist, locally managed datasets have already driven innovation that has impact. For example, the Lacuna Fund has helped researchers across Africa build over 75 open-machine-learning datasets in areas like agriculture, health, climate and low-resource languages. These have filled critical data gaps, allowing for tools that better reflect African realities. Realities like high-accuracy crop yield datasets for farming. Or voice/text resources for under-served languages.

Robust national data protection and governance laws are needed. So are regional data commons, a shared resource where data is collected, stored, and made accessible to a community under common standards and governance. This would enable collaboration, reuse, and equitable benefits. Standards for quality, openness, interoperability and ethics developed by multilateral organisations must be designed with African priorities at their centre.

3. AI for local languages

Inclusive AI depends on the languages it speaks. Current large models overwhelmingly privilege English and other dominant languages. African languages are all but invisible in the digital sphere. This not only entrenches existing biases and inequalities, it also risks excluding millions from access to AI-enabled services.

Take the example of the Cape Town-based non-profit organisation Gender Rights in Tech. It has developed a trauma-informed chatbot called Zuzi that supports survivors of gender-based violence by providing anonymous, accessible guidance in diverse South African languages on their rights, available legal services, and sexual and reproductive health. It helps overcome stigma and bridge gaps in access. Zuzi demonstrates the power of AI technologies in local languages.

Dedicated investment in datasets, benchmarks, and models for African languages is urgently needed, as well as in tools for speech recognition, text-to-speech, and literacy.

4. AI skills and literacy

African infrastructure and data will mean little without human capacity to use them. At present, AI skills supply falls far short of demand, and public understanding of AI’s benefits and risks remains low.

To increase skills, AI and data science will need to be integrated into school and university curricula, and vocational training will need to be expanded. Supporting lifelong learning programmes is essential.

Public awareness campaigns can ensure citizens understand both the promise and perils of AI. This will support deeper public debate on these issues. It can also target support for women, rural communities, and African language speakers to help prevent new divides from forming.

5. Safety, ethics, and governance

Finally, stronger governance frameworks are urgently needed. African countries face unique risks from AI. Among them are electoral interference, disinformation, job disruption, and environmental costs. These risks are shaped by Africa’s structural realities: fragile information ecosystems, large informal labour markets, weak social safety nets, and resource-strained infrastructure. National strategies are emerging, but enforcement capacity and oversight remain limited.

African governments should push for the creation of an African AI safety institute. Safety and ethical audits must be mandated for high-risk systems. Regulations and AI governance instruments must be aligned with rights-based African principles that emphasise equity, justice, transparency, and accountability. Participation in global standard-setting bodies is also crucial to ensure that African perspectives help shape the rules being written elsewhere.

All eyes on the G20

Taken together, these priorities are not defensive measures but a blueprint for empowerment. If pursued, they would reduce the risk of inequality. They would position Africa and other regions across the majority world to shape AI in ways that serve their people and economies.

Digital and technology ministers from the world’s biggest economies will be attending the G20’s digital economy working group ministerial meeting at the end of September.

On paper, it’s a routine meeting. In practice, it may be the most consequential gathering on AI policy Africa has ever hosted.

This is the first time the G20’s digital ministers are meeting on African soil. It’s happening at the very moment AI is being hailed as the technology that will redefine the global economy.

This meeting will not stand alone. It will be followed by the AI for Africa conference, co-hosted by South Africa’s G20 presidency, Unesco and the African Union. Here the AI in Africa Initiative will be launched. It is designed as a practical mechanism to carry forward the G20’s commitments and advance implementation of the African Union’s Continental AI Strategy.

Cape Town could mark a turning point: the moment when African leadership, working in concert with the G20, starts to close the AI divide and harness this technology for shared prosperity.The Conversation

Rachel Adams, Honorary Research Fellow of The Ethics Lab, University of Cape Town

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Police, military rescue 8 Kidnapped passengers in Kogi

Bankole ABE
-
0
Police, military rescue 8 Kidnapped passengers in Kogi

THE Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the rescue of eight kidnapped victims who were abducted along the Okene–Auchi highway.

The incident occurred on September 26 when a Toyota Hiace commuter bus belonging to Big Joe Ventures Ltd, with registration number Edo FUG 13 XY, was attacked by armed men at Tyre village in Okene Local Government Area.

The vehicle, which was conveying 12 passengers from Abuja to Benin in Edo State, was intercepted by the assailants, who whisked the passengers into the bush.

In a statement obtained by The ICIR on Saturday, September 27, the Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the command, William Ovye Aya, said the police and other security agencies acted swiftly following the report of the abduction.

According to Aya, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Okene Division, Nasir Muhammad, immediately mobilised personnel in collaboration with the military and local vigilantes in pursuit of the kidnappers.

He noted that the operation led to the rescue of eight victims, including the driver of the bus.

“In the process, eight victims, including the driver, were rescued unhurt while efforts are ongoing to rescue the remaining four passengers and apprehend the perpetrators of the crime,” he stated.

Security sources said the kidnappers were nine in number and dressed in military camouflage during the attack. They added that the joint security team recovered expended ammunition at the scene of the confrontation.

He stressed that the area was still being combed by operatives to locate the remaining victims.

The Kogi police spokesperson assured the public that all available resources had been deployed to ensure the safe rescue of the other passengers still in captivity.

He appealed to residents to provide useful information that could aid ongoing operations.

“The Commissioner of Police has directed that the search and rescue operations should continue until the remaining victims are freed and the criminals arrested. We urge members of the public to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies, Aya stated.

The Kogi police command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property, stressing that it would not relent until criminal networks operating in the state are dismantled.

The attack was the latest in a series of abductions that have plagued major highways linking the Federal Capital Territory and the southern parts of the country.

The Okene–Auchi road has become one of the flashpoints where travellers face repeated threats of kidnapping and armed robbery.

Security analysts have repeatedly warned that criminal gangs operating across central Nigeria often disguise themselves in military uniforms to mislead unsuspecting travellers and gain an upper hand during attacks.

Kogi State in North Central Nigeria has been a hotbed of insecurity and kidnappings in recent years.

Just last week, it was reported that a newly called lawyer to the bar, Onyesom Peace Udoka, was kidnapped alongside her sister in Kogi while returning home from her Call to Bar ceremony.

It was gathered that the abduction occurred around Lokoja, Kogi State, on Friday, September 27, 2025, just days after she was called to the bar.

In a public appeal for help, one of her colleagues posted, “My friend and colleague has been kidnapped on her way home from the Call To Bar ceremony. Please, we need help. There’s a 20 million naira ransom for her and her sister”.

It was reported that she was on a vehicle from Abuja to Benin, the Edo State capital, when she was abducted

Dangote Refinery slams PENGASSAN over crude supply cut threat, says scarcity looms

Nurudeen AKEWUSHOLA
-
0
Dangote Refinery slams PENGASSAN over crude supply cut threat, says scarcity looms

THE Dangote Petroleum Refinery has condemned the directive by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) ordering a halt in crude oil and gas supplies to its $20bn facility, describing the move as “lawless, criminal, and reckless.”

In a statement issued on Saturday, September 27, the refinery management stated that the union has no legal authority to instruct its members to disrupt contractual agreements between the refinery and its vendors, which could lead to nationwide scarcity.

It warned that such actions amount to criminal interference and could trigger chaos in the country.

“Those supply contracts were not entered into with PENGASSAN; they were entered into with third-party vendors and suppliers. PENGASSAN has no right whatsoever to disrupt or interfere with the performance of those contracts,” the refinery said. It added that Nigeria is a country governed by laws, and mob-style directives risk plunging the nation into anarchy.

The company further accused the union of economic sabotage, noting that the disruption would affect essential products such as aviation fuel, petrol, kerosene, diesel, and cooking gas—commodities used daily by Nigerians across all classes.

Dangote Refinery also highlighted that it is one of the largest contributors to government revenue, and any interruption in operations would threaten federal and state income.

The refinery urged the Federal Government and security agencies to intervene immediately, warning that allowing the union’s directive to stand would have nationwide repercussions.

The standoff follows a letter dated September 26, in which PENGASSAN accused the refinery of sacking unionised workers and spreading “misinformation and propaganda” instead of addressing labour concerns.

The union instructed its branches, including the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), to shut all crude supply valves, cut gas supply, and halt loading operations for vessels headed to the refinery.

 

Dangote Refinery restores petrol sales in Naira after FG’s Intervention

Bankole ABE
-
0
Dangote Refinery restores petrol sales in Naira after FG’s Intervention

THE Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reversed its decision to suspend the sale of petrol in naira following the intervention of the Federal Government’s naira-for-crude technical committee.

 

Plateau government rescues 16 children trafficked to Anambra

Bankole ABE
-
0
Plateau government rescues 16 children trafficked to Anambra

THE Plateau State Government has announced the rescue of 16 children who were being trafficked from Bassa Local Government Area of the state to Anambra.

Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Caroline Dafur, confirmed the development in a statement issued in Jos on Saturday. She disclosed that the children, aged between four and nine, were intercepted by security personnel while being moved to a motor park for onward travel.

The rescued children were later reunited with their families and community representatives during a brief ceremony at the J.D. Gomwalk Secretariat in Jos. Dafur disclosed that those behind the act had been arrested and would face prosecution after investigations are concluded.

According to her, the rescue was a major step in the state’s campaign against child trafficking. She reiterated that the administration of Governor Caleb Mutfwang remains committed to protecting the rights of children and other vulnerable groups.

“This rescue represents triumph over trauma, resilience, and hope restored in a world where the innocence of childhood should be protected,” Dafur said, urging residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities.

According to a report by Dailypost, the wife of the Bassa council chairman, Miriam Riti, who received the children on behalf of her husband, said arrangements had been made for medical checks, school enrollment, and follow-up monitoring through community leaders.

The incident in Plateau adds to a rising number of child trafficking cases uncovered in recent months.

In August, The ICIR reported that security agents in Benue arrested a suspected trafficker, Priscilia Mhiive Terhemen, who allegedly attempted to move 11 children from Katsina-Ala to Benin City in Edo State. The victims, some of them minors, were rescued with the help of Benue indigenes and later returned home. Police authorities confirmed that the suspect was in custody while investigations continued.

Similarly, in July, The ICIR reported that the Anambra State Police Command rescued 11 trafficked children in Uruagu, Nnewi North.

Investigations revealed that the victims were abducted from Adamawa and sold to unsuspecting individuals under the guise of adoption. Police disclosed that boys were sold for N1.5 million each while girls were sold for N800,000.

Naira ranked ninth weakest currency in Africa — Forbes report

Nurudeen AKEWUSHOLA
-
0
Naira ranked ninth weakest currency in Africa — Forbes report

THE Nigerian Naira has been ranked the ninth weakest currency in Africa, according to Forbes’ currency calculator report for September 2025.

The Forbes currency calculator draws on real-time foreign exchange data through the Open Exchange Rates API, refreshing every five minutes to reflect live market conditions.

It factors in demand and supply, investor sentiment, and broader economic indicators shaping each nation’s currency performance.

According to the ranking, the São Tomé & Príncipe Dobra (22,282 per $1) emerged as Africa’s weakest currency, followed by the Sierra Leonean Leone (20,970), Guinean Franc (8,680), Ugandan Shilling (3,503), and Burundian Franc (2,968).

Others on the list include the Congolese Franc (2,811), Tanzanian Shilling (2,465), Malawian Kwacha(1,737), the Nigerian Naira (₦1,490 per $1), and the Rwandan Franc (1,448).

At the stronger end of the spectrum, the Tunisian Dinar (2.90 per $1), Libyan Dinar (5.40), Moroccan Dirham (9.91), Ghanaian Cedi (12.31), and Botswanan Pula (14.15) ranked as the continent’s five strongest currencies.

The naira’s sharp depreciation has been partly linked to policy shifts that followed President Bola Tinubu’s emergence in May 2023.

On his inauguration day, Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy and later moved to unify Nigeria’s multiple exchange rates—two major reforms aimed at stabilising public finances and attracting foreign investment.

However, the sudden implementation without adequate cushioning measures triggered inflationary pressures, created currency problems, and increased demand for foreign currency, driving the naira into one of its steepest declines in decades.

Security forces arrest kidnap suspects in Kwara

Bankole ABE
-
0
Security forces arrest kidnap suspects in Kwara

SECURITY operatives in Kwara State have apprehended five suspects, including a notorious kidnapper, and seized 127 bags of cannabis hidden in a lorry transporting yams.

The operation, which took place on Friday, September 26, along the Babanla–Oreke–Oke Ode axis, was carried out by a joint team comprising the police, military personnel, forest guards, vigilantes, and operatives from the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja.

The Police Spokesperson in Kwara, Ejire Adetoun Adeyemi, in a statement on Saturday, September 26, said the coordinated effort marked another breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping and drug trafficking in the state.

She stated that among those arrested was Tukur Ibrahim from Tsaragi, identified as the mastermind of the August 8 abduction in Babanla that nearly emptied the community.

Two other suspects, Dan-Teni Haruna and Rabiu Ibrahim, both from Niger State, were detained for attempting to smuggle cannabis concealed under yam tubers. Additional arrests included Mohammed Abubakar and Hussain, also from Tsaragi.

Adeyemi disclosed that the suspects would be arraigned after investigations are concluded.

Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, praised the joint security forces for their collaboration and stressed that the state would not be allowed to serve as a haven for criminals.

The arrests come weeks after residents of Isin Local Government Area staged a mass protest on September 13 against rising insecurity.

The demonstrators, including farmers, youths, and traditional leaders, barricaded the Ilorin–Omu-Aran–Kabba highway, demanding government intervention.

They carried placards reading “Stop Kidnapping Our People” and “We Are Tired of Paying Ransom Without Results,” highlighting the toll of repeated abductions in their communities.

Community leaders said that ransom payments had become routine, with millions of naira already paid to abductors. Yet, victims remain in captivity, and local vigilantes sent to confront kidnappers have either gone missing or been killed.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, through his spokesperson Rafiu Ajakaye, commended the vigilance of local security outfits but acknowledged the growing scale of attacks

The ICIR has previously reported that the southern part of Kwara, once considered one of the most tranquil regions in the country, has been plagued by escalating violence.

In January 2025, the outlet documented how kidnappings, murders, extortion, and armed raids had disrupted farming and forced families from their homes.

While some of the attacks are attributed to local criminal groups operating from forests, others are linked to armed herders accused of destroying farmlands and carting away produce.

Civil society organisations have repeatedly urged the government to intensify security operations, warning that Kwara’s porous borders with Niger, Kogi, and Ekiti states have made it a transit route for criminal gangs.

Dangote Refinery, PENGASSAN face-off deepens as union orders oil, gas supply cut

Nurudeen AKEWUSHOLA
-
0
Dangote Refinery, PENGASSAN face-off deepens as union orders oil, gas supply cut

THE industrial dispute between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) escalated on Saturday after the union ordered a halt to crude oil and gas supplies to the $20bn facility.

In a letter dated September 26, signed by its General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, PENGASSAN accused the refinery’s management of sacking its members in retaliation for exercising their constitutional right to unionise.

The union described the move as “illegitimate,” alleging that the company also withdrew staff buses and denied entry to local workers while granting expatriates access.

Following the directive, PENGASSAN instructed its branch leaders in major upstream and midstream firms—including TotalEnergies, Chevron, Seplat, Shell Nigeria Gas, Oando, Renaissance, and the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC)—to shut off all crude oil and gas flows to the refinery. The order also mandated the suspension of vessel loading operations bound for the plant.

The union threatened to picket the facility if the dispute remained unresolved, insisting that Dangote Refinery was engaging in anti-labour practices instead of addressing concerns through dialogue.

In response, the refinery denied allegations of mass layoffs, insisting that only a small number of workers were affected in what it called a “reorganisation” to curb acts of sabotage within the facility. It stressed that more than 3,000 Nigerians remain employed and maintained that the restructuring was necessary to safeguard human lives and operations.

PENGASSAN, however, rejected the explanation, accusing the refinery of resorting to “misinformation and propaganda” rather than engaging meaningfully with the union.

The association directed NGIC’s chairman to ensure strict compliance with its order and requested regular updates from all affected branches.

NAHCON reduces Hajj fare for pilgrims

Nurudeen AKEWUSHOLA
-
0
NAHCON reduces Hajj fare for pilgrims

THE National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has released the approved fare for the 2026 Hajj exercise, cutting down costs for intending pilgrims compared to last year.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the commission said pilgrims from the Maiduguri-Yola Zone (covering Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, and Taraba States) will pay ₦8,118,333.67.

Those from other northern states will pay ₦8,244,813.67, while pilgrims from the southern states will pay ₦8,561,013.67.

The previous year’s fees for Borno & Adamawa were N8,327,125.59, Northern Zone paid N8,457,685.59 and Southern zone N8,784,085.59.

The new rates follow consultations with stakeholders, including the forum of state leadership, and received the approval of the Federal Government.

NAHCON Chairman, Abdullahi Sale Usman, noted that the fares are about ₦200,000 lower per pilgrim compared to last year’s charges.

Meanwhile, a NAHCON delegation currently in Saudi Arabia has signed agreements with the 2026 Hajj service provider, Mashareeq Al-Zahabiyya, and the designated transportation company, Daleel Al-Ma’aleem.

The commission urged intending pilgrims to ensure they complete their payments by December 31, 2025.

EPL returns as Newcastle face Arsenal, Chelsea host Brighton

Bankole ABE
-
0
EPL returns as Newcastle face Arsenal, Chelsea host Brighton

THE English Premier League (EPL) returns this weekend with fixtures that could shape the early season standings, as Newcastle United host Arsenal while Chelsea welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to Stamford Bridge.

At St James’ Park, Newcastle will look to maintain their strong home record when they play Arsenal on Sunday, September 28. The Magpies, as they are known, led by manager Eddie Howe, have built a reputation for intensity and pressing in front of their fans.

Arsenal, who are chasing their first league title since 2004, remain unbeaten this season and will be counting on captain Martin Ødegaard and new arrival Eberechi Eze to deliver against one of the toughest away venues in the league.

The fixture has grown in importance in recent seasons, with Newcastle defeating Arsenal at home in 2022 to derail the Gunners’ Champions League hopes. Arsenal responded in later meetings, making the encounter one of the more competitive rivalries in recent Premier League campaigns.

In London, Chelsea will test their revival under manager Enzo Maresca when they face Brighton. Chelsea have struggled for consistency but will hope their summer signings, like Joao Pedro and Estevao, can provide the spark to break down a Brighton side that has impressed with its high-tempo style under coach Fabian Hürzeler.

Brighton, who finished in the top half of the table last season, has become a difficult opponent for traditional top-six teams. They beat Chelsea in both league fixtures in 2023 and remain one of the most efficient sides in converting chances from open play.

Former England striker Alan Shearer has also weighed in on the weekend fixtures with his predictions. Speaking to Betfair, Shearer tipped Manchester United to be held by Brentford while backing Chelsea to secure victory at home against Brighton.

He predicted a draw between Liverpool and Crystal Palace, a routine win for Manchester City against Burnley, and Newcastle to defeat Arsenal in what he described as a potentially fiery contest.

Sport commentators note that the results from both the Newcastle–Arsenal and Chelsea–Brighton matches could have implications for the title race and European qualification spots.

Arsenal, on its part, needs a win to keep pace with Liverpool at the top of the table, while Chelsea and Brighton are competing to stay within reach of the Champions League places.

The weekend fixtures add to the growing intrigue of a season that has already produced surprising results and high-scoring encounters.

With the EPL’s reputation for unpredictability and excitement, there’s no doubt that this weekend’s fixture will be just as captivating as the last, analysts say.

1...171172173...3,441Page 172 of 3,441