New African

Africa grows around 2.6 million tonnes of cotton each year. Yet the continent captures only a fraction of the cotton value chain. Can cotton power Africa's next industrial transformation? Watch the video and read the full story: newafricanmagazine.com/econo… #Cotton #Africa #Industrialisation #Manufacturing #ValueAddition #Textiles

AFCON 2027 will be a major test for East Africa not only on the pitch, but in what happens after the final whistle. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are investing heavily in new stadiums, transport links and supporting infrastructure ahead of the tournament. But the bigger question is whether these projects can become lasting economic assets rather than expensive venues with little use once the competition ends. From mixed-use stadium developments to new financing models and stronger regional transport links, the article explores what it will take to turn AFCON investment into long-term value for East Africa. 👉 Read the full article and discover whether AFCON 2027 can leave a lasting legacy beyond football: shorturl.at/Amsie #AFCON2027 #EastAfrica #Kenya #Uganda #Tanzania #AfricanFootball #Investment

The reparations debate in Britain is moving from recognition towards implementation. In this opinion, Onyekachi Wambu reflects on the momentum emerging from the UK Reparations Conference in London, where political leaders, lawyers, academics, institutions and grassroots movements examined how reparatory justice could move from principle to practical action. From the return of ancestral remains and institutional accountability to economic justice, education and public memory, Wambu argues that the debate is increasingly about how repair should happen — not simply why it is needed. 👉 Read the full opinion and explore how the reparations movement is entering a new phase in Britain and across the Commonwealth: shorturl.at/CocMd #Reparations #AfricanDiaspora #ColonialLegacy #Commonwealth #AfricanHistory #UK

What are investors really looking for in African startups? At the Alamein Africa Forum, Fady Ismaeel, angel investor and Secretary General of the African Federation of Business Angels Networks (AFBAN), explains that while African investors may place a stronger emphasis on supporting founders, all investors ultimately look for the same fundamentals: a strong business model, a scalable market, clear numbers and a capable founder. His message is simple: good ideas need to be matched by clear growth potential and solid execution. 👉 Watch the Reel and hear Fady Ismaeel on what makes a business attractive to investors. @afreximbank @NEPAD_Agency @_AfricanUnion @MFAEgOfficial #ReclaimAfrica #AlameinAfricaForum #FadyIsmaeel #AFBAN #AngelInvesting #AfricanStartups

Africa’s stories, ideas and perspectives delivered straight to your inbox. New African Magazine is launching Africa’s Voice Weekly, a new newsletter bringing together the week’s most important stories, analysis and insights shaping Africa and its place in the world. From politics and business to culture, innovation and the voices driving change across the continent, stay connected with the stories that matter. 👉 Subscribe today and be among the first to receive Africa’s Voice Weekly. ➡ newsletter.newafricanmagazin… #NewAfrican #AfricasVoiceWeekly #Newsletter #Africa #AfricanNews #AfricanPerspectives #AfricanStories

African women are at the heart of Film Africa 2026. In this interview, @KeithShiri, Lead Curator of Film Africa 2026, explains why this year’s programme places a special focus on African women in cinema: from the opening and closing films to the wider conversations around authorship, representation and the future of African filmmaking. He also reflects on the importance of preserving memory through cinema, supporting stories from across the continent, and ensuring platforms like Film Africa continue to give African filmmakers space to tell their stories on their own terms. 👉 Watch the Reel and hear Keith Shiri on the vision behind Film Africa 2026 and the future of African cinema. @royafrisoc @FilmAfrica #FilmAfrica #FilmAfrica2026 #AfricanCinema #AfricaOnScreen #RAS125

Africa’s next generation of infrastructure corridors should do more than move raw materials to ports, they should build industries, jobs and value along the way. In this opinion, Dr Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella and Jean Van Wetter argue that roads, railways, energy networks and digital infrastructure must be designed as integrated systems that connect African markets and strengthen local production. Ahead of WAIIS 2026, they make the case for corridors that support beneficiation, agro-industry, regional trade and African-owned digital infrastructure turning connectivity into real economic transformation. 👉 Read the full opinion and explore how Africa can build corridors that create value within the continent, rather than simply move resources out: shorturl.at/Mu6P9 @WAIISummit #WAIIS2026 #Africa #Infrastructure #Industrialisation #AfCFTA #AfricanEconomy #Investment

A story of sisterhood, survival and self-discovery unfolds in the restless streets of Lagos. Olive Nwosu’s LADY follows a fiercely independent young cab driver whose encounter with a group of sex workers draws her into a world of friendship, danger and unexpected freedom. What begins with judgement gradually becomes a journey of belonging and transformation. Closing Film Africa 2026 on Sunday, 1 November, LADY brings a distinctly Nigerian story of female solidarity, resilience and community to the big screen. 👉 Watch the trailer and discover the closing movie of Film Africa 2026. ➡️ filmafrica.org/films/lady/ @royafrisoc @FilmAfrica #FilmAfrica #FilmAfrica2026 #AfricanCinema #AfricaOnScreen #RAS125

Ghana is looking to BRICS as it seeks to diversify its partnerships, attract investment and strengthen its economic sovereignty. The government says closer ties with emerging economies could support trade, industrialisation and greater value addition. But analysts warn that without a clear industrial strategy, the benefits may remain limited — and could simply reproduce existing trade imbalances. Ghana has since clarified that it intends to seek BRICS Partner Country status, rather than immediate full membership. The bigger question is whether new partnerships can translate into more jobs, stronger industries and greater economic resilience at home. 👉 Read the full article and explore what Ghana’s BRICS ambitions could mean for its economy and foreign policy: shorturl.at/rFsyH #Ghana #BRICS #AfricanEconomy #Trade #Investment #Industrialisation #GlobalSouth

Africa’s development will require stronger African financial institutions working together to mobilise capital and finance the continent’s priorities. At the Alamein Africa Forum, Thierno-Habib Hann, Managing Director and CEO of Shelter Afrique Development Bank, highlighted the importance of closer collaboration between African development finance institutions, governments and heads of state to strengthen the continent’s financial architecture. He also pointed to the role of the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions in helping coordinate financing and support development across African markets. 👉 Watch the Reel and hear Thierno-Habib Hann on why African-led finance will be central to the continent’s development. @afreximbank @NEPAD_Agency @_AfricanUnion @MFAEgOfficial #ReclaimAfrica #AlameinAfricaForum #ShelterAfrique #AfricanInvestment #AfricanDevelopment #Africa

What does it mean to build a legacy that continues long after you are gone? In conversation with New African journalist Jamila Versi, Tunisian-born doctor and philanthropist Dr Sadok Besrour reflects on a life devoted to family medicine, education and the transmission of knowledge. From strengthening primary healthcare and training future doctors to supporting education and preserving Tunisian heritage, his philosophy is simple: invest in institutions, people and skills that can endure. 👉 Read the full interview and discover how Dr Besrour is turning a lifetime of experience into a legacy designed to last: shorturl.at/kVJWN #NewAfrican #Africa #SadokBesrour #AfricanHealth #FamilyMedicine #Education #Philanthropy #Tunisia

Regional integration could be one of the strongest building blocks for a truly continental African market. At the Alamein Africa Forum, H.E. Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya, highlighted the importance of regional economic blocs such as COMESA, the East African Community and SADC in paving the way for deeper integration under the AfCFTA. He also pointed to the opportunity for countries such as Kenya and Egypt, both members of COMESA, to strengthen trade and economic cooperation through these regional frameworks. 👉 Watch the Reel and hear H.E. Musalia Mudavadi on why stronger regional blocs matter for Africa’s continental free trade ambitions. @afreximbank @NEPAD_Agency @_AfricanUnion @MFAEgOfficial #ReclaimAfrica #AlameinAfricaForum #MusaliaMudavadi #Kenya #COMESA #AfCFTA #IntraAfricanTrade

Who gets to decide which stories about Black communities are worth telling and how they should be told? In Tracey Wilson’s play The Story, these questions unfold through a sharp exploration of journalism, representation and the pressure placed on Black and minority reporters to challenge harmful narratives without replacing them with another prescribed version of reality. At its heart is a deeper dilemma: can journalism confront injustice while still leaving room for stories that are neither flattering nor damning, but simply true? 👉 Read the full article and explore what The Story reveals about representation, truth and the politics of storytelling: shorturl.at/wvJyd #TheStory #Representation #Storytelling #AfricanDiaspora

African stories should be told by Africans, authentically, ambitiously and on their own terms, stressed Stella Okuzu, Director and CEO of the Royal African Society, at Film Africa 2026 in London. In this short interview, she reflects on the significance of this year’s edition as the Society celebrates its 125th anniversary. She also highlights the festival’s wider ambition: showcasing African creativity, supporting women in cinema, and strengthening the financing, intellectual property and digital infrastructure needed to build thriving African film industries. 👉 Watch the Reel to hear Stella Okuzu on the power of African storytelling and what it will take to strengthen the continent’s film industry. @royafrisoc @FilmAfrica #FilmAfrica #FilmAfrica2026 #AfricanCinema #AfricaOnScreen #RAS125

Africa’s biggest IPO is testing something the continent has struggled with for decades: how easily African capital can move across African borders. As shares in the Dangote Petroleum Refinery reach investors in markets including Kenya, Botswana, Ethiopia and Egypt, the offer is becoming more than a fundraising exercise it is testing a new model for cross-border African ownership. The opportunity is significant, but so are the challenges: uneven access, currency risk, limited liquidity and fragmented regulation still stand in the way of a truly integrated African capital market. 👉 Read the full article and explore what the Dangote IPO could mean for the future of African investment and financial integration: shorturl.at/N0iau #Africa #Dangote #Investment #AfCFTA #AfricanEconomy

From African modernism to a new generation of artists redefining representation, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair continues to bring the diversity of African creativity to the heart of London. In this reportage from Somerset House, Melissa Chemam, our New African correspondent, speaks with Touria El Glaoui, founding director of 1-54, alongside Egyptian artist Gamal El Kheshen, Nigerian artist Mobolaji Ogunrosoye and Spanish–Equatorial Guinean artist Bianca Batlle Nguema. Together, they reflect on heritage, identity, women in contemporary art, sustainability and the importance of creating stronger international visibility for African artists. 👉 Watch the full reportage and discover the artists, ideas and conversations that shaped 1-54 London this year. @telglaoui @154artfair @SomersetHouse 📹: @melissachemam #154ArtFair #ContemporaryAfricanArt #AfricanArt #TouriaElGlaoui #GamalElKheshen #MobolajiOgunrosoye #BiancaBatlleNguema #AfricanArtists #London

Africa is facing two development timelines at once: finishing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals while preparing for the continent’s longer-term Agenda 2063. At the Alamein Africa Forum, Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Special Envoy on Financing the SDGs, argued that progress will require faster investment in education, health, electrification, skills and emerging technologies such as AI. His message is clear: the SDGs remain unfinished business and Africa will need significantly more investment in sustainable growth to close the gap while building for the future. 👉 Watch the Reel and hear Mahmoud Mohieldin on what it will take to accelerate Africa’s development agenda. @afreximbank @NEPAD_Agency @_AfricanUnion @MFAEgOfficial @UN #ReclaimAfrica #AlameinAfricaForum #MahmoudMohieldin #SDGs #Agenda2063 #Investment #Africa

At the FT Africa Summit 2026 in London, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo delivered a sharp message on economic management: when a country is under pressure, tackling corruption and controlling wasteful spending must be part of the response. His remarks came during a wider discussion on Nigeria’s economic reforms, the naira’s depreciation and the choices facing the country as it seeks to restore growth and resilience. 👉 Read the full article for Obasanjo’s views on Nigeria’s economy, regional diplomacy and his continuing role in peace efforts across the Horn of Africa: shorturl.at/sP5I1 #NewAfrican #FTAfricaSummit #OlusegunObasanjo #Nigeria #AfricanEconomy #Governance #Africa

Memory, heritage and belonging move between generations in Dao, the latest film from Senegalese-French director Alain Gomis. Moving between a wedding in France and a commemorative ceremony in Guinea-Bissau, Dao explores family, transmission and the ties that connect the African diaspora across places and generations. Screening as part of Film Africa 2026, the film brings together fiction and lived experience to ask a deeply personal question: what do we inherit and what do we choose to pass on? 👉 Watch the trailer and discover Dao at Film Africa 2026. ➡️filmafrica.org/films/dao/ @royafrisoc @FilmAfrica #FilmAfrica #FilmAfrica2026 #AfricanCinema #AfricaOnScreen #RAS125

Formula 1 is coming back to Africa and Lewis Hamilton wants to be part of it. “I'm now forced to stay a lot longer because we have a race in Africa, and that's been my dream, to be able to race in Africa,” Hamilton said at the US Grand Prix. With Rwanda set to host a Grand Prix in the early 2030s, the seven-time world champion hopes to fulfil his dream of racing on the continent. Beyond the track, an African Grand Prix could bring greater global attention to Africa and open new opportunities. Could we see @LewisHamilton race in Africa before he retires? #Formula1 #LewisHamilton #Rwanda #Africa #Motorsport

Africa has capital. The challenge is putting more of it to work for Africa. At the Alamein Africa Forum, Ibrahim Sagna, Executive Chairman of Silverbacks Holdings, argued that African pension funds and other pools of domestic capital can play a much bigger role in financing infrastructure, regional projects and intra-African trade. His message is clear: Africa cannot keep waiting for outside investors to solve local challenges. Stronger cooperation between African countries, backed by African capital, will be essential to building scalable projects and deeper economic integration. 👉 Watch the Reel and hear @Ibrahimsagna on why Africa’s development must increasingly be financed from within. @afreximbank @NEPAD_Agency @_AfricanUnion @MFAEgOfficial #ReclaimAfrica #AlameinAfricaForum #IbrahimSagna #SilverbacksHoldings #AfricanCapital #Investment #AfCFTA