Every search, transaction, and online interaction generates data—a resource more valuable than oil in the modern economy. For Africa, the question is no longer about connectivity alone, but about who controls the infrastructure, who sets the rules, and who captures the value created by millions of African users.

As Nigeria commissions Africa's first Barefoot Renewable Energy College, the real question is not about technology but about people. This investment in skills offers a hopeful path forward: training a workforce to install, operate, and build businesses that turn Africa's renewable potential into lasting prosperity for millions.

Africa already holds the keys to its own transformation—from land and labor to digital connectivity and rich cultural diversity. The real opportunity lies in challenging old models and converting these underutilized assets into mission-driven institutions that turn knowledge into lasting prosperity.

As the world marks World Hausa Day on 26 August, we celebrate a language that has never been confined to borders, traveling through trade, migration, and culture to connect millions across Africa. The question today is not just about preservation but about equipping Hausa to shape the future of education, innovation, and digital knowledge.

Africa is rethinking how it preserves and uses its cultural heritage, moving beyond the idea of heritage as something that belongs only in museums. New approaches are seeking to reconnect cultural treasures with the communities that created them while turning heritage into a source of identity, innovation, and sustainable development.

As Africa searches for lasting solutions to food insecurity and climate change, experts argue that one of the continent’s valuable resources is being overlooked. Indigenous knowledge, they say, could strengthen food systems, protect biodiversity, and help communities adapt to environmental shocks if preserved alongside scientific innovation.

Climate change is placing growing pressure on Africa’s food systems, forcing farmers to contend with erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and rising production costs. As these challenges intensify, attention is increasingly turning to locally developed climate-smart technologies that could strengthen food security across the continent.

Russia has made its first commercial wine shipment to Nigeria, opening a new trade route between the two countries as one of Africa’s largest economies expands its range of imported wines. The move reflects growing commercial ties between Russia and Africa while offering consumers a wider selection in an increasingly diverse wine market.

Nigeria’s decision to investigate several global technology companies over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unauthorized use of digital content has renewed debate over who owns, controls, and profits from Africa’s growing digital economy as artificial intelligence transforms the production and distribution of online content.

As more African countries deepen trade and financial ties with China, the Chinese renminbi [yuan] is emerging as a more prominent currency across the continent. While the shift is gathering pace, experts say its real value lies in giving African economies greater financial flexibility rather than replacing one dominant currency with another.