Author: NLM Correspondent

AfCFTA supporters are betting that full tariff liberalization of vehicle manufacturing and food processing will unlock billions in regional trade. By Guest Writer Vehicle manufacturing and food processing have been touted as the next big drivers of Intra-African trade as the single largest world market-AfCFTA readies to enter its second implementation phase in less than a month. A new report, “Economic Development in Africa 2021: Reaping the potential benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area for inclusive growth” by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), shows vehicles have the largest untapped export potential of $1.4 billion,…

By Peter Wanyonyi Vladimir Putin, formerly a KGB spy, has never been one to keep his adversaries guessing. In July 2021, Russia’s president laid out what was to become his rationale for dismembering Ukraine this past February. At times sounding like a history professor lecturing naughty schoolkids, Putin referred to centuries of Russian history, pointing out that the polity known as “Ukraine” did not exist as an independent country until 1991, when the Soviet Union broke up. “Ukraine’s sovereignty”, Putin stated, “is only in partnership with Russia.” Translation: Ukraine is an imaginary country, a historical part of Russia that the…

By Gabrielle Lynch, Justin Willis, Nic Cheeseman As Kenyans approach a general election in August 2022, many lack confidence in the electoral process. According to a national opinion poll conducted by Afrobarometer in 2019, only 29.2 percent of Kenyans thought that the country’s 2017 election was free and fair. Another 33.5 percent thought that there were minor problems, 12 percent that there were major problems, and 21.7 percent that the elections were not free and fair at all. Moreover, according to a 2021 poll commissioned by South Consulting, although around half of Kenyans have confidence in the electoral commission to support a free…

Everyone loves a fighter. The person who stands up to great odds regardless of what the fight is about. Ahead of the 2013 election, Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto turned their arraignment at the ICC into an anti-imperialist platform and won over Kenyans. It was their one trump card. As we head into the August 2022 General Election, Deputy President William Ruto stands tall as a fighter amongst the political bigwigs of our time. As the battle for the Presidency gets into the homestretch, leading presidential candidates are consolidating their bases and working overtime to convert the often tide-changing bloc…

By Zion Adeoye I t is projected that under the AfCFTA, extreme poverty will significantly decline across the continent Established in 2018, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), represents perhaps Africa’s biggest opportunity for the next few decades in its battle against poverty of all forms, energy and infrastructure included. Against the backdrop of the tens of millions of Africans that have been plunged into extreme poverty by the onslaught of the covid-19 Pandemic, a strong case must be made for a speedy implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. It is projected that under the AfCFTA, extreme…

By Nicolas Bonnefoy The status of oil and gas production in Africa, best practices for African countries to attract investment and the role the continent’s oil and gas sector can play in meeting growing energy demand globally. What does this production underperformance mean for Africa? Production has declined globally, not only in Africa. That said, production underperformance is clearly bad news for over-reliant hydrocarbons economies in Africa indeed. The industry has, however, been through a deep structural crisis long before the pandemic, with COVID-19 triggering additional business disruption and accelerating the energy transition. Since the 2014 crisis and throughout the…

By Nathaniel Allen and Ify Okpali Even as the world’s leading militaries race to adopt artificial intelligence in anticipation of future great power war, security forces in one of the world’s most conflict-prone regions are opting for a more measured approach. In Africa, AI is gradually making its way into technologies such as advanced surveillance systems and combat drones, which are being deployed to fight organized crime, extremist groups, and violent insurgencies. Although the long-term potential for AI to impact military operations in Africa is undeniable, AI’s impact on organized violence has so far been limited. These limits reflect both the novelty…

Production underperformance does not only impact domestic energy supply but reduced export revenues for producing nations, creating a multiplier effect on the economy. In 2021/2022, many African countries have seen production gradually decline, leading stakeholders to pursue innovative ways to enhance exploration and establish energy security. In an exclusive interview with the African Energy Chamber (AEC), David Hartell, Managing Director, Stellae Energy Ltd. provides more clarity on the current situation. What will this production underperformance in Nigeria, Libya, Angola, Congo, Equatorial Guinea and African countries mean for the continent as a whole? Production underperformance hurts the countries involved with less…

The pile of integrity statutes appear unable to shake the entrenched corruption ecosystem; Kenya needs a complete shift in its political culture and values to get out of its present predicament. By Kabakua Mbogori On September 16th, 2021, Chief Justice Martha Koome launched her much-anticipated vision for the Judiciary. The blueprint is dubbed ‘Social Transformation through Access to Justice’. The vision promises easy and efficient access to the judicial system by litigants, particularly vulnerable groups and persons. It promises to widen the doors of justice to all Kenyans. The CJ argues, quite eloquently in my view, that achieving the transformative…

Raisin Limited alleges doublecross in a deal worth billions of millions of shillings, now a media spat has seen Centum CEO sued for defamation. By KEVIN MOTAROKI The deal was simple as it was straightforward: get us an investor for our real estate properties and we will pay a fee at the rate of two per cent of the contract sum. Yet this rather simple and straightforward deal has now become a contentious case of alleged double-crossing and backstabbing as Centum Development Investment Kenya Ltd (CDKL) and financial consultancy firm, Raisin Limited, battle over hundreds of millions in commission. After…