With the commodity maintaining its status as a safe-haven asset amid economic uncertainty, the stakes are high for African economies—especially those heavily reliant on commodities or with currencies pegged, informally, to the U.S. dollar.



Gold prices rebounded on Thursday, recovering from a sharp midweek drop as global investors seemingly reevaluated various factors relating to U.S. trade policy, inflation, and monetary tightening.



However, for African economies, the story goes beyond market sentiment and could be seen as a signal of widening currency pressures and rising borrowing costs.



“Gold prices tend to go up in times of uncertainty. And this time the uncertainty is unprecedented,” Nigerian investment commentator, Efe Ogunnaiya, says to FORBES AFRICA. “For us in Africa, gold is tied to USD and, as such, it has brought pressure on our currencies.”



Earlier in the week, gold surged to an all-time high nearing $3,500 per ounce. This was reportedly driven by escalating tensions between the U.S. and China, and market concern around public discourse on Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell by U.S. President, Donald Trump.



But that momentum reversed on Wednesday after Trump signaled a likely reduction in tariffs and affirmed that he would not remove Powell—triggering a swift pullback in gold to around $3,350 by Thursday. FXstreet reported that the gold price lowered to around $3,310 in Monday’s early Asian session.



The dollar index, a measure of the greenback’s strength against other major currencies, has declined by about 8% over the past few months. However, this hasn’t translated into relief for African currencies like Nigeria’s naira.



“The dollar is still strong relative to what’s happening in our local markets,” Ogunnaiya explains.



“If we add the gold element to it, you see that [it] has helped investors to weather inflation and currency volatility.”



The knock-on effect for Nigeria has been immediate. To contain demand for dollars and attract capital, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has raised rates on short-term Open Market Operations (OMO) bills. The 319-day tenor is now yielding approximately 22.7%. At the same time, yields on Nigeria’s Eurobonds have surged by nearly 200 basis points as investors reprice risk.



Meanwhile, some analysts have said that the recent pattern in gold pricing—a bearish “shooting star” technical formation—suggests caution. While gold may still reattempt its record high, traders are closely watching support zones around $3,145 and $2,955, which align with key Fibonacci retracement levels and previous swing highs.



For Africa, the implications of this volatility are far-reaching. Commodities like gold serve as a buffer for countries facing external shocks, but the same safe-haven appeal is drawing capital away from riskier assets—including African sovereign debt and equities.



“This pause that the U.S. has placed [on tariffs] means that other governments and investors now have to recalibrate their worst-case scenarios,” Ogunnaiya says. “In doing so, they’re looking for strategies that will calm down portfolios.”

Uptrend gold investment background, Digital illustration of gold bars with an overlaying stock market graph representing wealth and investment strategies. 3d rendering

Gold’s Resurgence Could Signal Deeper Currency Pressures For African Economies

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Shein and Temu, major online retailers known for their wildly low prices, said they would raise prices for some products Friday after President Donald Trump imposed hefty tariffs on China, though it’s unclear which products will get more expensive, or by how much.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Facts</h2>



<a href="https://us.shein.com/campaigns/sheincustomernotice" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Shein</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.temu.com/common-policy.html?policy=temucustomernotice" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Temu</a>&nbsp;said in nearly identical notices to customers this week they would increase prices on goods, though they did not specify how much more expensive certain items would become.



Both retailers attributed their impending price increases to Trump’s tariffs on U.S. imports, which both companies said have caused their operating costs to rise.



Both Shein and Temu primarily produce goods in China, Trump’s biggest tariff target, which now faces a total tariff rate of 145% and has demanded that Trump drop the steep tariffs.



Sales for both Shein and Temu spiked after Trump announced his tariffs policy,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-16/temu-shein-see-us-sales-surge-ahead-of-small-parcel-tariff" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Bloomberg reported</a>&nbsp;last week.



Forbes has reached out to Shein and Temu for comment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How Have Consumers Reacted To Shein And Temu’s Price Increases?</h2>



Consumers have largely flocked to Shein and Temu because of their extremely low prices, prompting some to raise alarms on social media about the price increases. One user posted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@notchiaraaceto/video/7495482729983659294?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">video</a>&nbsp;suggesting the best deals for consumers to take advantage of before the price increases take effect, including earrings for $2, a reusable water bottle resembling a Stanley cup for $21 and sunglasses for $3. Another&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@maryah781/video/7495013921414303019?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">user</a>, who has 75,000 followers and regularly reviews Shein products, urged her followers to place their orders before Shein raises prices and said in the comment section she wouldn’t be placing any more orders after the price hikes. Some users posted videos joking they were ordering their last “Shein hauls” before the price increases, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ramuleus/video/7491065553679945002?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">one</a>&nbsp;who garnered 1 million likes joking he’d avoid tariffs by crossing the ocean to pick up his Shein packages.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What’s The Latest On Trump’s China Tariffs?</h2>



Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2025/04/10/trumps-tariffs-on-china-are-now-at-least-145-white-house-confirms-higher-than-he-previously-claimed/">hiked his tariffs</a>&nbsp;on China multiple times to a rate of 145%.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/22/business/trump-china-trade-war-reduction-hnk-intl/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Trump said</a>, however, those rates would “come down substantially, but it won’t be zero,” at the White House on Tuesday, acknowledging the rate of 145% is “very high.” The shift came after weeks of back-and-forth with China as neither side appeared to back down amid an escalating trade war. Trump claimed Wednesday that China and the United States are “actively” negotiating tariff de-escalation, but Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/tariff-trade-war-china-beijing-trump-washington-us-economy-markets-rcna202535" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Guo Jiakun</a>&nbsp;responded that the sides “have not engaged in any consultations or negotiations regarding tariffs, let alone reached an agreement.” Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/04/24/china-demands-rollback-on-all-unilateral-tariffs-as-it-rebuffs-trumps-offer-to-negotiate/">He Yadong</a>&nbsp;said Thursday China is open to negotiations, but they must be fair and mutual, urging the U.S. to “cancel all unilateral tariff measures against China.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Background</h2>



Shein and Temu both emerged in recent years as hugely popular, yet controversial, retailers that have dominated the fast fashion and e-commerce spaces. Shein reported $38 billion in total sales in 2024, up 19% from the year prior, though its profits dropped by more than a third, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/021b5460-76e1-408d-83f6-91b9e05180d7" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Financial Times reported</a>. AB Bernstein and Tech Buzz China analysts told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/temus-takeover-is-now-complete/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Wired</a>&nbsp;in December Temu was on track to reach $50 billion in sales in 2024. Their dominance has inspired multiple competitors to launch their own low-priced e-commerce storefronts, including Amazon’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2024/11/13/what-to-know-about-amazon-haul-e-commerce-giants-new-temu-and-shein-competitor/">Amazon Haul</a>, which launched in November, and TikTok’s TikTok Shop. But Shein and Temu have both faced criticism for the allegedly poor quality of their products and accusations of poor working conditions. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/22/business/economy/shein-temu-forced-labor-china.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">congressional inquiry</a>&nbsp;in 2023 found an “extremely high risk that Temu’s supply chains are contaminated with forced labor,” while a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-11-21/shein-s-cotton-clothes-tied-to-xinjiang-china-region-accused-of-forced-labor" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Bloomberg report</a>&nbsp;found some cotton used in Shein’s products came from Xinjiang, a region of China where U.S. officials allege China is committing human rights abuses against the Uyghur people. Both Shein and Temu have also sparked scrutiny for their ties to China, though neither is headquartered there.&nbsp;<a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/curious-case-temu-u-headquarters-154253838.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Temu’s headquarters</a>&nbsp;are located in Boston, though the company is owned by the Chinese e-commerce company PDD.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/exclusive-chinese-fashion-firm-shein-singapore-hiring-spree-it-shifts-key-assets-2022-02-16/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Shein moved</a>&nbsp;its headquarters from China to Singapore in 2022.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Further Reading</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/04/24/china-demands-rollback-on-all-unilateral-tariffs-as-it-rebuffs-trumps-offer-to-negotiate/">China Demands Rollback On All Unilateral Tariffs As It Rebuffs Trump’s Offer To Negotiate</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/tariff-trade-war-china-beijing-trump-washington-us-economy-markets-rcna202535" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Trump says the U.S. and China are &#8216;actively&#8217; discussing tariffs. Beijing says that&#8217;s false.</a>&nbsp;(NBC News)

Trending Apps Photo Illustrations

Shein And Temu Will Raise Prices Amid Trump Tariffs—What To Know

The next wave of Artificial Intelligence doesn’t wait for your prompts. It watches, decides, and acts on its own. Here’s breaking down the difference between today’s AI and tomorrow’s agentic systems- and what may go wrong when AI agents go rogue.



Meet agentic AI–the autonomous evolution of artificial intelligence that’s already trans- forming how businesses operate. Unlike the chatbots and image or video models that sparked the generative AI revolution, these systems don’t just create content when prompted. They independently monitor situations, make decisions and take actions across multiple systems with- out human intervention.



Regular AI tools need you to tell them exactly what to do every time. Agentic AI is a little different. “There will be as many agents as there are business processes. And there is an enormous amount of business processes in the world,” says Richard Riley, General Manager, low-code and agent platforms, at Microsoft. “Think of AI agents like a football team. You don’t want eleven goalkeepers. You need specialists in different positions who understand their role but can seamlessly work together.”



This blend of personal AI assistants and autonomous agents represents a massive shift in how organizations will operate going forward. We’re not heading toward a future with a handful of all-purpose AIs but rather an ecosystem of specialized agentic AI systems. Each AI agent will handle a specific task while collaborating with others. An AI agent designed to detect fraudulent trans- actions needs different capabilities than one scheduling maintenance or providing customer support. This specialization makes perfect sense but creates a new challenge: how do we manage dozens or even hundreds of specialized agents without creating digital chaos?



Eugene De Souza, Regional Cloud Ecosystem Lead at Red Hat, a leading provider of enterprise, open source solutions, breaks down the difference between today’s AI and tomorrow’s agentic systems: “Generative AI is like a chef who creates a fantastic dish based on a reci- pe, but needs you to order it first. It’s reactive and lacks autonomy. Agentic AI is more proactive–like a maître d’ who not only takes your order but decides what dishes to prepare, manages the kitchen, and ensures everything is served perfectly without constant instructions.”



Agents of orchestration



This shift isn’t just about automation–it’s about fundamentally changing who (or what) initiates actions in our digital systems. Today, companies are developing orchestration layers–systems that coordinate multiple agents, manage their priorities, and ensure they work together rather than at cross purposes. These platforms are becoming the command centers for an increasingly autonomous digital workforce.



“AI is giving people expertise on demand,” says Colette Stallbaumer, Microsoft Copilot General Manager. “It’s providing capabilities that individuals wouldn’t other- wise have access to.” What makes this approach different from previous waves of workplace automation is how AI agents enhance human capabilities rather than just taking over tasks. Agentic AI can monitor data streams 24/7, instantly processing information that would take humans hours or days to review. When an agent detects anomalies or opportunities, it can either act within predefined parameters or alert its human counterparts with already-analyzed data and recommendations.



Despite this progress, agentic AI still faces major limitations. It struggles with context–it doesn’t always know when unusual circumstances mean it should break from standard procedures. It also can’t plan long-term very well–it’s good at executing the next step but not at developing complex strategies that unfold over time. And, of course, an AI agent lacks common sense, the background knowledge humans take for granted. Without these capabilities, agentic systems sometimes make decisions that tick all the technical boxes but miss the bigger picture.



“Users need to accept that today’s agents will sometimes get things wrong,” says De Souza. “It’s part of the innovation process.” This acceptance of imperfection is crucial because it changes how we implement AI systems. Rather than expecting perfection from day one, companies are learning to deploy agentic AI in controlled environments where it can learn from its mistakes without causing harm. A great example comes from the manufacturing industry where agentic AI is being used to monitor production lines and automatically schedule maintenance before equipment fails.



Financial institutions are also turning to agentic systems to scan millions of transactions for signs of fraud, flagging sus- picious activity for human review. That said, Riley does acknowledge that many businesses find the concept of agentic AI overwhelming at first. His recommendation is straightforward– begin with existing automated processes that can be enhanced with agentic technology. From there, companies can either empower end-users to build their own agents for specific needs or use the technology to tackle problems that were previously too complex to automate.



Strategic collaboration



“I think the next major evolution will be multi-agent systems,” predicts De Souza. “Think of it as a team of specialists rather than a single assistant. They could function like entire departments working toward a common goal.” This digital collaboration mirrors how human organizations function, with specialized roles working together. The difference is that agentic AI operates continuously, exchanges information instantly, and scales on demand. A system that works for one company can be quickly replicated to a thousand locations, creating consistent operations at a scale impossible with human-only teams.



“The future of AI isn’t one AI doing everything—it’s multiple AI agents collaborating in an open, secure, and scalable way,” adds Riley. As these technologies evolve, we’re seeing a fundamental reimagining of how work happens. The division of labor between humans and machines is being redrawn in ways that go far beyond simple automation of repetitive tasks. Agentic AI is increasingly handling not just the execution but also the monitoring, analysis, and even planning stages of work. The autonomous revolution has begun, and it’s accelerating. The question isn’t whether agentic AI will transform business but how quickly, and whether organizations are prepared for a future where some of their most productive team members aren’t human at all. “Think of agents as the new apps in this AI-powered world. It’s how people will work moving forward,” says Stallbaumer. “Agents exist on a spectrum. Some are very simple, some are highly complex,” adds Riley. “But they can now solve complex business problems that were previously too com- plicated for traditional automation.”

Artificial Intelligence Technology

The Next Critical Frontier: Are We Ready For Autonomous AI?

A politician muddles policy details, a CEO fumbles the figures, and an athlete sparks outrage with a poorly-chosen remark.



Unfortunate gaffes, you say? Not so fast.



While many blunders appear accidental, there is a growing trend of so-called “gaffes” being deliberate stunts dressed up as mistakes.



The art of the gaffe has never been more deliberate.



What was once an accidental blunder followed by sheepish apologies and frantic damage control has evolved into a finely-tuned strategy.



The intentional gaffe–a calculated misstep–has emerged as a powerful tool for attention-seekers, agenda-pushers, and image-shapers alike.



Gaffes have transformed from missteps to maneuvers and from blunders to branding opportunities.



A slip of the tongue, once a career-crushing catastrophe, now serves as bait to hook headlines.



A botched phrase or a bungled promise can generate the kind of attention that no carefully-crafted statement ever could.



On the political stage, where the stakes are high, every word is scrutinized and a single gaffe–whether genuine or calculated–can steal the show.



Some politicians wield intentional gaffes to distract critics, redirect public attention, and ignite debate.



An awkward joke about policy might seem like a moment of carelessness, though in reality, it is often a masterclass in misdirection.



Consider the so-called “slip of the tongue” during a live debate, where a politician casually floats a controversial idea.



While the public and media argue over the statement’s implications, the real intent–to test the waters or deflect focus from another issue–often goes unnoticed.



Yet politicians are far from the only ones who capitalize on this tactic.



CEOs and senior leaders strategically stumble to steer discussions or divert scrutiny.



A clumsy comment or poorly-phrased projection can shift focus, diverting attention from weak results or uncomfortable questions.



Celebrities and athletes, too, embrace the art of the intentional blunder to stay in the spotlight and bolster their personal brands.



A tone-deaf remark or ill-timed tweet might spark outrage, though it also ensures their name trends, keeping them relevant in an overcrowded media landscape.



Social media influencers have perfected this approach, crafting clumsy posts or controversial opinions designed to drive engagement and boost visibility.



Public relations teams, in turn, use these “mistakes” to manage discussions during crises.



Whether it is a poorly planned marketing campaign or an “accidental” leak, the resulting uproar can shift focus away from deeper issues or generate free publicity.



The genius of the intentional gaffe lies in its capacity for a graceful recovery.



A quick apology or a well-placed clarification can turn the tide to paint the gaffe-maker as humble, relatable or even courageous for owning up to their “error”.



Distinguishing an intentional gaffe from a genuine mistake requires more than a casual glance.



While both might look similar on the surface, subtle signs separate a calculated misstep from an unplanned blunder.



Timing, for instance, is a crucial clue.



An unintentional mistake often happens in an unguarded moment–a slip during an intense debate or an offhand comment in a casual interview.



Intentional gaffes, however, tend to occur when the stakes are high and the spotlight is firmly fixed.



Another telltale sign lies in the response.



A genuine mistake usually triggers an immediate and often awkward attempt at damage control.



Apologies can be hurried, explanations panicked, and the individual might struggle to regain composure.



In contrast, an intentional gaffe is met with a measured and almost rehearsed reaction.



Context also matters.



Genuine mistakes often occur in moments of pressure or fatigue, when the speaker is off-script or underprepared.



Intentional gaffes, on the other hand, are often embedded within broader storylines.



They are positioned to steer conversations, spark debate or test public sentiment.



When a misstep conveniently aligns with an underlying agenda or shifts focus from a larger issue, it is worth questioning whether the error was intentional.



Finally, the outcomes can reveal intent.



Unintentional mistakes often create chaos, confusion, backlash or a dip in credibility.



Intentional gaffes, however, frequently deliver benefits.



They might dominate headlines, spark widespread discussion or bolster the individual’s visibility.



Recognizing these patterns requires a discerning eye and a healthy dose of scepticism.



As the art of the gaffe becomes more sophisticated, so too must our ability to separate the accidental from the intentional.



Just remember: while not every slip is strategic, many are far too polished to be pure mistakes.

She’s got big plans to run the city

Expert-Speak: How Gaffes Have Graduated From Accidents To Agendas, Almost Making It An Art Form

The human body is comprised of approximately 37.2 trillion cells, and these cells are responsible for processing an astounding number of biological functions. Each of them contains DNA that governs not only basic functions but also responds to what you like, and what you don’t. They are essentially supercomputers, constantly evolving, driving changes in human longevity and wellbeing. Now, AI is accelerating this evolution, but its unequal access and high cost are contributing to a growing disparity, especially in regions like Africa.



The commoditization of ageing isn’t new. From basic access to resources thousands of years ago to the ability to use nanobots to fundamentally change the structure of your DNA today, access to the tools and services that slow ageing and improve health has always been tied to wealth. A fact that has never been more prevalent than today, with wellness clubs that cost upwards of $10,000 a month for hyper-personalized services powered by data and AI. Imagine leveraging data and AI to create a digital twin of yourself to predict how your body will perform under different conditions, enabling you to optimize your health, reverse aging, and push your physical limits.



“There are two arms to this discussion,” says Per Ostberg, Futurist and Foresight Practitioner, to FORBES AFRICA. 



“At the moment, biohacking is more about people experimenting with their health in a less scientific way, while body hacking is where you go in and start enhancing bodily functions. This is the realm of gene editing and epigenetics.”



It is a realm that Dr Divya Chander has discussed at length, more recently at Singularity University in South Africa. She highlighted how the cost of genome sequencing has dramatically dropped from $100 million in 2002 to $1,000 today, and that this is potentially introducing an entirely new dynamic and possibilities in biological innovation, and in fighting off the effects of aging.



In healthcare, AI is in use for drug discovery and development, fundamentally speeding up analysis and insights and accelerating the discovery of drugs. But now that concept can be taken even deeper into the use of nanobots to deliver drugs to distant parts of the body, revolutionizing treatment delivery.



Imagine how cancer treatments could be revolutionized if a nanobot could inject drugs directly into the tumors. This is already happening– research has shown that tumors have a lower pH than healthy tissues so nanobots can be programmed to become sensitive to PH and deliver drugs accurately. Then there’s the applications of these technologies in the war against age.



Imagine, says Ostberg, if it becomes possible to simply switch off the aging gene? “If we can control this switch, we’ve effectively solved the ageing problem. AI is allowing for the discovery of all the variables and mutations that could occur as we experiment with genetics and ageing. A digital twin can be used to see how your body will react to any changes made to your genetic structure so there’s no risk to your health.”



Of course, there’s the Frankenstein dilemma—what happens if tweaking one gene triggers unexpected changes elsewhere? However, on the other hand, AI, data, and digital twins could be used to personalize treatments, such as pain management and drug interactions based on an individual’s size, age, and weight. People are already embracing this vision: they want to be younger, faster, fitter. Age has come to be seen as a burden, and the pursuit of longevity remains one of humanity’s greatest priorities. “Humans have been around for 300,000 years and initially had an average life expectancy of 25 years, by the 1800s it was 40 years, and from 1880 to today, this has doubled,” Paul Pagnato, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Humanaut Health told attendants at Singularity University South Africa. “Today, the number of centenarians is around 40,000 people living quality lives, and over the next 20-30 years, this is expected to quadruple. And most people would be like to be one of those who live these long, healthy lives.”



A Danish study found that only about 20% of a person’s longevity is determined by genes, while the remaining is influenced by lifestyle and environment. This aligns with the principles of the Blue Zones approach to longevity which include: incorporating movement into daily life, reducing stress significantly, having a clear sense of purpose, maintaining a healthy diet, and fostering strong human connections.



These steps represent the surface level of control that human beings can exert over their lives to live longer, healthier lives. However, it’s important to recognize that not all countries and populations can benefit equally from these practices. While they may seem simple to achieve in wealthier nations, many countries with fragile economies lack the resources to even begin addressing these foundational aspects. Take Somalia, for example, which currently has one of the lowest life expectancies in the world. As a fragile state plagued by conflict, its people have limited access to healthcare and essential resources. Achieving peace, stable governance, and functional infrastructure are the first crucial steps Africa must take before it can fully explore advancements like biohacking.



As Alexandra Miszewski, Founder and Managing Director of Novita Biotechnology, tells FORBES AFRICA: “The impact is determined by accessibility and affordability, and this is particularly relevant in the African context as the continent is often left behind. This is also one of my biggest concerns – will Africa get left behind?” Miszewski points out that, unlike Moore’s Law, which suggests that as time passes technology gets faster, cheaper and more efficient, the opposite is true in the case of biotechnology.



“We have Eroom’s Law, which basically is Moore’s Law spelled backwards–drug discovery and biotech innovation are becoming more expensive over time and the impact this will have on humanity is astronomical. The average cost of getting a drug to market these days is one to two billion dollars, which means companies need to see a return on their investment.”



This, in turn, means investing in solutions that generate profit. However, there is the positive side of the AI story, which is that the technology has the potential to democratize longevity because it can reduce the costs of drug discovery and testing. It can also be used to manage the regulatory process and ensure drugs are rapidly designed, tested and approved, which will make them more cost-effective to produce while increasing the availability of life-saving treatments. 



For now, however, the art of longevity remains largely in the hands of the wealthy.



Biohacking has become an expensive pursuit, especially for those who want to go beyond simple tools like wearable devices and a good night’s sleep. This raises an important question: will aging become the new determinant of poverty?

Electronic medical

Reverse Aging: Hacking The Genetic Code For Longevity

<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/04/24/google-earnings-stock-soars-as-q1-results-shatter-expectations/#open-web-0"></a>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/04/24/google-earnings-stock-soars-as-q1-results-shatter-expectations/#open-web-0"></a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Google parent Alphabet reported first-quarter earnings Thursday afternoon, becoming the first of the trillion-dollar U.S. technology behemoths to report earnings from the first quarter, a period marred by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/04/21/forbes-recession-tracker-recession-odds-spike-as-trumps-tariff-liberation-day-approaches/">elevated</a>&nbsp;economic uncertainty that could weigh on the advertising-heavy Google.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



Alphabet brought in $90.2 billion of revenue in Q1, topping consensus analyst estimates of $89.2 billion, and $2.81 diluted earnings per share ($34.5 billion net income), smashing forecasts of $2.01 EPS ($24.8 billion net income), according to FactSet.



That equates to 12% top line expansion from Q1 2024 and 49% bottom line growth year-over-year.



Alphabet’s bread-and-butter Google search unit generated $50.7 billion in sales, compared to forecasts of $50.5 billion, and its artificial intelligence-heavy Google cloud brought in $12.3 billion, matching projections of $12.3 billion.



Google stock jumped about 5% in after-hours trading immediately following the release, and its $169 afternoon share price has the tech firm on track to open at its highest level in four weeks.



The company also announced Thursday board authorization for a $70 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/05/09/what-are-stock-buybacks-the-apple-led-strategy-is-expected-to-swell-to-1-trillion-by-2025/">stock buyback</a>&nbsp;program, and it will increase its quarterly cash dividend by 5% to $0.21.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-google-mum-on-tariffs">Google Mum On Tariffs</h2>



In the earnings call, Google CEO Sundar Pichai&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/TheTranscript_/status/1915512617357238675" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">declined</a>&nbsp;to “speculate about potential impacts” of tariffs, before adding the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/04/24/shein-and-temu-will-raise-prices-tomorrow-amid-trump-tariffs-what-to-know/">rollback</a>&nbsp;of the de minimis tariff exemptions will “obviously cause a slight headwind to our ads business in 2025, primarily from” Asian retailers. Google is grappling with a “negative tariff ad spend impact,” according to Bank of America analyst Justin Post, specifically noting declining spending from Chinese discount retailers Temu and Shein as Trump’s more than 100% tariffs on Chinese imports stifle the flow of goods from the country to U.S. consumers. Still, Google has “relatively less” pressure from the choppy operating environment, according to Post. About 4% to 5% of Google’s revenues come from Chinese companies spending on U.S. advertising, according to Bernstein analyst Mark Shmulik, much less than the 7% to 8% exposure from Google’s top digital advertising rival, Facebook parent Meta.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-google-stock-bounced-before-earnings-as-nasdaq-jumped-2">Google Stock Bounced Before Earnings As Nasdaq Jumped 2%</h2>



Shares of Google rose during Thursday’s regular session ahead of the release, gaining more than 2% to $161, the highest level in two weeks. The bounce came as stocks continued to rally on renewed hopes President Donald Trump would&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/04/23/stocks-surge-as-trump-softens-on-china-tariffs/">keep backing down</a>&nbsp;from his most aggressive tariff plans, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq index rose nearly 3% on Thursday, heading to its third consecutive day of an at least 2% rally. That’s the first time the Nasdaq has risen by that much in three straight trading sessions since 2001,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/bespokeinvest/status/1915450647832416503" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to Bespoke Investment Group. Still, Google stock is down 16% year-to-date, slightly worse than the tech-heavy Nasdaq’s 12% decline as fears of an economic slowdown tied to Trump’s trade war&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/04/14/trump-celebrates-last-weeks-largest-gain-in-stock-market-history-but-stocks-are-still-down-during-his-second-term/">broadly</a>&nbsp;ate into investor confidence.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



“If investing in US tech stocks was difficult right now, underwriting Google might be the closest thing to impossible,” Shmulik wrote Wednesday. Among the massive unknowns swirling around Google are recession concerns, tariff exposure, potential for generative AI to disrupt online search, a “library of regulatory overhangs” and a “potential lightning rod for international retaliation” against American entities, explained Shmulik.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



Among the “library” of regulatory hurdles facing Google include high-profile monopoly probes from U.S. prosecutors. A federal judge&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-judge-finds-google-holds-illegal-online-ad-tech-monopolies-2025-04-17/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">ruled</a>&nbsp;last week Google maintains an illegal monopoly in advertising technology, and the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/technology/google-search-remedies-hearing.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">argued</a>&nbsp;in an ongoing antitrust case the company should be forced to sell its Chrome web browser.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



Google is one of the six West Coast tech companies with market values of at least $1 trillion, joined by Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon and Meta (those companies are often lumped together with Elon Musk’s Tesla to form the “magnificent seven”). Google was a key part of the massive tech stock rally as generative AI’s popularity spiked, as its share price more than doubled from the end of 2022 to 2024. But big tech has stalled on Wall Street as recession fears escalated, as Bloomberg’s magnificent seven index has declined about 20% in 2025.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">What To Watch For</h2>



Next week, Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft will all report earnings from 2025’s first three months. Tesla, the least valuable member of the magnificent seven, shared its Q1 report Tuesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/04/22/tesla-earnings-elon-musks-firm-reports-worst-quarterly-profit-since-2021/">missing</a>&nbsp;on both profit and revenue forecasts.

FRANCE-ECONOMY-TECHNOLOGY-VIVATECH

Google Earnings: Stock Soars As Q1 Results Shatter Expectations

We no longer stand on the threshold of an AI-powered future—we already live in it. Artificial Intelligence (AI) now influences everything, from the ads we see and the routes we drive to the diagnoses we receive and the public policies we navigate.



As AI becomes more integrated into everyday life, the conversation must move beyond innovation and capability. We must ask a harder question: Can we trust it?



The answer begins with one often-overlooked word: testing.



AI systems are not like traditional software. They don’t simply follow pre-written instructions. Instead, they learn, adapt, and evolve by processing massive data. That’s what makes them powerful, but also unpredictable. Without proper oversight, they can make decisions that are biased, inaccurate, or even dangerous.



Today, rigorous algorithmic testing must become central to how we design, deploy, and govern AI. This is not just a technical necessity—it’s a moral and societal imperative.



Unlike traditional tools, AI systems are dynamic. They grow and adapt based on the data they’re fed. That adaptability comes at a cost: it’s hard to predict how these systems will behave, especially when used in new or high-stakes environments. As a result, we need to know if AI will reinforce or challenge existing societal biases. Also, can we explain how decisions are made by “black box” systems? Are these systems secured against manipulation or adversarial attacks?



Addressing these concerns requires a shift from basic functionality checks to multi-dimensional testing that evaluates how AI performs, under what conditions, and for whom.



Five pillars should guide this process:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Performance testing: AI should be stress-tested in extreme and adversarial conditions to identify vulnerabilities that could lead to failure in real-world scenarios.</li>



<li>Fairness and bias testing tools must be used to identify and mitigate bias across gender, race, class, and other social dimensions to prevent discriminatory outcomes.</li>



<li><a href="https://www.datacamp.com/tutorial/explainable-ai-understanding-and-trusting-machine-learning-models">Explainability</a> testing: People must understand how and why AI systems make decisions. This is essential for public trust and regulatory accountability.</li>



<li>Robustness testing: AI must work with <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-01180-2">incomplete</a> or noisy data and adapt to shifting real-world conditions without compromising performance or safety.</li>



<li>Compliance testing, meaning AI must follow legal and ethical standards. Compliance should be built into the system, from data protection to fairness regulations, not retrofitted after deployment.</li>
</ul>



Nowhere is the need for rigorous AI testing more urgent—or more overlooked—than in Africa. The continent is increasingly embracing this technology to tackle development challenges: improving agricultural productivity, enhancing healthcare, broadening education access, strengthening financial inclusion, and improving governance. But if not properly tested, they may do more harm than good.



African datasets are often smaller, fragmented, and reflect deeply embedded inequalities. AI models trained on such data—or worse, on data from other regions—can easily produce biased or ineffective results. They might misinterpret dialects, ignore cultural nuance, or overlook contextual realities.



Without explainability and fairness checks, these systems could entrench existing discrimination into everything from credit decisions to public service delivery.



Moreover, the digital literacy landscape in Africa is diverse. Adoption will lag if people don’t understand how or why AI systems make decisions, and trust will erode. The continent needs context-aware and inclusive AI governance frameworks that support local expertise, prioritize fairness, and embed transparency and accountability.



International partnerships must avoid ‘data colonialism’ and instead elevate African voices, priorities, and innovations.



We often hear that AI is the future. But the truth is, the future is already here. And it’s time we took its risks as seriously as we do its rewards.



Algorithmic testing must become the foundation of trustworthy AI. It’s not just an engineering task—it’s an ethical safeguard. It ensures that intelligent systems serve society, not undermine it. It is how we earn the public’s trust, prevent harm, and ensure that AI technologies are reliable, fair, and aligned with human values.



For Africa, getting this right is not optional. It’s a chance to lead in AI adoption and show the world how to build technology that truly works for everyone.

AI (Artificial Intelligence) concept. Electronic circuit. Communication network.

The Indispensable Shield: Why Rigorous Testing Must Underpin The Age Of Artificial Intelligence

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Chinese officials on Thursday dismissed talks of any progress in trade negotiations with the U.S. and reiterated their stance that Washington must drop all unilateral tariffs against Beijing, two days after President Donald Trump appeared to soften his stance on levies against China and signaled trade talks between both sides could happen soon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Facts</h2>



In a press briefing, Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yadong addressed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/04/23/us-futures-and-asian-markets-rise-after-trump-suggests-china-tariffs-will-come-down-substantially/">comments</a>&nbsp;by Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about lowering tariffs with China through trade negotiations.



The spokesperson said China is open to talks, but any such dialogue must be “conducted on an equal footing and based on mutual respect,” and the U.S. must correct its “wrong practices” before engaging with Beijing.



The spokesperson accused the U.S. of “unilaterally” provoking a trade war and warned that “pressure, threats and blackmail” were not the right approach to deal with China.



On Trump’s comments about “substantially” lowering tariffs on Chinese goods, He said the “unilateral tariff increase” was started by the U.S. and if Washington wants to resolve the issue, it must: “cancel all unilateral tariff measures against China.”



He also noted that any claims of progress in China and U.S. trade talks were “groundless and have no factual basis.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Else Has Beijing Said About Trump’s Talks Of Lowering Tariffs?</h2>



Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun also addressed the matter during the ministry’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/xw/fyrbt/lxjzh/202504/t20250423_11602511.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">daily press conference</a>, saying the “tariff war” was “launched by the U.S.,” and while China was not looking for a fight, it is not afraid of it. “We will fight if we must,” but Beijing’s “doors are open, if the U.S. wants to talk.” Guo noted Washington must stop “threatening and blackmailing China” and said: “To keep asking for a deal while exerting extreme pressure is not the right way to deal with China and simply will not work.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Did Trump Say About Lowering Tariffs?</h2>



On Tuesday, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/04/23/us-futures-and-asian-markets-rise-after-trump-suggests-china-tariffs-will-come-down-substantially/">told reporters</a>&nbsp;at the Oval Office that he expected Chinese President Xi Jinping to negotiate a trade deal with him, as he promised to be “very nice” to China. The president said he was hopeful a deal would happen soon and acknowledged that the current 145% tariff rate against China was “very high.” The President then suggested he was prepared to lower the tariffs, saying: “It won’t be anywhere near that high. It’ll come down substantially. But it won’t be zero.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Has Scott Bessent Said About Negotiations With China?</h2>



Trump’s remarks were made shortly after Bessent expressed concerns that the high tariffs both the U.S. and China had imposed on each other was effectively halting all trade between the two countries. Speaking at a event on Tuesday, Bessent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-22/bessent-sees-de-escalation-with-china-situation-unsustainable" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">acknowledged</a>&nbsp;the 145% tariff on China was essentially a “trade embargo” and such high tariffs were “unsustainable.” At the time, Bessent said he believed the trade tensions would cool in the next few months but noted that a full fledged deal could take two to three years. On Wednesday, Bessent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/23/bessent-china-tariffs-trade-trump.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">addressed the issue</a>&nbsp;again saying “there is an opportunity for a big deal” between China and the U.S. on trade and added, “If they want to rebalance, let’s do it together.” However, the treasury secretary told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/bessent-says-china-tariffs-are-not-sustainable-us-signals-willingness-de-2025-04-23/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reporters</a>&nbsp;that Trump was not offering to unilaterally lower tariffs on China.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Further Reading</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/04/23/us-futures-and-asian-markets-rise-after-trump-suggests-china-tariffs-will-come-down-substantially/">U.S. Futures And Asian Markets Rise After Trump Suggests China Tariffs Will ‘Come Down Substantially’</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)

Donald Trump Attends Roundtable Discussion On Threat Of China On U.S. Agriculture

China Demands Rollback On All Unilateral Tariffs As It Rebuffs Trump’s Offer To Negotiate

Stitch is one of the latest startups to secure backing from major international firms as global investor appetite for African fintechs continues to rise.



South Africa-based company, Stitch announced a $55 million Series B funding round, which will enable it to deepen and expand its in-person payments offering, move into the acquiring space, and further bolster its online payments suite.



The round was led by QED Investors, a VC in the fintech space, with participation from Norrsken22, Flourish Ventures and Glynn Capital, and angels, including comedian Trevor Noah.



Junaid Dadan, Co-Founder and President at Stitch tells FORBES AFRICA that the company, which helps businesses connect to the financial system, was founded because this system in South Africa was not transforming quickly enough as business models and the economy transformed.



“In the last ten years, there have been a lot of changes especially when we look at how people build businesses,” he says.



“But the financial system doesn’t necessarily fully reflect all of those changes.”



One example that Dadan highlights is how online businesses operate 24/7 and all year round—often serving customers, globally, across time zones—and banks still process payments strictly during traditional business hours, creating a disconnect that can hinder growth and efficiency.



While Stitch has managed to scale rapidly and attract major backing, many African startups do still struggle to move beyond early-stage funding.



According to a MacAdebowale 2025 report, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on the continent make up over 90% of the businesses and are responsible for about 50% of the total GDP in sub-Saharan countries, however they only receive only a fraction of available funding.



The report further notes that in 2019, venture capitalists poured over $2 billion into African startups yet SMEs, the backbone of Africa’s economy, saw less than 20% of that capital.



Despite this hurdle, Dadan adds that, at the core, people need to provide solutions that fully accommodate the customer.



“If one is building a real business that’s solving real customer problems with proper fundamentals and metrics which support investment, then I think funding is available for that,” he says.



“Customers have always been our biggest advocates, ultimately, and therefore funding has followed.”



QED Investors Partner and Head of Africa and the Middle East, Gbenga Ajayi said in a statement: “Having closely followed the Stitch team over the past four years, it’s been impressive to watch their rapid growth and execution in becoming a trusted payment provider”.



Although this is something to celebrate there is still the matter of global investors potentially hindering the African market from becoming a self-sustaining ecosystem.



However, Dadan explains that there is room for both, especially when looking at the appetite of each of the investors. From his experience, international investors have a higher risk appetite.



“They have more experience with early-stage ventures, how to assess them and how to take a risk on them, and are willing to take those leaps of faith.”



He also believes that African investors have a better lay of the land and can help reach local markets. They help with regulation and compliance as they understand the sectors that they operating in as well, wherein foreign investors may have some difficulty with that.



“It’s always important to have a blend of the two, and [to see] what each brings to the table, both from a pros and cons perspective.”



The company offers solutions encompassing unified commerce, collections and account top-ups. Total funding has reached $107 million since its inception in 2021.

JunaidDadan_Headshot

‘Customers Have Always Been Our Biggest Advocates ’: South African Fintech Seeks To Bolster Online Payments Suite

Twenty-one countries around the world will host F1 RACES in 2025. The African continent is vying to be a part of it too in the near future-for the prestige and profits down the road.



The sound of roaring supercars is hardly unfamiliar in Africa’s emerging urban landscapes; yet, the distinctive rumble of Formula One (F1) engines has not been heard on the continent since 1993.



For context, Jurassic Park was the highest-grossing film that year, Bill Clinton had just assumed his seat in the Oval Office, and South Africa’s Rainbow Nation was not yet in technicolor.



At the 1993 South African Grand Prix, the 72-lap race at Johannesburg’s Kyalami race-track saw Alain Prost take pole position, beating Ayrton Senna. But as the finish line was crossed and typical Johannesburg thundershowers cascaded, it signaled what has now become more than three decades of Africa being the only inhabited continent without a Grand Prix on the calendar.



Twenty-one countries will host F1 races in 2025. Despite there being only 24 fixtures on the annual schedule, both South Africa and Rwanda are vying for a spot for 2027.



“You can’t call it a World Championship if you don’t have a race in Africa,” Motorsport South Africa CEO, Vic Maharaj, points out. “Besides Europe, I think Africa has more of a motorsport culture than just about any other continent on Earth,” claims veteran F1 broadcaster, Sasha Martinengo.



That passion for cars is evident everywhere—from high-performance vehicles to everyday taxis and bakkies (pickup trucks in South Africa) that drivers customize with pride.



Mandla Mdakane, who has been racing since age four and drives for the Toyota Gazoo Racing Team, has witnessed it firsthand.



“You can travel to places and see an old Toyota Cressida, decked out, paint looking lovely. People tuning their exhaust pipes, their rims. We just are car lovers as a nation.”



Seven-time F1 world champion, Lewis Hamilton, has told the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) that it cannot continue adding other locations to the F1 calendar while “ignoring Africa” and has been vocal about his desire to race in Mzanzi before putting the brakes on his career—a dream that incumbent Sports Minister, Gayton McKenzie, has vowed to fulfill.



“The chance of hosting a Formula One Grand Prix in 2027 is the most promising that we’ve had in 20 years,” Martinen- go believes.



It is a sentiment shared by Maharaj, who is a member of the governmental bid’s appropriately-titled Steering Committee. “We were at the altar twice and never got married. This time, we’ve got the rings, the dress, and everything we need”.



The wedding metaphor seems fitting, as any couple who has embarked on the costly excursion would know.



“There’s a commercial rights fee, probably in the region of around $30 million to $40 million per year,” Maharaj explains. “That’s before you’ve even started to put the event on.” Beyond that, there’s the cost of infrastructure, logistics, and operational expenses. The head of Motorsport SA puts it bluntly: “It’s like hosting the Olympics every two weeks.”



In a country riddled with potholed roads, critics argue that these funds could be better spent on infrastructure, electricity, and public services. But others, like Martinengo, feel the returns justify the investment when considering the magnitude of tourism it will generate.



“The amount of wealth and prestige that hosting a Grand Prix brings is astounding. People will come to South Africa, watch the Grand Prix in Johannesburg, then probably head to the Kruger Park or hop on a plane to spend a week in Cape Town. If we do a five-year deal, for example, by the time we do our third Grand Prix, everyone is turning a profit.”



South African political economy analyst, Daniel Silke, believes there is some legitimacy to that, but maintains that transparency is key: “I don’t think we should necessarily ig- nore the concept of a Formula One on the basis that the coun- try’s economy is struggling… that said, I wouldn’t want to see a cost-benefit assessment done by politicians. I would like to see an independently audited cost-benefit analysis.”



What was once considered South Africa’s race to lose has become a fascinating continental competition with Rwan- da. President Paul Kagame, an avid petrolhead, has actively pushed for motorsport in the East African country, even host- ing the 2024 FIA awards ceremony in Kigali last December.



South Africa’s Kyalami track has undergone extensive upgrades and is working towards meeting F1’s strict Grade 1 requirements. “Kyalami is a European-spec track now. It’s undu- lating, technical, and thrilling. Every lap there is amazing,” says Mdakane.



“If Europe and the U.S. can have multiple Grands Prix, why can’t Af- rica?” Maharaj challenges.



Although the financial obstacles cannot be dismissed, Silke can spot glimpses of the checkered flag&#8230;



“It would, I think, be beneficial for Africa as a whole. An event of the global magnitude of a Formula One Grand Prix tends to put a country on the map. Even though South Africa is certainly at a low ebb economically with low growth, an event like this, much like the World Cup, does again provide that lift for a country.”



And while here, why not showcase some of Africa’s deep- rooted—if unconventional—driving culture?



“If you want a real motorsport event in South Africa, I say let’s have a HiAce taxi race,” quips Martinengo. “Now that would be something to watch!” Motorsport encapsulates the spirit of fighting for every inch, overcoming obstacles, and never giving up—charac- teristics that resonate profoundly in Africa. The continent is ready to get behind the wheel. Now, it’s up to F1 to decide if they are too.

F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia

Africa’s Return To Formula One: What Lies Ahead

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Meta’s oversight board criticized the company’s updated hateful conduct policies, which included a provision allowing users to describe LGBTQ people as mentally ill, among other controversial updates, urging the company to assess the “human rights impact” of the policy on LGBTQ people, minors and immigrants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



The Meta&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oversightboard.com/news/wide-ranging-decisions-protect-speech-and-address-harms/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">oversight board</a>, which makes company decisions and conducts mediations and is sometimes referred to as Meta’s “Supreme Court,” issued a response to Meta’s hateful conduct policy change Wednesday, criticizing the update as “hastily” made.



Meta’s hateful conduct policy was updated “in a departure from regular procedure, with no public information shared as to what, if any, prior human rights due diligence the company performed,” the oversight board said.



The oversight board called on Meta to assess whether its updated hateful conduct policy would pose a threat to human rights, demanding the company provide a public report.



The oversight board also urged Meta to assess the effectiveness of its “community notes” policy, which it had adopted after abandoning third-party fact checking.



A Meta spokesperson told Forbes the company “respond to their full recommendations within 60 days in accordance with the bylaws.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-meta-update-its-hateful-conduct-policy">How Did Meta Update Its Hateful Conduct Policy?</h2>



Meta announced sweeping changes to its hateful conduct policy and other content moderation standards on Jan. 7, which it billed as an attempt to improve free speech and reduce censorship on its social media platforms. The policy changes included renaming the “hate speech” policy to “hateful conduct,” and according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/hateful-conduct/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">policy’s change log</a>&nbsp;on the Meta website, many references to specific examples of hateful conduct were erased, while other controversial examples were added. Among the updated policy changes is a provision that clarifies: “We do allow allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation, given political and religious discourse about transgenderism and homosexuality and common non-serious usage of words like ‘weird.’” Under a section barring dehumanizing speech, Meta erased a previous provision that had prohibited people from evoking offensive stereotypes, including referring to “women as household objects or property or objects in general” and “transgender or non-binary people as ‘it.’” Meta also abandoned its&nbsp;<a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2025/01/meta-more-speech-fewer-mistakes/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">third-party fact-checking</a>&nbsp;program in favor of a community notes program like that on X, stating it would be “less prone to bias.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-were-meta-s-conduct-policy-updates-controversial">Why Were Meta’s Conduct Policy Updates Controversial?</h2>



Meta’s updated policies drew scrutiny and allegations it would lead to increased discrimination against LGBTQ people, women and people of color. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrc.org/news/metas-new-policies-how-they-endanger-lgbtq-communities-and-our-tips-for-staying-safe-online" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Human Rights Campaign</a>&nbsp;said these policy changes “create fertile ground for misinformation, identity-based harassment, and abuse, and threaten LGBTQ+ inclusion and safety across Meta,” accusing the company of taking “specific aim at LGBTQ+ people.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-mark-zuckerberg-defend-meta-s-policy-updates">How Did Mark Zuckerberg Defend Meta’s Policy Updates?</h2>



Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had defended Meta’s content moderation policy updates as a move to improve free speech, particularly during a high-profile appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, which has more than 9 million views on Rogan’s&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/7k1ehaE0bdU?feature=shared" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">YouTube</a>&nbsp;channel. Zuckerberg said Facebook’s fact-checking policy was like “something out of 1984,” stating people felt the fact-checkers were too biased. “It really is a slippery slope, and it just got to a point where it&#8217;s just, OK, this is destroying so much trust, especially in the United States, to have this program,” praising Elon Musk’s X for adopting a community notes program in place of fact-checking. Zuckerberg said cracking down on hate speech “got to this point where there were things that you couldn’t say which were mainstream discourse,” citing Secretary of Defense&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-hegseth-background-defense-secretary-confirmation-hearing-e160e10c86385a8beff110d9190fb34e" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Pete Hegseth’s</a>&nbsp;prior statement that women should not serve in certain combat roles, stating this type of speech should be allowed on social media if Hegseth could say it on the floor of Congress. Zuckerberg also said in the Rogan interview companies should adopt more “masculine” energy and accused former President Joe Biden’s administration of calling Meta to “scream” about monitoring Covid-19-related posts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/08/permitted-hateful-conduct-what-users-can-now-say-on-meta-platforms" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Revisions of ‘hateful conduct’: what users can now say on Meta platforms</a>&nbsp;(The Guardian)



<a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/01/10/mark-zuckerberg-joe-rogan-facebook-censorship-biden" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Zuckerberg on Rogan: Facebook&#8217;s censorship was &#8220;something out of 1984&#8221;</a>&nbsp;(Axios)

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg Interview On The Circuit

Meta Oversight Board Urges Company To Assess ‘Human Rights Impact’ Of Hateful Conduct Policy

The township economy in South Africa contributes almost 6% to the country’s GDP. At the epicenter of this growth are the innovation hubs, breaking the barriers for aspiring entrepreneurs and creating a new wave of economic transformation in historically underserved communities.



Located just 30km north of South Africa’s administrative capital Pretoria is Soshanguve, a township known for its vibrant Bacardi dance scene and Se Pitori (Pretorian Sotho) language. This township, nestled east of Mabopane, is also home to entrepreneur, Mapula Ramothwala, the founder of Kool Crew, a manufacturing company that produces personal hygiene products for young people, aged six to 18, to boost their self-confidence.



“I didn’t grow up wanting to be an entrepreneur,” Ramothwala shares with FORBES AFRICA. With a background in agriculture, she had hoped to work in her farm. With a BTech degree in Animal Science, she also figured she would work in government, at institutes such as the Department of Agriculture, Labour or Rural Development. But that didn’t happen, and she instead, developed an interest in entrepreneurship.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="987" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Mapula-Ramothwala-Founder-Kool-Crew1-1024x987.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-65296" style="width:415px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Mapula-Ramothwala-Founder-Kool-Crew1-1024x987.jpeg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Mapula-Ramothwala-Founder-Kool-Crew1-300x289.jpeg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Mapula-Ramothwala-Founder-Kool-Crew1-768x740.jpeg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Mapula-Ramothwala-Founder-Kool-Crew1.jpeg 1280w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mapula Ramothwala, Founder Kool Crew</figcaption></figure></div>


About 140m from Soshanguve lies Orange Farm, one of South Africa&#8217;s youngest townships. According to the City of Johannesburg, it is today the country’s biggest and most populous informal settlement. It is here that Gontse Selaocoe founded and built his business, All Day Jam, specializing in organic jam spreads.



“Township economies have vast potential for growth and development,” Selaocoe says. “But businesses in townships often face unique challenges, such as limited access to funding, markets, and resources.”



Despite being over an hour apart, both Ramothwala and Selaocoe share a common thread: they both turned to The Innovation Hub’s eKasiLabs to help build their businesses.



Ramothwala first heard of The Innovation Hub when she was chosen to be part of a competition they were hosting. “I applied, pitched my business, and got selected. That’s how I joined the Cap Accelerator Program [Cosmetic Accelerator Program]. From there, I became one of the clients of The Innovation Hub. The support I received included mentorship as well as access to markets, marketing, and funding to help expand our businesses.”



She explains the rationale behind her company, Kool Crew: “Many kids today experience body odor at a very early age. Research has shown that most parents feel helpless because there aren’t many products specifically formulated for that age group, particularly children between six and eight years old.



“Active kids, especially those in sports, are more prone to sweating and need to follow a proper hygiene routine. That’s the problem Kool Crew aims to solve.”



Launched in 2019, the business was conceived with a deep understanding of local needs. “We started in our township because we identified a gap in our community and understood the need for such products.”



Selaocoe’s All Day Jam, founded the same year, focuses on agro-processing, offering organic jam spreads with a commitment to sustainability, food security, and job creation in his community.



“We were inspired to launch in the township because we saw an opportunity to transform a former dumping site into a thriving organic farm, providing healthy produce to our community and creating employment,” he says.&nbsp;



Both entrepreneurs embody a wave of township entrepreneurs who, despite the challenges they face, are dedicated to revitalizing their local economies. However, many like them also need support to scale their businesses. This is where centers like The Innovation Hub play a crucial role.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gontse-Selaocoe-and-team-Founder-all-Day-Jam1-1024x768.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-65298" style="width:559px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gontse-Selaocoe-and-team-Founder-all-Day-Jam1-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gontse-Selaocoe-and-team-Founder-all-Day-Jam1-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gontse-Selaocoe-and-team-Founder-all-Day-Jam1-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gontse-Selaocoe-and-team-Founder-all-Day-Jam1-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gontse-Selaocoe-and-team-Founder-all-Day-Jam1-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Gontse Selaocoe and team Founder All Day Jam</figcaption></figure></div>


James Segooa, Acting Executive Manager for Township Economic Revitalization at The Innovation Hub, specializes in the development of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME) and the innovation ecosystem in both the public and private sectors.&nbsp;



“I am passionate about SMME development and believe they can [be] or are the drivers of economic growth and the employment creators this country needs,” Segooa says. “From our observations and interactions with township entrepreneurs, the biggest challenge we’ve identified is a lack of business skills. This affects everything they do. We’re seeing many entrepreneurs who have never had the opportunity to be part of any entrepreneurship development program.”



According to an opinion piece by Luvuyo Mncanca on the University of Cape Town’s website, township businesses face similar challenges to those of South African SMMEs: lack of management skills, difficulties accessing finance and credit, limited market access, low government support, and lack of appropriate technology.



“The township economy’s contribution to the country’s GDP is extremely high,” says Bulelani Balabala, founder of the Township Entrepreneurs Alliance (TEA). “But the challenge then is that the mainstream or&nbsp; formal markets still consider it as informal, as mass market.”&nbsp;



A report by Lesaka Technologies emphasizes how the informal market is fueling growth, noting that the township economy is valued at approximately R900 billion (about $49.4 billion).



At the heart of the township economy is its people–engaged in buying, selling, producing, consuming, and creating, within the township and beyond it.



GG Alcock, author of KasiNomics, told FORBES AFRICA last year that the contributions of the township economies could be a lot more–with the right numbers stymied by a lack of data. He estimated that over R45 billion ($2.4 billion) comes from spaza shop rentals and the backyard rental market alone.



Despite these challenges, the South African government is taking steps to empower small businesses.



“Micro, small, and medium enterprises and cooperatives together form a vital part of our economy with immense growth potential,” said South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, in an address at the Presidential Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperatives Awards in 2024. “Whether they are small businesses in townships or cooperatives in rural areas, whether they are well-established or just starting, these businesses are integral to the future of our economy.”



This is, perhaps, where incubators and accelerators such as The Innovation Hub comes in.&nbsp;



“We learned about The Innovation Hub through a local business network,” says Selaocoe, who went through the incubation process at the Sebokeng eKasiLab. “The hub provided us with valuable support, including business mentorship, training, and access to funding opportunities. Their incubation program helped us refine our business model, improve our operations, and scale our production.”



The hub forms part of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) established by the provincial government to promote the economic development, innovation and competitiveness of South Africa’s Gauteng province.



“Our program offers business skills training at various centers,” Segooa explains. “We’re currently operational in 14 townships across Gauteng. I believe we’re one of the largest enterprise development programs within the township space, with 14 active centers.”



Segooa adds that aspiring entrepreneurs come to the hub with an idea or an already established product.&nbsp;



“They haven’t thought about pricing or a business model. We’re not even at the stage of talking about funding yet. In their minds, they know they need money, but they don’t know where to start to access it. And if you ask them, ‘do you need funding?’ they’ll say yes. But if you follow up with, ‘what do you need it for?’ that’s where the problem starts—because they haven’t thought that far ahead.”



Ramothwala adds that the biggest challenge for her was gaining market visibility and accessing the market.



“Through the mentorship we received, we gained valuable knowledge on how to build brand awareness. The mentors also advised us on compliance and how to properly run our business, which played a significant role in getting the business to where it is today.”



In February, in his State of the Nation address, President Ramaphosa stated that a transformation fund worth R20 billion ($1.09 billion) a year would be set up over the next five years to fund black-owned and small business enterprises.&nbsp;



“We are expanding our support for small and medium enterprises and for the informal economy, which sustains millions of jobs and livelihoods across our country,” he added.&nbsp;



While this funding is needed, Segooa emphasizes that skills need to be prioritized.&nbsp;



The Innovation Hub currently supports over 272 companies, with Segooa noting that in just 15 of the companies using the eKasi Lab program, 188 jobs have been created.



“I’ve witnessed real growth,” he says, laughing.



As a passionate advocate of township entrepreneurship, Balabala notes that innovation hubs play a critical role from multiple perspectives, thus reducing failure rates and accelerating business growth.



“For me, they become critical because entrepreneurship is solely predicated by the speed at which you fail. If you can learn fast and fail fast, then it means that you can position your business much quicker and iterate what your business model needs to be, and then go to market.”&nbsp;



“The township economy is indeed overlooked, and holds immense potential as a driver of social and economic development,” Ramothwala says.



“[What we are doing as township entrepreneurs] is building a foundation for inclusive growth, as in job creation. By investing in townships, the barriers of access to goods and services are lowered for residents, and we empower communities and give them incredible motivation tailored specifically for their community needs.”



She adds: “When an entrepreneur starts to realize that there is a gap and a need in the community, we also become an inspiration to many.”



“Be open to learning and adapting, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Most importantly, believe in yourself and your business, and stay committed to your vision,” Selaocoe concludes.&nbsp;

Ekasi Lab3

South Africa’s Townships As The Cool New Hubs Of Innovation

With a number of notable (and sizeable) solar projects on the continent, could this renewable power source be the solution to economic development, job creation and more?



In a continent where more than half the population—some 600 million people—live without electricity, it seems painfully ironic that Africa is also one of the sunniest places on Earth. The marriage of solar power and the continent feels not only inevitable but long overdue.



“Africa is the region with the most solar potential worldwide–and also the region with the most to gain from the solar revolution,” explains Global Solar Council strategy director, Alyssa Pek.



South Africa, home to 46% of the continent’s new solar installations in 2024, per the Global Solar Council, is a leader in Africa’s ascent towards the utilization of renewable energy resources, followed closely by Egypt at 29%. Both countries could hold the key to Africa’s most ambitious energy projects.



The former boasts KaXu Solar One, a $891-million solar plant covering an area of approximately three square kilometers. According to the Industrial Development Corporation, its output is exuberant, providing clean, sustainable electricity to over 400,000 South Africans while providing job opportunities throughout the construction phase and around 80 permanent jobs during operation.



In Egypt, near the Nile River is where you&#8217;ll find a solar juggernaut: the Benban Solar Park. Stretching across 37 square kilometers, it incorporates 34 solar plants, a testament to the continent’s shift toward large-scale clean energy.



And here lies the smoking gun—a shift away from coal and gas, and towards more accessible solutions.



“When it comes down to financials and economics, what we’re seeing now is that solar is the cheapest form of electricity in the world,” notes Jonathan Hall, Chief Commercial Officer at SOLINK, a technical advisor and project facilitator in renewable energy and battery energy storage.



“How quickly the infrastructure can be built is another plus; when you compare it to a coal power station or nuclear, which can take fifteen to twenty years to build, a large-scale utility solar project can go up in under two years.”



The Global Solar Council forecasts a 42% increase in African solar infrastructure for 2025, illustrating optimism in the continent’s green revolution. Its ability to connect rural areas in Africa, via modular devices, can empower local economies and expand markets.



“More and more, governments across Africa are realizing that solar can be the backbone for realizing a country’s sustainable development goals,” Pek tells FORBES AFRICA, adding that, “solar brings in investment, creates jobs and powers businesses, gives people and communities energy access from urban centers to rural areas [and] can power schools, hospitals and other essential services–and that’s just the tip of the iceberg for what solar can deliver for African countries”.



In collaboration with Investec and Rand Merchant Bank, SolarAfrica, an integrated solutions provider in sub-Saharan Africa’s renewable energy sector, secured around ZAR1.8 billion ($96.7 million) in funding earlier this year, giving the go-ahead for SunCentral solar farm in South Africa.



Meanwhile, Egypt&#8217;s Benban Solar Park attracted $4 billion in investments before breaking ground, with major backers reportedly including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Green Climate Fund, and the Dutch Development Bank.



World banks and multinational corporations have leapt onto the African solar sector bandwagon. Not only does this show confidence in renewable energy, but the uptick in investment resembles a shifting global trend in energy demand.



According to the International Energy Agency, global renewable energy demand rose by 38% in 2024, compared to 15% for coal and 11% for oil.



“It’s clear that the socioeconomic benefits of solar make it a no-brainer for policymakers, especially as costs for solar and storage are plummeting rapidly making it one of the cheapest and fastest energy sources to deploy to meet the continent’s surging energy demand,” Pek adds.



From powering local communities to creating jobs, cutting energy costs, and reducing carbon emissions, Africa’s solar revolution isn’t just smart—it’s the future.

Aerial view of solar powered house.

A Green Energy Revolution: The Sun Is Shining On Africa’s Solar Sector

If you don’t hold the trump cards in life, you end up with a mushy future. A future you have no control over. A despicable way of living.



The world is agog with all the terrible things people are saying and doing.



Old loyalties are torn apart, protectionism is exacerbated, and truth has become a matter of opinion.



But one thing holds true as it always has. God helps those who help themselves.



The meek are unlikely to inherit the Earth.



When great powers become one, usually through conquest, exploitation and outright larceny; they offer the lesser ones a motley diet of olive branches, a rule book and a promise to help in exchange of good behavior.



This is a quote often attributed to Jomo Kenyatta, the first President of Kenya: “When the missionaries came to Africa, they had the Bible, and we had the land. They said, ‘let us pray’. We closed our eyes. When we opened them, we had the Bible, and they had the land.”



And we the masses, the mere mortals, fall for it, hook, line and sinker; into believing that the ones who used us so easily will actually be our savior too. If we behave that is.



That is the reality that is being dismantled today.



But change happens out of destruction. Powers shift when hubris sets in. Opportunities open up when schisms occur.



My adopted continent has to therefore understand this. As a wakeup call. As a door that is opening.



If recent world leadership has taught us anything, it is that ‘it’s okay to think for oneself first’. It’s perfectly fine to ‘lie than take things lying down’. And of course, it’s all right to practise ‘might is right’.



African political leadership, mired as they are with the Bretton Woods strait-jacket and forward-sold to the Chinese, believe they have limited options.



But I see a silver lining. Because it’s par for the course to renege on agreements. It’s common to make new friends. It’s acceptable to be tough, hard and unfair, to make Africa Great Again.



And yes, we have some aces too.



Allow me to repeat the seven wonders the continent has–and the world covets.



Resources: for batteries, et al. Africa possesses 30% of the world&#8217;s known mineral reserves, 60% of manganese, 70% of cobalt, and 70% of iridium.



Renewables: to green the world? Africa has an almost unlimited potential of solar capacity (10 TW), abundant hydro (350 GW), wind (110 GW), and geothermal energy sources (15 GW).



Markets: for companies eager to grow. Africa has the world&#8217;s fastest-growing consumer markets and is projected to boast 1.7 billion consumers by 2030.



Politics: need African votes for legitimacy? Africa is 28% of all United Nations members.



Food security: to feed the world. Africa has 60% of the world&#8217;s uncultivated arable land. Farming will be a trillion-dollar industry.



Green house: to absorb the world’s emissions. Africa’s forest resources comprise 650 million hectares, about 17% of the world total carbon sinks.



Immigration and militancy: as youth find few opportunities, they will migrate.



Africa’s population is estimated to almost double in the next decade while its GDP per capita is estimated to only grow by around one-third.



If ‘we the people’ don’t understand the above and realize the bargaining chips we have; then we will keep buying Musk perfume from Europe and never smell the coffee which is ours.



One makes one’s own destiny.



For too long, leadership in Africa has been conditioned to believe it needs alms to survive and accolades to feel good.



Yet, we have strong local businesses, banks and development institutions.



And our reserves (parked in the G7) and our pension savings exceed our total external debt, which in aggregate is around $1.2 trillion. And it’s only a quarter of our GDP.



Yet we suffer from a debt burden because of usurious interest costs while earning peanuts on our reserves. How is that clever and tenable?



Everything comes to us that belongs to us if we create the capacity to receive it, so said renowned Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore.



We have been seeds for too long. Buried and alive. Time to come out and build our own shadows. For us to be protected by ourselves.



It is believed that Ernest Hemingway said: “I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy.”



Now let’s make our own children and their children happy. Not some outsiders waxing lyrical about their ill-gotten paradise.



The gauntlet has been thrown. Let’s pick it up and run for ‘ourselves’!

African American farmer checking dirt in field

Expert-Speak: ‘Everything Comes To Us That Belongs To Us If We Create The Capacity To Receive It’

Emergency funds and reforms aim to stabilize Mali’s economy after the worst flooding in decades deepens humanitarian crisis.



Following extreme flooding in the second half of 2024 that overwhelmed infrastructure, crippled agricultural output and deepened an already precarious humanitarian crisis, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved $129 million (SDR 93.3 million) in emergency financing for Mali under its Rapid Credit Facility (RCF),



The new funding is aimed at addressing urgent balance-of-payments needs in the aftermath of what authorities have described as a one-in-fifty-year flood. The disbursement is paired with an 11-month Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) designed to help stabilize the economy, strengthen resilience, and promote governance reforms.



The landlocked West African nation—one of the world’s poorest—has long grappled with overlapping challenges: persistent insecurity, weak institutions, and widespread food insecurity. But the floods of 2024 pushed the country into deeper crisis.



In July and August, torrential rains inundated towns and rural communities across Mali, damaging key infrastructure, including health centers, schools, roads, and bridges.



According to Mali’s Minister of Health and Social Development, Colonel Assa Badiallo Touré, the floods led to the collapse of over 47,000 homes and the destruction of nearly 3,000 granaries and warehouses. Thousands of livestock were swept away and more than 88,000 households were directly affected by the loss of farmland and other livelihoods.



The disaster prompted the government to declare a national state of emergency in August and launch a $73 million action plan to rebuild damaged infrastructure and restore essential services. However, the needs have far outstripped domestic capacity, especially as Mali remains under pressure from rising global borrowing costs and dwindling external development assistance.



The IMF’s emergency funding will be used to help Mali import essential goods and repair critical infrastructure. At the same time, the SMP seeks to rebuild macroeconomic stability and credibility with development partners.



&#8220;Heightened security risks, lower gold production, ongoing power outages, and a sharper-than-expected-fiscal consolidation all weighed on growth,&#8221; Kenji Okamura, IMF Deputy Managing Director and Chair, said in a statement. &#8220;Many of the economic headwinds are likely to persist in 2025, and recently announced cuts to official development assistance are expected to create additional pressures.&#8221;



Okamura added that the SMP includes structural benchmarks aimed at improving fiscal transparency and governance, particularly in the management of public resources and state-owned enterprises such as Energie du Mali (EDM), the national electricity provider.



Mali has committed to reforms that include enhancing domestic revenue mobilization, improving public financial management, and ensuring the efficient use of resources. The authorities also pledged to strengthen social safety nets and expand food assistance to vulnerable populations.



Mali’s floods were part of a broader environmental catastrophe that affected several countries in the Central Sahel, including Niger and Nigeria. The region experienced the worst flooding in three decades,



displacing hundreds of thousands and killing hundreds. Rising temperatures—now increasing 50% faster than the global average—are amplifying inequality in a region where most people depend on subsistence farming.



The floods, coupled with record heat earlier in April 2024, illustrate how climate change is intensifying the humanitarian and economic risks for countries like Mali, which are least equipped to respond.



While Mali’s current debt is assessed as sustainable, the IMF has warned that risks have increased. To preserve macroeconomic stability and pave the way for recovery, Mali has been advised to push forward with structural reforms, resolve domestic and external arrears, and create a predictable policy environment to attract investment.

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