The digital horizon for Africa can be bright, especially if the <a href="https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/44004-doc-EN-_Continental_AI_Strategy_July_2024.pdf">Continental Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy</a> and the <a href="https://au.int/en/documents/20240809/african-digital-compact-adc">Africa Digital Compact</a> are implemented.



We are witnessing the rapid rise of technologies like Edge and Cloud AI that have the potential to reshape everything, from healthcare in remote clinics and more innovative farming tools for smallholder farmers, to more efficient urban planning and greater financial inclusion for underserved communities.



These are not abstract promises. They are real possibilities for a continent rich in talent and innovation. However, no matter how powerful the AI or how sophisticated the algorithm, true progress will not materialize unless we invest in something more tangible—local data centers.



Edge and Cloud AI: Better Together



Let’s begin with the basics.



<a href="https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/edge-ai">Edge AI</a> processes data close to the source, in the hospital, on the farm, in the phone, allowing for real-time decision-making–think of it as having a mini brain where the action is happening.



<a href="https://research.google/teams/cloud-ai/">Cloud AI</a>, by contrast, handles heavy lifting, analyzing vast datasets, training large-scale models, and powering services seamlessly across platforms.



These are not competing technologies; they complement each other. However, both need reliable, secure, and close-to-home infrastructure. This is where data centers come in.



The Digital Detour Problem



Much of Africa’s digital traffic still makes a long and unnecessary journey. Data often travels to servers in Europe or the U.S. and then back again. This round trip creates delays, inflates costs, and puts sensitive data, health records, and financial transactions under the control of foreign jurisdictions. That is not just inefficient, it is risky.



Africa must shorten the distance between data sources and AI decision-making to build an inclusive digital economy. That starts with creating more data centers in Africa.



Why Local Data Centers Matter



Investing in homegrown infrastructure comes with serious upside:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Speed that saves lives–Local processing slashes latency. That means faster telemedicine, smoother mobile payments, more intelligent irrigation, and emergency services that can respond in real time.</li>



<li>Digital sovereignty and security–Maintaining data within national borders places control appropriately at home, reinforcing privacy protections, supporting compliance with local laws, and fostering greater public trust in digital systems.</li>



<li>Lower costs, wider access–Sending data across the globe is expensive. Local data centers cut those costs, making digital services more affordable for everyone, from entrepreneurs and educators to everyday users.</li>



<li>Resilience against global shocks–International connectivity is not always reliable. Local data centers help keep systems running even when external networks falter, whether due to cable cuts, power outages, or geopolitical tensions.</li>



<li>Jobs and innovation: The construction and operation of data centers generate jobs for highly skilled individuals across the engineering, construction, and information technology sectors. They also lay the groundwork for a thriving startup ecosystem, where homegrown companies can use locally hosted AI to build solutions for local problems.</li>
</ul>



Progress Is Happening—But We Need More



The momentum is unmistakable. Countries such as <a href="https://datacentremagazine.com/top10/top-10-data-centre-leaders-in-africa">South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt</a> are emerging as hubs for investment in hyperscale and edge data centers. Policymakers increasingly recognize digital infrastructure as a critical priority, on par with roads, railways, and energy systems.



What is even more exciting is Africa’s renewable energy potential. With abundant solar, wind, and hydro resources, Africa has a unique opportunity to power its digital future sustainably. Green data centers are a future goal and a present-day strategic imperative.



The Way Forward: Collaboration Is Key



To scale this vision, we need public-private collaboration. Governments must create the right regulatory environments, invest in connectivity and clean energy, and de-risk infrastructure projects through innovative policies. The private sector must contribute capital, technical know-how, and a long-term commitment to building Africa’s digital backbone.



The Bottom Line



Africa cannot rely on borrowed infrastructure to lead in AI. It needs to build infrastructure, locally, sustainably, and strategically. That means investing in data centers, not as a nice-to-have but as a non-negotiable foundation for everything we want digital technology to achieve.



This is about more than technology. It is about sovereignty, resilience, and giving African innovations the infrastructure they need to flourish, on African soil, for African realities, and with African leadership.



The opportunity is now. The need is urgent. Let us build the future from the ground up.

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

Africa’s Artificial Intelligence Future Needs Local Roots

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



President Donald Trump discussed his first 100 days in office in an interview with ABC News on Tuesday that at times became tense, where he defended his handling of the economy, high tariffs on China and his administration’s immigration crackdown.



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



Trump had several tense exchanges with ABC News anchor Terry Moran during&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-defends-100-days-historic-presidency-exclusive-abc/story?id=121295023" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">the interview</a>, where he described the network as “one of the worst.”



The president defended his decision to hit China with steep tariffs, but said he expected this to have no impact on U.S. consumers, as he believes China will “eat those tariffs.”



The president claimed China was “ripping us off like nobody has ever ripped us off,” and while he acknowledged a 145% tariff amounted to a trade embargo, he thought it was “good” and “they deserve it.”


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GettyImages-2211443596.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-65400" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GettyImages-2211443596.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GettyImages-2211443596-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GettyImages-2211443596-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> Ukraine&#8217;s President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) meets with U.S. President Donald Trump (L) during Pope Francis&#8217;s funeral at St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica at the Vatican. (Photo by Office of the President of Ukraine via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


The comments on the China tariffs are a shift in tone from last week, where Trump suggested that trade negotiations with Beijing were around the corner and the 145% tariff rate would soon “come down substantially.”



The president also dismissed a question about voters feeling economic anxiety, saying that prices had come down under him: “Since I came in, gasoline is down, groceries are down, egg prices are down — many things are down, just about everything.”



Trump also suggested tourism to the U.S. was “way up,” despite&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2025/04/29/us-travel-boycott-60-of-canadians-staying-away-because-of-trump-survey-says/">data showing</a>&nbsp;otherwise, and told Moran, “Wait till you see the numbers.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-did-trump-say-about-his-administration-s-deportation-actions">What Did Trump Say About His Administration’s Deportation Actions?</h2>



Moran asked Trump about his administration’s sweeping deportation efforts and whether proper due process was being followed. The president said: “If people come into our country illegally, there&#8217;s a different standard. These are illegal. They came in illegally.” When pressed again about due process, Trump said: “Well, they get a process where we have to get &#8217;em out, yeah.” Trump said his administration has to “act fast” in removing undocumented migrants and claimed there were “21 million people” in the U.S. illegally—a number Trump has repeatedly used despite the actual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2024/how-many-million-immigrants-america-illegal/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">estimated number</a>&nbsp;being lower. The president then asked, “Do you think we can give 21 million trials?”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-did-trump-say-about-kilmar-abrego-garcia">What Did Trump Say About Kilmar Abrego Garcia?</h2>



The president was also asked about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was mistakenly deported to a prison in El Salvador. Despite earlier denials by his administration, Trump acknowledged he “could” secure the deported man’s return to the U.S., but indicated he will not do so, despite a Supreme Court order instructing the government to facilitate his return. Trump said the Justice Department lawyer who said Abrego Garcia’s deportation was carried out erroneously was “not appointed by us” and “should not have said that.” Trump also claimed Abrego Garcia was a member of the MS-13 gang, despite his lawyers repeatedly denying this accusation. Trump even showed Moran an image of the text “MS-13” tattooed on his hands, but when the ABC anchor pointed out the image was “photoshopped,” the president appeared agitated and told Moran: “Terry, you can’t do that. They’ve given you the big break of a lifetime. You know, you’re doing the interview.” Trump then insisted that Moran should: “go look at his hand,” and the photo claiming “He had MS-13.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-did-trump-say-about-putin-and-the-ukraine-peace-talks">What Did Trump Say About Putin And The Ukraine Peace Talks?</h2>



Trump said he believes Putin wanted to annex the whole of Ukraine and: “If I didn&#8217;t win the election, he would have gotten all of Ukraine.” When asked if he thought that the Russian president may not actually want to stop the war and was simply “tapping” him along, Trump acknowledged that this was possible: “He could be tapping me along a little bit.” However, Trump said he believes Putin would “like to stop the war.” When asked if he trusted Putin, Trump shot back: “ I don’t trust you, I don’t trust – I don’t trust a lot of people.” After another testy exchange with the interviewer, Trump said, “I think that he — let&#8217;s say he respects me.”



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



<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-defends-100-days-historic-presidency-exclusive-abc/story?id=121295023" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Trump discusses first 100 days of historic presidency in exclusive ABC interview</a>&nbsp;(ABC News)

President Trump Delivers Speech In Michigan To Mark 100 Days Of His Presidency

What Trump Said In 100 Days Interview: China Tariffs, Deportations And Putin

Africa’s agricultural landscape, often vulnerable to the harsh elements and varied weather patterns, is seemingly evolving into a hub of innovation that reaches far beyond its traditional roots.



It was not long ago that farmers on the continent had to rely on birds like the Red-billed Quelea and African Cuckoo for rain predictions. Now, various types of technology are taking their place, equipping agricultural stakeholders with the tools they need to weather the proverbial storms.



For example, thousands of people in West Africa, in particular, are able to receive hyperlocal weather forecasts, via SMS, from sources like Ignitia, to combat the changing climate.



“Extreme weather is becoming more frequent and intense across Africa, and unfortunately, conventional forecasting weather models—optimized for temperate regions like Europe—struggle to capture heat-driven rainfall dynamics and extremes such as heavy thunderstorms,” explains Andrew Lala, CEO at Ignitia, a company specializing in weather and climate intelligence across Africa, Latin-America and South-East Asia.



“You need to get rainfall forecasting correct at different time horizons, if you’re going to help farmers understand how good or bad the upcoming rainy season will be and how to mitigate any in-season rainfall challenges like a delayed rainy season onset or erratic dry spells.”



Staying alert to problematic weather patterns has profound ramifications.



The floods in Senegal towards the end of 2024 were severe, reportedly submerging 16,000 hectares of crops, including rice, corn, and okra. A report from the Senegal River Delta, stated, at the time, that around 250,000 people were left facing food insecurity.



Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) Humanitarian Situation Report from October 2024 indicated that a drought in Zambia has caused food shortages for around 4.95 million people.



The need enrich farmers with information to adapt—while minimizing the risk of yield collapse—and to identify optimal conditions for planting and harvesting is crucial.



“By equipping farmers with six-month rainy season insights, you can help them identify planting windows, and identify drought or flood conditions and pest pressures early so that they can build resilience either through planting shorter cycle crops, investing in drought tolerant seed, or connecting them with crop insurance products in the case of extremes,” Lala tells FORBES AFRICA.



Africa has a history of food insecurity. According to Professor David Luke in How Africa Eats: Trade, Food Security, and Climate Risks, over 340 million people are suffering from this.



UNICEF also reports that one in three children in Africa, under the age of five, lives in food poverty.



This challenge has plagued the continent, with climate change, a lack of resources, and conflict as the main protagonists, highlighting the need for modern tools and predictive technology to counteract potential calamities.



South African-based Aerobotics combines thermal-imagery drones and satellites with artificial intelligence (AI) to identify areas of underperformance caused by irrigation issues, nutrient



deficiencies, pests, and diseases. This provides farms with precision data focused on economically maximizing yield.



Producers can target specific areas of concern through per-plant analyses, resulting in more efficient use of fertilizers and pesticides, while optimizing irrigation, and enabling strategic labor deployment.



“Thermal-imagery drones and satellite analytics are reshaping the future of farming across Africa. By turning invisible stress into actionable data, this technology allows farmers to detect issues like water stress, disease, and nutrient deficiencies earlier than ever before,” says Aerobotics Chief Commercial Officer, Vic van den Berg.



Also among the latest in agritech is smart sensors. Able to measure soil moisture, temperature and pH levels, farmers need no longer play the guessing game as they are supported by real-time data to make informed decisions.



For agricultural stakeholders, knowledge is priceless—spotting disease, optimizing growing conditions, and preparing for harsh weather could even mean the difference between widespread food shortages and national stability.



However, a challenge to the use of tech in Africa is digital literacy and limited access to power and smartphones in rural regions, which can then hinder the potential of smart farming, particularly at the smallholder level.



Without the necessary education and infrastructure, farmers may struggle to adopt modern techniques aimed at boosting productivity and resilience. This digital divide leaves rural communities more vulnerable than ever.



“Millions of farmers can benefit from technology,” notes Lala.



While the revolutionary capabilities of smart farming won’t materialize overnight, the growing trend of equipping farms of all sizes with yield-boosting technologies signifies a noteworthy shift in agricultural practice across Africa.



The seed has been planted; now is the time to support its growth.

Empowering Farming: Farmer’s Technological Touch – Managing and Analyzing the Farm through Virtual Screen on Tablet

When Agri Meets Tech: How Data Is Shaping The Future of Farming

The country’s efforts to protect the pangolin–trafficked for its high market value–are being watched closely, on the global stage. If successful, it could become a model for conservation in Africa, proving that even the most entrenched illegal trades can be dismantled.



Mark Ofua vividly remembers the moment he met Ireti. It was in a crowded bushmeat market in Epe, on the outskirts of Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, six years ago. The air was thick with the scent of smoked game and the murmurs of people haggling, their voices drowning out every other sound.



As a veterinarian and conservationist, he had spent years wandering through these markets, rescuing injured animals from a trade that showed little concern for wildlife. He had seen all kinds of creatures—monkeys, civets, even endangered tortoises—openly displayed and on sale. But on that day, he encountered an animal he had never seen before.



Lying on a rickety wooden table was a frail, almost lifeless creature, curled into itself; its body covered in hard, overlapping scales. It looked like a rodent encased in armor. The vendor dismissed it as just another item on the menu, but, still, it caught Ofua’s attention.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="531" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GettyImages-675014092-1024x531.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-65393" style="width:578px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GettyImages-675014092-1024x531.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GettyImages-675014092-300x156.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GettyImages-675014092-768x398.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GettyImages-675014092-1536x797.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GettyImages-675014092-2048x1063.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Most trafficked animal &#8211; The Pangolin (Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


“What was more amazing was the fact that we had them here in Nigeria and I hadn’t the faintest inkling!’’ Ofua, Wild Africa’s West Africa spokesperson, recalls to FORBES AFRICA.



As he reached out to rescue it, negotiating with the vendor for the creature’s freedom, the pangolin—which it was later identified as—took its final breath. With one last heave, the animal pushed out a tiny, squirming pangopup, still covered in birth tissue. The mother was gone, but her newborn was very much alive.



The vendor had no use for a baby pangolin. It was too young to be eaten and too weak to be sold. And so, with little interest, he handed the pangopup over to Ofua.



That was the moment Ireti was born.



The Plight Of The Pangolin



Across Nigeria–a country rich in biodiversity–pangolins have been illegally caught, traded, and shipped off in alarming numbers.



According to the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), between 2016 and 2019, an estimated 206.4 tons of pangolin scales were confiscated from 52 seizures.



It also noted that six of the 27 identified countries and territories disproportionately involved in the trafficking of pangolin scales were found to be linked to 94% or 193.2 tons of all seized contraband during the period analyzed in the report, with Nigeria and Vietnam playing prominent roles in the supply chain. Between 2016 and 2019, they were linked to almost 70% of pangolin scale seizures.



This, perhaps, makes Ireti’s name all the more significant. Ofua chose it based on the Yoruba word for ‘hope’, because he felt that that was what she represented—not just for herself, but for her entire species.



“These [vendor] markets operate in the open and even the authorities couldn’t care less about the damage they did,” he says.



Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters, are among the most unique creatures in the world, yet many have not heard of them. They are the only mammals covered completely in scales made up of keratin—the same material as in human fingernails—that comprise up to 20% of their body weight.



With long, sticky tongues that can stretch as far as nearly half their body length, it has been estimated that they consume over 70 million insects annually, aerating the soil in the process. When pangolins feel threatened, they roll up into a ball so only their scaly suit of armor is exposed.



“The best description I have come across is a pangolin looks like an artichoke with armor. It comes from the cretaceous era. Its tongue is so long it curls in its belly. It has no teeth and has powerful front claws,” Ray Jansen, a professor at the University of Tshwane and Vice-Chair of the African Pangolin Working Group, told FORBES AFRICA in 2015.



“What is a pangolin? The research we did revealed that the pangolin is most closely related to a cat. It’s not even on the same genetics as an armadillo.”



As incredible as their biology is, it is also what has made them the world’s most trafficked mammals.



Their scales–which have been ground into fine powder and encapsulated in pills or mixed into water–are prized in parts of Asia for traditional medicine, despite there reportedly being no scientific evidence to support its healing properties.



Their meat is considered a delicacy in countries like Vietnam and China, and is consumed as bushmeat in Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon, to name a few. This demand has driven all eight pangolin species towards extinction.



“The first problem here is a lack of fundamental understanding of how the ecosystem needs every one of its inhabitants to contribute their part in ensuring a balance,” Nigerian analyst Damilare Asiwaju shares with FORBES AFRICA.



“Until there’s that acknowledgement of the fact that every creature has a role to play, illegal poaching would continue to exist, sadly.’’



In Ireti’s case, for weeks, Ofua struggled to keep her alive. There was no guidebook on raising a newborn pangolin at the time. He spent sleepless nights monitoring her breathing, scouring the internet for advice, and reaching out to wildlife experts worldwide.



He didn’t give up and, slowly but surely, she grew stronger. Ireti learned to climb, to dig, and to curl into a perfect ball when frightened.



When Ofua first introduced her to live ants, she attacked them with animalistic enthusiasm—that is, until they fought back. Startled, as Ofua recalls, she ran away and avoided ants for days before finally trying again.



“The release was one final emotional roller coaster… it took me three trips into the forest before I could bring myself to release her,’’ he shares.



It was bittersweet for Ofua, but necessary; Ireti belonged in the wild.



Her story did not end there. She later became the inspiration for SaintMarks Pangolin Orphanage–Nigeria’s first–where Ofua and his team have since rescued, rehabilitated, and released over 40 orphaned pangolins.



“Ireti, to me, is a beacon of hope for pangolins; a generation that should have ended on the bushmeat table now had a new lease on life.”



Nigeria At The Center Of A Global Trade



The West African nation is home to three of Africa’s four pangolin species—the black-bellied, white-bellied, and giant pangolins. And each pangolin has upwards of 1,000 scales.



According to the National Museum of American Diplomacy, pangolin scales fetch over $3,500 per kilogram on the black market. It’s also been reported that their meat can be sold for around $300 per kilogram, and that a kilogram of live pangolin can sell for as much as $15,000.



Their protection under international law, with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) banning all international commercial trade in them, hasn’t stopped the slaughter. And while poaching has long been a problem across the African continent, Nigeria has become an epicenter of pangolin trafficking.



“There is the urgent need for increased and proper awareness on the impending danger of pangolins’ extinction and the resultant effects it would bring,” Asiwaju says.



“Also, stiffer sanctions should be meted out against traffickers. And if possible, a taskforce should be constituted to actively seek out and deal with offenders.”



Further to this, a WildAid-commissioned survey, conducted by GlobeScan, found that 71% of Nigerians have eaten bushmeat at least once.



Though the country is a signatory to international treaties, like CITES, implementation remains lax. The Endangered Species Act, amended in 2016, increased fines for poaching to ₦5 million ($3,276) and mandated a one-year prison sentence for repeat offenders. But, despite these regulations, trafficking persists.



Between January 2010 and September 2021, Nigeria was linked to pangolin trafficking incidents spanning 21 countries or territories across Africa, Asia, and Europe. In 2017, a shipment of pangolin scales originating from Cameroon was seized in Nigeria, weighing around 6,754kg.



Smugglers have continued to use Nigerian ports as key transit hubs, however, seizure of these shipments has also increased in recent years, and the plight of the pangolin has taken center stage.



A Renewed Fight Against Illegal Wildlife Trade



In 2022, an unexpected force joined the fight to save Nigeria’s wildlife, including the pangolin: pop culture. That year, WildAid launched a national conservation campaign featuring some of the country’s biggest celebrities, including Afrobeats singer, songwriter and producer, David ‘Davido’ Adeleke, Nigerian professional footballer Alex Iwobi, child comedian Emmanuella Samuel, and Nollywood actor, Stephanie Linus.



The campaign, developed in partnership with Nigeria’s Ministry of Environment, took on the illegal bushmeat trade. Billboards, TV and radio ads, and social media campaigns urged Nigerians to rethink their consumption of wild animals.



One moment, in particular, caught the public’s attention. <a>Davido</a>, known for his influence on youth culture, posed with Neal, another pangolin rescued from the bushmeat trade in Lagos. The image went viral.



An X user commented: “Because of @davido, I wouldn’t be eating this bush meat again”.



Another added: “Davido and Emmanuella are drawing attention here. I love this awareness”.



Public perception seemed to be shifting. For the first time, urban Nigerians—many of whom had never questioned the bushmeat trade—were talking about conservation.



Working To Ensure A Future For Nigeria’s Pangolins



Nigeria’s role in this area has always been complex. The country’s well-established trade networks, vast porous borders, and international shipping infrastructure have made it an attractive base for wildlife traffickers.



However in 2024, the gradual shift become more visible.



Early in the year, the country took significant steps to combat the illegal pangolin trade through a combination of legislative measures and high-profile seizures.



The Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill—which passed its second reading—promised harsher penalties for wildlife traffickers. If passed into law, those caught smuggling pangolins or their scales could face steep fines and long prison sentences.



The Speaker of the country’s parliament, Tajudeen Abbas, noted during the start of the public hearing on the bill, that in January 2019, Hong Kong customs seized $8 million worth of elephant tusks and pangolin scales from a shipping container sent from Nigeria.



Late in 2024, the WJC reported on the arrest of a suspected pangolin scale broker and the seizure of 2.179 tons of pangolin scales.



Officers from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) arrested a lone suspect—a broker believed to be at the center of a transnational smuggling network–in Mubi, a town near Nigeria’s northeastern border.



Between July 2021 and December 2024, Nigerian authorities conducted 16 operations, made 35 arrests, and secured 12 convictions, seizing over 21,000 kilograms of pangolin scales—more than half of it in 2024 alone, confirmed at the time by the command’s public relations officer for the area.



One of the largest-ever seizures in a WJC-supported operation took place in August 2024, when NCS officers raided a warehouse in Ogun State, western Nigeria and confiscated 7.2 tons of pangolin scales. Another 2.294 tons were seized in Kaduna, northern Nigeria leading to four arrests.



The combined value of the goods from these two seizures was estimated at around $175,000 but once smuggled to Asia, their value skyrockets to $1.7 million—a financial incentive that keeps traffickers in business despite the risks.



“The interest we are beginning to have in recent times is only because the law enforcement is getting better and we are beginning to catch some of the loopholes that these criminals operate through… Because of the way other countries in southern and eastern Africa have developed their wildlife resources and conservation, it is harder for trafficking through their borders,” says Ofua.



“It is a good thing now that the men of the Nigeria Customs Service are waking up to their duties… They now have a wildlife crime unit which has significantly boosted coverage. I also know they are working on introducing sniffer dogs that would reduce the need for manpower drastically and be a game-changer.”



Global Collaborative Efforts



Nigeria is not alone in this crisis. The decline of Asian pangolins—due to overhunting, trafficking and habitat loss—has pushed traffickers to source their supply from Africa. As several countries expand their economic ties with Africa, smuggling networks flourish, making it harder to control the trade.



International organizations, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), are also stepping in to support Nigeria’s efforts.



In 2019, the Nigerian government requested an ICCWC Wildlife and Forest Crime Analytic Toolkit assessment, which recently resulted in 33 key recommendations for strengthening Nigeria’s wildlife crime response. The report was launched at an event in Abuja in September 2024.



Among them were enhancing wildlife forensics capacity building efforts and providing operational and technical assistance tools and skills for frontline enforcement authorities.



A Conservation Race Against Time



While law enforcement agencies crack down on traffickers, conservationists in Nigeria are working to change public perception.



Organizations like the Pangolin Conservation Guild Nigeria (PCGN) are debunking myths about pangolins, stressing that their scales hold no medicinal value.



In February 2025, a day before World Pangolin Day, PCGN announced yet another rescue—one more pangolin saved from being turned into bushmeat.



There were reports that another pangolin had been rescued from bushmeat consumers in November 2024 by a conservationist, identified simply as Destiny from Cross River State, southern Nigeria.



“We are working hard to make sure this lovely pangolin finds its way back to its natural habitat,” the organization said in the post announcing the rescue.



The PCGN team, alongside the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), also collaborated in December 2024 to address an issue regarding an event in western Nigeria featuring pangolin on its list of available meats, after receiving a tipoff.



“Pangolin scales are very profitable because they attract quite a high sum in the black-market trade but as always, there is an inverted pyramid in the economics of the trade; usually the local hunters go into the bush in search of pangolins in connivance with syndicates who can’t go in,” says Ofua.



“The local hunters are paid peanuts in exchange for the harvested pangolins, which for instance might be around $5. The harvested pangolins become more expensive as they move up the trade chain while the brokers and crime syndicates make more profit.’’



He recommends a push for a wildlife protection coalition by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with the belief that intelligence-sharing across the region could prove to be a game-changer.



The fight for Nigeria’s pangolins is far from over. But as long as there are people willing to stand up for the voiceless, there is still hope. However, time is running out. Without immediate and sustained action, the pangolin–a creature that has roamed the earth for 80 million years—could disappear in our lifetime.



As World Pangolin Day approaches each year in February, one question remains: will Nigeria be remembered as the country that saved the pangolin—or the one that let it vanish?

Long-tailed pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla) in the hands of a poacher, bushmeat, Mangamba, Littoral Province, Cameroon

Nigeria’s Race To Save The Guardians Of The Forest

For too long, introverts have been boxed in, brushed aside and branded as the quiet ones in the corner. Their calm is mistaken for coldness, their pause for passivity and their preference for solitude as something that needs fixing.



In a world that equates volume with value, the bold and the brash have been favored and charisma treated as currency while those who operate at a lower decibel are quietly taxed.



But the tide is turning – the quiet are making themselves heard.



Introverts recharge in solitude, preferring depth over small talk and valuing meaningful connections. Unlike extroverts who thrive in crowds, introverts find excessive socializing draining and need time alone to refuel.



They are reflective, observant and deliberate – qualities often overshadowed by louder personalities. While extroverts are energized by interaction, introverts focus on substance over volume and choose their words and relationships with care.



Yet in environments that reward visibility over thoughtfulness, their strengths are often overlooked.



Nowhere is this bias more apparent than in the workplace.



Leadership is too often awarded to those who are the most outspoken rather than the most competent. The myth that good leaders must be extroverted has left introverts underappreciated and underutilized. Their ability to listen, think critically and lead with quiet confidence is sidelined in favor of those who speak first and loudest.



The meeting room remains a battlefield where introverts must fight for airtime. While extroverts volley ideas back and forth, introverts search for a space to interject only to often watch their carefully considered thoughts become afterthoughts. The pressure to “speak up” ignores the reality that speaking less does not mean thinking less.



When introverts do enter the conversation, their words are measured and meaningful. Yet too often, by the time they get a word in, the moment has passed or their insight has been steamrolled by louder voices.



Social settings bring similar struggles. Declining an invitation is treated as defiance rather than self-preservation. The assumption that happiness is found in the hum of a crowd rather than the hush of solitude forces introverts into the defensive to explain why quiet is a choice and not an affliction. The idea that introverts are antisocial, unfriendly or even rude persists despite evidence to the contrary.



They are not avoiding people – they are avoiding overstimulation. They do not dislike company but rather prefer it in smaller, more meaningful doses. They do not lack confidence but do not feel the need to broadcast it.



And they are no longer allowing themselves to be sidelined–by redefining engagement rather than competing in volume.



Introverts are pushing back against the belief that leadership must be loud, success requires endless interaction and a lack of outward enthusiasm signals a lack of passion. They are advocating for workplaces that value thoughtful input over knee-jerk reactions, classrooms which recognize quiet participation as engagement and social spaces where silence is not dismissed as awkwardness.



The assumption that success belongs to the biggest personalities is fading, and the quiet revolution is gaining momentum. The myth that confidence must be loud is being dismantled and replaced by an understanding that leadership comes in many forms.



Introverts are stepping forward–not by becoming something they are not but by demanding that their strengths are no longer seen as shortcomings.



They are done with being echoes in a world that amplifies the loudest voices. They are proving that a well-timed, thoughtful statement often carries more weight than a flood of unfiltered opinions. They are demonstrating that patience and perception are just as valuable as energy and enthusiasm.



They are reclaiming their space by showing that silence can be just as powerful.



The world has long mistaken silence for absence. Yet the quietest voices often have the most to say. And this time, they are making sure they are being heard.

Nervous businessman waiting to enter at business meeting rear view

Expert-Speak: Silence Speaks Volumes As Introverts Lead With Quiet Confidence In The Workplace

Angeline (Angie) Murimirwa is a champion of girls’ education on the African continent—a cause the recently-honored CEO is deeply passionate about, having once been a girl almost “left behind”.



“I am here in New York, Time100 list,” Angie Murimirwa says in a sit-down interview on Zoom with FORBES AFRICA. “But I tell you, I still feel like that 10-year-old girl who got this unprecedented, unanticipated, if there’s a word like that, opportunity to do something with my life.”



In April, Time magazine released its annual list, recognizing the 100 most influential people in the world. Among them was Zimbabwean-born Murimirwa, CEO of the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED).



However, in the 90s, like many other learners on the continent, Murimirwa had to strive for her education. Despite being a star pupil in primary school, she vividly remembers the desperation and poverty that blighted her childhood. She remembers the “indignity” of arriving at school barefoot, wearing a torn dress, and offering to do chores for her teacher in return for a pencil.



At home, she recalls how she often found her mother weeping over the reality that Murimirwa might be denied an education. After all, her family could not afford it.&nbsp;



“Everything that I am today is born out of experiences and the journey that I have traveled&#8230; Close to 10 years old, I almost lost my grip on education, and at that very time, CAMFED was just being introduced in my community. They selected me for support, [which] makes me appreciate the value of the opportunity, and particularly for children from what I call ‘back of beyond’.



“The village is very remote, so to have gotten that chance for me changed everything.”



CAMFED, an international non-governmental, non-profit organization that operates in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Tanzania, and Malawi, was founded with a mission to eradicate poverty in Africa through the education of girls and the empowerment of young women.&nbsp;



Now, years later, after being selected by CAMFED, Murimirwa is the head of the organization. What fueled her success is remembering how she would watch her peers miss class because they couldn’t afford menstrual products, or drop out because their families couldn’t afford to eat and they had to work.



It was then she saw how powerful and important education was but, more importantly, how access to it needed to be prioritized.



According to a United Nations estimate, about one in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa stay out of school during their menstrual cycle, accounting for up to 20% of the school year.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Angie-Murimirwa-with-secondary-students-CEO-CAMFED-CIFF-Visit-Wedza-ZIM-Jan-2023_Cynthia-R-Matonhodze-Photo6-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-65374" style="width:768px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Angie-Murimirwa-with-secondary-students-CEO-CAMFED-CIFF-Visit-Wedza-ZIM-Jan-2023_Cynthia-R-Matonhodze-Photo6-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Angie-Murimirwa-with-secondary-students-CEO-CAMFED-CIFF-Visit-Wedza-ZIM-Jan-2023_Cynthia-R-Matonhodze-Photo6-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Angie-Murimirwa-with-secondary-students-CEO-CAMFED-CIFF-Visit-Wedza-ZIM-Jan-2023_Cynthia-R-Matonhodze-Photo6-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Angie-Murimirwa-with-secondary-students-CEO-CAMFED-CIFF-Visit-Wedza-ZIM-Jan-2023_Cynthia-R-Matonhodze-Photo6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Angie-Murimirwa-with-secondary-students-CEO-CAMFED-CIFF-Visit-Wedza-ZIM-Jan-2023_Cynthia-R-Matonhodze-Photo6-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Murimirwa with students at Gumbonzvanda Secondary School in Wedza, Zimbabwe. (Image Supplied)</figcaption></figure>



Murimirwa says that, as an organization, they work with some of the most marginalized girls in the countries where they operate, and only 5% of these girls complete high school.



“[When] you look into the educational statistics right now, you’d see that a lot of people talk about improved access, improved equity. Some people are overlooking completion,” she says.



“Let&#8217;s look at how many of the girls that are getting into school from these marginalized families get to complete high school. We’re losing girls at every single stage. If you ask me why, I would say that there are multiple reasons that this is happening; we need to recognize that girls’ education, I would say, is the closest thing to a silver bullet.”



She adds, “we must get it right. It’s not just about getting a couple of girls through school and providing scholarships and all of that. It’s about working with the entire ecosystem around the girl”.



Murimirwa explains that the ecosystem is about ensuring that girls are being supported by their families as well.



To date, CAMFED has helped support 7.8 million children to go to school in countries like Ghana, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe; this includes 2.4 million girls in secondary school.



The nominations for the Time100 list come from alumni who have already been on the list, and Murimirwa’s nomination came from Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of the Malala Fund, who was a listee in 2013.&nbsp;



In the <a href="https://time.com/collections/100-most-influential-people-2025/7273758/angeline-murimirwa/">Time</a> piece Yousafzai wrote on Murimirwa, she said: “Educating girls is the foundation of healthy and strong societies. But in many places, the barriers to attending school are mounting, depriving girls of the resources to choose their futures. Few people are fighting to solve this crisis as tenaciously and effectively as Angeline—one reason among many that her work won her the prestigious 2024 Africa Education Medal”.



“Angie Murimirwa is an inspiration to women and girls everywhere,” former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, said in a statement.



“Her grassroots approach to supporting vulnerable girls through CAMFED has transformed lives across Africa. Every girl, everywhere, deserves the right to an education and to be able to choose who—and when—to marry. With Angie leading the way, we get closer and closer to reaching that brighter future for our girls.”



When asked what this means to her, Murimirwa says that although she is still shocked and admittedly jokes that she thought the email was a scam at first, it means that the work that she and the organization are doing shows they are in it for “the long haul.”



“We’re not performative about this. I know way too well the depth of despair of being excluded, of not being seen, or feeling like you don’t belong, and just the exhilaration of [then] being seen, of being acknowledged, of being given an opportunity,” she says.



“[My advice to young people is] you are here because you have a right to be here. You are here for a reason and a purpose and focus on what is the value you want to bring to the world. There will be a lot of distractions, there will be a lot of disruptions, and there will be a lot of discouragements and despair. But lean on your strengths and show up fully, unapologetically, and unashamedly. And don’t go on it alone, look to your peers, create champions, and all of that. But remember, you matter. Your story matters, your journey matters.”

Angeline-Angie-Murimirwa-speaking-Palm-Springs-USA-TED-Conference-Dec-2019-TEDWomen_TW19_20191205_1MA9613_1920.jpg

‘We Are Not Performative About Our Work’: A Full Circle Moment For Time100 Honoree

Elon Musk is dialing down his DOGE role that triggered protests and vandalism at Tesla stores. But its EV business needs a hit product and none is on the horizon. And the company’s booming battery business, a Q1 bright spot, will suffer from Trump’s tariffs.



This week, Tesla posted its worst quarterly results in four years. Sales were down 9%. Income plummeted 71%—hurt by a 20% drop in automotive revenues. And given tariffs and rocky market headaches, the company didn’t bother giving sales targets for the rest of the year.



But the stock rallied, jumping 9% since Tuesday as investors cheered one thing: Elon Musk says he&#8217;ll soon step back from his duties gutting the federal government through DOGE, and return to running the show at Tesla in a more full-time capacity (excepting his other responsibilities at SpaceX, xAI and Neuralink).



That&#8217;s not the cure-all investors seem to think it is. The problems Tesla now faces have been exacerbated by Musk joining the Trump Administration as a &#8220;special government employee&#8221; — declining profit margins, intensifying competition and a tarnished brand image. And they show no signs of disappearing any time soon, even if Musk becomes a more active CEO again. Worse, it&#8217;s becoming clear Musk has run out of ideas for how to fix them, instead fixating on an uncertain future focused on robotaxis and humanoid robots.



For now, Tesla profits from selling cars and battery storage systems and both businesses are in trouble. It has no successor to monster sellers like the Model Y and Model 3 (Cybertruck, its latest release,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2025/04/03/elons-edsel-tesla-cybertruck-is-the-auto-industrys-biggest-flop-in-decades/">has been one of the biggest flops in automotive history</a>). At the same time, it’s about to get hit by President Trump’s tariffs, which are expected to chill auto sales across the industry. Worse for Tesla though, a coming 145% tariff on imported Chinese battery cells is set to hammer the company’s battery pack business, one of the only bright spots last quarter.



Musk downplayed these problems on the April 22 results call. “We’re not on the ragged edge of death, not even close,” he said. “There are some challenges, and I expect that … there will probably be some unexpected bumps this year.”



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“This time, it’s not about the product. It’s about the person. It’s too late to separate man and brand. And in the meantime, it’s lost its EV advantage.”Sue Benson, The Behaviours Agency
</blockquote>



Some, though, are entirely expected. Though Musk’s political activities have been more time-consuming since Trump returned to office on Jan. 20–aided by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/05/us/politics/elon-musk-trump-rbg-election.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">$250 million</a>&nbsp;from the world’s richest person–his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/musk-rallies-far-right-europe-tesla-is-paying-price-2025-03-04/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">embrace of rightwing politics</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/04/elon-musk-x-trump-far-right" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">&nbsp;inflammatory social media comments</a>&nbsp;have tarnished Tesla’s brand image for well over a year, particularly in important markets like California and Europe. Multiple polls, including one by&nbsp;<a href="https://law.marquette.edu/poll/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Marquette University Law School</a>&nbsp;this month, found that 60% of people surveyed had an unfavorable view of Musk and 58% disapproved of his DOGE work. A YouGov/Yahoo News survey last month found that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/two-thirds-of-americans-now-say-they-wouldnt-drive-a-tesla--and-most-of-them-cite-elon-musk-as-the-reason-why-according-to-a-new-poll-152619516.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">67% of Americans</a>&nbsp;would not consider buying or leasing a Tesla, with most saying Musk was the reason.



“Remember VW’s emissions scandal? One regulatory crisis cost it tens of billions and its reputation. That’s where Tesla is now,” said Sue Benson, CEO and founder of The Behaviours Agency, a U.K.-based marketing firm. “Except this time, it’s not about the product. It’s about the person. It’s too late to separate man and brand. And in the meantime, it’s lost its EV advantage.”



And while Musk may be spending more time at the Austin-based auto company, he also still oversees SpaceX, X, the Boring Company and Neuralink (in addition to fathering his “legion” of more than a dozen children). Long before DOGE, his bandwidth was already limited.



“He said what he thought people wanted to hear,” said Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, who holds the company’s shares but has advocated for Musk to resign. “But he’s still going to go run xAI, he’s still going to keep doing what he’s doing at Tesla, SpaceX and X and still be involved with DOGE. What’s changed?”



The most pressing challenge for Tesla is reversing the decline in its EV sales, down 13% in the first quarter. More alarming is that automotive revenue dropped 20%, meaning it sold fewer vehicles and charged less for them. The entirety of its $409 million profit came from regulatory credits — free money it gets from other automakers to comply with pollution rules in the U.S., California and the EU. Without the $595 million in credits Tesla sold in the quarter––it would have posted a net loss.



The simplest, most obvious fix for ailing sales is a new model. Rather than doing that, however, Musk and his engineers are readying refreshed, and cheaper, versions of the Y and 3, which went on sale in 2020 and 2017, respectively. Rather than doing what traditional automakers call a “full” model change, where the body shape and interior are dramatically altered, the 2025 Model Y is more of a refresh of the 2024 version, with a new light bar running across the front hood and rear sections, sleeker headlights and more aerodynamic wheels.



That could provide a jolt to sales, but it’s not a winning long-term strategy. There’s a reason why car companies regularly release new models. Dramatic styling changes typically produce better results, according to industry researcher Glenn Mercer, who leads Cleveland-based advisory firm GM Automotive. “Just leaving these models in the market forever, with no significant sheet metal changes, means they are–to overstate things–zombies,” Mercer told&nbsp;Forbes.



Neither Musk nor Lars Moravy, Tesla’s head of vehicle engineering, shared details of how the company planned to offer the cheaper variants on the earnings call. Industry analysts expect Tesla to do this by using a smaller, cheaper battery pack with less driving range and eliminating tech features.



“If instead of restyling, Tesla just lowers prices by removing things–like they already removed ultrasonic parking sensors, for example–that&#8217;s even worse,” Mercer said. “Usually at this point in a decaying model&#8217;s lifecycle, you start adding stuff to divert people from seeing the ancient underlying appearance.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ev-competition">EV Competition</h2>



You know who does have newer models? Fast-growing Chinese EV makers, particularly BYD, as well as domestic competitors like General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Honda and Rivian. It’s no wonder Tesla’s share of EV sales has dropped to 43% in the first quarter, down from 75% three years earlier.



Until a few years ago, Musk claimed Tesla would sell 20 million EVs a year by the end of the 2020s. Now, he’s quietly dropped that goal, pivoting to a new business model built on selling robotaxi rides, AI services and worker robots.



“The future of the company is fundamentally based on large-scale autonomous cars and large-scale, large volume, vast numbers of autonomous humanoid robots,” Musk said this week. “So the value of a company that makes truly useful autonomous humanoid robots and autonomous useful vehicles at scale at low cost, which is what Tesla is going to do, is staggering.”



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“It makes no sense. Cybercab should have just been a two-door, small $25,000 Tesla.”Ross Gerber
</blockquote>



That may be true, but Tesla hasn’t demonstrated it can do it. Waymo is the de facto leader in robotaxis, using vehicles equipped with far more elaborate sensors and computing capabilities than Musk plans. Meanwhile, Boston Dynamics for years has demonstrated humanoid and animal-style robots that appear to have far greater capabilities than Tesla’s wobbly Optimus. (One near-term problem: Musk said on the earnings call that Tesla can’t get rare-earth magnets the robot’s motors need right now owing to retaliatory restrictions that China, the sole supplier, implemented in response to Trump’s tariffs.)



Investors like Gerber want to see Musk prioritize new products instead. He thinks the Cybercab concept that Tesla showed off last fall, which Musk pitched as a futuristic robotaxi model with no steering wheel, could instead have been sold as a lower-priced EV.



“It makes no sense. Cybercab should have just been a two-door, small $25,000 Tesla,” he said. “Just do the Cybercab with a steering wheel and scale it up. It&#8217;s a cool-looking car and looks different than any other in its lineup and could attract new customers, especially if it’s $25.000. Doing a stripped-down Model Y is kicking themselves in the kneecap.”



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tariff Impact</h2>



Tesla is somewhat better insulated against Trump’s tariffs as it doesn’t import vehicles built abroad, or even from Canada and Mexico as most other automakers do. But it still sources steel, aluminum and auto parts from outside the U.S. so will be hurt by higher costs for those products. And tariffs will especially hurt its most successful business beside EVs: energy generation and storage, where it sells battery packs to homeowners, utilities and companies. In Q1, Tesla posted a 67% jump in this business line’s revenue to $2.73 billion.



But for these battery packs, Tesla relies on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery cells made in China, which will now get stung by Trump’s 145% tax on imported Chinese goods. Tesla had planned to begin making LFP cells this year at its battery gigafactory in Nevada under a new licensing agreement with China’s CATL, the world’s biggest maker of EV batteries. They would be cheaper than the lithium-ion cells that go into Tesla’s EV packs. But that plan has now stalled.



“The impact of tariffs on the energy business will be outsized since we source LFP battery cells from China,” Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja said on the call. “We’re in the process of commissioning equipment for the local manufacturing of LFP battery cells in the U.S. However, the equipment which we have can only service a fraction of our total installed capacity of late.”



That means much higher prices for Tesla’s Megapacks and less business, especially from utilities buying them to store solar- and wind-generated electricity.



“Nobody, not even Tesla, makes LFP in the U.S. The 145% tariffs mean prices for those cells go up for everybody,” said a person familiar with Tesla’s battery operations who declined to be identified for fear of reprisal. “The utilities are just not willing to pay that higher price. It&#8217;s not like Tesla will lose out to competition. In this case, the market just disappears as the price goes up.”



Gerber, a long-time Musk fan who’s become an outspoken critic, sees no sign that Elon has any ideas to fix Tesla’s near-term product strategy, even if he’s doing less DOGE work.



“I just don’t see this as any big change for the better at Tesla,” he said. “It’s not going to solve their problems.”

GERMANY-AUTOMOBILE-TESLA-MUSK

Elon Musk Is Running Out Of Ideas To Save Tesla

From bean to brew, Coffee in Tanzania is starting to reveal the hidden world of plant communication. 



Picture a coffee bean and you’ll probably think back to the bag you picked up from the artisanal shop to grind at home. You’ll tell your friends or colleagues that these beans are a special blend from some free-trade plantation in Rwanda, Ethiopia or Uganda. You may even show off your connected coffee machine that turns on with an app and knows exactly how you like your next cup brewed. It’s incredibly smart, but what you may not realize is that technology has become an intrinsic part of the coffee life cycle, from farm to Frappuccino.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Massimo-Battaglia-Image-supplied-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-65358" style="width:391px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Massimo-Battaglia-Image-supplied-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Massimo-Battaglia-Image-supplied-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Massimo-Battaglia-Image-supplied-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Massimo-Battaglia-Image-supplied-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Massimo-Battaglia-Image-supplied-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Massimo-Battaglia-Image-supplied-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Massimo Battaglia; Image supplied</figcaption></figure></div>


“As a crop, coffee covers 10 million hectares of land. There are over 125 million farmers involved in coffee production,” says Massimo Battaglia, a tropical agronomist and Coffee Research Leader at Accademia del Caffè Espresso in Italy. “And that’s just the farmers, there are also traders, baristas, roasters… the population that is connect- ed to coffee is amazing.”



Coffee is produced in about 70 countries worldwide, but for 12 nations—including four in Africa—it represents their primary agricultural export. This massive industry now faces serious challenges. Unpredictable weather patterns and temperature shifts are threatening not just coffee yields and quality, but the livelihoods of millions of farmers who depend on coffee cultivation.



“Climate change is a reality,” says Battaglia, adding that another issue is the distance between the origin and consumption. Unlike vineyards, which are in good proximity to their end product–it’s possible to drink a glass of wine while looking at a valley of vines–coffee has a geographical issue. “You have to imagine the plantation. But if we can make a wedding between the biology and consumption, I think we can improve the overall value chain of coffee,” he says. “It’s my dream for this technology to help families have a better standard of living.”



Sensors and gatherers



To understand exactly how the environment is changing, you need big data. One of the ways to do this in an agricultural environment is to use Internet of Things (IoT) sensors. Cisco has partnered with the ConSenso Project, a coalition of Tanzanian espresso farmers and Italian plant and technology (PNAT) researchers, to fit 65 solar-powered IoT sensors on the Tunasikia Farm in Utengule, Tanzania. Angelo Fienga, Cisco’s Director of Sustainable Solutions for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), explains that collecting data in a city, for example, where everything is connected, is easy. But on a farm, the challenge is not only gathering data–the type of data you need is completely different. In addition to this, the information is often spread across a large, open environment. You need a solution that doesn’t involve planting dozens of disruptive antennae in addition to your crops. And once this data is captured, it has to be both managed and secured. 


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Image-supplied-1024x576.png" alt="" class="wp-image-65359" style="width:494px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Image-supplied-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Image-supplied-300x169.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Image-supplied-768x432.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Image-supplied-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Image-supplied-2048x1152.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>


“You have to protect the data coming from the field,” says Fienga. (LoRaWAN, Cisco’s long-distance, low-power consumption radio-transmission technology, is one of the key solutions helping to connect Tunasikia sensors.) Camilla Pandolfi, CEO and R&amp;D Manager at PNAT, a think tank of biologists, designers, and social and environmental scientists in Italy, explains how these sensors can capture data on soil, sun, climate, carbon capture, insects, and–most interestingly–the plants’ electrical energy fields. “We know we will be able to monitor not only water needs but also pathogen attacks, nutrient needs so we can really improve the sustainability of consumption by helping farmers to perform treatments at the right time,” she says. 



“We’re really monitoring what the plants are doing by inserting electrodes that monitor electrical activity. It’s like performing electroencephalograms on plants.” These electrodes detect the subtle electrical signals that flow through the coffee plants, revealing a hidden world of plant communication. The sensors across the farm take measurements every five minutes. This creates a detailed picture of not just the environment, but also how the coffee plants respond to it. “What we are measuring is something very delicate,” Pandolfi adds. “Even if you touch the plant, you introduce a sort of perturbation of the signal.”



Listen up



Of course, building technology that can survive in Tanzania’s coffee fields was no small challenge. The sensors needed to be waterproof, self-powered and small enough to attach to plant stems without causing damage. “We had to trade-off between the amount of data we wanted to acquire and the electricity we had available,” says Pandolfi. PNAT’s solution was to create compact devices with solar panels that can operate for up to a week without sunlight. Early results are promising–the researchers have found clear relationships between water availability and changes in the plants’ electrical behavior and these insights are turning traditional coffee agriculture on its head. “Normally, I fight with my father about his old farming ideas,” laughs Battaglia. 



“But in this case, it’s upside down–we ask the plant what it needs. It’s the plant that helps us find the solution.” As Fienga puts it: “The technology is making the plant talk to the cloud. You’re giving a voice to the plants to tell us ‘I’m thirsty’ or ‘I’m sick’.” For coffee growers facing increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns, direct communication with their crops could be transformative. 



The PNAT team believes this approach will eventually allow them to detect not just water needs but also disease outbreaks and nutrient deficiencies through electrical signals alone. “We can really improve sustainability by helping farmers perform treatments at exactly the right time,” says Pandolfi. For coffee, which requires more than 2,000mm of rainfall annually, understanding precisely when plants need water could help farmers maintain yields even as climate conditions become more challenging. “This is a revolution in agriculture,” says Battaglia. “You don’t impose anything but instead listen to the plant to find the right decision at the right moment.”

There are 65 solar-powered IoT sensors on the Tunasikia Farm in Utengule, Tanzania; Image supplied (1)

Expressive Espresso: Where Plants Have A Voice In Africa

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?

For Lesotho, every inch on the football pitch has been gained the hard way. Mokhosi Mohapi is overseeing a revolution, from the National teams to improvements in the domestic league, academy and women’s football, all on a relative shoestring budget.



Lesotho is typical of several football nations in Africa that are forever having to punch above their weight, trying to create the ‘small wins’ that will lead to greater success in an industry where money talks.



Lesotho has a population of about 2.3 million. Compared to the bigger economies Nigeria, Egypt or neighbor South Africa, that would barely make up a smaller municipality.



And yet they play in the same international football competitions and strive for the same success as the giants on the continent, with far less resources, both in terms of players to pick from and finances.  



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="682" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Mokhosi-Mohapi-image-supplied-by-COSAFA-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-65345" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Mokhosi-Mohapi-image-supplied-by-COSAFA-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Mokhosi-Mohapi-image-supplied-by-COSAFA-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Mokhosi-Mohapi-image-supplied-by-COSAFA-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Mokhosi-Mohapi-image-supplied-by-COSAFA-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Mokhosi-Mohapi-image-supplied-by-COSAFA-2048x1363.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mokhosi Mohapi (©Nokwanda Zondi/BackpagePix)</figcaption></figure>



They also do not have the large diaspora of fellow minnows Comoros or Cape Verde Islands from which to pick players who grew up in France or Portugal, so every inch gained on the football pitch is done the hard way.



But they have had success. A 1-1 draw away in Nigeria in the current 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers was a seismic result that shocked the continent’s football.



They also managed a 2-0 win over regional powerhouse Zimbabwe in the same qualification campaign and finished runners-up in the 2023 COSAFA Cup, the southern African championship.



Leading this improvement is no-nonsense Lesotho Football Association (LFA) Secretary General Mokhosi Mohapi, who has the unenviable task of taking what resources he has and turning it into gold.



He is overseeing a revolution though, from the national teams to improvements in the domestic league, academy development and women’s football growth, all on a relative shoestring budget.



“We need to get better coaches, players placed in bigger leagues, a better domestic league and better development structures,” Mohapi tells FORBES AFRICA. “It is not that we have nothing, but we need to improve them all dramatically. We need to follow a set vision that places us right into what will be happening (in global football) in the next decade.&#8221;



One area he is targeting is sports science, which has come in vogue across Europe and many of the larger African countries.



“We are just playing football, we are not researching deeper into it,” he says. “I don&#8217;t understand how we are competing without using data and sport science, but we are doing well. Imagine how we will do when we start moving into that sphere like others are doing?



“Others [already using sports science] cannot get better than they are now, but we can. Much better.”



But the continued improvement of Lesotho football can only truly happen with more structured development and talent identification, and Mohapi reveals the country has opened a first academy using its own funds, a rarity on the continent.



“We have a residency academy in the Northern Districts and it is doing very well. They play in the fourth-tier and they haven’t lost a match. Remember, these are 12- or 13-year-olds. We put them there so they can train for a purpose [to play matches].



“While many countries are waiting for FIFA funding to start their academies, we decided to go on our own, otherwise it will still be stagnating like everyone else. So we thought, ‘let’s start it and see where we find ourselves’. 



“I am sure that among the football associations of our size (in Africa), we are the first to start an academy without waiting for FIFA to come and bring resources.”



Many associations around Africa are propped up by government funds, but Mohapi says the LFA have long learned to stand on its own two feet.



“It&#8217;s clear government won&#8217;t help us, the economy is a bit weak in the country,” he says. “It won&#8217;t be able to sustain our dreams, so we have to do it from whatever we have as resources. On that basis, we have to learn how to work within our means, but also dream big,” he says.

Football – 2024 Hollywoodbets COSAFA Mens Championship – Lesotho v Seychelles – Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium – Gqeberha

Small Country, Big Goals: Landlocked Lesotho’s World Cup Dreams

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.

Tag: South Africa

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA