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The Conversation Africa
@africa.theconversation.com
1.9K followers 10 following 1.1K posts
An independent source of news and views on Africa from the academic and research community.

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africa.theconversation.com
Young adults in Limpopo are facing rising rates of diabetes and obesity—conditions once rare at their age. 🩺

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#HealthAndMedicine
High cholesterol and insulin resistance are rising among young South Africans – what that means for public health
The modernisation of small towns, while positive economically, brings hidden health costs.
theconversation.com
January 12, 2026 at 7:14 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Two Kenyan women revive Nairobi’s libraries, challenging old systems and inspiring hope for public spaces. 📚

theconversation.com/two-kenyan-w...

#ArtsCultureAndSociety
Two Kenyan women rebuild libraries in a quietly powerful new documentary
The film suggests that building a library is not merely about a building or books; it is about dialogue and citizenship.
theconversation.com
January 12, 2026 at 7:12 PM
africa.theconversation.com
As stablecoins gain ground in Africa, could financial inclusion come at the cost of monetary sovereignty? 🤔

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#BusinessAndEconomy
Stablecoins are gaining ground as digital currency in Africa: how to avoid risks
The rise in the use of stablecoins poses a risk of dollarisation across Africa.
theconversation.com
January 12, 2026 at 7:09 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Decades of oil activity in Nigeria’s Niger Delta have severely damaged vital mangrove forests and weakened coastal defences.

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#EnvironmentAndEnergy
Mangrove loss is making the Niger Delta more vulnerable: we built a model that can track how the forests are doing
Mangroves offer natural protection against flooding. Without them, communities are left vulnerable.
theconversation.com
January 12, 2026 at 7:07 PM
africa.theconversation.com
The #G20 began after the 1997 Asian financial crisis, now uniting major economies to promote global stability.

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#Climate
The G20 was built to stabilise the world’s economy – but it’s failed on climate, debt and inequality
The G20’s legacy so far has been to preserve capitalist financial systems.
theconversation.com
January 11, 2026 at 7:47 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Most African climate-related financial policies remain voluntary, leaving climate risk as something to consider rather than a firm requirement.

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#BusinessAndEconomy
Africa’s climate finance rules are growing, but they’re weakly enforced – new research
Most African climate-related financial policies remain voluntary, leaving climate risk as something to consider rather than a firm requirement.
theconversation.com
January 11, 2026 at 7:44 PM
africa.theconversation.com
In Ghana, celebrities face stigma for speaking about mental health—many still struggle in silence. 🗣️

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#HealthAndMedicine
Ghanaian celebrities are dealing with mental illness stigma behind closed doors – why speaking up matters
Celebrity stories show that prayer plays a central role in how celebrities and Ghanaians cope with mental illness.
theconversation.com
January 11, 2026 at 7:40 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Despite climate pledges, major fossil fuel producers plan to ramp up oil, gas and coal by 2030.

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#EnvironmentAndEnergy
Nigeria and South Africa plan to boost fossil fuel production, risking their climate change pledges
South Africa and Nigeria promised to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from oil and coal. But instead they’re planning to increase production of fossil fuels.
theconversation.com
January 11, 2026 at 7:36 PM
africa.theconversation.com
For the first time, countries have agreed on shared measures to track real progress in adapting to climate change.

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#Climate
Climate adaptation has a new global plan. What the Belem indicators are and why they matter to Africa
For the first time, countries now have a shared way to understand whether the world is actually improving at adapting to climate impacts.
theconversation.com
January 8, 2026 at 8:07 PM
africa.theconversation.com
In South Africa, a simple address means more than directions—it’s vital for banking, voting, and essential services. 🏠

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#ScienceAndTech
South Africa’s addressing system is still not in place: a clear vision is needed
Addresses are essential to society, governance and the economy in a modern world.
theconversation.com
January 8, 2026 at 8:04 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Stone arrow tips from South Africa show humans used poison for hunting 60,000 years ago, far earlier than thought.

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#ScienceAndTech
Arrow tips found in South Africa are the oldest evidence of poison use in hunting
The discovery that small stone arrow tips were treated with plant poison 60,000 years ago means that ancient African hunters were capable of complex thinking.
theconversation.com
January 8, 2026 at 8:00 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Sahel smallholder farmers face rising climate pressures, but climate-smart agricultural technologies are showing real promise for improving livelihoods.

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#Climate
Sahel farmers do better when they combine innovations rather than using them one by one
Climate-smart agricultural technologies increase crop sales revenue for farmers in the Sahel region.
theconversation.com
January 7, 2026 at 8:43 PM
africa.theconversation.com
In the scorching Namib desert, a small black beetle surprises scientists by sprinting across the sand in extreme heat.

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#EnvironmentAndEnergy
A Namib desert beetle runs to stay cool: how scientists solved the puzzle of this unique and speedy species
A Namibian desert beetle cools down by running in the sun.
theconversation.com
January 7, 2026 at 7:51 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Global research metrics shape academic careers, but for African scholars, they often undermine work that benefits local communities most.

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#Education
Measures of academic value overlook African scholars who make a local impact – study
Ubuntu philosophy is a better way to represent scholarly contributions in African academia.
theconversation.com
January 7, 2026 at 7:51 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Nigeria’s economy shows signs of recovery, but many citizens remain frustrated as daily life fails to reflect these improvements.

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#BusinessAndEconomy
Nigeria’s economy has improved but ordinary people still feel the pinch: economist offers some solutions
Nigeria needs a radical shift in its economic policy approach. Macroeconomic stability won’t automatically create jobs and alleviate poverty.
theconversation.com
January 6, 2026 at 8:07 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Over 133 million Nigerians face poverty amid ongoing violence and displacement. Addressing basic needs remains urgent. 🇳🇬

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#Politics
#NigeriaCrisis
Nigeria has a high poverty rate – what this has to do with ethnic conflicts
Poverty is the common thread across the places experiencing terrorism in Nigeria.
theconversation.com
January 6, 2026 at 8:03 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Informal trading is an integral part of the city of Johannesburg’s identity.

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#BusinessAndEconomy
Johannesburg has failed its informal traders: policies are in place, but action is needed
Informal trading is an integral part of the city of Johannesburg’s identity.
theconversation.com
January 5, 2026 at 7:26 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Johannesburg’s informal traders drive local economies, but balancing city management and supporting livelihoods remains a complex challenge for urban planners.

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#BusinessAndEconomy
Johannesburg has failed its informal traders: policies are in place, but action is needed
Informal trading is an integral part of the city of Johannesburg’s identity.
theconversation.com
January 5, 2026 at 7:22 PM
africa.theconversation.com
US strikes on militants in north-western Nigeria spark debate, as citizens weigh hopes for security against concerns over national sovereignty.

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#Politics
US air strikes in northern Nigeria: possible windfalls, as well as dangers
US military intervention could strengthen Nigeria’s fight against insurgency in the short term but also risks unintended consequences.
theconversation.com
January 5, 2026 at 7:17 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Uganda’s police play a key role in politics, often using force against opposition supporters while backing the ruling party ahead of the 2026 election.

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#Politics
Political policing in Museveni’s Uganda: what it means for the 2026 elections
Political policing in Uganda’s electoral landscape sustains the struggle for power.
theconversation.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:44 AM
africa.theconversation.com
South Africa’s water, energy and food crises are interconnected. Coordinated funding across all three, including community-led and blended finance, is needed.

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#EnvironmentAndEnergy
South Africa’s water, energy and food crisis: why fixing one means fixing them all
South Africa’s water, energy and food crises are interconnected. Coordinated funding across all three, including community-led and blended finance, is needed.
theconversation.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:39 AM
africa.theconversation.com
A sudden halt in US aid has left millions at risk, as new funding efforts for HIV/Aids still fall short of global needs.

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#HealthAndMedicine
HIV funding still falls short of targets after pledges: what’s at stake
A mix of domestic revenue generation, efficiency gains and strategic partnerships is essential to sustain and expand HIV programmes despite declining external aid.
theconversation.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:35 AM
africa.theconversation.com
Even desert-adapted striped mice in southern Africa are struggling with rising heat and drought, new research on their blood reveals. 🐭

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#EnvironmentAndEnergy
Hotter weather thickens the blood of wild mammals: in a world first we traced this in African striped mice using 12 years’ worth of blood samples
African striped mice are used to desert conditions but are showing dehydration as climate change heats up their environment.
theconversation.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:29 AM
africa.theconversation.com
Language shapes power and words like restitution, unlike repatriation, speak directly to justice when it comes to returning cultural heritage.

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#ArtsCultureAndSociety
Looted African belongings must be returned: is it repatriation or restitution? The words we use matter
Language shapes power and words like restitution, unlike repatriation, speak directly to justice when it comes to returning cultural heritage.
theconversation.com
December 25, 2025 at 4:55 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Hundreds of ancient fynbos species could regrow and restore a former pine plantation on Cape Town’s Table Mountain, but only if the remaining pine trees are removed.

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#EnvironmentAndEnergy
Lost fynbos seeds from underground ‘time capsules’ in South Africa can grow again – new study
Hundreds of ancient fynbos species could regrow and restore a former pine plantation on Cape Town’s Table Mountain, but only if the remaining pine trees are removed.
theconversation.com
December 24, 2025 at 10:21 AM