AGP Executive Report

Solar Power: AIKO will supply 1.2 million high-efficiency modules for three South African solar projects with a combined capacity of 773.5 MWp, expected to generate enough electricity for about 456,000 homes. AI for Water: A Johannesburg startup is testing an AI tool for water-treatment professionals, with founder Unathi Mbengwana saying pilots should reveal not only where it works but where it falls short. City Services: Johannesburg’s City Power is seeking AI tools to detect billing and vending irregularities as it tackles nearly R6bn in annual electricity losses. Health Research: A computational study has identified African plant compounds as possible leads for new river-blindness treatments, a disease that disproportionately affects sub-Saharan Africa. Climate-Ready Farming: New maps show where southern African farmers could grow drought-tolerant bambara groundnut, offering a potential tool for adapting to hotter, drier conditions.

African Science: Prof. Murenzi says Africa should be recognised not only as a consumer but as a contributor to global science. Technical Skills: Nigeria’s NCDMB and Renaissance Africa Energy have launched a 12-month programme to train 60 young people in engineering, machining, computer-aided design and other oil-and-gas skills. Digital and Clean Energy: Botswana’s President Duma Boko says the country wants to deepen cooperation with China in the digital economy, renewable energy and research-led manufacturing. Genomics: African researchers are working to connect genetic data with healthcare, as countries build capacity in the growing field. Climate-Smart Farming: New maps identify where southern African farmers can grow drought-tolerant bambara groundnut.

Digital Skills: A refurbished learning centre in Ghana’s Madina district will teach more than 2,000 pupils coding, robotics, animation and AI. African-language AI: South African startup Vambo AI released MORENA, a 1.5-billion-parameter open model trained from scratch on 12 African languages. Health Manufacturing: Egypt and AUDA-NEPAD agreed to expand African drug and vaccine production, as Ghana’s president noted the continent imports over 70% of its medicines. AI and Justice: The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights partnered with UNESCO to train staff to use AI responsibly and guard against bias and rights violations. Research Capacity: Africa CDC opened a pilot clinical research certificate, while the Science for Africa Foundation called for stronger regional capacity in malaria genomic surveillance.

African Space Science: South Africa’s MeerKAT telescope helped identify the host galaxy of the most distant fast radio burst yet detected. The signal travelled for more than 10 billion years before reaching Earth. Biotechnology: Kenyan researchers are extracting venom from live snakes to develop East Africa’s first tailored antivenom. AI and Connectivity: South African firm Vambo AI has released a language model trained on 12 African languages, while experts say AI’s growth on the continent depends on reliable power infrastructure. Health Manufacturing: Ghana’s president says Africa imports more than 70% of its medicines, highlighting the opportunity to expand local production; South Africa has also launched a biomanufacturing facility to strengthen health security. Clean Energy: A UN report says Africa captures less than 1% of the value generated by green-energy supply chains, despite its mineral resources, underscoring the need to build processing and manufacturing capacity.

AI and Humanity: Wole Soyinka urged Nigerian scientists and developers to set limits on AI, warning that relying on it to create could weaken human imagination. Digital Access: South Africa’s Usaasa is consulting on updating its 16-year-old universal access policy, including how to make broadband affordable and identify people eligible for subsidies. Snakebite Treatment: Kenyan scientists are extracting venom from live snakes to develop East Africa’s first tailored antivenom. Climate-Ready Crops: Research on African rice has uncovered a genetic breakthrough that could help crops withstand climate change. Assistive Technology: Nigeria’s government has unveiled 3D-printed prosthetics for amputees. Energy Storage: South Africa is advancing plans to procure 4.6GW of battery storage, a major test of the country’s ability to support a more reliable power system.

AI’s African Opportunity: Africa could add up to $1 trillion to GDP by 2035 through inclusive AI adoption, but the continent has just 0.6% of global data-centre capacity. Experts say energy and infrastructure gaps may limit the gains, while efforts such as Togo’s work to bring local languages into AI offer a practical path forward. Medical Technology: Nigeria is showcasing AI-assisted, 3D-printed prosthetics aimed at making devices faster and more accessible for people needing rehabilitation. Snakebite Research: Kenyan scientists are extracting venom from live snakes to develop East Africa’s first tailored antivenom. Research Talent: Sixty women researchers from 28 African countries have completed a fellowship designed to help turn their work into policy and community solutions. African Fintech: Airtel Money has begun conditional trading in London in a £5.3 billion IPO, putting the scale of the continent’s mobile-money sector in the global spotlight.

AI and Digital Trust: Google has opened its SynthID Detector to the public in Nigeria, giving users a free way to check whether media carries watermarks from participating AI systems. Connectivity: Nigeria plans to build 90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre by 2028, aiming to connect more than 200,000 schools, health facilities and other public institutions. Green Industry: South Africa is being urged to use existing industrial sites to test green technologies and build local manufacturing capacity. African AI: South Africa’s Vambo AI has released a language model trained on 12 African languages, while a new guide advises nonprofits to focus on real community needs before adopting AI. Climate and Farming: Satellites and farmers are being brought together to track drought’s impact on Nigeria’s rice harvest; a separate study warns counterfeit seeds threaten farmers’ climate resilience. Health Technology: South Africa has launched a biomanufacturing facility aimed at strengthening local medicine production.

Digital Industry: Senegal signed an agreement to build a Diamniadio complex assembling computers, smartphones and tablets, with operations due to begin in December. Connectivity: A new alliance aims to help digital infrastructure firms navigate licensing and regulation in Kenya and the wider region. AI and Society: Kenya’s technology envoy urged a “life-centred” approach to AI that protects human dignity, communities and the environment. Health Research: Uganda has begun clinical trials of two candidate vaccines for the Bundibugyo Ebola strain behind the current DR Congo outbreak. Clean Energy: South Africa prioritised 4.6GW of battery storage procurement, though the planned storage duration is not yet set. Space Science: South Africa’s MeerKAT telescope helped detect the most distant fast radio burst yet recorded, from more than 10 billion years ago. Climate Services: Nigeria’s NiMet received an AfriGEO award for weather forecasting and early-warning work using Earth observation.

Responsible AI: UNESCO and Nigerian officials are calling for safeguards on neurotechnology, warning that brain data could threaten privacy and personal autonomy. African telecom regulators are also pushing for stronger AI oversight. Smarter Farming: At an African Union seed summit in Eswatini, leaders urged investment in seed research, labs and biotechnology while warning against dependence on outside suppliers. Kenya’s deputy president backed precision farming, including drones that help target farm inputs. Homegrown Health Tech: South Africa has opened a biomanufacturing facility aimed at boosting local medicine production and health sovereignty. African Innovation: South Africa’s Vambo AI has released a language model trained on 12 African languages, while a new report warns that the AI boom could leave the continent’s poorest behind. Climate-Ready Crops: Researchers report a genetic breakthrough in African rice that could help crops withstand climate change.

Smart Agriculture: Kenya’s Deputy President Kithure Kindiki urged farmers to use drones and precision tools to target fertiliser and pesticides, cutting waste and costs. Earth Observation: The AfriGEO symposium opened in Abuja with 150 participants exploring satellite data, AI, flood forecasting and crop mapping to support decisions across Africa. Energy Data: ECOWAS experts in Togo are validating 2023–24 efficiency indicators, creating national datasets to guide energy planning. Health Technology: South Africa has launched a biomanufacturing facility aimed at expanding local medicine production and health sovereignty. Ebola Response: Congo’s outbreak is spreading into new hotspots; many cases remain undetected, while responders describe coordination and treatment gaps in conflict-hit North Kivu. Digital Trust: At a Nairobi summit, Kenya’s ICT minister called for African technologies that protect privacy and rights, and urged leaders to turn discussion into practical action.

Refugee Education Crisis: Uganda says 200,000 learners in refugee-hosting districts may fail to finish the year as donor funding cuts leave thousands of teachers unpaid, threatening PLE, UCE and UACE prep. Capital Markets: Uganda’s CMA approved the marketing of Dangote Petroleum Refinery shares locally, but restricts sales to institutional and high-net-worth investors ahead of the Oct 13 subscription deadline. AI for Learning: The African Union urges AI transformation in schools to start with teachers—empowering them to use AI responsibly rather than replacing them. Health & Care Delivery: Kenya’s Murang’a is piloting integrated mental health and non-communicable disease care at primary facilities, aiming to close access gaps. Biosecurity & AI Gap: Public health experts warn Africa’s AI capability and data-centre capacity lag could widen biosecurity risks as AI advances. Ebola in DRC: MSF warns the DRC outbreak is far from over, with mistrust and fragile health systems slowing containment. Renewables Hydrogen: Switzerland is considering technical cooperation with Morocco on renewable hydrogen and synthetic fuels for energy security. Stadium Upgrade: Morocco’s SGTM wins a $285m contract to modernize Fez’s sports complex for the 2030 World Cup. WAEC Leadership: WAEC appoints Dr Amos Josiah Dangut as its new Registrar/CEO for 2026–2031.

Digital Social Protection: A two-day ISSA seminar in Doha, hosted by Daman, focused on how social security institutions can use better procedures plus technology to cut waiting and visits for beneficiaries. Grid Tech for Africa’s Power Bottlenecks: The IEA says digital grid tools could unlock up to 330GW of extra transmission and distribution capacity without new infrastructure, potentially easing connection delays that are holding back renewables. Democracy and Participation in South Africa: With local elections looming, reporting highlights low voter turnout concerns and the trust gap between citizens and politicians. Ebola Basics: A public explainer revisits Ebola’s origins, symptoms, and spread, underscoring why preparedness and safe response matter. Nigeria’s Digital Sovereignty: Nigeria’s data-localisation deadline is pushing banks and fintechs to build local payment-data infrastructure and rethink where backups and security systems live. Kenya Tax Progress: Kenya ranks 10th in Africa for tax and revenue mobilisation in 2025, per the Ibrahim Index analysis. Plague Watch: WHO asked Russia for more details after a Siberian plague lab worker’s death, with officials saying contacts tested negative for pneumonic plague. Sports Infrastructure Reality Check (Nigeria): A commentary argues Nigeria’s stadium model is failing—only one venue reportedly meets current FIFA/CAF standards.

Telecom Policy: South Africa has formally ended its long-running wholesale open-access network (WOAN) experiment by withdrawing reserved spectrum, clearing the way for Icasa to license the frequencies—after years with no functioning national network and rising mobile data demand. Digital Finance: OKX launched OKX Money, a standalone app converting 50+ local currencies into U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins (USDC, USDT, USDG), targeting emerging markets including Africa with faster settlement and card options. Energy & Resources: D3 Energy says its Nooitgedacht well in South Africa returned 5.2% helium after remedial work restored gas flow, with methane results under retest. Cyber & Devices (Market Watch): New reports flag fast growth in device vulnerability management and endpoint support services, reflecting rising connected-device risk and demand for stronger security operations. Semiconductors (Market Watch): Forecasts continue to point to steady expansion in field-effect transistors and related power electronics demand.

Health & Biosecurity: Russia quarantined dozens after a plague research institute worker in Siberia died, with officials saying tests found no link to lab work while the US monitors the case closely. Education & Skills: A global study finds women report higher pain than men across the body, and sub-Saharan Africa’s learning poverty remains severe, with 9 in 10 children unable to read by age 10. Energy Partnerships: Algeria backed the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline as a regional energy-hub project, while APPO called for new energy partnerships built on shared value, investment, and knowledge transfer. Distributed Power: Nigeria launched a $300m distributed renewable energy fund for mini-grids and solar home systems, co-managed by NSIA and Africa50 with World Bank support. Water Innovation: A Cape Town “Pee-Cycling” urine-recovery system is a finalist for the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation after operating at DHL Stadium. AI & Governance: Ushahidi’s People-Centred Technologies summit in Nairobi put the spotlight on who controls tech and who benefits. Space Ambitions: Namibia urged satellite tech, new legislation, and partnerships to grow its emerging space economy. Tech Investment: TVS’s myTVS aftermarket platform raised Rs 425 crore to expand in MENA and scale AI-enabled infrastructure.

Judicial Capacity in South Africa: The Judicial Service Commission begins interviews to fill 22 court vacancies, including three at the Supreme Court of Appeal, with a strong focus on judges’ ability to deliver rulings within three months. Health as an Economic Sector: Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama argues healthcare should be treated as an investable, high-growth industry, citing returns from maternal and newborn care and the case for local pharma. Space Science from Africa: Astronomers using South Africa’s MeerKAT detect the first confirmed radio signal from an exoplanet (Beta Pictoris b), linked to powerful magnetic-field-driven auroras. Tech and Payments in Ghana: Mobile money is booming, but only a minority of businesses fully accept digital payments—so the next push is merchant adoption and better payment use for SME growth. Banking Shake-up in Ghana: Société Générale exits Ghana, selling its stake to Attijariwafa Bank and SSNIT, reshaping competition and ownership. Cancer Care Access: A rural South African case study highlights how stigma and fear can stop women from completing cervical cancer treatment. Industrial Growth in South Africa: Unilever expands Vaseline production in Durban with a new line, boosting capacity and local sourcing. Global AI Development: UN officials say China’s Global Development Initiative is shifting from pledges to practical projects, with hundreds underway.

AU Coordination: Egypt hosted the AU’s 8th mid-year coordination meeting with RECs, pushing Agenda 2063 delivery, AfCFTA implementation, and water/sanitation cooperation while stressing sovereignty and rejecting foreign interference. Health & Cancer: A Lancet Oncology analysis estimates 1 in 8 new cancers worldwide are infection-linked and largely preventable via vaccines and existing treatments; South Africa’s breast cancer push highlights “every journey matters” and the access gaps behind higher death rates. Education & Exams: WAEC appointed Suleiman Kum as Nigeria’s new national office head, while Sokoto state said it spent N3.5bn on WAEC/NECO/NABTEB fees to boost access and reported an 80% pass rate. Wildlife & Conservation: National Geographic’s “Africa: Earth’s Wild Home” spotlights African ecosystems and conservation leaders; separate research urges practical habitat-and-community approaches to reduce human–wildlife conflict. Energy & Industry: Algeria’s hydrocarbons minister met APPO to expand training and R&D cooperation; Uganda’s Museveni backed Dangote’s Lamu refinery but wants clarity on a proposed Tanga hub first. Governance & Tech Readiness: Nigerian civil society groups demanded verifiable proof that INEC’s election tech and result systems are ready for 2027.