Latest Stories from Derrick
AI is helping African mothers give birth safely
The anticipation of having a baby is often clouded with uncertainty for Africa’s women as well as their families and healthcare providers due to an overwhelming number of pregnancy complications. According to WHO, annually there are over 2 million stillbirths in the world, over half occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa. These stillborn deaths are often preventable. Poor access to prenatal care, shortages of qualified health care providers, delayed responses to emergencies,...
Remote work is redefining who gets to succeed in Africa
For many years, success in Africa has been tied to one's geographical location. Urban centers were the most profitable, while people in rural centers were taught to lower their ambitions. Success in rural center regions was mostly pegged on migration to cities, but is the landscape changing in 2026? Remote work was meant to change the story of leaving home to a city for opportunities. In theory, it promised a...
Lemurs are being eaten and it’s causing biodiversity breakdowns
Madagascar's lemurs have little time left. The animals are facing a new danger from the urban elite of the country who are paying handsomely for their meat. How is this impacting biodiversity and ecosystems in the region and beyond? A new study published in the Conservation Letters says that wealthy urban residents of Madagascar are eating the flesh of one of the world's most endangered primates. Eating lemurs has gained...
Eswatini is Africa’s first nation to roll out HIV prevention shots
Eswatini has taken a historic step in Africa’s HIV response by approving the twice-yearly anti-HIV injection, lenacapavir, offering protection to its citizens. We are getting clearer data on where 15 to 24 year olds are most likely to be living with HIV. The numbers show that young people in Africa are affected far more than anywhere else, according to organisations like UNICEF and the WHO. Eastern and Southern Africa's...
Esther Akpovi is leading Nigeria’s youth to governance
For a long period, hierarchy and tradition has been foundational to politics. Now, a new generation has come to change the rules about what it means to be a leader; they're younger, connected and, pressing the boundaries of the norm. Esther Akpovi, newly inducted as Deputy Speaker of the FCT-Abuja Youth Parliament (2025–2027), is leading this change. With a life story that bridges Europe and Africa, she is presenting a...
Malawi to implement free primary and secondary education from 2026
In what may redefine the future of education in southern Africa, Malawi's President has announced that starting January 2026, education from primary to secondary school levels will be free. According to the President’s spokesperson Shadric Namalomba, the new policy covers examination fees, identity cards, and school development funds at both primary and secondary level. At present, UNICEF says Malawi has less than 50% of children completing secondary school, and...
Can Africa’s 10-year education plan deliver for Gen Z?
The African Union (AU) has launched a new ten-year educational plan. It covers the whole continent from 2025 to 2034 with the aim of rebuilding and transforming learning by means of innovation. The AU plan aims to produce more qualified teachers, improving technology in the classrooms, closing gender divides, and equipping the youth with the skills that are in demand and suitable for the future jobs. As exciting as it sounds,...
Madagascar’s Gen Z protests signal broader global youth revolt
Madagascar is under the shadow of its largest youth-led demonstrations in decades. The protests, driven by a frustrated Gen Zers, show no signs of slowing down despite President Andry Rajoelina’s recent move to dissolve his government in an attempt to restore calm. What began as peaceful rallies in the capital, Antananarivo, over persistent power outages and water shortages has now spread to at least eight cities across the country. But...
Taliban bans women’s books and human rights studies
The Taliban’s latest decree has banned books authored by women from university libraries and outlawed the teaching of human rights and sexual harassment. Four years after the Taliban reclaimed power in Afghanistan, the lives of women and girls continue to shrink into silence. For many Afghan women, the ban is not just about losing access to education, it is about being erased. Entire generations of writers, scholars, and thinkers who fought...
Nigeria adds Mandarin to school curriculum to foster cross-nation relations
Nigeria is progressing toward transforming its education policy. Having recently conducted a national curriculum review, the administration has introduced Mandarin for inclusion into the senior secondary school curriculum. This decision highlights Nigeria’s growing ties with China and signals a shift in how its largest demographic is preparing for work and education in an increasingly interconnected global economy of trade, diplomacy, technology, and learning. This begs the question of what it...
