The Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) is partnering with international and local institutions to develop Africa’s first solar-powered artificial intelligence (AI) research cluster.
The university is in advanced discussions with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems and Karibu Kwetu Trading to establish micro-concentrated photovoltaic technology.
Micro-concentrated photovoltaic technology is a high-efficiency solar technology that uses lenses to focus sunlight onto highly efficient solar cells to achieve high concentration ratios.
Fraunhofer delivers up to 43% higher conversion efficiency, which will be aligned with Namibia’s growing research and innovation ecosystem.
This will be supported by Karibu Kwetu’s renewable energy expertise and Nust’s academic leadership in digital transformation.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Read the original article on Namibian.
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Youth uprisings in Madagascar seem to have been hijacked, while those in Morocco have been deflated.
The Gen Z protests that swept across Morocco over the past few weeks – as they have gripped other countries like Madagascar and Nepal – seem to have subsided. Whether that is the end, though, is not clear.
Gen Z 212, the specific manifestation in Morocco, along with Morocco Youth Voice, launched its street demonstrations on 27 September in the capital Rabat and other cities. Demands included better health and education, and an end to government corruption and spending on ostentatious sports events like the 2030 FIFA World Cup and 2025 Africa Cup of Nations rather than on public services.
Over the next few weeks, the protests grew and spread, with police arresting hundreds and killing some demonstrators. The marches grew more violent and destructive, showing signs of gaining their own momentum and slipping beyond the organisers’ control. Gen Z 212 is an anonymous and rather amorphous entity, so control was always going to be a problem.
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The uprisings started in the context of high youth unemployment, officially calculated at 35.8%, and inequality. But it also appears that there was a copycat effect as Gen Z participants in different countries fed off each other, and coordinated actions through social media.
The spark seemed to have been the death of eight women during childbirth in a public hospital in the southern coastal city of Agadir. This inspired particularly the protests about poor health services. According to the World Health Organization, Morocco has only 7.7 doctors per 10 000 people, with some regions such as Agadir registering 4.4 per 10 000, well below the recommended 25.
The demonstrations continued to proliferate over the next two weeks, with the killing of several protesters seemingly provoking the demonstrators to greater violence. Banks, police stations and other government buildings were torched and otherwise damaged, though criminals using the cover of protests might have been responsible for some or even most of those.
A turning point was reached in the second week of October after King Mohammed VI’s speech at the opening of Parliament. Without mentioning Gen Z 212 or the uprisings, he urged the government to improve healthcare and education. The monarchy is widely respected in Morocco, and the king’s remarks were read as an implicit recognition of the legitimacy of the protesters’ social demands.
After his speech, the Gen Z 212 organisers posted calls for another mass demonstration across the country on 18 October. ‘But no one really [showed up],’ Francois Conradie, a Morocco-based economist at Oxford Economics, told ISS Today.
Meanwhile, the government did respond to the king’s appeal. The finance minister’s 2026 budget presentation to Parliament this week included a 16% increase in spending on health and education. This seemed to take the wind out of the sails of the protests, Conradie said.
Now, even though the campaign has not officially ended, ‘a lot of energy seems to have gone out of it,’ he says. He sees this as the result of a combination of harsh policing and the government’s tactical response to the demonstrators, which involves conceding to their most obvious demands.
Whether Gen Z 212 can regain its momentum is now the question. Conradie points out that there is still a lot of pent-up energy in the movement that could drive further demonstrations. He notes that much of the uprising’s force came from teenagers just out of school who had fewer job prospects and less likelihood of benefitting from educational reforms the government might propose.
And even if the government has to some degree responded to the Gen Z 212 demands for better health and education, it has not addressed the demand that Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch be fired and corrupt officials be prosecuted.
And so Riccardo Fabiani, North African Director at the International Crisis Group, told ISS Today that ‘it’s clear that it’s hard to sustain a mobilisation for weeks without a proper socio-political infrastructure behind (political parties, trade unions, civil society, etc.).’
‘At the moment, the demonstrators are taking a pause to reorganise, but keeping up the momentum will not be easy given that the authorities are trying to address their concerns without legitimising them or entering a formal dialogue. Moreover, the political dimension of their requests (dismissing the government, dissolving corrupt parties) has been completely ignored.
‘So I feel that the challenge for the protesters will be how to avoid losing momentum while the system refuses to acknowledge the movement and, at the same time, it tries to address the issues at stake indirectly. This is not that different from the 2011 playbook, when the monarchy introduced some limited changes and gradually undermined the protest movement.’
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In this analysis, Fabiani appears to have identified structural issues that may be common to all Gen Z movements. In Madagascar, Gen Z also protested about poor government service delivery, with a focus on water and electricity. The uprisings culminated in former president Andry Rajoelina fleeing the country last week.
The military then stepped in, and last Friday Colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in as president. This week he appointed unpopular businessman Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo as prime minister, to the chagrin of the Gen Z organisers, who said this ‘runs contrary to the spirit of change and renewal.’ They complained that they had not been consulted and vowed to keep mobilising.
‘Our revolution will not be hijacked,’ they said. But that seems to be what has happened. While in Morocco, the revolution appears to have been deflated.
Peter Fabricius, Consultant, ISS Pretoria
Read the original article on ISS.
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In recent years, Africa has emerged as one of the world’s most dynamic tech frontiers. From fintech innovation to esports expansion, digital adoption is reshaping how people spend, earn, and interact. Sports betting, sitting at the intersection of culture, entertainment, and finance, now stands as one of the clearest reflections of that change.
Africa’s betting market has finally reached its tipping point, fueled by its young populations and powerful mobile technology. The article examines the immense financial shift and the infrastructural changes happening continent-wide.
Africa is undergoing a massive financial transformation, one driven entirely by a continental obsession with sports. Today, over 440 million sports bettors call Africa home. Such concentration of activity has solidified the continent’s standing as the fastest-growing betting region in the world. You simply can’t look at global consumer markets without acknowledging this velocity. Find out more about why mobile adoption provides the essential engine for the entire financial flow.
This ecosystem now supports a growing web of payment processors, local entrepreneurs, and even national tax systems. In countries like Ghana and Tanzania, betting tax revenue contributes directly to education and sports funding, further embedding betting within broader economic cycles.
The Mobile Revolution Accelerates
In Africa, experts expect the  gaming industry  to bring in around $17.63 billion this year. This growth is fueled by an impressive annual growth rate of 17% from 2022 to 2027, which is faster than anywhere else in the world. The market’s explosive acceleration is down to three factors clicking into place simultaneously. Africa’s youth, the world’s youngest population, are looking for fast, accessible entertainment and new economic avenues. Smartphone ownership is also shooting up across nearly every demographic. But the biggest factor is the simple, widespread acceptance of mobile money platforms.
Systems like M-Pesa in Kenya and Opay in Nigeria have effectively eliminated traditional banking hurdles, letting bettors fund accounts instantly with just a cell phone. The impact is undeniable. A 2025 GeoPoll survey found that an overwhelming 91% of participants use a mobile phone to place their bets. The mobile-first structure allows the industry to thrive on high-frequency, low-stakes “micro-gambling.”
For comparison, Africa’s projected 17% CAGR easily outpaces Asia’s 10% and Latin America’s 8%, putting the continent at the very top of global gaming growth charts.
Operator Strategy and Acquisition Tactics
The market’s size and sustained growth mean major international operators are certainly taking notice. Global firms like 888 Holdings Plc, a globally recognized name in gaming, see Africa as a critical future piece of their worldwide strategy. Competition is tough, and businesses are always on the hunt for ways to attract and keep customers. It’s common to see new bettors looking for the best deals out there. A great example of this is using an exclusive  888sport promo code  to grab some perks like betting credits.
That’s a powerful tactical move operators use to put a superior welcome package directly into your hands. This kind of reward is absolutely vital for acquiring new accounts efficiently, especially in cost-sensitive markets where every dollar counts. Plenty of these operators also run regulated online casinos alongside sportsbooks, delivering high-quality, thrilling entertainment options.
Beyond bonuses, leading brands are investing in hyper-localized platforms. That means interfaces available in Swahili, Yoruba, and Amharic, along with low-data mobile versions designed for users with slower internet speeds. Partnerships with local influencers and sports leagues help foreign operators build trust within tightly knit communities.
You’ve got to check the fine print, though; platforms like Oddspedia often dissect these welcome bonuses, flagging restrictive terms such as high playthrough requirements. Targeted promotions are a must. Offering a bonus bet on a three-leg soccer parlay, for instance, perfectly aligns with the operators’ keen focus on football, which is, bar none, the continent’s most popular sport.
Country-Specific Powerhouses
The activity is concentrated in a few powerhouse nations. Just  six leading countries  account for the large majority of participants. Nigeria leads by sheer volume, reporting 168.7 million sports bettors, thanks to its massive population and a collective, deep-seated passion for international football. South Africa, however, demonstrates the highest intensity. There, 83% of respondents of a 2025 GeoPoll survey reported participation in betting, reflecting a very mature and heavily regulated culture.
East Africa also stands out for technological adoption. Kenya has 45.5 million bettors with a 79% participation rate. Uganda follows closely with 44.7 million bettors and a massive 87% participation rate among survey respondents. Success in these regions stems directly from the efficiency of mobile money systems that reach deep into lower-income and rural areas. The varying participation rates show a clear split between volume markets like Nigeria and high-intensity markets like South Africa and Uganda. Operators must tailor their approach for each region.
Regulation and Market Maturity
While the market surges forward, regulation remains uneven. South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana operate under clear licensing systems that attract international partners, whereas nations like Cameroon and Ethiopia are still drafting their frameworks. This uneven maturity creates both opportunities and risks. Stronger oversight could reduce illegal operators and improve player protection — a crucial step if the continent wants sustained credibility with global investors.
Sports Investment and Infrastructure Growth
The financial volume generated by sports betting flows right back into the development of the African sports industry. Betting brands have really stepped up as a key source of cash, giving crucial support through sponsorships that help clubs and organizations stay strong and develop. Substantial investment is now pouring into sporting infrastructure.
Morocco, for example, is funding new facilities to host the CAN 2025 and co-host the  2030 FIFA World Cup . Nigeria is constructing the 12,000-seat Lagos Arena. The total sports economy is projected to reach $20 billion by 2035. Equity injection by IFC and Proparco targets partners like NBA Africa and the Professional Fighters League Africa, showing high-level institutional faith.
Challenges and Sustainable Growth
To keep up this impressive growth, the market really needs to strengthen its foundation. Right now, the main challenge is bringing in top-notch, long-term foreign investment. The sector still deals with some big sustainability issues on the business side. Issues with governance, poor physical infrastructure, and  unreliable digital connectivity  across various regions still make it very tough to attract the high-level capital needed for further expansion.
When industry experts talk about securing long-term health, they constantly point to two essential pillars: grassroots sports development and governance reform. More than 64.7% of professionals view grassroots investment as critical, arguing it’s a direct investment in the market’s primary product, the sport itself. Governance reform is needed to drastically improve transparency and regulatory clarity across all jurisdictions. International investors require clear Return-on-Investment (ROI) metrics and dependable capital protection. Bringing in that kind of institutional investment needs some big changes across the whole market.
Another frontier is player welfare. As betting becomes mainstream, responsible gambling campaigns and digital safeguards will be essential to protect younger audiences. Governments and private stakeholders are beginning to explore education programs and digital tools that set deposit limits or provide spending alerts — critical measures for long-term sustainability.
The Road Ahead
Africa’s betting industry stands at a pivotal juncture. If the current momentum in fintech, mobile infrastructure, and regulatory development continues, the continent could become not just the fastest-growing but the most innovative betting region in the world. The next decade will determine whether this growth can evolve from fast profits to a sustainable, inclusive digital economy.
AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.
AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa – aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 110 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC.
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