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African Artisans

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AI-created conceptual view of two unmarked light helicopters parked separately in a maintenance hangar at sunset

Nigeria · Nigeria · Defence procurement

Three AW109s reach Lagos as Nigeria's five-helicopter upgrade moves toward induction

The Air Force says three AW109 Trekker B helicopters arrived on 15 September and two H125s were delivered earlier. The aircraft still require assembly, induction and readiness work before operational use.

16 Sept 2026, 02:58 WAT

AI-created editorial image

AI-created editorial portrait of a Nigerian couple beside distinct traditional and contemporary wedding wardrobes

Nigeria · Life Style · Wedding dress

One marriage, many wardrobes: what Nigerian wedding clothes actually say

Aso oke, coral beads, caps, wrappers, kaftans and white gowns do more than produce photographs. They identify kinship, region, faith, occasion and the terms on which two families meet.

15 Sept 2026, 13:05 WAT

AI-created editorial image

AI-created conceptual view of an older Ugandan community elder and two farmers beside dry and green fields under an uneven rainstorm

Uganda / South Sudan · Environment · Climate & culture

When the rains fail, Africa’s rainmakers face the blame—and sometimes violence

Accounts from eastern Uganda and South Sudan show how erratic weather, fragile farm livelihoods and paid expectations can turn respected spiritual figures into targets. Climate change is part of the pressure, but it is not a complete explanation for individual attacks.

15 Sept 2026, 11:58 WAT

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Conceptual arrangement of royal regalia, a ceremonial seat and a drum overlooking green hills

Uganda · Life Style

Tooro succession changes course as kingmakers choose Edward Kijanangoma

The Babiito royal clan has selected the former broadcaster to succeed King Oyo. The choice is consequential, but it is not yet an enthronement—and competing succession claims remain part of the story.

10 Sept 2026, 02:55 WAT

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Editorial illustration of a handmade remote-controlled model aircraft and controller on a workshop table

Nigeria / West Africa · Technology

He made a model plane fly. The bigger story is how Musa Aliyu reached the cockpit

From watching aircraft in Zaria to building remote-controlled models in Ilorin, Musa Aliyu Damilola’s journey reveals what happens when practical curiosity meets access to training.

10 Sept 2026, 00:25 WAT

Editorial illustration of interlocking recycled-plastic pavers and sorted plastic fragments on a workshop bench

Kenya / East Africa · Technology

Nairobi’s discarded plastic became paving—and a manufacturing challenge worth solving

Nzambi Matee’s Gjenge Makers moved from experiments with sand and plastic to useful paving products. The revealing part is how a promising sample became something a customer could buy repeatedly.

10 Sept 2026, 00:25 WAT

A director and craftspeople prepare an earthen courtyard for a Yoruba period film.

Nigeria · Nollywood · Director

Kunle Afolayan makes craft visible

KAP’s film village and a 2026 training partnership shift the conversation from a director’s visual ambition to the infrastructure that can sustain it.

Updated 9 Sept 2026, 22:09 WAT

A Nigerian production designer dresses a period living-room set with a CRT television and carefully selected household props.

Nigeria · Nollywood · Craft

Production design is Nollywood’s memory department

From a room’s layout to the objects a family keeps, design gives Nigerian stories a material history—and its makers deserve to be named.

Updated 9 Sept 2026, 22:09 WAT

A Nigerian costume designer and tailor fit an indigo agbada while everyday character costumes hang nearby.

Nigeria · Nollywood · Craft

Costume is character before dialogue

Clothing carries work, status, memory and change into a scene. The craft lies in making those choices belong to the person wearing them.

Updated 9 Sept 2026, 22:09 WAT

Conceptual editorial scene of Senegalese officials reviewing budget charts in a Dakar meeting room

Senegal · Politics

Senegal’s prime minister defends $2.2bn IMF plan as lawmakers test the terms

Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo used his 8 September policy statement to argue that Senegal needs an IMF-backed recovery programme. The deal is only at staff level, parliamentary resistance is visible and final approval still depends on safeguards over past debt misreporting.

9 Sept 2026, 09:05 WAT

AI-created editorial image

Madagascar · Life Style

Zafimaniry woodcarving cannot survive without a viable forest and livelihood

An artisan’s account from Antoetra connects carved houses and utensils with timber supplies, farming income and the difficulty of keeping skilled work economically sustainable.

8 Sept 2026, 04:05 WAT