Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie accepted the first Felix Jud Prize for Defiant Thinking at the opening of the 15th Harbourfront Literature Festival in Hamburg. The new prize honours writers and public intellectuals who defend free thought and public debate. The award was presented on 20 September 2025 in the Grand Hall of the Elbphilharmonie. Festival organisers described the prize as […]
Asake Takes Kings Theatre: Afrobeats, Symphony and a Moment That Changes the Map
When Asake steps onto the stage of the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn on 8 November 2025, it will be more than a concert. It will be a historic moment in the global rise of Afrobeats. The Nigerian superstar will become the first African artist to headline Red Bull Symphonic in New York, a performance series that has built its […]
Ipeleng Mkhari Takes the Helm at Attacq: A Boardroom Shift with Local Ambition
Ipeleng Mkhari has been appointed chairperson of Attacq Limited, the Johannesburg-listed property group best known for its Waterfall City holdings and large-scale mixed-use developments. The board change, announced in a formal regulatory notice this week, marks a notable leadership transition for one of South Africa’s most prominent real estate companies. Mkhari arrives with a track record in corporate governance, […]
How Thom Mpinganjira Built Malawi’s Largest Bank, Became Its First Billionaire, and Conquered the World
In Malawi’s conservative banking sector, Thom Mpinganjira has done what few thought possible. He built a financial institution from scratch, took it public, scaled it into the country’s largest bank, and in the process, became Malawi’s first billionaire. Mpinganjira’s path was not paved by inheritance or political favour. He came up through the system as a stockbroker, working on […]
Nigerian Businessman Samuel Maduka’s C&I Leasing Secures Approval for $20 Million Capital Raise, Signalling Fresh Growth Push
C&I Leasing Plc, the vehicle leasing firm linked to Nigerian businessman Samuel Maduka Onyishi, has won approval to raise $20 million in fresh capital. The decision marks a pivotal step for the company as it looks to strengthen its funding base and position itself to meet rising demand for leased assets across West Africa. The approval follows board deliberations […]
Mary Vilakazi Steers FirstRand to $2.6 Billion Profit, Defying UK Headwinds
FirstRand has posted a $2.6 billion profit for the year ended 30 June 2025, marking a 10 per cent rise on the previous year. The banking group’s performance was fuelled by stronger revenue streams across retail, commercial, and investment banking, alongside improved treasury earnings. The bank reported headline earnings of about R45.1 billion, supported by solid growth in deposits, […]
Sam Darwish’s IHS Stake Tops $90 Million as Tower Firm Strengthens Market Position
Sam Darwish, the U.S.-Nigerian executive who built IHS from a regional tower operator into a publicly traded infrastructure business, has seen the market value of his stake in IHS climb above $90 million. The milestone reflects renewed investor appetite for telecom infrastructure assets and highlights Darwish’s continuing role in shaping the continent’s digital backbone. Darwish founded the company in […]
David Steward’s Lion Forge Secures $30 Million Backing to Build a Global Black-Owned Studio
HarbourView Equity Partners and the Steward family have led a $30 million minority investment into Lion Forge Entertainment, the Newark-based studio founded by David Steward II. The investment is designed to deepen Lion Forge’s ownership of original intellectual property and to accelerate the company’s pipeline of family, youth and adult franchises. HarbourView described the move as a strategic bet […]
Tendai Madziwanyika’s RTG Commits $1.6 Million to Upgrade Harare Hotels
Tendai Madziwanyika’s RTG has announced a $1.6 million investment to upgrade several hotels in Harare, a move industry insiders say could sharpen the city’s hospitality offering and support short-term construction employment. The funds will target physical improvements and service enhancements across existing properties. RTG has framed the project as a focused upgrade rather than a major expansion. Work is […]
Adebayo Ogunlesi: The Dealmaker Now Shaping OpenAI’s Next Chapter
Adebayo Ogunlesi’s name has long been linked to some of the largest infrastructure deals of the last two decades. Now the Nigerian-born financier takes on a new, high-visibility role as a member of OpenAI’s board of directors, joining the governance team at a moment when the company is accelerating acquisitions and scaling its commercial operations. Ogunlesi arrives at OpenAI […]