South African film The Last Ranger had made it to the shortlist of the 97th Academy Awards announced yesterday. Directed by Cindy Lee, it has earned a nomination in the Best Live Action Short Film category.



The 28-minute IsiXhosa film is about rhino poaching in a game reserve in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province. Inspired by true events, The Last Ranger tells the story of a teenager named Litha (played by Liyabona Mroqoza) and the last remaining ranger, Khuselwa (played Avumile Qongqo). The story looks at Thandi, a rhino that miraculously survived a poaching attack at the game reserve, and the “courageous woman who fought to protect these iconic animals against all odds”.



“To have an IsiXhosa film about rhino poaching in the running for an Oscar makes me so proud. This film is unique and deserves to go all the way,” Lee said in a statement, according to News24.


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Litha-mourns-Thandi-colour-1024x683.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-64431" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Litha-mourns-Thandi-colour-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Litha-mourns-Thandi-colour-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Litha-mourns-Thandi-colour-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Litha-mourns-Thandi-colour-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Litha-mourns-Thandi-colour-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Litha mourns Thandi (colour)</figcaption></figure></div>


“The Last Ranger is a profoundly moving cinematic experience that stands out as a masterpiece in short film storytelling… This is a piece of art that commands attention,&#8221; Jillian Corsie, Programmer, Salute Your Shorts Film Festival, said last year.



The movie has been praised for bringing attention to the ongoing issue of rhino poaching in South Africa. According to the International Rhino Foundation, rhino poaching is a major concern in South Africa, with hundreds of rhinos killed each year. In 2023, 499 rhinos were poached in the country, a concerning 10% increase compared to 2022.



South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) reported that Kruger National Park – once the hotspot for rhino poaching – saw another decrease, with 78 rhinos poached in 2023.



“I am pleased that we have managed to narrate and spark quite a critical and urgent conversation concerning the plight of rhinos and their immediate caretakers, the rangers,” Qongqo said. “We were also intentional on shining the light on the bravery of female rangers who are on the frontlines fiercely conserving and protecting our wildlife. We salute them resoundingly with this film.”



South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie, released a statement today celebrating the Oscar nomination noting that The Last Ranger is a powerful tribute to the resilience of our wildlife and the unwavering dedication of conservationists who work tirelessly to safeguard our natural heritage.



“The film’s ongoing success, having already won Best Short Narrative at the 2024 Pan African Film Festival (PAFF), is a clear indication of its impact and brilliance,” McKenzie said in his statement. “We are confident that it will continue to make an impact on the global stage, and we eagerly await the Oscar ceremony on 2 March 2025, hopeful for yet another triumph.”



Yesterday was also a big day for Nigerian-British actor, Cynthia Erivo, who received a nomination as Best Actress in a Leading Role at this year’s Academy Awards for her role as Elphaba in the cinematic version of the Broadway classic, Wicked. If Erivo wins the Oscar in March, the Daytime Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning actress will then receive the coveted EGOT status.



“&#8217;Moments like this don’t come along very often, and when they do, it is sacrilege to let them pass by without a moment of gratitude,” Erivo wrote on Instagram after the announcement. “&#8217;I often get asked what I would say to my younger self. Well, today there’s nothing to be said. She is smiling, beaming, glowing from ear to ear. That speaks volumes.”



Additionally, Wicked picked up another nine nominations including Best Supporting Actress for Ariana Grande and Best Picture along with several technical categories.



Winners of the of the 97th Academy Awards will be announced on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

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South African Film On The Plight Of Rhinos Nominated For 2025 Best Live Action Short Film At Oscars

Following the presidential inauguration of newly-elected Donald Trump in the United States yesterday, SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago told media in Davos today that the measures that Trump plans to take could lead to the “fragmentation of the global economy”.



“[This] could spur other countries to think that they can justify taking protectionist measures and these measures are negative for global trade. Global trade is the lifeblood of the global economy,” Kganyago told Bloomberg.



Kganyago’s observations comes on the heels of a statement by Trump, before being sworn into office, that he would enact threatened tariffs of as much as 25% on Mexico and Canada by February.



Mexico and Canada are two of America’s top three trade partners, with the U.S. reportedly importing $475 billion worth of goods from Mexico and $418 billion from Canada in 2024.



According to Reuters, when asked by reporters at the White House whether he would impose a universal tariff on all imports into the U.S., Trump reportedly said: &#8220;We may. But we&#8217;re not ready for that yet.&#8221;



The rand in South Africa gained early on Monday as markets awaited Trump&#8217;s inauguration and policy announcements ahead of a week packed with domestic data releases.



Kganyago said that if the measures taken are inflationary, it could slow down the disinflation process that the central banks had so steadfastly worked on since the great inflation of 2022.



“And the risk is then that the accommodation, or should I say, the reduction in the restrictiveness of monetary policy that we had seen over the past year, could then be brought to an abrupt halt,” he added.

Opening Day Of World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025

South African Reserve Bank Governor Warns In Davos That Trump’s Policies May Fragment Global Economy

Cyber security is what nations and organizations need to be very wary of in 2025.



According to the recent World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Cybersecurity Outlook, the intricacies of cyberspace are complex and challenging, owing to rapid technological advancements, the growing sophistication of cybercriminals and deeply-interconnected supply chains.



“Collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders is paramount to secure the benefits of digitalization for all,” Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director, WEF, said in a statement.



According to the report, 54% of large organizations identify supply chain interdependencies as the greatest barrier to achieving cyber resilience. Furthermore, the “prevailing turmoil” has affected the perception of risks. One in three CEOs cited in the report cyber espionage and loss of sensitive information and intellectual property theft as their main concerns.



“45% of cyber leaders are concerned about disruption of operations and business processes,” the report reads.



As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be at the forefront of innovation, the report revealed that to ensure cyber resilience, there needs to be rapid implementation of the necessary security safeguards.



“While 66% of organizations expect AI to have a major impact on cybersecurity in 2025, only 37% report having processes in place to assess the security of AI tools before deployment.”



Skills development needs to be at the forefront of organizations, according to the report, as the cyber skills gap in 2024 was only at 8%. According to WEF, two in three organizations lack the essential talent and skills to meet their security requirements; only 14% of organizations are confident that they have the people and skills they need today.



Paolo Dal Cin, Global Lead, Accenture Security, said in the statement that cybersecurity threats are more complex and unpredictable than ever and can directly impact an organization’s financial stability.



“The disruptive force of AI, coupled with supply chain vulnerabilities and geopolitical tensions, calls for a more proactive and collaborative approach to ensure a strong cyber resilient posture across all industries. C-suite leaders must adopt a security-first mindset from the outset to confidently navigate these challenges with cybersecurity as an enabler that keeps our businesses and organizations resilient,” Dal Cin said.

Businesspeople in futuristic virtual reality environment

New Report Reveals The Landscape Of Cybersecurity In 2025

How a women’s initiative is collectively uplifting lives through art and community-based tourism.



From the street art to its bustling markets, the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre in the lively and vibrant neighborhood of Nyamirambo in Kigali, is a tourism drawcard.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Mary-Nyangoma-at-Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64311" style="width:738px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Mary-Nyangoma-at-Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Mary-Nyangoma-at-Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-byChanel-Retief-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Mary-Nyangoma-at-Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-byChanel-Retief-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Mary-Nyangoma-at-Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Mary-Nyangoma-at-Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-byChanel-Retief-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mary Nyangoma at Nyamirambo Woman’s Centre (Photo byChanel Retief)</figcaption></figure></div>


In one of the busy shops owned by the center selling clothes and bric-a-brac, you find the center’s project coordinator, Mary Nyangoma, who tells us how it all came to be.



The center was established in 2007 with 18 members – “women and girls” – with the aim of “empowering ourselves”.



“…because we all came from different backgrounds and, of course, from different parts of the country. But we happened to settle around this neighborhood, and then we decided to start a group,” says Nyangoma.



Some of the members at the time had not had the fortune of receiving a formal education.



“We started teaching them how to read and write, in our homes,” says Nyangoma.



It wasn’t until two women from Slovenia came to the country to report on women’s issues that they received their first donation to get the center up and running.



But they had to find other ways to make money before the funds dried up. Sharing their ideas, the founding members at the center considered acquiring other vocational skills to help generate income. “That’s when we got a chance [to] buy four sewing machines,” Nyangoma says. “We had somebody teaching us to use them, but we also started involving other women from the neighborhood… We started working with local authorities. They started recruiting women to join us for the courses, learning how to read and write and, after that, they could join the sewing course.”


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<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-1-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64310" style="width:543px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-1-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-1-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-1-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Nyamirambo Woman’s Centre (Photo by Chanel Retief)</figcaption></figure></div>


Over 6,000 women have trained at the center so far, with about 80% now self-employed. On the cards is an incubation training center.



The women’s center has managed to sustain its revenue, generated by the increasingly-popular tourism offerings at Nyamirambo. Using kitenge fabric, the women, who are trained and then work at the center, craft products ranging from children’s clothes to women’s accessories and home décor.



“Apart from that cooperative, the women’s center started thinking, ‘how can we make an income and keep the center open?’” Nyangoma explains as she takes FORBES AFRICA on a tour of the three sections at the center. In one, women are creating art and handicrafts; in another, there are girls (and some boys) learning different skills; and the final one houses the center’s library.



“This is where we started [and] are offering different activities in community-based tourism. [We] offer the walking tours – seeing the day-life [of ] people living in this neighborhood; we do a cooking experience – how we do it locally in our homes; basket weaving – how to make the baskets [and] sewing experiences and other stuff as well.



“The message is about working together and supporting each other, but also building a strong ecosystem.”



Gender equality and women’s empowerment are central to Rwanda’s vision for growth and progress.



In the e-mobility sector, for example, it is not uncommon to see female riders dominating the streets of Kigali, as opposed to other regions on the continent where there are more male drivers in the public transport system.



“We’re deeply committed to empowering women in the EV sector,” says Kaushik Burman, co-CEO of EV company, Spiro.



Right now, we’re seeing more and more female riders joining our network, which is something I’m incredibly proud of. We’ve set up initiatives like Spiro Academy that provide women with training and mentorship to break into technical and operational roles – areas that traditionally haven’t seen much female participation. It’s all about giving women the tools they need to build careers and independence while contributing to sustainable transportation across Africa.”



“A challenge I sometimes have [as] a female rider is when passengers question [my potential as] a rider,” Spiro rider, Blanche Dusengimana, laments to FORBES AFRICA.


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64309" style="width:614px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nyamirambo-Womans-Centre-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Nyamirambo Woman’s Centre (Photo by Chanel Retief)</figcaption></figure></div>


“I just respond by telling them that this is something I am passionate about. I show them what I have achieved as a business; how I have developed myself and how I provide for my family.”



The country has consistently been celebrated as a role model in gender equality. The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2023 has ranked Rwanda 12th out of 146 countries.



According to a report by USAID, women make up more than 60% of the Rwandan Parliament, and more than 50% of the President’s cabinet.



“I meet different kinds of people every day as a rider but when I mostly meet women… these are either women who want to be riders or don’t have anything to do with their day,” Dusengimana says. “The first thing I tell them or encourage them to do is not to look to someone else for money. I also help women get out of their comfort zone and become riders.”



At the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre, Nyangoma concurs: “Once the women and girls finish our programs, they can start their own businesses. “When I see women working together and supporting each other, I feel so strong, and I feel so happy that we are also growing up and bringing up our kids this way, so that tomorrow, they can stand here and do the same for others.”

Nyamirambo Woman’s Centre (Photo by Chanel Retief)-2-2

Leading Women Through Art And Tourism In Rwanda

South African Kwaito musician, Victor Bogopane, popularly known as Doc Shebeleza, passed away on Thursday morning. According to reports, the S&#8217;kumfete artist died at home.



<a href="https://twitter.com/tsheko2020/status/1877302658731577383">https://twitter.com/tsheko2020/status/1877302658731577383</a>



There is no confirmation as to the cause of the death but family spokesperson Shakes Mavundla told News24 that Bogopane, 51, had been undergoing medical treatment.



“He was going back on Monday in preparation for his second operation. He is survived by his mother, brother, sister and nine children,&#8221; added Mavundla.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Heartbreaking news: South African music legend Doc Shebeleza has sadly passed away after battling illness. His impact on the music industry and our hearts will never be forgotten. Deepest condolences to her family and fans!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPDocShebeleza?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIPDocShebeleza</a> <a href="https://t.co/7j5rc7BpwN">pic.twitter.com/7j5rc7BpwN</a>&mdash; TK_Nala (@NalaThokozane) <a href="https://twitter.com/NalaThokozane/status/1877342976600420491?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Considered a Kwaito music veteran and icon in the country, many took to social media to express how the artist contributed to the music industry. From the vibrant township of Soweto and growing up in a family that valued cultural expression, Bogopane’s music career began very early and he was able to introduce styles ranging from Kwaito to traditional South African music.



His songs such as S’kumfete, Ingagara, Ebumnandini, and Ghets Ghetsa are fan favorites in South Africa.



South African political party, African National Congress (ANC), said in a statement on Thursday that Bogopane’s loss is marked as a profound loss to the music industry and the nation as a whole.



“His contributions significantly shaped South Africa’s cultural landscape, providing a soundtrack to the lives of many during a transformative era in our country’s history,” ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said in the statement.

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Legendary South African Kwaito Artist Dies At 51

A recent global report by Inrix, which specializes in transportation analytics, highlighted that in 2024, residents of Cape Town in South Africa spent the most time on congested roads, with an average of 94 hours lost in traffic. The city ranked ninth in the world.



Istanbul in Turkey was the worst, as per the study, with an average of 105 hours lost in traffic last year.



According to the report, traffic congestion occurs when demand for road travel exceeds the supply of roadways. “As vehicular traffic builds, drivers, freight movers and bus riders lose time and spend fuel unproductively.”



In Africa, the majority of cities with the worst record is from South Africa, with commuters and motorists in Johannesburg losing 55 hours and Pretoria trailing with 45 hours.



This time lost due to congestion also leads to a disruption of the economy, with rising fuel costs adding to commuter woes.



South African roads are also seeing a rise in the number of accidents. The Road Traffic Management Corporation said in its State of Road Safety Report that a total of 2,818 fatalities were recorded between January and March 2024, compared to the 2,498 for the same period in 2023.



According to Budget Insurance and its vehicle accident claims data, between 2021 to 2023, drivers in Cape Town had the most car accidents of any city in South Africa. Reports indicate that the number of claims submitted to Budget Insurance increased by 36%.



“In addition to lost time, negative externalities like freight delay, inflationary pressure and environmental impact are generally exacerbated due to traffic congestion,” Inrix said in the recent report. “While not measured in this report, these externalities decrease our quality of life.”

Cape Town, South Africa, Heavy commuter traffic heading out of Cape Town along the N2 highway towards the airport.

The Mother City Ranked The Worst In Africa For Hours Lost In Traffic

Electric vehicles in Rwanda pave the way for rider-entrepreneurs and sustainable transport.



Motos – local lingo for motorbike taxis – are ubiquitous and a common sight in Rwanda, as they are in the rest of East Africa. A crucial lifeline of the economy, they mostly transport commuters and informal workers to and from work.



Blanche Dusengimana is also a contributor to this elaborate network of bikers, ferrying passengers, but on a Spiro, or an electric bike – another sign of the country’s march to embrace innovation in every way.



“I have always been passionate about motorbikes,” says Dusengimana, to FORBES AFRICA. For a year now, she has been a familiar sight on Kigali’s roads during rush hour. Her days start bright and early, as she sets out of her home with her keys, two helmets and signature Spiro rider bib. It’s 8PM by the time she is home again, when she would have served atleast 20 passengers on her daily drill. But this is what she has always wanted to do.


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dvsengmkna-Blanche-Photo-byChanel-Retief-2-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64171" style="width:752px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dvsengmkna-Blanche-Photo-byChanel-Retief-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dvsengmkna-Blanche-Photo-byChanel-Retief-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dvsengmkna-Blanche-Photo-byChanel-Retief-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dvsengmkna-Blanche-Photo-byChanel-Retief-2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dvsengmkna-Blanche-Photo-byChanel-Retief-2-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Spiro rider, Dvsengmkna Blanche (Photo by Chanel Retief)</figcaption></figure></div>


On the other side of town, a 20-minute drive away, 34-year-old rider Sekanabo Ignace, who is up from 5AM every day, puts the pedal to the metal to take a majority of his passengers to the markets to buy fresh produce.



Ignace tells FORBES AFRICA that the 15 years that he has been commuting people, he has always taken to the transport business like an entrepreneur – he gets to control his hours, knows which routes work best and, like Dusengimana, is deeply empowered and passionate about what he does.



Both riders own Spiro electric bikes, transporting about 2025 passengers every day and reaching around 200km, on average.



Part of the country’s Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy (GGCRS), Rwanda has invested in building efficient and resilient transport systems in the last decade. The conversion from fuel motors to electric vehicles is a key part of driving down emissions.



Spiro and Ampersand, both electric vehicle (EV) and transport companies in Africa, have fleets across Rwanda to not only assist the government with its sustainability mission but also empower riders in the country.


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BasiGo-driver-Rachidi-Rutayisire-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-2-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64170" style="width:714px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BasiGo-driver-Rachidi-Rutayisire-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BasiGo-driver-Rachidi-Rutayisire-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BasiGo-driver-Rachidi-Rutayisire-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BasiGo-driver-Rachidi-Rutayisire-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BasiGo-driver-Rachidi-Rutayisire-Photo-by-Chanel-Retief-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">BasiGo driver Rachidi Rutayisire (Photo by Chanel Retief)</figcaption></figure></div>


“Electric motorcycle drivers earn 45% more than with petrol bikes due to fuel and maintenance savings,” Ampersand states on its website. “They save 40% a year on fuel. The income they generate typically supports 4.6 people on average in Rwanda.”



Kaushik Burman, co-CEO of Spiro, says to FORBES AFRICA: “We’re focused on reducing emissions and supporting clean energy initiatives, aligning with Rwanda’s green growth strategy.”



“[But also] we don’t just hand over the keys and wave riders off. We are committed to supporting our riders with training that covers safety, vehicle maintenance, and smart battery use… It’s about setting our riders up for long-term success and helping them grow their careers. We’re here to make sure they feel supported, safe, and capable, no matter where their journey takes them. It’s a partnership that’s about more than just business — it’s about being a part of the country’s sustainable future.”



With a ‘time is money’ mentality, EV companies are also addressing financial inclusion in addition to digital transformation.



The EV bikes use batteries that take up to four hours to be charged. Instead of waiting for a battery to charge, at the battery-swapping stations that have been deployed, riders can use their MTN Mobile Money (MoMo) virtual card tap-and-go system, swap or exchange their empty batteries for a fully-charged one, and be back on the road in seconds.



“This saves so much time and money for the riders,” Burman adds. “One of the things I love about our tap-and-go payment system



is how it brings more people into the financial ecosystem. Accessibility and affordability are both an essential part of our plans for growth and development. For riders, especially women and those who might not have easy access to traditional banking, this technology is a game changer.”



To this end, and to ensure that riders can become part of the business, asset fintech company Watu assists potential drivers with the down payment of the bikes if they wish to become riders.



“These investments allow us to support the development of EV infrastructure and innovation while staying closely connected to the unique needs of the communities we serve,” Andris Kaneps, CEO at Watu Credit, tells FORBES AFRICA.


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Sekanabo-Ignace-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64172" style="width:726px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Sekanabo-Ignace-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Sekanabo-Ignace-Photo-byChanel-Retief-300x225.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Sekanabo-Ignace-Photo-byChanel-Retief-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Sekanabo-Ignace-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Sekanabo-Ignace-Photo-byChanel-Retief-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sekanabo Ignace at Spiro charging hub (Photo by Chanel Retief)</figcaption></figure></div>


“For instance, in Rwanda, we decided to finance electric motor- bikes exclusively, anticipating government policies favoring sustainable transportation.”



In Kigali, the uptake of EVs is not only massive but is also thriving. From the moment you leave the international airport precincts into the city, the roads are bombarded by swarms of motorbikes and ebikes with riders and pillion-riders.



Buses are also making the move from fuel to electric. In Kigali, leading the charge is bus company, BasiGo.



Responding to Rwanda’s urgent need to rev up public transport, BasiGo recognized that the surging cost of diesel was making it challenging for operators to expand their fleets.



BasiGo introduced bus operators and passengers to the R10 Rumuri in December 2023. It’s reportedly Kigali’s first 100% electric bus.



In a bustling and buzzing part of Kigali, Nyabugogo’s main bus park is home to hundreds of these buses. FORBES AFRICA meets up with BasiGo driver, Rachidi Rutayisire, who has been driving buses for about 15 years, but since the launch of BasiGo, has only driven electric buses and says it has been life-changing.



“I can never go back to petrol,” he laughs from behind his steering wheel. It is 3PM and he is preparing to drive his passengers home, but he is also saving time as he does not need to wait long hours to fuel up. “Do you know how much lighter and easier it is to ride this bus? I also now don’t have to go to the petrol stations. If any of my two batteries go flat, I just go to the battery-swapping stations,” he gushes. Come evening, it’s all in a day’s work as the people head home, the bikes and buses wind down and the city rumbles to a stop – until the next morning, when the engines of the economy will roar again.

Busiest Bus Park in Kigali (Photo by Muhire Adolphe)

Forward Momentum: This African Country Is Streets Ahead For Rider Innovation

We check out what&#8217;s brewing in one of Kigali&#8217;s hottest coffee spots. Also, about 80% of their farm workforce is women. 



As you step into Kivu Noir, in downtown Kigali, you’re instantly enveloped by the rich aroma of freshly- ground coffee that the lively baristas rustle up behind the counter.



One of Rwanda’s biggest success stories is agriculture. According to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the sector employs about 64.5% of the total population, contributing around 25% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64138" style="width:610px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Photo by Chanel Retief)</figcaption></figure></div>


And a major driving force in this sector is coffee.



“We don’t even serve food inside. If customers order food, they have to be seated outside because we do not want it to interfere with the smell of the coffee,” beams one of the baristas at Kivu Noir.



The coffee aroma lingers, even on the terrace of the restaurant, where a business meeting is in progress. At the other end of the balcony, people sit in rows hunched over their laptops, working, and sipping unique blends of African espresso and latte.



The café is built on the premise of a farm-to-table experience as all the coffee served is made from beans that come directly from a farmer near one of the African Great Lakes (around the Great Rift Valley in East and Central Africa). “Our coffee is grown and harvested from the volcanic shores of Lake Kivu at a small village called Nkora (the estate). The ripe cherries are wet-washed at Nkora, the oldest and largest washing station in Rwanda,” Kivu Noir Coffee’s Co-Founder, Kevin Mbundu, tells FORBES AFRICA.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-by-Muhire-Adolphe-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64139" style="width:572px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-by-Muhire-Adolphe-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-by-Muhire-Adolphe-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-by-Muhire-Adolphe-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-by-Muhire-Adolphe-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-by-Muhire-Adolphe-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Photo by Muhire Adolphe)</figcaption></figure></div>


“Our coffee benefits from an ideal growing environment, with lush green landscapes, abundant rainfall, and volcanic soils — conditions that are exceptionally suited to Arabica coffee production.”



This has allowed for a unique combination which, Mbundu says, enhances the coffee’s flavor profile, producing “a rich, full-bodied taste”.



But producing such coffee comes with its own challenges.



“[It’s] having to ensure that farmers consistently apply best practices for high-quality yields and manage the impact of prolonged dry seasons, which can reduce crop productivity,” Mbundu adds.



So how does Kivu Noir maintain quality control from farm to cup, given the diverse climates and terrains of African coffee regions?


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64140" style="width:393px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-byChanel-Retief-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-byChanel-Retief-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kivu-Nior-Photo-byChanel-Retief-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Photo by Chanel Retief)</figcaption></figure></div>


According to him, with Rwanda’s four-month Arabica coffee harvest cycle, they have to closely monitor and adjust production each year to ensure a fresh and reliable coffee supply across all their locations.



Visit Rwanda reports that about 95% of beans in the country are the high-quality Arabica varietal Bourbon, with a silky creamy body and hints of lemon and orange blossom, and a caramel aftertaste.



It adds that 450,000 small growers produce coffee across Rwanda, but that visits by tourists are primarily around Gisenyi, near the shores of Lake Kivu.



“Some farmers’ cooperatives and washing stations offer tours explaining the coffee process through the year,” Visit Rwanda reports. Coffee is an important source of income for small farmers in Rwanda. Also, most farms are at high altitudes of 1,700m to 2,000m. The coffee industry is also a great supporter of women’s empowerment. Mbundu says that about 80% of their farm workforce is women.



“This is a unique approach in an industry where much of coffee production has been industrialized, as seen in countries like Brazil and Indonesia,” he adds. The RDB states that the annual quantity of coffee produced in Rwanda ranges from 20,000 metric tons to 22,000 metric tons, further highlighting an increase in fully-washed and ordinary coffee export volumes and revenues every year. The major markets for Rwandan coffee, according to the RDB, are the United States, Europe (Switzerland, United Kingdom, Belgium, among others) and Asia (Singapore). It’s an industry that’s full of beans.

Kevin 2

Thanks A Latte: Sampling Rwanda’s Coffee Hub

Drone delivery and logistics company Zipline continues to make inroads for communities in the remote areas of Rwanda to access essential medical and agriculture supplies.



Over an hour’s drive outside the city of Kigali, if you happen to see a drone flying overhead, you must know that it has been launched from the Zipline facility in Muhanga, and is probably on its way to deliver a package to a remote village in Rwamagana in the Eastern Province of Rwanda.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Prosper-Uruvugundi-Partnership-Manager-at-Zipline-about-to-release-a-delivery-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64115" style="width:584px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Prosper-Uruvugundi-Partnership-Manager-at-Zipline-about-to-release-a-delivery-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Prosper-Uruvugundi-Partnership-Manager-at-Zipline-about-to-release-a-delivery-Photo-byChanel-Retief-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Prosper-Uruvugundi-Partnership-Manager-at-Zipline-about-to-release-a-delivery-Photo-byChanel-Retief-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Prosper-Uruvugundi-Partnership-Manager-at-Zipline-about-to-release-a-delivery-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Prosper-Uruvugundi-Partnership-Manager-at-Zipline-about-to-release-a-delivery-Photo-byChanel-Retief-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo by Chanel Retief</figcaption></figure></div>


Who will be receiving this package, you may ask? A farmer. And what is being delivered? Pig semen.



“To help increase the genetic diversity of pigs, farmers purchase pig semen and engage a veterinarian trained in artificial insemination,” states an article by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on quality livestock and breeding in Rwanda.



Zipline, a drone delivery and logistics company, has sought to simplify the pain and process of access, eliminating the need for farmers to drive long hours to buy pig semen and bring it back to their farms, oftentimes in an already compromised state.



“Healthy animals and insemination products delivered right on time means more nutritious animal proteins and products,” Prosper Uruvugundi, Partnerships Manager at Zipline, tells FORBES AFRICA, as he takes us past the refrigerators storing semen in the warehouse at Muhanga.



The storeroom features rows of shelves for medication and medical supplies, and cold rooms that store blood for both human and animal needs.



The process, while seemingly seamless, involves many important requisites, for example, the standard hospital or medical services’ delivery requests.



Uruvugundi says that once the order comes through via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, API, or on the Zipline app, the technician will start to process the order.



“This order is coming from Kayonza (from a smallholder farmer in the Eastern Province),” he says, pointing at a screen. “He has requested pig semen.”



Following a query for clarification, “Yes,” says Uruvugundi matter-of-factly.



“Chances are the farmer either has veterinarian training or one on site who will do the insemination.”



Another technician has already taken out a unit of the product and started the process of wrapping it up carefully. Zipline delivers many more products for farmers.



In 2022, Zipline partnered with the Government of Rwanda, which included the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), to up the delivery of both healthcare and animal care goods in the country.



That year alone, the Ministry of Agriculture reportedly delivered more than 500,000 doses of animal health vaccines and more than 8,000 units of swine semen to vets and farmers, using Zipline.



With access to animal husbandry products and an increased fertility rate, more pigs can be raised with a healthier genetic profile.



The company’s autonomous drones operate on optimized flight paths, which are calculated, based on real-time data to ensure swift and reliable deliveries.



Their operations are controlled by a central system that continuously monitors weather, traffic, and the healthcare and farming facility’s demand to coordinate multiple deliveries.



According to Pierre Kayitana, Zipline’s General Manager, this data-driven approach helps reduce response times, increase delivery precision, and ensure that supplies reach their destinations without delay.



“We’re also mindful of the local communities and ecosystems, using technology that minimizes noise and environmental disruption while maximizing the efficiency of each flight,” Kayitana tells FORBES AFRICA.



What started as an operation designed to deliver blood supplies and medicine to remote areas throughout Rwanda has now shaped itself into one that is using technology to tackle an entire ecosystem. “We’re actively scaling up to provide 100% coverage for all Rwandan health posts,” Kayitana says.



“[This ensures] that every community, no matter how remote, has access to essential medical supplies. Our focus in Rwanda will continue to grow, with plans to expand our range of delivered products, potentially incorporating new health solutions like malaria treatments.” As Uruvugundi takes the packaged semen from the ‘Ready to Fly’ post, places the box into the drone and locks it in, we ask how long it



would take for the package to reach the farmer. The flight engineer starts the process, calling in the launch to the control room, signaling it to begin. As the drone zooms past Uruvugundi, he smiles and says with surety: “It will not be more than an hour, maybe two.”

Prosper Uruvugundi, Partnership Manager at Zipline (Photo byChanel Retief)

Where Healthcare And Agritech Take Flight In Rwanda

Famously known as the land of a thousand hills, THE EAST AFRICAN COUNTRY OF RWANDA is buzzing with new energy. Over the last three decades, the country has made significant strides in multiple sectors, from agriculture to automation to infotech. On these pages, we offer a glimpse of the ideas and innovations powering a country on its path to becoming a middle-income economy.



It’s almost 8AM and the sun smiles be- nevolently over the verdant hills and valleys of Kigali. Acres of palm trees as far as the eyes can see line either side of a long and winding road ahead. The splendorous cityscapes slowly awaken to the busi- ness of life on a hot, humid morning in October, with not a hint of rain. But no matter what the elements ordain, the predictable hum of the mid-morning traffic and rush hour depicts a city readying to face the hustle and bustle of yet another day in the hilly country.



The tiny, landlocked East African nation of about 14 million people with its clean, secure and safe streets – it’s one of the safest countries in the world – has the highest population density in Africa, as per the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). 



But Rwanda has come a long way from the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi that claimed almost a million lives, and is marching towards sustain- able prosperity, aspiring to become a middle-income country by 2035. As President Paul Kagame, who has been widely credited for Rwanda’s recovery, alluded to during the 30-year commemoration of the genocide in April this year, it has been a long and tough journey, but the country has made “tremendous progress” working together. According to the World Bank, in 2023, Rwanda’s economy showcased resilience and adaptability, achieving a robust growth rate of 7.6% in the face of global monetary stringency, challenging financial conditions, and downturns in international trade.



The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently reported that despite challenging external conditions and ongoing fiscal consolida- tion, Rwanda’s economy maintains robust growth. “Rwanda’s growth momentum remained strong, notwithstanding the challenging ex- ternal environment,” the IMF’s Ruben Atoyan said in a statement in October 2024. “Real GDP is projected to grow by 8.3% in 2024, driven by strong performance of the services, and construction sectors, and recovery in food crop production.” FORBES AFRICA was on the ground in Rwanda to capture the re- covery, resilience and resolve of a country working hard for a better future in Africa.

Rwandans Mark 30th Anniversary Of Genocide

SPECIAL REPORT: The Land Of Hills, Heart And Hustle

Earlier this month, Benin-born artist Hubert Sodoganji, popularly known as Amémé, released his remix of five-time Grammy award-winning singer ⁠Angelique Kidjo’s 30-year-old iconic track Agolo. The significant cultural connection and collaboration, as both artists are from the West African nation of Benin, has allowed Sodoganji to house his distinct brand of Afro-house to the track, which for him emphasizes the importance of bridging generational gaps in music.



“Hubert or Amémé, what may we call you?”



“That’s a good question,” Sodoganji laughs in his hotel room in sunny Cape Town, South Africa, wearing a bright pink t-shirt, as he sits for a chat on Zoom with FORBES AFRICA. “Honestly, people just choose whatever they like, because Hubert is my first name, but it&#8217;s also like my European name. Amémé is my middle name given to me by my grandmother and it&#8217;s my African name. When I decided to go full-time into music, that’s when I knew that I was going to focus on something inspired by my African roots.”



Before gaining global recognition between 2019 and 2020, from Monday to Friday, Sodoganji worked in the finance sector, in banking, in New York City. On weekends, he honed in on his skills as a DJ playing gigs around the city.



That came to a stop when he decided to pursue his passion full-time, leaving his corporate job to integrate fully into the creative economy.



“A lot of people around me, including my extended family, were a bit confused,” he says. “They were like ‘you&#8217;re going to go and try something that is not stable when you have something stable already’.



“But for me, it was always about finding my true self. When I moved to New York, I went to school, I graduated, and I worked at a bank. And I moved up quite quickly throughout the ranks. So, I had a really good job but I was not there; there was always a void inside me.”



The early stages of the move to music involved bringing his African roots to the work he put out. The unique collaboration of chants, drums, African musical culture, impeccable selection, performance, and French house all came together to formulate the sound he was seeking.



“It&#8217;s like a spiritual thing. It belongs in you really,” he says. “You feel like it belongs to you. There&#8217;s a sense of identity that comes along with it. For me, music is an identity because when I think about African electronic music, and in our space, it just speaks to my soul.”



Sodoganji feels there is more work that he has done for the continent, especially when it comes to educating audiences globally on African sound. Growing up in Benin, Sodoganji says electronic music “was never a thing”.



Not any more, as according to the IMS Business Report by Mark Mulligan and MIDiA Research for IMS Ibiza 2024, the electronic music industry is now valued at $11.8 billion with revenue growth of 17% during 2023.



“A lot of people always ask me how I got into electronic music and it was because of my brother, because he went to Paris for school and came back and exposed me to the music,” Sodoganji says. “But I&#8217;m happy that I&#8217;m kind of also on a mission to bring a certain level of information to both sides. So, I get to share my West African heritage to the electronic music world.”



Sodoganji has released hit singles such as Pliva (in collaboration with Jaimie Jones), Power (with Kosmo Kint), and Wait for You (a single with Franc Fala), which has gained him attention in the electronic music space. &nbsp;



This is what gave him the courage to get his team to make contact with ⁠Angelique Kidjo’s team to see if there was a possibility for collaboration. They unfortunately could not accommodate Sodoganji at the time. It was only a year later when Kidjo sent him a direct message on Instagram requesting to speak more about a possible partnership.



“I could not believe it,” Sodoganji exclaims. “I was blown away.”



In 1994, Kidjo released Agolo which not only marked her debut in triple j&#8217;s Hottest 100 (at #99 in the 1994 countdown) but also earned her first Grammy nomination thanks to another eye-catching video.



“I loved working with Amémé on this brand-new version of Agolo,” Kidjo posted on X on Friday following the release of the remix. “This song holds such a special place in my heart, and giving it a second life 30 years later feels like a full circle moment! Thank you Amémé, you did an amazing job with this new version!”



“I always believe that history is a very critical part of our society because history allows us to know where we are from,” Sodoganji says. He believes that collaborations like this are important as they help bridge the generational gap but also serve as a reminder that African music was always great.



“African music has always been there. African music has always been dope. African music has always defined world music. Maybe back then, there was not enough light on it, but today, with technology, that’s not the case anymore.”



Sodoganji believes that the key to the continued success of African artists is through collaborations, which is why he would like to see more fusion between artists in the future, especially with Afrobeat artists coming into the Afro-house genre.



When asked what advice he would give to his younger self, he concludes: “I don&#8217;t think I would give myself advice, because I was naive enough to dream. Being able to dream and be naive can push you forward, because then you&#8217;re not jaded, you&#8217;re still able to dream and know that your dreams are possible.”



Any regrets leaving the corporate world?



Sodoganji laughs, “What do you think?”

Untitled design (16)

From Banker To Global DJ: ‘I Was Naïve Enough To Dream’, Says Benin Artist On Afro-House Music And Working With Five-Time Grammy-Winning Artist Angelique Kidjo

It has been a decade since the foot-tapping beats and vibrant culture of Amapiano became one of Africa’s most popular music genres. In recent years, it has been the toast of the global music scene as well, as African artists continue to release hits that dominate the charts worldwide.



And 2024 has set the record straight for the rising popularity of the genre.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;



On streaming site, Spotify, Nigerian artist David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, and South African artist Musa Makamu (Musa Keys), hit the number one spot for Unavailable, the most-streamed song this year. The Amapiano number garnered over 183 million streams on Spotify and over 123 million views on YouTube.



In second place was viral favorite, Tshwala Bam, a remix by South African producers, Thato Mathobela (TitoM), Bongani Sibanyoni (Yuppe) and S.N.E (Sinenhlanhla Sibanyoni), but now featuring Nigerian Grammy award-winning artist, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy. The remix gained 50 million streams on Spotify and just over 30 million views on YouTube. It seems to have enjoyed the most success on TikTok, where, according to reports, the remix received over 1.4 billion views.



According to a report by Wallaroo Media, 60% of TikTok users are Gen Z, a generation typically defined as people born between the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2010s. In 2024, they would be between the ages of 12-27 years old. Furthermore, the Wallaroo Media report assessed that “Gen Zers are trendsetters; next year, 74 million people in the U.S. will be part of Gen Z, which will make it the largest generation of all.”



With Africa’s bulging youth dividend, it’s easy to see how this generation has amplified Amapiano music.



&#8220;Amapiano has become one of the defining sounds of 2024, captivating global audiences with its hypnotic blend of house music, soulful melodies, and the unmistakable spirit of South Africa&#8217;s township,” Phiona Okumu, Head of Music at Spotify Sub-Saharan Africa, tells FORBES AFRICA. “Tracks like Tshwala Bam and Mnike are lighting up dancefloors worldwide, and this genre&#8217;s unstoppable rise is a testament to its prolific producers and passionate fans who keep it fresh, vibrant, and innovative.”



Okumu says that Gen-Z listeners in the U.K. alone have spent over 82 million hours streaming Amapiano, while fans in Mexico clocked 4 million hours; in Spain, it was 6 million hours, and Japan followed with more than 2 million.



“Amapiano is not just a genre; it’s South Africa’s number one cultural export, a movement that continues to inspire and evolve,” adds Okumu.

AfroFuture Festival 2023 Takes Place In Accra

10 Years Of Amapiano: Davido, Musa Keys, S.N.E, TitoM, Yuppe And Burna Boy Dominate The South African Music Genre In 2024, Mostly Thanks To Gen Zs

It has been 30 years since the release of the cinematic classic, The Lion King. It has been 27 years that it has been playing on stage at the Minskoff Theatre in Broadway, New York. The legacy continues with the release of Mufasa: The Lion King, the prequel to the 2019 live-action version of The Lion King. South African actor Dr John Kani, who reprises his role voicing for Rafiki the mandrill, and Kagiso Lediga, who played the mandrill in the live-action film, reveal more to FORBES AFRICA.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/GettyImages-2189455823.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-63981" style="width:686px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/GettyImages-2189455823.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/GettyImages-2189455823-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/GettyImages-2189455823-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> The world premiere of Disney&#8217;s Mufasa: The Lion King at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on December 09, 2024. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)</figcaption></figure></div>


“When they first released the first animation of The Lion King, that had everybody glued,” South African actor and author, Dr John Kani tells FORBES AFRICA. “We had to watch it 89 times because the kids kept saying, ‘I want to watch The Lion King’.”



Chatting to FORBES AFRICA just days before the release of Mufasa: The Lion King, Kani says the animated film is deeply rooted in being African as it teaches audiences about the gift of hearing stories from your elders. In the movie, Rafiki relays the legend of Mufasa to lion cub Kiara (played by Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy), the daughter of Simba and Nala.


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="554" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LKP-T2-00086893-1024x554.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-63983" style="width:656px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LKP-T2-00086893-1024x554.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LKP-T2-00086893-300x162.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LKP-T2-00086893-768x415.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LKP-T2-00086893-1536x830.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LKP-T2-00086893.jpg 1998w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Rafiki (voiced by John Kani) in Disney’s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.</figcaption></figure></div>


“In&nbsp;2019, we did the CGI (computer generated imagery) version, which was more technically advanced,” Kani says. “And when I got the call from the director, Barry Jenkins, that ‘we&#8217;re doing The Lion King again, but this time, it&#8217;s a prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King; and would you voice Rafiki again’, I thought ‘what an honor, what an incredible moment for me’.”



“The pressure of [being asked to come and play Rafiki], the iconic-ness of it all,” exclaims South African actor and comedian Kagiso Lediga. “But I also feel like it&#8217;s part of this collective human [race]. From the past 30 years, people who grew up in the 1990s, people who have had children, who&#8217;ve watched it, they&#8217;ve put their children to sleep [with it]. It&#8217;s almost, I don&#8217;t want to say religion, but it&#8217;s [almost like it]. It&#8217;s got its subculture of people.”



Related in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a lion named Taka — the heir to a royal bloodline. The meeting then allows for “an extraordinary group of misfits to search for their destiny”.



Director Jenkins says that he saw this film as an opportunity to ground Mufasa — to show that the character was not born perfect.



“In The Lion King, when Mufasa looks up to the heavens and you see all the great kings, we assume that they were all just born great… He was not born wealthy. He was not born entitled. He was just someone with a family who lost that family,” Jenkins says. “Then faith and fortune and luck gave him a new family that he learned from and built with. He wasn’t given a damn thing — he earned all of it through learning, through being one with his environment, through caring for others.”



For Kani, the film emphasizes the emotional connection between generations and the need for young people to understand their roots. Highlighting the story of Mufasa, it also showcases the bond of family. Kani stresses the importance of relationships and understanding diverse cultures, and that this is what he believes people will relate to when watching Mufasa: The Lion King.


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="554" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/007_FB_2270_comp_v0841_R_1046_1_22_2-1024x554.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-63984" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/007_FB_2270_comp_v0841_R_1046_1_22_2-1024x554.jpeg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/007_FB_2270_comp_v0841_R_1046_1_22_2-300x162.jpeg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/007_FB_2270_comp_v0841_R_1046_1_22_2-768x415.jpeg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/007_FB_2270_comp_v0841_R_1046_1_22_2-1536x830.jpeg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/007_FB_2270_comp_v0841_R_1046_1_22_2.jpeg 1998w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> Rafiki (voiced by John Kani) and Kiara (voiced by Blue Ivy-Carter). Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.</figcaption></figure></div>


“One of the greatest threats in our modern society is the disappearance of family. Children do not grow up with grandparents they can rely on and confide [in] when faced with challenges,” Kani adds. “To get a story like this where the role of elders is still critical in passing on to the next generation… This is what people will relate to when watching this great epic Mufasa: The Lion King. That they will need to go home and ask mom; ‘tell me more about your family, who was your mother, what was your father.’… &nbsp;You will feel like you will need a moment of sharing the past, the present, and how we go to the future.”



Lediga says that he would like audiences to feel what he felt the first time, in 1994, when he watched The Lion King at Sterling cinema. He recalls how he was on a date and how for the first time, as Apartheid had just ended, as a Black man, he could walk into a cinema and watch a film. He went to a different cinema house in Durban a few weeks later and watched the film again.



“Look at it like this, you’ve got this great script, you’ve got this great iconic character, and it was very important to just honor that. You need to live in that, in the present of it all,” Lediga says, recalling the days leading up to the production of the project. “Take that script to where it&#8217;s meant to go and further. And I guess that&#8217;s the job I had. If the audiences can watch this, and if I could make audiences feel the way the original film made me feel, the original Rafiki made me feel, then, I&#8217;m happy, then it&#8217;s Christmas!”

South African Premiere Of Mufasa The Lion King

‘The Iconic-ness Of It All’: South African Actors On Playing Their Part In The Prequel Of The Much-Beloved Disney Classic That You Can Watch Again And Again And Again    

Scams during the festive season are the most lucrative for criminals, according to experts. How can customers ensure that they don’t fall prey during the holiday season and into 2025?



As the festive season continues, experts have warned consumers that although it is a time to be merry and jolly, it’s also when South Africans could face a heightened risk of becoming victims to a variety of scams.



“Certain scams are seasonal in nature, and the scammers take advantage of that opportunity to maximize their returns during those periods,” Nazia Karrim, Head of Product Development at the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service tells FORBES AFRICA.



“And of course, the festive season is particularly lucrative, taking into account all the activity that takes place during this time.”



Jemaine Manikus, CEO of Latita Africa, which offers business and consulting services, further states that people tend to be more relaxed at this time of year and to let their guard down, making them easy targets.



“It opens up opportunities for fraudsters to exploit and this is done via people just manipulating things or systems that they’ve gained confidence in, believing that these requests for information come from reliable and trustworthy sources when, in fact, it’s a potential scam artist on the other side,” he explains.



The highest increase in fraud during the festive season will likely be through online shopping. According to Karrim, during Black Friday, that already reflected the highest increase in volume and the incidents reported by victims were primarily associated with the purchasing of goods and services online.



She also noted that scams like vacation deals, where a customer would see a deal for a holiday online and click the link, and donation scams (fake charities) are the most prevalent during this time.



However the most unfortunate is that of scams of a personal nature.



“These are also known as lonely heart scams,” Karrim adds.



“A lot of the people who maybe have lost family members, who may not be living close to their family members [or] maybe looking for people to spend time with – the scammers here will make themselves available.”



Karrim says that statistics have shown that 15% of the victims meet their scammers face-to-face at some point. Some of this also stems from online dating, which is very popular in terms of inciting fraudulent behaviour.



“They may have chosen to just contact somebody online, speak to them, talk to them over the festive season, and discuss some things. And, in this case, they fall victim from a romance scams perspective, looking for that companionship,” she says.



So how can people ensure that they don’t fall victim to any of these scams?



“Don’t think for a moment that you’re too clever to be outsmarted by them; they are masters at getting you to do what they want because they’ve practiced on thousands of others before you,” says Manikus.



He explains that anyone asking for information via SMS and unsolicited emails which aren’t secure should be your first red flag. For example, credible institutions, like banks, have applications with which they use to communicate to customers.



“It is critical that we avoid offering information on any scale to anybody that calls us if it’s not something that we can verify ourselves. And I think just avoid anybody calling you and kind of creating this perception that they are the authority on the other side, and they need to get information,” he adds.



Karrim further states that it is also a mindset shift. Many people do not think beyond the scam and how it could affect those around them.



A scenario she paints is when people walk through crowded streets with their phones in their hand or ask strangers to take photographs of their memorable holiday moments. The risk is that the device can be stolen, compromising personal information, social media accounts, and of course, finances.



However, data like contact lists are also compromised.



“This will harm you, yes, but also your loved ones, and any of the associated people that are linked to your device on your contact list, on your emails list. Your device is compromised; you are then helping facilitate the expansion of potentially new targets for that scammer,” Karrim adds.



Customers are also encouraged to take care of the applications they download, where they download them from, and which security settings change once they have downloaded these third-party applications.



Karrim encourages users to always read the terms and conditions – it’s an easy thing to not do but she says, in the long run, it will bring more cheer this holiday season.



“What we need to start practicing is what we call active awareness,” she adds.



“And that is speaking to a change in our behaviors and habits. It speaks to being proactive and employing due diligence and staying alert, being mindful of what we do when we do it, what we share, how we share it, and who we share it with. ‘Who are we choosing to trust with our information? And can those people be trusted to keep it safe?’”



This vigilance needs to continue into 2025. The reality is that cybercrime remains one of the top three scams that occur in South Africa and, due to the continued shift from traditional habits to an increased reliability on technology, this crime may grow in the New Year.



In January alone, Karrim predicts that registration scams, where students have to pay a registration fee to their tertiary education institution, will increase and loan scams will become more prevalent.



“The primary thing you need to keep at the back of your head is, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.



“I think what’s important to note is, when you find yourself having a situation where you think you’ve been [defrauded],” Manikus &nbsp;adds, “that you follow the general steps to ensure that it safeguards you from any continued fraud by going in and reporting this to the relevant institution.”

Man with smartphone and credit card near Christmas tree

Festive Fraud In South Africa: How To Avoid Being Scammed This Season

Monday marked the last day of 16 days of activism in the country. While the campaign was designed to raise awareness of the negative impacts of violence and abuse on women and children, experts, activists, and researchers believe that more, especially at the private sector level, can be done to mitigate and eradicate it.



“I’m not entirely sold on the whole idea of 16 days,” Advocate Bernadine Bachar, director at the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children in Cape Town says, adding, “Because it is an easy pass for policymakers and politicians to say we&#8217;re going to be concentrating on gender-based violence for 60 days and then kind of revisit it a year later.”



In December 2024, the South African Police Services (SAPS) and activism social media group, Women For Change released the 2023/2024 crime stats, identifying that femicide had surged by 33.8% in one year. According to SAPS 5,578 women were murdered between April 2023 and March 2024, a hike from 4,169 women in 2022/2023.



The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Gender &amp; Health Research Unit also released a report in October stating that 60% of women murdered in 2020/21 were killed by an intimate partner, an increase from previous years.



The report further noted that convictions had also dropped, with fewer than one in five intimate partner femicide cases resulting in a sentence. The study shows that a woman’s chance of receiving justice significantly decreased, with more cases of unidentified perpetrators.



“Femicide is preventable. Yet, in South Africa, reports of another femicide have become the new normal.&nbsp;We must address this crisis with urgency, especially given the sharp rise in intimate partner femicide during the pandemic,” Professor Naeemah Abrahams, Chief Specialist Scientist at the SAMRC Gender &amp; Health Research Unit said in the report.



“The fact that conviction rates are so low, and the number of unsolved cases is growing, should be a resounding call to improve our justice system’s response to gender-based violence.”



Bachar says that this also has a dire effect on the economy.



“Gender-based violence and its impact on survivors has an impact on the economy when it comes to our health system, our police system, our workforce, our children and their placements in schools and ability to carry on with their schooling. It affects every aspect of a woman’s life. And if we don’t get to grips with eradicating [it], we are going to be damning the next generation to be sitting exactly where we’re sitting at the moment.”



KMPG has estimated in their Too Costly to ignore –&nbsp;the economic impact of gender-based violence in SA report that the economic impact of that violence is between at least ZAR28.4 billion ($1.5 billion) and ZAR42.4 billion ($2.3 billion) in 2013, representing 0.9% and 1.3% of GDP respectively.



GBV researcher Gorata Chengeta states that although she agrees that the monetary value of it is there, there are also costs that cannot be quantified.



“As someone whose research and work is focused on the experiences of survivors and what happens after GBV, it’s really important to remember the human cost of GBV to people’s individual lives, which cannot be quantified in monetary terms, but also the conversations about the economic impact are also related to that human cost,” Chengeta tells FORBES AFRICA.



Although there have been initiatives and programs from corporates that are centered on assistance regarding GBV, the question remains – is there more that can be done?



Experts believe that agency and urgency can help elevate the problem, especially when it comes to the involvement of the private sector.



Ngaa Murombedzi is the Southern Africa Regional Advocacy and Policy Manager at AIDS Healthcare Foundation. She highlights that the intersection between GBV and HIV in South Africa needs to be confronted and says that it starts with policy.



“Private sector companies can have clear policies that speak against gender-based violence within the workspace; this looks like providing a safe environment for employees that encourages reporting any form of abuse without fear of retaliation,” she tells FORBES AFRICA.



“We know that stigma and discrimination continue to be the biggest contributing factors around gender-based violence and its perpetuation within our society in South Africa.”



Institutions like the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children have served 276,000 women and children over the last 25 years, and have offered job skills, entrepreneurial training, and psychosocial support.



However, Bachar notes that the unemployment rate is a lone indicative of how costly GBV is to the country.



“What the private sector can do is work with those of us that are in in the gender sector to perhaps free up 100 entry-level jobs,” Bachar adds.



“Let’s talk to supermarkets [for example], free up entry-level jobs for GBV survivors that are coming out of shelters; we can then start moving these women through the shelter system into jobs that can be empowering to them to actually put food on the table, get a sense of self-worth [and] move away from violence and the perpetrator.”



It been referred to as something that is paramount to a “pandemic that is crippling society, depriving women and children of their right to be safe and continue with their daily lives without fear of being murdered or raped, if not both” by South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa.



“The private sector often has resources to support other causes. They have corporate social responsibility causes and something practical that they can do with that money right now is to invest in funding shelters that support survivors and victims of domestic violence, because at the moment, there is a shortage of funding, and it’s a sector that does a lot of very important work,” Chengeta concludes.

Chanel Retief

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA