Social media has become a popular platform for political debates globally. In recent weeks, social media discourses in several African countries have been framed as a concern for national security and a conduit for misinformation. In Nigeria, the Senate recently advanced a bill requiring that major social media companies, such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok, establish physical offices within Nigeria to enhance accountability and tax compliance. In Uganda, some TikTokers are currently awaiting trial for charges of hate speech against the First Family. Meanwhile, in Chad, the opposition leader and former Prime Minister, Succès Masra, is being accused of using social media posts to incite herders and farmers against each other.

The recent meeting between President Ramaphosa and President Trump featured discussions on bilateral trade relations, the upcoming G20 meeting, and security concerns in the DRC and Rwanda, as well as Trump’s concerns about racial and land politics in South Africa. The meeting leveraged sports diplomacy as a soft landing for tensions experienced between the two countries in recent weeks. Ramaphosa later hosted a media briefing, describing the engagement as fruitful.

• The just-concluded Cape Town International Jazz Festival marked a historic milestone as the first women-led edition in its 22-year history, reflecting the rising leadership of women in Africa’s creative industry.
• Toronto Raptors President and Vice-Chairperson, Masai Ujiri, recently spoke to the Toronto Star about the upcoming Giants of Africa 2025 program in Kigali, Rwanda. The program is a fusion of camps targeting mentorship, sports, education, and culture for African youth.
• Idrissa Nassa, the President of Burkina Faso’s Coris Bank International,  has been named African CEO of the Year at the 2025 Africa CEO Forum. The annual gathering brings together Africa’s business and political leaders to explore how private-public partnerships can accelerate the continent’s economic transformation.
• Prof. Zubairu Wai paid a glowing tribute to the late Prof. V. Y. Mudimbe, praising his dedication to advancing the knowledge of African systems of thought. The video version is available on Codesria’s YouTube Channel.

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Image: President Cyril Ramaphosa during a State Visit in London, UK. 23 November 2022. Photo credit: Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street, United Kingdom - Open Government Licence v3.0

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