Kenyan women move under the bonnet as EVs take off
September 18, 2026
Kenya’s electric motorcycle boom is pulling women into the repair, battery and fleet jobs needed to keep the new vehicles on the road.
Changing the narrative on Africa.
Changing the narrative on Africa.
Kenya’s electric motorcycle boom is pulling women into the repair, battery and fleet jobs needed to keep the new vehicles on the road.
Increasing time demands and the challenge of reaching learners beyond traditional classrooms is pushing educators across the continent to turn to artificial intelligence to plan courses, generate learning materials, and support students outside of class. Nigeria may be leading the way.
Textile plants, mines and export zones are building their own electricity systems, creating a growing role for independent producers as African factories seek to avoid disruptions that can throttle production.
Africa’s film industry is expanding opportunities for women to work behind the camera. As Rwandan Nailla Simbi transitions from editing to directing, she carves out a spot in the technical side of filmmaking.
##Developed to address the shortage of digital data for African languages, the award-winning open-source TextAugment software has travelled far beyond the continent, supporting language-technology research from Swahili and Arabic to Uzbek.
Starlink’s direct-to-phone model removes the satellite dish from the cost of connecting Africa’s hardest-to-reach users. Mobile operators can now extend satellite connectivity to existing smartphones without requiring customers to buy new equipment.
Across Africa, a university degree does not always translate into the skills needed to find work. In Nigeria, Chibuike Aguene has developed an AI platform to assist young people in bridging that gap.
India’s EV expansion into Africa is becoming a strategic challenge to China’s early dominance of the continent’s electric mobility market. From Kenya and Malawi to Tanzania, Zanzibar and South Africa, Indian manufacturers are combining exports, public transport projects, local assembly plans and trade diplomacy to build a competing EV ecosystem across Africa.
Improvements in generative artificial intelligence are being made every day but misinformation is on the rise too. Tools developed and trained in Africa by Africans are now assisting journalists and the general public in distinguishing between true and fake information. Monsur Hussain and his team are at the forefront of a quest to check fake info at the door.
From Spotify’s Greasy Tunes residency in Nairobi to Nyashinski’s Showman production and new jazz residencies in Lagos, music discovery and experience in Africa is increasingly moving beyond the app. Streaming platforms, artists, and promoters are merging live performance, creator development, and community engagement to build deeper connections between artists and audiences.