Author: WAJ Reporter

Arjun Menon, a prominent figure in Malawian cricket, passed away on Saturday night. According to a statement by the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS), the 48-year-old was brutally murdered at his home. However, local police have not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident. MNCS CEO Dr. Henry Kamata stated that Menon’s contributions to the sport were “immense and far-reaching,” and that he had played a “pivotal role” in the growth and success of the national team. In a message shared on social media, Dr. Kamata commented on the incident with the following words: “We strongly condemn this…

The semi-finalists of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations have been determined. These four teams have also secured direct qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Last year’s champions, Senegal, were eliminated by Nigeria. The match ended 0-0 in regular time, but Nigeria advanced to the next round after winning 3-1 in the penalty shootout. In another match of the day, Ghana faced Egypt. The game ended in a 2-2 draw. Ghana had fallen behind 2-0 early in the match but managed to come back and equalize in the final moments. During extra time, Ghanaian player Aaron Essel received a…

Cassava Technologies, a global technology leader of African heritage, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zindi, Africa’s largest network of data scientists. The main focus of this MoU will be the delivery of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS). Through this partnership, Africa’s digital transformation will accelerate. Zindi will be able to utilize Cassava’s GPUaaS infrastructure for AI solution development. Both organizations are committed to fostering AI talent and innovation across Africa. With this agreement, Cassava Technologies and Zindi plan to make the continent one of the world’s leading regions in AI. Previously, Cassava had launched its…

In 2019, Mostafa El Beltagy co-founded Nawy, a platform that made the real estate sector in Egypt more transparent and efficient. Today, Nawy is positioning itself as the largest proptech platform on the continent. In a Series A funding round led by Partech Africa, Nawy raised $52 million. Additionally, the round included $23 million in debt financing from Egypt’s top banks, bringing the total to $75 million. Challenges in the Market Led to the Founding of Nawy When El Beltagy first entered the sector, he encountered various challenges: “The only way to understand what was available in the market was…

Jose Riveiro, who has achieved significant success in the South African League, is now reportedly very close to joining a new team. Following Orlando Pirates’ elimination from the Nedbank Cup, the club has granted the Spanish coach permission for an early departure. This was the first time Riveiro had lost a final in his career. CLUB CONFIRMS DEPARTURE Pirates issued an official statement confirming his exit: “Orlando Pirates can confirm that head coach Jose Riveiro will be on the bench for the final time when the team hosts Golden Arrows on Tuesday evening.” “The club has granted coach Riveiro an…

A season that began like a dream is now dangerously close to ending without a single trophy. Orlando Pirates had managed to progress in all major competitions: the South African Premier Division, the CAF Champions League, and the Nedbank Cup. However, in recent weeks, their hopes in each of these tournaments have faded one by one. First, they were knocked out of Africa’s biggest competition, the CAF Champions League, after losing 3-2 on aggregate to Egypt’s strong side, Pyramids FC, in the semi-finals. Then, on Sunday, they suffered another blow—this time in the Nedbank Cup final—losing 2-1 to their archrivals,…

The quarter-final matches of the AFCON U20 tournament will be played today. The four winners will earn direct qualification to the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The tournament, held every two years, was last won by Senegal in 2023. Today, they will face Nigeria. Nigeria, the most successful team in the history of the U20 AFCON, has won the title a record seven times, firmly establishing themselves as a continental powerhouse. Ahead of the match, Nigeria’s head coach Aliyu Zubairu stated: “This is like a final,” “We know what to expect. It’s a big match for both teams because the winner…

Shukri Conrad, who is the head coach of South Africa’s Test cricket team, will now also take charge of the national sides in ODI and T20 formats. Having led the Test team since early 2023, Conrad has delivered an impressive performance, guiding the team to this year’s World Test Championship final. South Africa will face Australia in the final. Conrad’s new role sees him become the all-format head coach of the Proteas, with his contract running until 2027. Previously, Rob Walter was in charge of the ODI and T20 teams. Walter successfully guided South Africa to the semi-finals of the…

The final group stage matches of the AFCON U20 tournament will be played today. Based on the outcomes of these matches, the quarter-final pairings will be determined. In yesterday’s matches, Ghana secured a 1-0 victory over the Central African Republic and advanced as group leaders. Senegal also performed strongly, defeating the Democratic Republic of Congo 2-0 to finish second in the group. Senegal will face Nigeria in the quarter-finals. Today’s matches will decide the final two quarter-finalists. Depending on the results, any two of the four remaining teams can progress to the next round. Tanzania, which has not earned a…

The Deep Tech Summit was held at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Benguerir, Morocco. The two-day event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, academics, and policymakers from over 50 countries. The main goal of the summit was to highlight how artificial intelligence is shaping technology and to encourage Africa to take a more active role in this transformation. The program featured more than 60 sessions covering topics ranging from cybersecurity to the green economy. It also included reverse pitches, where investors had to convince startups, and experimental formats aimed at promoting real-world solutions. Yassine Laghzioui, CEO of UM6P Ventures, emphasized the…

One of South Africa’s biggest clubs, Orlando Pirates, has reached an agreement with Sihle Nduli, one of the standout performers of the season from Stellenbosch FC. The defensive midfielder had also attracted interest from Kaizer Chiefs, but Pirates managed to convince the player to join them, pulling off a transfer coup over their rivals. Nduli’s current contract will expire on June 30, after which the deal will be made fully official. In addition, Pirates are reportedly looking to offload striker Zakhele Lepasa, who has not made a single appearance this season. The forward is expected to return to his former…

Papa Mustapha Daniel, who currently plays for Nigerian club Niger Tornadoes, is reportedly close to securing a move to Swiss side Young Boys. The 23-year-old midfielder was recently called up to the Nigerian national team by head coach Eric Chelle. Although he remained on the bench during those matches, he has continued to attract interest from European clubs. Daniel, who operates primarily as a central midfielder, previously had a stint with Turkish side Adanaspor. However, due to unpaid wages, he terminated his contract with the club and returned to the Nigerian Professional Football League, where he briefly played for Sporting…

After failing to secure promotion from the Championship, West Bromwich Albion was planning to revamp its squad. For this reason, the club was initially considering parting ways with Nigerian international Semi Ajayi. However, they have reportedly changed their minds and are now set to offer the player a one-year contract extension. Ajayi, who has been with West Brom since 2019, played a key role in helping the team gain promotion to the Premier League. However, the club failed to maintain its top-flight status and was relegated back to the Championship the following season. During this period, Ajayi struggled with injuries…

Nigeria is poised to lead the digital trade revolution across the African continent through the $3 trillion market of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). As the sixth most populous country in the world, Nigeria has the potential to carry out this ambitious project. This vision for Nigeria was shared by the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, during the opening address of the “Nigeria AfCFTA Hackathon 2025.” “Nigeria’s 200 million population and entrepreneurial spirit will enable it to lead this transformation,” Inuwa said, describing the adoption of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol as…

At the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, two major matches will take place today. Ahead of the quarterfinals, the teams advancing from the group stage will be determined based on the matches played today and tomorrow. In previous fixtures, Nigeria and Kenya drew 2-2, while Morocco defeated Tunisia 3-1. As a result, Morocco topped Group B with 7 points, and Nigeria advanced as the second-placed team with 5 points. Tunisia, with 3 points, and Kenya, with 1 point, were eliminated from the tournament. Today, matches from Group C will be played. In the clash between the Democratic Republic of Congo…

Through its development investment arm, the Fund for Export-Development in Africa (FEDA), Afreximbank has announced the establishment of the Africa Film Fund. It is stated that the fund could reach a value of up to 1 billion dollars. Thanks to this substantial amount, the film industry in Africa could undergo a profound transformation. At the CANEX Weekend (CANEX WKND 2024) event held in Algiers, Algeria in October 2024, Afreximbank Group had pledged to establish a private equity film fund. The current initiative is a continuation of that commitment. African Films Are Set to Become a Global Brand The fund will…