Month: March 2021

Universal Music Group, Boomplay expand license to 47 African countries

Post author By Kings UBA
Post date March 17, 2021

Sipho Dlamini – CEO, Universal Music Group South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa

Universal Music Group, Boomplay expand license to 47 African countries

New licensing agreement will significantly boost the availability of UMG’s African and International repertoire to music fans across Africa ; New markets include South Africa, Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon and Senegal; with UMG catalog now also widely available across French-speaking territories for first time.

Boomplay (www.Boomplay.com), the leading music streaming and download service based in Africa and Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, today announced a new landmark licensing agreement that will extend licensing of UMG’s global music catalog from 7 to 47 countries across the African continent, as part of an extended relationship that will benefit African musicians and talent and expand the listening experience for Boomplay users across Africa.

In 2018, UMG became the first major global music company to license music to the service, which has continued to grow its audience reach and influence across Africa in recent years. Boomplay’s catalog currently stands at more than 50 million tracks and it boasts the largest repertoire of local African content globally, with 50million monthly active users (MAU). The renewal and expansion of this licensing deal with UMG, will enable African music fans across the continent to experience the best in both domestic African and International talent.

As one of the first entrants in Africa, Boomplay has been at the forefront of the music streaming market since 2015 and has a deep understanding of the local market. Now the leading African platform, in December 2020, Boomplay surpassed the 100 million app downloads milestone on Google Play. During this time, Boomplay has supported numerous African artists, across a variety of projects, including: The “concert of the year” – which saw UMG-signed Nigerian singer songwriter Tiwa Savage shut down Lagos with her debut performance of 49-99 and saw Boomplay invest in the first-ever documentary film focused on the history of Afrobeats.

Boomplay also gave away 250 million megabytes of data to users free of charge, so they could stream music online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Boomplay and UMG East Africa held conferences that brought together industry stakeholders to find ways of growing and supporting the African music community even further, as highlighted by Boomplay’s announcement to commit $1 million to support up-and-coming artists from the continent.

This agreement underscores UMG’s ongoing commitment to support and grow Africa’s domestic music ecosystems, while also creating new opportunities for Pan-African talent to reach new audiences domestically, regionally and around the world.

Over the past 5 years, UMG has taken a holistic approach to expanding operations across the continent, opening new divisions in Nigeria, as well as becoming the first major music company to establish divisions in Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon and Morocco alongside UMG’s longstanding operations in South Africa. This presence will continue to grow throughout 2021 and beyond, as UMG continues to further extend the company’s ability to support domestic artists on the ground across Africa and globally.

Boomplay users will now have access to UMG’s extensive catalog of both local and global recording artists and labels including: Tiwa Savage (Nigeria), Nasty C (SA), Mi Casa (SA), Sauti Sol (Kenya), Cassper Nyovest (SA), Toofan (Togo), Tekno (Nigeria), Suspect 95 (Côte d’Ivoire), Brenda Fassie (SA), Tenor (Cameroon), Black Coffee (SA), Dena Mwana (DRC), Singuila (DRC), Locko (Cameroon), Hugh Masekela (SA), Charlotte Dipanda (Cameroon), Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania), Alpha P (Nigeria), Tomi Owo (Nigeria), Cysoul (Cameroon), Major League Djz (SA), Fior De Bior (Côte d’Ivoire), Larry Gaaga (Nigeria), Prince Kaybee (SA) alongside international artists from the world’s largest music catalog including: Da Baby, Drake, Lil Baby, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Stevie Wonder, Billie Eilish, Booba, Dadju, Tasha Cobbs, Niska, Lionel Richie, Rihanna, Motown’s Catalog and Bob Marley.

UMG’s African Labels will also be supported under the new agreement including: Def Jam Africa, the continent’s first label dedicated entirely to the best in African hip-hop, afrobeat and trap music which launched in five countries in 2020, Motown Gospel Africa, AI Records, Afroforce1 and other distributed labels including: Kalawa Jazzmee, Aristokrat, Family Tree and Soulistic amongst others. The agreement also includes artists and labels distributed via Electromode and Ingrooves Music Group within the continent.

Recent projects include the release of Rhythms Of Zamunda: Music Inspired By Coming 2 America. The acclaimed 16-track Def Jam Africa compilation traces a musical roadmap through Western, Eastern, and South African soundscapes, introducing listeners to some of the continent’s most exciting artists was released last week.

Boomplay’s Director of Content & Strategy, Phil Choi, added “Since our original deal with UMG, the African music industry has seen exponential growth and made huge strides towards being the next powerhouse that it should be. We’re excited to continue partnering with the UMG team to help promote their African and international artists by bringing their catalogue to even more regions across Africa.

Franck Kacou, Managing Director, Universal Music Africa, who lead’s Universal Music Group’s activity across French-speaking Africa said, “We are excited for our artists and labels to be available now to music fans across these 25 French speaking countries, but also to reach audiences across the rest of the continent. Africa is rich with artistic talent and musical culture and continues to inspire millions of Africans for whom music is an essential part of their daily lives. Working alongside Boomplay, we will help introduce these talents to new audiences, as the appetite for music continues to grow throughout these countries.”

Sipho Dlamini, CEO, Universal Music Group, South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, said, “We are delighted to expand our relationship with Boomplay, who over the past few years have shown themselves to be dedicated to providing the best in music to fans across the continent. Through this extended agreement, Boomplay will now help supply improved access to the world’s largest and most diverse music catalog to their broad user base, as we continue to introduce the best in African and international music to the rapidly growing streaming audience across Africa.”

Tosin Sorinola, Director of Artist and Media relations said, “We are very optimistic that this expansion will further embed the blossoming relationship between both parties. As a platform, we are committed to ensuring that we help artists spread their music and that our users have access to all the music they love wherever they are. This expansion will afford us an opportunity to help open up more music to our users and opportunities for artists in the new regions.”

Tags Boomplay

War/Crisis

’11-year-old son beheaded in front of his mother’

Post author By Kings UBA
Post date March 16, 2021

Mozambican violence: 11-year-old son beheaded in front of his mother

11-year-old son beheaded in front of his mother

Children as young as 11 are being slaughtered in the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, an international aid agency, Save the Children, said on Tuesday.

The oil-rich region has been bedevilled by violence since 2017, with armed gangs sacking villages and towns. Nearly 670,000 people have been displaced, the agency said.

That figure is almost seven times the number reported a year ago. At least 2,614 people have died in the conflict, including 1,312 civilians.

The situation has seriously deteriorated over the past 12 months, with the escalation of attacks on villages.

A woman named Elsa told Save the Children how her son Felipe was beheaded in her presence after being taken out of their hiding place.

“That night our village was attacked and houses were burned. When it all started, I was at home with my four children,” Elsa said. “We tried to escape to the woods, but they took my eldest son and beheaded him. We couldn’t do anything because we would be killed too.”

Another mother, whose name was given as Amelia, recounted how her fourth child was 11 when he was murdered by armed men.

The agency said it changed the name of the women for their protection.

Amelia said her family had to flee, surviving on banana and water from banana trees for days before they got help.

“After my 11-year-old son was killed, we understood that it was no longer safe to stay in my village,” Amelia told Save the Children. “We fled to my father’s house in another village, but a few days later the attacks started there too. I, my father and the children spent five days eating green bananas and drinking banana tree water until we got transport that brought us here.”

The agency said it is outraged and deeply saddened by the killing of children in the conflict.

Apart from the violence, Cabo Delgado is still reeling from consecutive climatic shocks, including 2019’s Cyclone Kenneth, the strongest cyclone to hit the northern part of Mozambique, and massive floods in early 2020.

“Reports of attacks on children sicken us to our core. Our staff have been brought to tears when hearing the stories of suffering told by mothers in displacement camps,” Chance Briggs, Save the Children’s Country Director in Mozambique, said. “This violence has to stop, and displaced families need to be supported as they find their bearings and recover from the trauma.

“A major concern for us is that the needs of displaced children and their families in Cabo Delgado far outweigh the resources available to support them. Nearly a million people are facing severe hunger as a direct result of this conflict, including displaced people and host communities.”

Tags beheaded

Agriculture/Food Security

UN launches $1bn Appeal Fund to assist people hit by Boko Haram

Post author By Kings UBA
Post date March 16, 2021

UN launches $1bn Appeal Fund to assist people hit by Boko Haram

On behalf of the victims of Boko Haram attacks mostly in Nigeria, West Africa, the United Nations is launching a $1bn (£721m) appeal in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, to help millions of people in need of humanitarian aid in the north of the country.

The Islamist militant group Boko Haram has been carrying out attacks in the region for the past 11 years. More than 30,000 people have died and millions have been displaced in that time.

The UN says, despite the scaling up of humanitarian assistance since 2016, the situation remains dire.

It estimates that nearly nine million severely vulnerable people in the area need aid.

The international response plan this year is targeting 6.5 million people in the worst affected states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

The UN and the Nigerian authorities say the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has made the humanitarian crisis even worse.

Tags boko haram

Culture

Peace in Dakar critical for Economic Prosperity, By NJ Ayuk

Post author By Kings UBA
Post date March 16, 2021

Peace in Dakar critical for Economic Prosperity, By NJ Ayuk

The world woke to unusual images on their television screens last week with looting, vandalism and rioting portrayed on the streets of the Senegalese capital. The worst civil unrest in Senegal in decades was short-lived, but has left a distinct mark on the country’s international image.

After all, Senegal has presented itself as the shining star of West Africa in recent years. In addition to the country being an oil and gas hub spot, Senegal is also a center for renewable energy investment, business development, and for galvanizing growth in sectors such as tourism and fishing. Accordingly, it is not surprising that images of burning cars and stone-throwing protestors caused concern, particularly when they are followed by shots of destroyed supermarkets and fuel stations, all of which are symbols of well-established foreign companies in Senegal. It is curious that a story about a political leader being taken to court on rape charges who is then arrested for inciting civil unrest translated into violence against foreign companies. Curious and concerning, that popular dissatisfaction be directed in this manner: to undermine businesses and wealth-generating enterprises.

Senegal is undergoing a veritable economic revolution that has the power to lift millions out of poverty and provide jobs, wealth and prosperity for the whole nation. Through the exploitation of its energy resources, both renewable and non-renewable, Senegal is witnessing a renaissance that will open a myriad of new development opportunities, power the country and offer the next generation of youth choices that no Senegalese has had in the past. However, for this potential to be fulfilled, the country needs foreign investment, know-how, training, skill-transfer and, above all, stability. No foreign company is interested in investing in a destination where its offices are at risk of being vandalized every time an opposition leader is unwilling to face the country’s legal system and uses social fears to distract the public debate.

President Macky Sall has done a tremendous job in attracting investors and opening opportunities in the Senegalese market in which business is already producing jobs, wealth and growth in the economy, particularly through the country’s vast energy resources. These efforts must be supported by all and maintained through a stable, business-friendly and transparent environment.

If we turn on ourselves through violence to express our grievances, we will end up driving away the very opportunities to address the problems behind those grievances, be it poverty, unemployment, social inequality or access to education. We need to stand together behind the political leaders that are driving our country and our continent forward, and support those companies that are developing our resources so that together we can create value, jobs and wealth for all.

Africa Oil & Power will unite leaders from Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mauritania and the wider West Africa region with global energy dealmakers, for the first-ever MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2021 conference and exhibition on October 26-27 in Dakar, Senegal. Find out more about Senegal and the MSGBC’s energy industry and about the event at www.MSGBC2021.com and contact International Conference Director João Marques directly at joao@afriaoilandpower.com.

NJ Ayuk is the Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber

Tags Dakar

Ugandan opposition Politician, Bobi Wine Arrested in Kampala

Post author By Kings UBA
Post date March 15, 2021

Ugandan opposition Politician, Bobi Wine Arrested in Kampala

Ugandan politician and former presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has been arrested in the capital, Kampala.

UPDATE: NUP president @HEBobiwine has been arrested near City Square in Kampala as he led what he called a peaceful protest, demanding the release of NUP supporters who are still missing to-date.#MonitorUpdates

📸: @abubakerlubowa pic.twitter.com/7ChYFBNyiV

— Daily Monitor (@DailyMonitor) March 15, 2021

He was leading a team of MPs from his party, the National Unity Platform, in a protest against arrests and disappearances of supporters in the period leading up to, during, and after the highly contested January election.

Security forces have fired tear gas to disperse the crowd that was marching with the politicians.

In a virtual address on Sunday, Bobi Wine called on his supporters to use peaceful means to protest against the election results – which he continues to claim were rigged, and to demand that security forces produce their missing colleagues.

His arrest from a campaign rally in November kicked off two days of protests during which over 50 peopled died.

Ugandan newspaper Daily Monitor has tweeted pictures of Bobi Wine being arrested on Monday:

Tags bobi wine

Breaking: More schoolchildren abducted in northern Nigeria

Post author By Kings UBA
Post date March 15, 2021

FILE PHOTO: Breaking: More schoolchildren abducted in northern Nigeria

Breaking: More schoolchildren abducted in northern Nigeria

Gunmen have abducted a number of primary school pupils and their teachers in Nigeria’s north-western state of Kaduna, just days after dozens of students were abducted from a college in the state.

Residents told the BBC the armed kidnappers attacked the government school in the village of Rema, in the Birnin-Gwari district, on Monday morning as children arrived for classes.

It’s not clear how many people have been abducted. The authorities say they’re ascertaining the exact number of pupils and teachers seized.

Since December more than 800 students have been abducted by criminal gangs across Nigeria.

But this is the first time primary schoolchildren have been targeted.

Thirty-nine students – mostly young women – abducted from a forestry college on Thursday are still in captivity.

Hostages are usually released after negotiations with the kidnappers who often demand ransom.

Meanwhile officials in Kaduna state said at the weekend they had foiled yet another attempted raid on a secondary school.

Tags schoolchildren

War/Crisis

US condemns Ethiopia on ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Tigray

Post author By Kings UBA
Post date March 11, 2021

US condemns Ethiopia on ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Tigray

The United States has accused Ethiopian Government of committing ‘Ethnic Cleaning’ in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia.

US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken called for an end of human rights abuses in the region. Testifying before a Congressional committee, he called on the Ethiopian government to stop this and stop abusing human rights in the region.

Mr Blinken said that Eritrean troops and a separate Ethiopian militia must get out of Tigray.

“We have, as you know, forces from Eritrea over there and we have forces from an adjoining region, Amhara, that are there. They need to come out and a force that will not abuse the human rights of the people of Tigray or commit acts of ethnic cleaning, which we’ve seen in western Tigray, that has to stop,” he said

“We also need full accountability and we need to get an independent investigation into what took place there.”

Earlier this month, he urged Addis Ababa to allow an international investigation into alleged atrocities in the region.

The Ethiopian government has dismissed US criticisms, saying the Tigray war is an internal matter.

Tags ethiopia

Nature

Mozambique Cyclone: AfDB buys cast bridges to replace destroyed ones

Post author By Kings UBA
Post date March 10, 2021

Mozambique: AfDB purchases cast bridges to replace infrastructure destroyed in cyclones

Mozambique Cyclone: AfDB buys cast bridges to replace destroyed ones

The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has finalized the purchase of 26 modular steel bridges to replace infrastructure that was destroyed in weather disasters in Mozambique.

The modular bridges are due to be installed in coming months after the appointment of local contractors. The goal is to restore transport connections to the isolated regions of Manica, Sofala, Nampula and Cabo Delgado. An estimated 500,000 people are expected to benefit.

With a service lifespan of up to 100 years, the bridges will provide a temporary solution in areas that are vulnerable to extreme weather while the government invests in climate-smart permanent bridges.

“We are delighted to be able to deliver this important contribution to Mozambique and respond to the recent climate disasters while investing to building back better,” said Pietro Toigo, the African Development Bank’s country manager for Mozambique. “The Bank will remain at the forefront of the fight to mobilize climate finance for adaptation and contribute to climate justice for the African continent.”

The bridges are funded under the Post Cyclone Idai and Kenneth Emergency Recovery and Resilience Program, which was approved in the wake of these two cyclones that struck Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi in 2019 and affected around 3 million people in the three countries.

The program is being implemented over four years, ending in December 2023, at a total cost of UA 70.86 million ($100 million) of which UA 66.01 million is to be paid by the Bank and the remainder by the affected governments. The funding was provided by the African Development Fund, the concessional arm of the African Development Bank Group.

João Osvaldo Machatine, Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, said: “The government of Mozambique is delighted to be working with the African Development Bank to help build resilience to climate and disaster risk management in the country.”

Central Mozambique has been hit by extreme climate events in recent years. Cyclones Idai and Kenneth passed through the same region of the country in March and April 2019, also affecting neighboring countries. Disaster struck again with Tropical Storm Chalane in December 2020 and Cyclone Eloise in January 2021.

Mozambique is regarded as one of the world’s most climate-stressed countries. In its 2018-2022 Country Strategy Paper for Mozambique, the African Development Bank identifies climate change as a key development challenge, and has directed roughly $120 million to strengthening the country’s climate resilience.

Tags cyclone

Business

RES4Africa, SAPVIA signed MoU for Africa’s energy transition

Post author By Kings UBA
Post date March 10, 2021

RES4Africa, SAPVIA signed MoU for Africa’s energy transition

A statement by the Communication Manager Renewable Energy Solutions for Africa Foundation (RES4Africa), Antonella Siliotto said the organisation and the South Africa Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen their cooperation in the promotion and implementation of sustainable energy solutions as key catalysts to empower and transform Africa. The agreement aims at strengthening the parties’ engagement in information sharing, consultations, network building and implementation of common initiatives and projects for the continent’s energy transition.

“RES4Africa and SAPVIA share the same vision about the pivotal role that the renewable energy sources play in Africa’s development: for this reason, they will cooperate through joint initiatives and activities on renewable energy, in particular solar photovoltaic and climate change, to support sustainable development for resilient economies in Africa”, the statement said. It added: “Within the framework of this collaboration, the parties will support each other in the organisation and promotion of training and capacity building programmes and in the generation of knowledge products and data by pursuing joint thematic publications and technical studies with a specific focus on South Africa, where SAPVIA is based. The two organisations will also involve each other as strategic partners in the implementation of existing and future initiatives, as well as outreach, advocacy, and communication activities”.

“South Africa is the largest electricity market in Africa, accounting for half of sub-Sahara installed capacity. It goes without saying that this country has the potential to be one of the guiding lights of the entire continent’s just energy transition” says Roberto Vigotti, RES4Africa’s Secretary General “Counting on a partner like SAPVIA in our network is not only a demonstration of the value of our work in South Africa and in the whole continent, but it is also a valuable contribution to our mission: only by pursuing joint efforts we can effectively contribute to Africa’s green transition.”

“SAPVIA’s long term goal is to vigorously mobilise support for the sustainable growth of solar PV in South Africa and this partnership will be a key catalyst to ensure we deliver on our vision,” says Niveshen Govender, SAPVIA COO. “Working together with RES4Africa we will be able to better equip our members to capitalise on the opportunities of a just energy transition through the commissioning and sharing of research, market reports and best practice and help us as we work to ensure that renewables are included and at the forefront of South Africa’s energy policy.”

Tags RES4Africa

Health

Mauritius returns to 2-week lockdown as virus cases rise

Post author By Kings UBA
Post date March 10, 2021

Mauritius returns to virus lockdown as cases rise to last till March 25th

Mauritius returns to 2-week lockdown as virus cases rise

Mauritius entered a 15-day national lockdown on Wednesday morning after a rise in Covid-19 cases since the beginning of the month.

The Indian Ocean island nation recorded five new cases on Tuesday, bringing the total of new cases to 15, in what the authorities suspect could be a second wave.

The worst-affected regions are in the towns of Vacoas-Phoenix and Curepipe.

“The situation is no longer the same. The virus is no longer in a single cluster,” Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said in a televised address on Tuesday night.

The announcement prompted panic buying of supplies and long queues at petrol stations.

Mauritius has confirmed 641 cases and 10 deaths since the pandemic started a year ago.

Under the lockdown, only essential services, including the police, health services, seaports and airports, will remain open.

Weddings and funerals will be attended by a restricted number of people, while supermarkets, bakeries and banks will be open from Thursday but in alphabetical order.

Violators of the lockdown will be fined or be jailed for not more than five years.

A similar lockdown was lifted in June last year.

Tags Mauritius