🔅 Wizkid's Genre Rebellion & A Shift in Chinese Workers in Africa
Plus, South Africa's parliamentary scandal & Moove's Series B
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Chinese Workers in Africa: From Boom to Zoom Calls?
Once upon a time, not too long ago (2015, to be exact), the African continent was buzzing with a record high of 263,696 Chinese workers, bustling and building away. Fast forward to 2022, and it seems like many have left, with only 88,371 remaining on the continent. It's the lowest attendance record in over a decade, folks.Â
So, what happened?
The China Africa Research Initiative is pointing the finger at the pandemic for this mass exodus. It also blames the dipping oil prices and a consequent downscaling of the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. The African nations feeling the loneliest without their Chinese comrades are Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Algeria and Angola, in particular, are sobbing into their oil barrels, their economies taking a hit alongside the drop in oil prices.
But it's not all gloomy skies. The DRC, Egypt, and Zimbabwe still enjoy some company thanks to their rich mineral reserves and ambitious projects. It seems like China's shifting its crush from African oil to green energy and minerals.
Afrobeats? Not in His House, Says Wizkid
Wizkid, the Nigerian superstar whose beats have feet tapping globally, has a bone to pick with the music labels—specifically, the one that sticks him under the "Afrobeats" umbrella. This week, he hopped onto Instagram stories, probably while his impending new album burned a hole in his pocket, to serve his fans a slice of his mind.
"If you're an Afrobeats aficionado, kindly steer clear of my upcoming album!" he declared, not mincing his words. "I'm not your 'Afrobeats artiste'—don't label me that, thank you very much!" With the fervour of someone who’s had it up to here with being put in a box, he added, "I'm not Afro anything, folks!"
Digging deeper, the ‘Ojuelegba’ hitmaker reminisced about his 2020 album, ‘Made In Lagos,’ saying it was anything but an "Afrobeats album." It's like calling every spoon in the drawer a teaspoon, right? "Yes, I'm proudly African, but my music? It's a buffet of genres!" He’s tired of the one-size-fits-all "African category" at award shows, no matter if he swings to R&B or any other rhythm.
Wizkid, the maestro behind countless chart-toppers, is not just shaking off the Afrobeats label; he’s stirring a conversation about the diverse musical landscape of Africa.
South Africa's Parliamentary Bribes
South Africa's spotlight has turned to Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the Speaker of Parliament, whose Johannesburg home was raided by a special investigations unit for an over five-hour search. Mapisa-Nqakula is suspected of having accepted bribes in her past life as defence minister. She is alleged to have pocketed at least $120,000 in cash from a defence contractor between 2016 and 2019.
Mapisa-Nqakula's response to the allegations could be summed up as, "Nothing to see here, folks," as she reassured the public of her innocence and full cooperation with the investigation. Meanwhile, Parliament was left hanging as she missed presiding over a session that had President Cyril Ramaphosa on the hot seat, leaving the deputy speaker to pick up the pieces.
Moove Over! The Startup Cruising to $750M Valuation
In the fast lane of innovative startups, Moove is shifting gears with a $100 million funding boost, cruising to a valuation of $750 million. Moove was founded in Nigeria and can be considered the financial fairy godmother for those looking to ride the wave of ride-hailing, logistics, and delivery services. It allows people to buy a ride while paying for it with just a slice of their weekly earnings.Â
Sounds like a dream, right? Well, Uber and the investment elite, including Mubadala, seem to think so too, backing Moove's latest Series B funding round.
With this fresh cash injection, Moove plans to rev up its engines and expand its vehicle financing magic to 16 global markets by the end of 2025. Ladi Delano, the brain behind the wheel, aims to add 45,000 new vehicles to the platform.
Food for Thought
“The death of an elderly man is like a burning library."
— Ivorian Proverb