<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=BTC.CB=">Bitcoin</a>&nbsp;briefly climbed above the $16,000 mark on Thursday, hitting a level not seen since early January 2018.



The cryptocurrency’s price rose as high as $16,019 just after 5 a.m. ET, according to data from industry site CoinDesk. It was last trading more than 1% higher at around $15,800.



The last time bitcoin breached the $16,000 level was Jan. 8, 2018, according to CoinDesk data. The reason for the move higher on Thursday wasn’t immediately clear, but it comes as a number of companies appear to be warming to crypto.



Last month, fintech giant <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=PYPL">PayPal</a> announced it would add new features letting users trade bitcoin, ether, bitcoin cash and litecoin. By early 2021, the company also plans to let customers use crypto to shop with its network of 26 million retailers.



Meanwhile, Square said last month that it had bought $50 million worth of bitcoin. The U.S. fintech firm, which is run by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=TWTR">Twitter</a>&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/jack-dorsey/">Jack Dorsey</a>, has long offered crypto services to users of its popular Cash app.



Bitcoin, the world’s best-known and most valuable cryptocurrency, has more than doubled in price this year, a wild ascent that’s reminiscent of its monster rally in late 2017 that saw it narrow in on the $20,000 mark.



Some crypto fans say it’s down to the unprecedented wave of stimulus from governments and central banks around the world aimed at tackling the coronavirus crisis. Such measures, they say, devalues fiat currencies, making bitcoin an attractive alternative.

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Bitcoin breaks above $16,000 for the first time since January 2018

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COVID-19 has battered the commercial property space, with revenue figures taking a nosedive. The question is, where to from here?

Spear CEO on what lies ahead for SA’s commercial property market amid COVID-19

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Latest figures from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda indicate that the rate of unemployment in the country dropped to 16 per cent in August from 22.1 per cent in May 2020. CNBC Africa&#8217;s Tesi Kaven spoke with Ivan Murenzi, Deputy Director General of the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, for more.

COVID-19: Rwanda’s unemployment rate drops after reopening of economy

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The financial sector on the continent has experienced numerous innovative disruptions over the years and there are fears that the Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) sector could face an eventual demise. CNBC Africa spoke with Cynthia Wandia, Co-Founder and CEO, Kwara for more.

How SACCOs can play a key role in empowering underserved communities

Top things to look out for at AfricaCom and AfricaTech in 2020



The virtual Africa Tech Festival is fast approaching (09-12 November 2020) and with an exceptional line-up of speakers, content and discussion points like never before.&nbsp;



In advance of the events, the organisers have also opened up the platform to allow registered delegates, speakers and exhibitors the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the virtual real estate.&nbsp; This also affords those attending and participating, the prospect of pre-arranging meetings and setting up their viewing agendas.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Here are some of the key highlights to expect:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AfricaTech Festival</h2>



<p id="h-africa-tech-festival-is-the-new-name-for-a-week-of-world-class-tech-events-that-includes-africacom-the-home-of-connectivity-and-communications-africatech-the-home-of-it-and-enterprise-digital-transformation-the-ahub-unleashing-the-power-of-africa-s-tech-start-up-ecosystem-accelerateher-africa-addressing-the-underrepresentation-of-women-in-technology-and-video-exchange-africa-being-virtual-has-afforded-organisers-the-ability-to-arrange-a-superb-line-up-as-well-as-making-the-event-infinitely-more-accessible-to-participants-and-delegates-within-africa-and-beyond"><a href="https://bit.ly/3oPnb0t">Africa Tech Festival</a> is the new name for a week of world-class tech events that includes AfricaCom the Home of Connectivity and Communications),&nbsp;AfricaTech (the home of IT and Enterprise Digital Transformation); the AHUB (unleashing the power of Africa&#8217;s Tech Start-Up Ecosystem; accelerateHER Africa&nbsp;(addressing the underrepresentation of women in technology) and&nbsp;Video Exchange Africa.&nbsp;Being virtual, has afforded organisers the ability to arrange a superb line-up, as well as making the event infinitely more accessible to participants and delegates within Africa and beyond.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-africa-tech-festival-headliners">The Africa Tech Festival Headliners</h2>



Featuring Africa&#8217;s most prominent digital thought-leaders from organisations including&nbsp;Safaricom,&nbsp;MTN, International Trade Centre, United Nations Economic Commission for Africaand more, the&nbsp;<a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/">Africa Tech Festival Headliners</a>&nbsp;will share their insights on the most important topics in African technology, telecommunications and innovation.&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Siya Kolisi, co-Founder, Kolisi Foundation</li><li>Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Republic of South Africa</li><li>Shameel Joosub, Group CEO, Vodacom</li><li>Lillian Barnard, Managing Director, Microsoft South Africa</li><li>Charles Molapisi, Group Chief Technology &amp; Information Officer, MTN</li><li>Alioune Ndiaye, CEO, Middle East and Africa, Orange</li><li>Pinky Kekana, Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Republic of South Africa</li><li>Peter Ndegwa, Chief Executive Officer, Safaricom</li><li>Yolanda Cuba, Group Chief Digital and Fintech Officer, MTN</li><li>Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, Deputy Chair, Presidential 4IR Commission</li><li>Alice Munyua, Director, Africa Innovation and Public Policy, Mozilla</li><li>Nenzeni Babs Duma, CIO, WesBank</li><li>Nitin Gajria, Director &#8211; Sub-Saharan Africa, Google</li><li>Izabela Milewska, Digital Skills Global Leader, Amazon Web Services</li><li>Bob Skinstad, Former Springbok Captain and World Cup Winner, Partner, Knife Capital</li><li>Sandra La Bella, Group CIO, Alexandre Forbes</li><li>Emmanuel Lubanzadio, Head of Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, Twitter</li><li>Kojo Boakye, Director, Africa Public Policy, Facebook</li><li>Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director at International Trade Centre</li><li>Dejan Kastelic, Group Chief Technology Officer, Vodacom.</li></ul>



AI-Powered Networking



Registered delegates will have access to the platform, whose AI networking tool matches them with other attendees and sessions most relevant to their interests &#8211; making it even easier to make valuable connections. Delegates, exhibitors and speakers can be contacted using live chat or video calls as well as in-app messaging.



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Own Agenda Design</li></ul>



There are over 20 different tracks and features, which can be accessed, allowing delegates to shape an agenda that matches their specific&nbsp;content needs and deep dive into the particular topics that are of the most interest.



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Virtual Exhibitions</li></ul>



The Virtual Exhibition Areas are the place to find out what&#8217;s hot in digital Africa. &nbsp;Global solution providers can be visited at their stands and the latest tech can be discovered in the product gallery, or even attend live demos.



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Video Exchange Africa</li></ul>



<a href="http://mail2.knect365.com/c/1YlvRJbCRxQ6zvTerb2D0bgKrRzq">Video Exchange Africa</a>&nbsp;is at the heart of video distribution and content strategy in Africa, gathering the most influential players across telco, broadcast and OTT to develop commercial models for monetising content across digital Africa.



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>On-Demand Content</li></ul>



Registered delegates can also access the event platform for&nbsp;90 days post event, meaning they can watch all the event content on-demand at a time that suits them, allowing even more time to network during the actual live event.



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Virtual Boardroom Sessions</li></ul>



Sn all-access pass gives entry to virtual boardroom sessions, allowing premium delegates the ability to discuss key technologies and topics in smaller group settings.



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Mission Critical Technologies</li></ul>



<a href="http://mail2.knect365.com/c/1YlvSXa2DV9yFuUSEve78l41o1Ph">Mission Critical Technologies Africa</a>&nbsp;is co-located with AfricaCom. Expect a dedicated conference track, control room site visits and dedicated networking for anyone involved in public safety, transportation, utilities and defence.



<ol class="wp-block-list" type="1"><li>Deep Dives into Healthcare as well as Banking and Financial Services are on offer along with a series of key tracks that include:</li><li>5G Africa</li><li>Data Centres Africa</li><li>Artificial Intelligence Africa</li><li>AfricaTech Centre Stage</li><li>Fintech Africa</li><li>Future of Work</li><li>Africa 50 Innovation Challenge</li><li>Blockchain Africa, and</li><li>IoT Africa</li></ol>



Although this is a digitally driven event, some of the world’s best organisations involved in connecting Africa’s next billion, will also be setting up shop in online exhibition booths, and which, due to the sophistication of the conferencing platform, will engage in AI-powered networking, to ensure that progress on the continent, in terms of its digital migration, along with demos and product launches, can continue despite global lockdowns. &nbsp;To discover the full line-up and plan your agenda, visit the <a href="https://bit.ly/3oPnb0t">Africa Tech Festival website.</a>



To register for a FREE virtual pass to the Africa Tech Festival – click <a href="https://bit.ly/34hqmVn">HERE</a>



For further information please visit the 2020 <a href="https://bit.ly/3oPnb0t">website</a>



About virtual Africa Tech Festival:



Virtual Africa Tech Festival, including AfricaCom and AfricaTech, is part of the Informa Tech Connecting Africa event series, now in its 24th year. A vibrant celebration of Africa’s diverse community of tech champions, Africa Tech Festival is the largest tech and digital connectivity conference and exhibition in Africa, attracting 450 exhibitors and 15,000 attendees in 2019. Key themes for 2020 include 4IR for Africa, Connecting the Next Billion, Digital Infrastructure Investment, Tech for Good, ICT Policy and Regulation, the Future of Work and Talent and Skills Development. Africa Tech Festival also incorporates the AHUB, accelerateHER Africa and the AfricaCom Awards.

Collage – tech

Africa Tech Festival 2020

Protests which began in opposition to the Nigerian government’s widely unpopular Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) have morphed into a widespread, leaderless movement against police brutality, economic mismanagement, rampant corruption and arbitrary state power.



But as the protests gain traction — both at home and abroad — there are growing concerns about the state’s response to the movement and what all of this could mean for the country’s economy.



The government is under growing pressure to deliver reforms amid the mass civil unrest, but analysts are concerned that the planned fiscally conservative policies, which may have aided the economic recovery, will become increasingly difficult to implement.



What’s more, the heavy-handed nature of the government’s response to protests has damaged its standing both domestically and internationally, heightening political uncertainty as the country looks to emerge from the crisis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oil-and-economics">Oil and economics</h2>



Africa’s largest economy remains heavily dependent on oil, which constitutes around 80% of its exports, 50% of government revenue and 30% of banking credit, according to the World Bank.



The latest OPEC figures confirm that Nigeria is sticking to supply cut agreements by keeping oil production below 1.5 million barrels per day in September. Combined with low global oil prices, this means tighter foreign exchange liquidity conditions with adverse consequences for businesses importing goods from abroad, according to NKC African Economics Head of Macroeconomic Consulting Cobus de Hart.



“In turn, tight FX liquidity, product shortages, higher fuel prices, and flooding serve to push inflation sharply higher, weighing on consumer demand,” de Hart said in a recent research note.



He suggested that, as the civil unrest shows few signs of abating, some of the government’s planned policies — which were designed to bolster the economy — could be reversed in an effort to avoid further opposition.







“This now raises the likelihood that we could see a reversal in positive policy shifts such as the decision to deregulate fuel prices – the government has already started backtracking on electricity price hikes,” de Hart said.



“Regrettably, many of these reforms should have been implemented at a much earlier stage, along with pro-business policies to drive diversification and growth.”



The social media-fueled #EndSARS protest movement is taking place against the backdrop of the country’s worst economic recession in over 30 years, with inflation rising above 13% and GDP (gross domestic product) contracting by 6.1% in the second quarter.



As such, the hit to the oil sector, combined with the economic disruption from the pandemic and falling remittance payments from abroad, is expected further constrain the government’s ability to deliver social programs and address the grievances of protesters, exacerbating tensions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-driving-protests">What is driving protests?</h2>



The SARS, accused of decades of brutality, rape and torture, was dissolved on October 11, but protesters have continued to demand broader fundamental reforms. In recent weeks, the demonstrations have descended into violence, coming to a head on October 20, when soldiers allegedly used live ammunition to disperse peaceful protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city.



Amnesty International says at least 12 protesters were killed and Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said 25 people were injured, claims the army has dismissed as “fake news.” The incident unleashed a wave of violence and vandalism in Lagos and elsewhere, although protests have since dwindled in Lagos.







Meanwhile, pro-government demonstrations elsewhere in Nigeria have underscored a deep north-south divide and have heightened the risk of worsening violence in the oil-producing Niger Delta region. Supporters in the largely Muslim north, from where President Muhammadu Buhari hails, have accused protesters from the largely Christian south of trying to sow chaos to discredit the administration.



Following global condemnation of the government’s response to the protests, Buhari urged the international community and public figures to “seek to know all the facts” before “rushing to judgment.”



Buhari has also sought to highlight concessions the government has already made and suggest that protests were being hijacked by “subversive elements” to “cause chaos,” while opting to project an overall image of strength and deploy military personnel to key areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commercial-disruption">Commercial disruption</h2>



According to a report published last week by political risk consultancy EXX Africa, there are a number of distinct groups involved in the unrest. The first comprises young, educated and progressive reform advocates, many of whom have a strong social media presence. This part of the #EndSARS movement has been able to gain global traction and elicit endorsements from celebrities, political figures and even Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.



A second, larger group comprises less educated and often unemployed youths lashing out at economic hardship, while a third, smaller section consists of “hardened criminals,” according to the report. On top of this, government supporters have been carrying out attacks along sectarian and ethnic lines.



A key economic risk, according to EXX Africa, is the potential for disruption to commercial assets.







“Assets that are most exposed to opportunistic attacks include cargo in-transit, commercial stores and stationery vehicles. Targeted attacks are largely driven by political, sectarian or ethnic motives,” the EXX Africa report said.



NKC Political Analyst Louw Nel suggested that although Buhari may have an understandable grievance with the international scrutiny of the situation, compared to similar unrest across the continent, he will need to moderate the government response.



“Whatever the case may be, there is a desperate need for the Buhari administration – and governments elsewhere on the continent – to recognize the limits of responding to protests over state brutality with more state brutality,” Nel said in a research note.



“We expect protests will continue, and further repression, or another Lekki toll gate tragedy, will only fan the flames and weaken Mr. Buhari politically.

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As Nigeria’s SARS protests swell, its economic recovery hangs in the balance

NAIROBI (Reuters) &#8211; Tanzanians headed to the polls on Wednesday for presidential and parliamentary elections that President John Magufuli hopes will hand him another five-year term despite criticism from rights groups that the government has stifled political dissent.



Magufuli’s main challengers include Tundu Lissu, who was shot 16 times in 2017, and former foreign minister Bernard Membe. The attack on Lissu, who returned from three years in exile in July, has never been solved.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="600" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/shutterstock_207995749.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-374198" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/shutterstock_207995749.jpg 800w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/shutterstock_207995749-300x225.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/shutterstock_207995749-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/shutterstock_207995749-696x522.jpg 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/shutterstock_207995749-600x450.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption>Kenya, Tanzania. Shutterstock </figcaption></figure>



People turned out early to cast their ballots in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday morning.



“The voting process is good, calm,” local pastor Clement Fumbo told Reuters after voting. “I expect the election to continue to be peaceful, fair and free.”



But many Tanzanians complained online that they were are experiencing problems accessing social media platforms.



“Authorities are now trying to block VPN services,” said ProtonVPN, an open source VPN provider, on Twitter.



On Tuesday, both Twitter and Internet blockage monitor NetBlocks reported widespread problems.



“We’re seeing some blocking and throttling of Twitter,” Twitter in a statement from its public policy account.







East Africa’s third-largest economy has recorded average growth of close to 7% over the last four years, according to official figures, as the government invested billions of dollars in infrastructure including a new railway, a hydropower dam and planes for the national airline.



“THIRSTY FOR JUSTICE”



The government projects economic growth of 5.5% in 2020 after COVID-19 hit key sectors such as tourism. But the World Bank predicts growth of only 2.5%.



Magufuli is promising voters that new infrastructure projects will fuel growth of at least 8% soon.



“We have told Tanzanians the importance of investing on transport infrastructure&#8230;for the betterment of this nation,” Magufuli said on Tuesday in Dodoma at his last rally.



Lissu told his final rally in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam that he was confident of winning. “Tanzanians are hungry and thirsty for justice,” he said. “It’s time to decide.”



More than 29 million people are registered to vote out of 58 million citizens. They will choose from 15 presidential candidates and elect lawmakers for 264 parliamentary seats.







The ruling party CCM, a version of which has held power since independence in 1961, won the presidency with 58% of votes in 2015 and currently holds about three-quarters of parliamentary seats. Tanzania uses a first-past-the post system.



The opposition and rights groups say authorities have cracked down on critical voices by closing down media outlets and banning public rallies during Magufuli’s first term.



Last week, a coalition of 65 international rights groups issued a letter accusing the government of harassing NGOs and abusing the power of the justice system.



“Tanzania’s criminal justice system has &#8230; been misused to target those who criticize the government,” the letter read.



Opposition parties said police disrupted their campaigns and electoral authorities disqualified dozens of their parliamentary candidates.



The government has previously denied any crackdown and the National Electoral Commission has rejected accusations of unfair treatment.



In the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, the opposition presidential candidate was detained and later released as he tried to vote early on Tuesday after at least nine people were shot dead by security forces.

shutterstock_354115238

Tanzania president Magufuli seeks second term as polls open

(Reuters) &#8211; More than 50 million Americans have cast ballots in the U.S. presidential election with 11 days to go in the campaign, a pace that could lead to the highest voter turnout in over a century, according to data from the U.S. Elections Project on Friday.



The eye-popping figure is a sign of intense interest in the contest between Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden, as well as Americans’ desire to reduce their risk of exposure to COVID-19, which has killed more than 221,000 people across the United States.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/download.jpg" alt="Joe Biden" class="wp-image-384507" width="377" height="489"/></figure>







Many states have expanded in-person early voting and mail-in ballots ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3, as a safer way to vote during the coronavirus pandemic.



The high level of early voting has led Michael McDonald, the University of Florida professor who administers the U.S. Elections Project, to predict a record turnout of about 150 million, representing 65% of eligible voters, the highest rate since 1908.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/396x2765-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-383320" width="683" height="491"/></figure>



In Texas, the level of voting has already surpassed 70% of the total turnout in 2016.



The pandemic has upended campaign traditions and its effects still are being felt. Americans may find themselves waiting days or weeks to know who won as election officials count tens of millions of mail-in votes.



On Friday, Trump will hold rallies in the battleground state of Florida, where opinion polls show a tight race and over 4 million votes have already been cast, approaching half the total four years ago. Biden will deliver a speech in his home state of Delaware on his plans for leading a recovery from the pandemic.

396×276(5)

More than 50 million Americans have cast ballots in presidential election

(Reuters) &#8211; U.S. solar stocks rose on Friday after U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said in the final pre-election debate on Thursday night that if elected he plans to transition to a more climate-friendly economy.



Shares of Renesola Ltd&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/companies/SOL.N">SOL.N</a>, Jinkosolar Holding Co Ltd&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/companies/JKS.N">JKS.N</a>, Canadian Solar Inc&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/companies/CSIQ.O">CSIQ.O</a>&nbsp;and SunPower Corp&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/companies/SPWR.O">SPWR.O</a>&nbsp;were up between 2% and 3% in premarket trading.



Biden and President Donald Trump were asked at their matchup in Nashville, Tennessee, what they would do to combat climate change &#8211; the first time in a presidential debate they were not asked if they believed in it or not.



Biden said the country should eventually replace oil with solar, wind and other forms of non-polluting power.







“I would transition from the oil industry,” Biden said, adding his plan for a more climate-friendly economy would create high-paying jobs and boost U.S. businesses.



Shares of oil companies were broadly unchanged as U.S. crude&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/quote/CLc1">CLc1</a>&nbsp;ticked up 0.4% to $40.79 with demand concerns raised by surging coronavirus cases in the United States and Europe being offset by the prospect of an extension to OPEC-led supply curbs.



After the debate, Biden told reporters, “We’re not getting rid of fossil fuels.”







“We’re getting of the subsidies for fossil fuels. But we’re not getting rid of fossil fuels for a long time&#8230;they’re not going to lose their jobs. Besides, a lot more jobs are going to be created in other alternatives.”



Trump, during the debate, cited a federal program to plant trees and a drop in carbon emissions to say he loves the environment, but added he was not willing to harm businesses.



He accused Biden of planning to ban hydraulic fracturing, a process of extracting oil and natural gas from shale that is opposed by many environmentalists. Biden, however, said he would ban fracking on federal land only.

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U.S. solar stocks rise on Biden’s clean energy focus in pre-election debate

LAGOS (Reuters) &#8211; The Nigerian military has offered to deploy in Lagos state if needed to protect key business and government sites amid anti-police protests, the governor said on Thursday.



Unrest has broken out across the state, which is under 24-hour curfew, sparked by protests and the shooting of civilians by security forces on Tuesday evening.



Governor Babjide Sanwo-Olu, in an interview on local station Arise TV, said the chief of defence staff and the chief of army staff had called around midday on Wednesday “to say that if indeed I require for the military to come out, they will deploy them.”



He said the primary concern was the security of key business and government installations, such as Lagos’ ports.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/106415584-1582892362326gettyimages-1203910174.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-366654" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/106415584-1582892362326gettyimages-1203910174.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/106415584-1582892362326gettyimages-1203910174-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/106415584-1582892362326gettyimages-1203910174-696x391.jpeg 696w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>A security man administers sanitiser to a visitor to a state hospital in Lagos, on February 28, 2020.
PIUS UTOMI EKPEI | AFP via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



“It’s really just a conversation around security support that we’ve got,” he said.



Sanwo-Olu did not say whether he would accept the offer, but called on leaders to keep young people including protesters off the streets.



Fires burned across the commercial capital on Wednesday as roving groups of young men, some protesters still on the streets, and armed police clashed in some neighbourhoods.



The army has denied soldiers were at the site of the shooting at Lekki toll gate in Lagos, where people had gathered in defiance of the curfew. Four witnesses told Reuters soldiers had fired bullets there and at least two people had been shot. Rights group Amnesty International said the Nigerian army and police killed at least 12 peaceful protesters at two locations in Lagos &#8211; Lekki and Alausa &#8211; on Tuesday.



Sanwo-Olu said he did not send soldiers to the toll gate, and President Muhammadu Buhari, while appealing for calm in a statement on Wednesday, has not directly addressed the incident.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Muhammadu_Buhari_-_Chatham_House.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-376011" width="493" height="533"/></figure>



Buhari said that CCTV cameras on Lekki Bridge, which social media posts suggested had been removed prior to the incident, were there and working at the time of the shooting and would form part of the state’s investigation into the incident.



He added that he would “absolutely” make the footage public.

shutterstock_306272309

Nigerian military offered to deploy in Lagos if needed: governor

Open Letter to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria October 21, 2020 



President Buhari, You appealed to Nigerians to give you a mandate in 2003, 2007 and 2011. In 2015, you walked among the people. Nigerians, young and old, walked with you. On May 29, 2015 we swore you in. You pledged to serve Nigeria, to “celebrate her freedom and cherish her democracy”. You said to Nigerians that, “together we cooperate to surprise the world that had come to expect only the worst from Nigeria.” 



You, saluted Nigerians for waiting long hours in rain and hot sunshine to register and cast their votes and stayed all night if necessary, to protect and ensure their votes count and were counted. You thanked those who tirelessly carried the campaign on social media. President Buhari, this is an urgent call from those who gave you this mandate: tell the armed forces to stand down and stop shooting at or killing unarmed Nigerians. Undeniably, the lives of young Nigerians are being shed in hopes of a better Nigeria, which you chose to serve.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Muhammadu_Buhari_-_Chatham_House.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-376011" width="694" height="756"/><figcaption>President Buhari</figcaption></figure>



In the last two weeks, Nigeria has seen an intergenerational call for a better country through better governance. It was led by the youth and it was peaceful. Given your experience running for office, where there is a crowd there are opportunists that seek to infiltrate and cause havoc. This was not the protesters, they remained peaceful. However, Mr. President, the democracy, which you choose to uphold, necessitates that the people speak. The rot in the system is undeniable. Nigerians at home and abroad were expressing their displeasure. That same groundswell that gave you a mandate was speaking to you, but our cries were met with a bloody flag. In spite of the denials, we are in a new age of social media, some of us were on ground while some watched on social media what transpired. The world watched alongside with us. Mr. President, the armed forces should never be said to harm or kill its own unarmed people. We appeal to your duty as the Commander-in-Chief, your decision to be the democratically elected President of Nigeria and your role as a Father: stay the bullets of the armed forces. As a democratic nation, Mr. President, we will continue to speak, we will continue to call out the rot in the Nigerian system, we have just one country. The same way you fought for it, we will fight for it. The Undersigned Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellows of Nigeria: Abayomi Awobokun Ada Osakwe Adebola Williams Aderonke O. Onadeko Bibi Bakare-Yusuf Bosun Tijani Bowale Adeoye Danladi Verhijen Debisi Araba Emmanuel Ogejuma ‘Gbenga Sesan Ifeoma Malo Jude M.I. Abaga Mezuo Nwuneli Mosunmola Umoru Ogochukwu Ekezie Omoni Oboli Onyinye Ibeneche Avbovbo Sadiq Usman Samson Itodo Serah Zainab Ugbabe Temi Awogboro Tomiwa Aladekomo Toyosi Kolawole The Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellows (“Tutu Fellows”), of the African Leadership Institute, are a diverse group of civic, political and business leaders from 40 African countries who are concerned with the governance and development of the African continent.

Muhammadu_Buhari_-_Chatham_House

Opinion: Open Letter to President Buhari of Nigeria

LAGOS (Reuters) &#8211; Police enforced a round-the-clock curfew in Nigeria’s biggest city on Wednesday a day after soldiers reportedly opened fire on civilians protesting against alleged police brutality.https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.417.2_en.html#goog_113758745&nbsp;



Fires burned across Lagos and residents of Ebute Mette, Lagos Island and Okota districts reported hearing gunfire on Wednesday as President Muhammadu Buhari appealed for “understanding and calm”.



Police &#8211; some armed, some wearing body armour and many in plain clothes &#8211; set up roadblocks in Lagos, witnesses said.



Tuesday night’s incident at a toll gate in Lekki district was the most serious yet in nearly two weeks of nationwide protests fueled by anger at alleged systematic abuses by police, although details of what happened and the number of casualties remained unclear.



The Lagos state governor said 30 people were hurt in the shooting at the gate, a focal point of the protests. One man had died in hospital from a blow to the head, he said, but it was not known if he was a protester.







The United Nations secretary-general said there had been “multiple deaths” and he urged authorities to de-escalate the situation. Amnesty International said it was investigating “credible but disturbing evidence” of excessive use of force in which protesters had been killed.



Four witnesses said soldiers had fired bullets and at least two people had been shot. Three witnesses said the gate’s lights were turned off before the shooting began. One said he saw soldiers remove bodies.



The Nigerian Army said no soldiers were at the scene.

President Buhari to AfDB President Adesina: “I’ll stand by you”

Lagos locked down, army under scrutiny after civilians fired on

By Wole Soyinka To the affected governors all over the nation, there is one immediate step to take: demand the withdrawal of those soldiers. Convoke Town Hall meetings as a matter of urgency. 24-hr Curfews are not the solution. Take over the security of your people with whatever resources you can rummage. Substitute community self-policing based on Local Councils, to curb hooligan infiltration and extortionist and destructive opportunism.



 I arrived home from external commitments just over a week ago to an extraordinary homecoming gift. It took the form of a movement &#8212; sometimes angry, sometimes entrancing, poignant, sometimes strident, certainly robust in expectations but always moving, visionary and organized. That movement demanded an end to brutality from state security agencies, focusing on a notorious unit known as SARS. But, of course, SARS merely stood for the parasitic character of governance itself in all ramifications. That dimension – albeit not in those very terms of course – was acknowledge by the first formal response of government, delivered through the Vice-President. The movement involved members of the Nigerian Bar Association, Feminist Groups, Professionals, Technocrats, Students, Prelates, Industrial institutions, and Artistes – writers, cineastes, actors, musicians. It was markedly a youthful movement, its energy, creativity and resolve diffused throughout the nation through impressive strategies.



 It was,above all, orderly. In places, one felt vibrations that seemed to echo concert grounds like Woodstock, other times, the massed processions of France’s Yellow vests or waves of Lech Walesa’s Solidarity movement. Even closer, more recently and pertinent, the patient, stoical gatherings in Mali that lasted weeks and, in whose resolution, our own nation played a critical role. As I stated in my Message to Youth at the Freedom Park 10th anniversary events on Saturday, 17th, these youths brought fresh blood into tired veins. It was bliss indeed to be alive, to watch youths finally begin to take the future into their own hands.



 But – and haven’t we been here before? &#8212; suddenly, virtually overnight, it all changed. State security services – which specific branch, we have yet to identify – transported thugs to break up the protests. The videos exist, they have been widely disseminated – sleek motorcades with number plates covered – moved to recruit and disgorge thugs and breeds of hoodlums to break up the peaceful protests. Those mercenaries set fire to the protesters’ vehicles where parked, set upon the gathered youths with cudgels and machetes. 



They broke open at least one prison to let out the inmates. It has since been established that some of those vandals were actually recruited prisoners who, we can only presume, have been paid not only in cash but in kind. Casualties began in single, sporadic numbers, climaxing in the shooting dead last night of a yet undetermined number of protesters in a Lagos sector called Lekki.



 The mood, and climate of protest changed abruptly, and devastatingly with that diabolical intrusion. For the first time, anger and nihilism entered the lists, moving to dominate emotions. Organized militancy has been replaced by vengeful, omni-directional hatred. The capital, Abuja, has been torched in places, including the famous Apo market – that name itself evoking memories of an ancient massacre of youth – known as the APO Six &#8212; by SARS. Yesterday, October 20, I set out to drive to my hometown, Abeokuta, to be on my own turf as the violence was spiraling mindlessly in multiple directions. After negotiating my way through some eight or nine protesters’ road-blocks, I was compelled to turn back. It was all déjà vu – the uprisings in the former Western Region of Nigeria, the anti-Abacha movement etc. etc. etc. The attempt however enabled me to assess the



mood and transformation of the movement. I was better prepared. I rescheduled my trip for the following day ,– that is, this morning. In the meantime, however, that is, within the next eight to ten hours, the tension has become unimaginable! At that earlier mention Lagos sector, Lekki, where most of the affirmative action gatherings had taken place, soldiers opened fire on unarmed demonstrators, killing and wounding a yet undetermined number. One such extra-judicial killing has drenched the Nigerian flag in the blood of innocents – and not symbolically. The video has, in accustomed parlance, ‘gone viral’. I have spoken by phone to eye-witnesses. One, a noted public figure has shared his first-hand testimony on television. The government should cease to insult this nation with petulant denials.



 I resumed my trip to Abeokuta at 6 am, this morning as scheduled, again negotiating road-blocks -– this time somewhere between twelve and fifteen, all distinguished by an implacable state of rage. It was in stark contrast to the inclusivity of the protesting ‘family of common cause’ of earlier days. All inherent beauty of instant bonding and solidarity evaporated. At the block just before the Lagos Secretariat, the protesters proved the most recalcitrant. In the end, they exacted from me just the one offering to the rites of passage – I could sense it coming &#8212; I had to come down from the car and addressed them. I did. Little did they know what was churning in my mind: This is not real. This is Back to Abacha – in grotesque replay!



 It is absolutely essential to let this government know that the Army has now replaced SARS in the demonic album of the protesters. My enquiry so far indicates that the Lagos governor did not invite in the Army, did not complain of a ‘breakdown in law and order’. Nevertheless, the Centre has chosen to act in an authoritarian manner and has inflicted a near incurable wound 6 on the community psyche. Need I add that, on arrival in Abeokuta, my home town, I again had to negotiate a road block? That went smoothly enough. I expected it, and have no doubt that more are being erected as this is being written. It is pathetic and unimaginative to claim, as some have done, that the continued protest is hurting the nation’s economy etc. etc. COVID-19 has battered the Nigerian economy – such as it is for over eight months. Of course it is not easy to bring down COVID under a hail of bullets – human lives are easier target, and there are even trophies to flaunt as evidence of victory – such as the blood-soaked Nigerian flag that one of the victims was waving at the time of his murder. To the affected governors all over the nation, there is one immediate step to take: demand the withdrawal of those soldiers. Convoke Town Hall meetings as a matter of urgency. 24-hr Curfews are not the solution. Take over the security of your people with whatever resources you can rummage. Substitute community self-policing based on Local Councils, to curb hooligan infiltration and extortionist and destructive opportunism. We commiserate with the bereaved and urge state governments to compensate material losses, wherever. To commence any process of healing at all – dare one assume that this is the ultimate destination of desire? &#8212; the Army must apologize, not merely to the nation but to the global community – the facts are indisputable – you, the military, opened fire on unarmed civilians. There has to be structured restitution and assurance that such aberrations will not again be recorded. Then both governance and its security arms can commence a meaningful, lamentably overdue dialogue with society. Do not attempt to dictate &#8212; Dialogue!

wole soyinka

DÉJÀ VU – In tragic vein: Wole Soyinka on Nigeria’s unrest

LAGOS (Reuters) &#8211; Ozioma Egemasi says Nigerian police slapped, whipped and struck him with the butt of a pistol when he refused to pay them a bribe. Then he heard them discuss whether to kill him.



The 24-year-old music label manager shared his experience on Instagram, one of thousands of mostly young Nigerians who are taking to social media to speak out against alleged abuses by police and to coordinate ongoing protests.



Thousands of people have taken to the streets daily across the country in one of the biggest shows of public anger in 30 years, posing a major challenge to President Muhammadu Buhari amid an economic slump made worse by the coronavirus pandemic.



“I was scared. It meant they were willing to do anything to get whatever they wanted to get from me,” said Egemasi, recalling the January encounter with members of Nigeria’s Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS).



Reuters could not independently verify his account. A Lagos state police spokesman did not respond to phone calls and a text message seeking comment on the allegations.



The police force has previously denied accusations against SARS that are fuelling the unrest, although it said earlier this month that “unruly and unprofessional” officers had been arrested and were facing disciplinary actions.







Other concessions have been made since nationwide demonstrations began on Oct. 8: SARS was disbanded on Oct. 11 and a new police unit, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, was created to “fill the gaps”.



But it has not had the desired effect. Protesters say they have heard such promises before and demand deeper changes, including the prosecution of police accused of wrongdoing.



Rallying under the #EndSars hashtag and harnessing social media to raise awareness and funds and to garner support from international celebrities, protesters have built a momentum that previous actions led by civil groups and unions failed to do.



There are clear parallels with anti-government movements in places like Hong Kong and Belarus, said Antony Goldman, chief executive of London-based political risk advisory firm ProMedia Consulting.



“They have increasingly connected young, urban populations that have found a cause, and social media has triggered very rapid momentum,” Goldman said.



RELATED COVERAGE<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-protests-police-minister/nigerian-anti-police-protesters-must-enter-dialogue-minister-says-idUSKBN2741ZT"></a><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-protests-police-minister/nigerian-anti-police-protesters-must-enter-dialogue-minister-says-idUSKBN2741ZT">Nigerian anti-police protesters must enter dialogue, minister says</a>



The Nigerian protesters have drawn support from Black Lives Matter activists in the United States, including the movement’s co-founder Opal Tometi, and from Canadian rapper Drake and British-Nigerian actor John Boyega.



A Twitter account using the name of the internet activist collective Anonymous said last week it had hacked into Nigerian government websites in solidarity with the #EndSars campaign. Government officials did not confirm any breaches. [L8N2H80L6]



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tech-targets">TECH TARGETS?</h2>



Members of Nigeria’s burgeoning tech industry, a bright spot for foreign investors in Africa’s most populous nation, say they are often singled out by police for spot checks.



Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, co-founder of software developer training firm Andela and payments company Flutterwave, said so many employees had been harassed that his companies had protocols in place to call senior police officials in the event of an arrest.







Egemasi said his laptop and financial transactions on his cell phone aroused the suspicion of the five SARS officers who stopped him in a Lagos street at the start of the year.



“This happens all the time to young people because they believe we are young and not supposed to have that kind of money,” he told Reuters.



He said he was freed after paying a 500,000 naira ($1,300) bribe.



As he spoke, Egemasi was surrounded by more than a thousand protesters at a toll gate in the upmarket Lekki district of Lagos on Saturday.



Music blared out of tall speakers. A giant electronic billboard displayed slogans such as “Soro Soke”, a Yoruba phrase meaning “Speak Up”. And activists doled out free food and collected litter in black plastic bags.Slideshow&nbsp;( 5 images )



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crowdfunding">CROWDFUNDING</h2>



Such gatherings have largely been financed through crowdfunding, activists say.



The Feminist Coalition, a Nigerian rights group coordinating some of the logistics, said on its fundraising page it had received more than 73 million naira ($192,000) as of Sunday.



The funds have been used to hire private security guards to defend protesters against armed gangs who attacked some demonstrations last week, pay for private ambulances and cover the legal bills of more than 70 participants arrested across Nigeria, according to a spokeswoman for the group.



Two Nigerian banks closed the group’s accounts last week, so they converted their savings to bitcoin and started fundraising in the cryptocurrency, she added.







The crowdfunding has helped make the demonstrations among the biggest and longest-running in decades, said Cheta Nwanze of SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based risk advisory firm.







The provision of free food was a “very good use of resources,” he added. Most people live on less than $2 a day.



“It’s helping to sustain the momentum.”

With Instagram, hashtags and bitcoin, young Nigerians boost anti-police protests

<h1 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-springbok-captain-siya-kolisi-to-join-industry-luminaries-at-africacom-and-africatech">Springbok Captain, <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/siya-kolisi/">Siya Kolisi</a> to join industry luminaries at AfricaCom and AfricaTech</h1>



London, 14 October 2020 – AfricaCom and AfricaTech are anchor events of the new <a href="https://bit.ly/3iYlcTm">Africa Tech Festival,</a> which will take place – online – from 10-12 November this year.&nbsp; Acknowledged as the world’s largest Africa-focused digital infrastructure and emerging tech event, the Africa Tech Festival has always attracted a stellar line-up of critical thinkers, analysts, futurists, keynote and inspirational speakers. 2020 will more than deliver on that reputation, with a stimulating array of visionary industry presenters, raconteurs and even some sporting greats.



<a href="https://bit.ly/3iYlcTm">Register here to attend the event.</a>



Below are just some of the more than 200 speakers who will be at this year’s not to be missed, virtual event.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-connectivity-champions">Connectivity Champions:</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/peter-ndegwa-1/">Peter Ndegwa</a>, CEO, Safaricom</li><li><a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/alioune-ndiaye-2/">Alioune Ndiaye</a>, CEO &#8211; Middle East and Africa, Orange</li><li><a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/juliet-mhango/">Juliet Mhango</a>, Chief Human Capital Development &amp; Transformation Officer, Cell C</li><li><a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/dejan-kastelic/">Dejan Kastelic</a>, Group Chief Technology Officer, Vodacom</li><li>Elisabeth Medou Badang, SVP Africa &amp; Indian Ocean, Orange</li><li><a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/sonia-jorge-1/">Sonia Jorge,</a> Executive Director &#8211; Alliance for Affordable Internet &amp; Head of Digital Inclusion Program at The World Wide Web Foundation</li><li>Olusola Teniola, President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forefront-of-the-4ir">&nbsp;Forefront of the 4IR:</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/prof-tshilidzi-marwala/">Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala</a>, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg, Deputy Chair at the Presidential 4IR Commission (South Africa)</li><li><a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/unathi-mtya-2/">Unathi Mtya</a>, Chief Technology Officer at Grindrod Bank</li><li><a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/toyosi-odukoya-1/">Toyosi Odukoya</a>, Head of Digital Transformation, West Africa, the Coca-Cola company</li><li><a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/moustapha-cisse/">Moustapha Cisse</a>, at the African institute of Mathematical Sciences; head of AI centre, Google</li><li><a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/nitin-gajria-1/">Nitin Gajria</a>, Director &#8211; sub-Saharan Africa, Google</li><li><a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/kojo-boakye-2/">Kojo Boakye</a>, Director, Africa Public Policy, Facebook</li><li><a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/nomso-kana-2/">Nomso Kana</a>, Governor, Nuclear Energy Foundation Agency, nuclear scientist, Presidential 4IR Commissioner</li><li><a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/emmanuel-lubanzadio/">Emmanuel Lubanzadio</a>, Head of Public Policy sub-Saharan Africa, Twitter</li><li>Atsushi Yamanaka, Chief Advisor, Rwanda ICT Innovation Ecosystem Strengthening Project.&nbsp;</li></ul>



These industry leaders will also be joined this year by some of the continent’s most inspirational personalities and sporting greats.&nbsp;



That technology can have a huge positive impact on addressing all manner of challenges, including very real basic human needs, goes without saying.&nbsp; However, caught up in the daily grind or only having the big picture in mind, consideration for those less fortunate for whom technology could literally be life or death, can often be disregarded.



When it comes to being inspiring, look no further than <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/karen-smit-1/">Karen Smit</a>, Principal Specialist: Specific Needs at Vodacom, <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/bernard-chiira/">Bernard Chiira</a>, Director, Innovate Now, Global Disability Innovation Hub and <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/shannon-smuts-brauer/">Shannon Smuts Brauer,</a> Founder &amp; CEO at Pure Good Food, who has been shortlisted for the Jack Ma Foundation’s Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative’s Africa’s Business Heroes Competition 2020. They are joined by a number of other equally motivating presenters, such as <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/rapelang-rabana/">Rapelang Rabana</a>, founder and CEO of Rekindle Learning, who will share their experiences and punctuate just how telecommunications and technology can, and is, providing a helping a hand to those who need it.



For truly extraordinary achievements and enthralling stories, delegates will have the opportunity to tune into some of the continent’s (even the world’s) most remarkable humans who have put it all on the line and lived to tell the tale.



A man who needs very little introduction though, particularly in South Africa, and who will no doubt attract an eager audience, is <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/siya-kolisi/">Siya Kolisi</a>, Springbok rugby captain who led the team to their latest World Cup victory.&nbsp; Considered one of the continent’s ‘Most Influential Africans’, Siya will be on screen with his wife and co-Founder, <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/rachel-kolisi/">Rachel</a>, to discuss the launch their Kolisi Foundation – heart in one project.&nbsp; The Kolisi’s will share how one by one, everyone can make a difference.



<a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/chris-bertish/">Chris Bertish</a>, adventurer at Mavericks Big Wave champion, SUP Trans-Atlantic paddler and Guinness World Record holder….. Defying all odds, he navigated 4660 mi (7500 km) solo, unsupported and unassisted for 93 days, across the Atlantic Ocean from Morocco, Africa to the Caribbean Island of Antigua. The Stand-Up-Paddle (SUP) Crossing was an unparalleled global feat, which also raised money and awareness for conservation and to helped disadvantaged children in Africa, through the Lunchbox Fund and Operation Smile.



“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change,” comments <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival/speakers/hein-wagner/">Hein Wagner</a>, Global Adventurer, and Founder at Hein Wagner Academy, who was born blind.&nbsp; This has not prevented this in demand motivational speaker from living life to its fullest at all, as he’s competed in triathlons, marathons, the Cape Argus Cycle Tour, the Cape Epic, even participating in a yacht race – across the Atlantic Ocean. Hein is deeply connected to nature, with a keen interest in climate change, and is actively engaged in inspiring those around him to take note.&nbsp; He uses technology on a daily basis, for example, an artificial intelligence (AI) app that helps him ‘see’, by vocally describing the object or person Hein points his phone at.&nbsp;



Going virtual in 2020, presents an excellent opportunity for a wider audience to connect with these speakers and the exceptional content these events are known for year on year.&nbsp; All that is required to feel inspired, is an internet connection to join a community that is actively shaping Africa’s digital future.



To register for a FREE delegate pass – click <a href="https://bit.ly/3iYlcTm">HERE</a>



For further information please visit the 2020 <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/">website</a>



Media accreditation is now open: <a href="https://registration.gesevent.com/survey/06t0kg4kkf2ei">https://registration.gesevent.com/survey/06t0kg4kkf2ei</a>



For other media enquiries, interviews and/or images please contact:&nbsp; Kaz Henderson&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kaz@networxpr.co.za">kaz@networxpr.co.za</a>&nbsp;or call on +27 (0) 82&nbsp;339 1199.&nbsp; Please note that media registration will open next week.&nbsp;



About AfricaCom and AfricaTech 2020



Virtual Africa Tech Festival, including AfricaCom and AfricaTech, is part of the Informa Tech Connecting Africa event series, now in its 24th year. A vibrant celebration of Africa’s diverse community of tech champions, Africa Tech Festival is the largest tech and digital connectivity conference and exhibition in Africa, attracting 450 exhibitors and 15,000 attendees in 2019. Key themes for 2020 include 4IR for Africa, Connecting the Next Billion, Digital Infrastructure Investment, Tech for Good, ICT Policy and Regulation, the Future of Work and Talent and Skills Development. Africa Tech Festival also incorporates the AHUB, AccerlateHER Africa and the AfricaCom Awards.

4IR Fourth industrial revolution on ultraviolet background

Star Quality Speaker Line-Up at Africa Tech Festival 2020

(Reuters) &#8211; Wall Street’s main indexes fell on Wednesday as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said it was difficult that a deal on more fiscal stimulus would be reached before the presidential election in November.



The downbeat comments added to the fragile sentiment following a mixed bag of quarterly earnings reports from major Wall Street lenders.



“At this point getting something done before the election and executing on that would be difficult just given where we are and the level of detail, but we’re going to try to continue to work through these issues,” Mnuchin said at a conference sponsored by the Milken Institute.



U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Mnuchin had a productive discussion about relief proposals, but the administration’s lack of a national strategic testing plan remained a “major area of disagreement”, a Pelosi spokesman said. They will speak again on Thursday, he added.



“The market is a little worried about not having that extra support for the next couple of months into the holidays,” said Thomas Hayes, chairman at Great Hill Capital LLC in New York.



“This was viewed as a bridge to a full therapeutic or a vaccine (but) everything is getting delayed and without the stimulus, there’s not that short-term bridge that we needed to get to the vaccine, to get us to the finish line.”







Fading hopes of a deal on federal aid, as well as a halt in trials of a COVID-19 vaccine and a treatment have pulled the three main stock indexes back from one-month highs, but investors have held out for stimulus after the Nov. 3 presidential election.



At 12:50 p.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.53%, the S&amp;P 500 was down 0.69% and the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.97%.



Goldman Sachs edged up as strength in its trading business helped quarterly profit surge 94%, but Bank of America and Wells Fargo shed 4.0% and 5.4%, respectively, after a disappointing showing.



The S&amp;P 500 banks index dropped 1.4% as the third-quarter earnings season took off amid improving expectations over the extent of the drop in overall profits for S&amp;P 500 firms.



Analysts now expect earnings to fall 18.9% from a year earlier, according to Refinitiv IBES data, versus a 25% drop forecast on July 1.







Markets have also begun to digest the prospect of a Democratic victory, strategists and fund managers said.



While many investors view Democratic candidate Joe Biden as more likely to raise taxes, they are increasingly pointing to potential benefits of a Biden presidency, such as greater infrastructure spending and less global trade uncertainty.



Energy stocks rose the most among major S&amp;P sectors on the back of a rise in oil prices. [O/R]



UnitedHealth Group Inc dropped 2.8% despite raising its profit forecast as the U.S. insurer said it was difficult to predict the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic on earnings.



Declining issues outnumbered advancers 1.18-to-1 on the NYSE and 1.60-to-1 on the Nasdaq.



The S&amp;P index recorded 22 new 52-week highs and no new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 100 new highs and nine new lows.

wall street

Wall Street slides as Mnuchin says stimulus difficult before election

LAGOS (Reuters) &#8211; Nigerian protesters demanding an end to police brutality returned to the streets on Wednesday, saying they were unconvinced by the creation of a new police unit and a pledge not to use violence against demonstrators.Slideshow&nbsp;( 5 images )



Protesters have staged daily marches nationwide for a week, calling for an overhaul of police forces. Police have responded to the demonstrations with beatings, tear gas and gunfire, which human rights group Amnesty International said had killed at least 10 people.



LAGOS (Reuters) &#8211; Nigerian protesters demanding an end to police brutality returned to the streets on Wednesday, saying they were unconvinced by the creation of a new police unit and a pledge not to use violence against demonstrators.Slideshow&nbsp;( 5 images )



Protesters have staged daily marches nationwide for a week, calling for an overhaul of police forces. Police have responded to the demonstrations with beatings, tear gas and gunfire, which human rights group Amnesty International said had killed at least 10 people.



The protests have prompted a raft of announcements. The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a police unit that demonstrators have long accused of beatings, killings and extortion, was officially disbanded on Sunday.



On Tuesday, police agreed to stop using force against protesters. They also announced the formation of a new unit, the Special Weapons and Tactics team (SWAT), to “fill the gaps” left by the disbanded SARS.



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But protesters said on Wednesday they feared the new unit will simply be a rebranded version of SARS.



Hundreds gathered on Wednesday in the capital Abuja, as well as megacity Lagos and Warri &#8211; both in the south &#8211; to press their calls for police reforms.



“What they do is&#8230; give them new uniforms, call them a different name, but they are still the same people in these police forces,” said blogger Folu Oyefeso, in Lagos.



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Demonstrators in Lagos, who gathered despite heavy rain, sang, danced and chanted. Many held placards, including one that read “Stop killing our dreamers. #EndSARS now”.



Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in a statement on Wednesday, urged protesters to wind down demonstrations, saying that the gridlock caused in recent days had disrupted businesses still reeling from the coronavirus pandemic.



“People are just coming back to businesses. It would be unfair for those businesses not to be able to get back on their feet again,” he said.



.



On Tuesday, police agreed to stop using force against protesters. They also announced the formation of a new unit, the Special Weapons and Tactics team (SWAT), to “fill the gaps” left by the disbanded SARS.







But protesters said on Wednesday they feared the new unit will simply be a rebranded version of SARS.



Hundreds gathered on Wednesday in the capital Abuja, as well as megacity Lagos and Warri &#8211; both in the south &#8211; to press their calls for police reforms.



“What they do is&#8230; give them new uniforms, call them a different name, but they are still the same people in these police forces,” said blogger Folu Oyefeso, in Lagos.







Demonstrators in Lagos, who gathered despite heavy rain, sang, danced and chanted. Many held placards, including one that read “Stop killing our dreamers. #EndSARS now”.



Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in a statement on Wednesday, urged protesters to wind down demonstrations, saying that the gridlock caused in recent days had disrupted businesses still reeling from the coronavirus pandemic.



“People are just coming back to businesses. It would be unfair for those businesses not to be able to get back on their feet again,” he said.

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