Themed “Kigali Hacks the Future”, it was a 12-hour marathon of creativity and coding, featuring 63 students divided into 12 teams showcasing innovative projects, and promoting collaboration within the tech community.

The student-led hackathon focused on promoting community engagement, improving tech exposure for local high school students, and providing a space to engage with industry experts.

Attended by high school students, mentors, and various tech experts, as well as representatives from the Ministry of ICT and Innovation and other senior full-stack developers.

Bruno Blaise Mudacumura, a student at Lycée de Kigali who was one of the organisers, explained that high school students in tech needed a platform like a hackathon that fosters interaction and idea sharing among themselves and their mentors.

“This is the first time we’re hosting such an event for high school students, and we want to address the neglect many students face by creating an opportunity for them to showcase their skills,” he said.

Mudacumura also added this was an opportunity for them to showcase the expertise of high school students, and to provide a chance for participants to interact with the country’s top experts in tech.

During the hackathon, students worked on different projects in their respective groups, tackling various challenges from health solutions to virtual reality.

Elisa Giramata, one of the students, expressed how lucky she is to have an opportunity to participate, adding that more effort is needed so that many students can have a chance to be part of the next one.

While presenting their project, only three groups were honoured for their innovative solutions.

Don Durkheim, leader of the first-place team, expressed his excitement and gratitude for winning the hackathon, adding that the 12 hours spent were a thrilling journey but worthy.

“This is a huge milestone for me and my team; we learned and collaborated, and this experience has shown me that age is not a barrier in tech; it’s about having the right mindset and passion for solving problems,” Durkheim said.

Nkaka Manzi Fabrice, a senior full-stack software developer, underlined the event’s impact on the youth, noting that this kind of exposure doesn’t only provide them with the skills they need, but also inspires them to continue pursuing tech careers.

“It’s impressive to see young people so engaged with technology to this extent. I believe that with this enthusiasm and innovations displayed here, Rwanda’s future in technology is promising,” Nkaka added.

Victor Muvunyi, Senior Technologist at the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, praised the student’s creativity and technical skills, highlighting that their ideas were aligned with Rwanda’s vision for technological advancement.

“The solutions presented were exceptional, and it’s clear that these young innovators are in tune with the country’s goals and are poised to drive future technological growth,” Muvunyi noted.

The discovery of commercial quantities of crude oil in the Albertine Graben basin, located in the west of Uganda near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, was made nearly 20 years ago. However, production from this basin is not expected to commence until next year.

Nankabirwa revealed that government geologists are now investigating the oil potential in two new areas: the Moroto-Kadam Basin in the northeast and the Kyoga Basin in the north. Preliminary studies in these regions show promise.

“The ministry is conducting initial exploration studies in the Moroto-Kadam Basin and the Kyoga Basin to evaluate their oil and gas potential,” Nankabirwa said. “Early results indicate that the Moroto-Kadam Basin may have significant commercial oil and gas potential.”

Uganda has five identified basins with suspected hydrocarbon potential, but only the Albertine basin has been extensively explored so far. Within the Albertine basin, the Tilenga and Kingfisher fields are predominantly owned by TotalEnergies (56.7% stake), with China’s CNOOC and the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) holding the remainder.

Commercial production has faced delays due to various challenges, including disputes with oil companies over field development and taxation, as well as a lack of infrastructure and funding. Currently, only 72 of the 457 planned wells in the Tilenga and Kingfisher fields have been drilled.

The government is also awaiting a decision next month from Chinese financiers, including EXIM Bank and SINOSURE, regarding funding for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). This 1,445-kilometer pipeline will facilitate the export of Ugandan crude oil through a port on Tanzania’s Indian Ocean coast.

Additionally, oil companies have proposed a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) facility, for which the government plans to issue a license soon.

Aidoo confirmed that Cocobod will finance the season locally, stating, “We are not taking funds from cocoa traders. The money will come locally. We are going to be self-financing.” This shift aims to save the regulator $150 million in interest costs previously paid on syndicated loans, which last year carried a record 8% interest rate.

Since the 1992/93 season, Ghana has relied on annual syndicated loans for cocoa bean purchases. However, due to challenges including harsh weather from El Nino, rampant smuggling, and swollen shoot disease, the country faced one of its poorest harvests in a decade during the 2023/2024 season.

The new season’s early start is a response to increased smuggling to neighboring countries and aims to counteract the lower-than-expected output. Despite the reduction in target, Ghanaian cocoa farmers are hopeful for a recovery in the 2024/25 season due to improved weather conditions and rehabilitated farms. Aidoo noted that, if necessary, a combination of self-financing and domestic funding will be utilized.

The company had previously sought to raise over $500 million through prepayment deals to address the impact of the PGM price slump, which significantly affected its earnings. Metals prepayment agreements involve selling future production for an upfront cash payment, providing immediate liquidity.

Sibanye Stillwater’s profits fell by $2 billion last year, driven by lower metal prices and a $2.6 billion write-down on the value of its U.S. palladium mines, a French nickel operation, and a South African gold mine. CEO Neal Froneman described the prepayment deal as a “proactive, strategic financing alternative” to enhance the company’s liquidity and balance sheet.

Under the deal, Sibanye will deliver 1,497 kg of gold in equal monthly installments from October 2024 to November 2026 in exchange for the prepaid funds, which will be used to repay existing loans.

In addition, Sibanye has refinanced and increased its 5.5 billion rand revolving credit facility with South African lenders. The original facility, set to mature in November 2024, has been replaced with a 6 billion rand facility that will now mature in August 2027, with an option to extend by an additional two years.

The refinery will be built in Jomoro, a southwestern city, and will be funded by a consortium including Touchstone Capital Group Holdings, UIC Energy Ghana, China Wuhan Engineering Co., and China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Co., as announced on state-owned Ghana Television (GTV).

Since discovering oil in 2010, Ghana’s production has reached approximately 132,000 barrels per day of crude oil and 325 million standard cubic feet per day of natural gas. West Africa’s current oil consumption stands at about 800,000 barrels per day, with nearly 90% of this being imported. The new petroleum hub aims to meet the region’s refining needs by 2036, as outlined in a 2018 agreement.

Despite the ambitious goals, the project has sparked controversy. Bright Simons, vice president of Accra-based think tank IMANI Africa, has criticized the consortium, alleging it lacks a solid business plan and is merely speculating on land acquisition.

Local opposition has also emerged, with some residents of the proposed 20,000-acre site protesting and calling for the project’s footprint to be reduced to 5,000 acres. Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a senior partner at the law firm representing affected farmers, argues that the government’s approach disregards valid concerns about the project’s social and environmental impacts, including the displacement of farmers and issues of land rights.

The government has largely dismissed these concerns, highlighting support from other community members who back the development.

Motorcycle taxis, known locally as boda-bodas, have surged in number across East Africa, but nowhere more dramatically than in Kampala. With an estimated 350,000 boda-bodas operating in a city of 3 million, these vehicles fill a crucial transport gap in the absence of a mass transit system and amid high unemployment.

Boda-boda drivers, who come from various parts of Uganda, often have no other job prospects. “We just do this because we have nothing else,” says Zubairi Idi Nyakuni, a driver who, despite holding advanced degrees, struggles with job scarcity.

The boda-boda sector is largely unregulated, and attempts to control it have faced resistance from drivers and frustration from city authorities. The influx of young, unemployed men seeking income has made it difficult for the government to enforce regulations without provoking unrest.

Charles M. Mpagi of Tugende, a company that finances boda-boda purchases, notes the lack of alternative opportunities for Uganda’s youth, who make up about 76% of the population. Unemployment has risen from 9% in 2019 to 12% in 2021, with youth unemployment even higher.

President Yoweri Museveni has historically supported boda-boda drivers as political allies, leveraging their visibility and influence. The term “boda-boda” originated from the 1970s when drivers transported smugglers across borders.

Today, boda-bodas are essential for daily tasks, from school runs to medical emergencies. However, they are also linked to crime and accidents. The number of fatal motorcycle accidents in Uganda rose from 621 in 2014 to 1,404 in 2021.

Despite ongoing efforts to regulate the sector, enforcement is challenging due to the sheer number of boda-bodas and their drivers’ non-compliance with traffic laws. Efforts to establish official stands and improve road safety have had limited success.

Recent policy changes, including a reduction in the licensing fee from nearly $100 to about $35, aim to make it easier to join the industry. With new motorcycles costing around $1,500, many drivers acquire them on credit or through bulk purchase schemes. The high cost and pressure to maintain their bikes create financial strain, often leaving drivers like Innocent Awita struggling to make ends meet.

Awita, who dropped out of school in 2008, faces daily pressure to pay for his bike and cover operational costs. “Sometimes I work for days without earning enough, but if I get something, it can save my life,” he says.

In Kampala, boda-bodas are both a lifeline and a symbol of the city’s complex challenges, embodying the intersection of economic necessity and urban disorder.

This follows allegations made by Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, who accused certain “mafias” of trying to sabotage his $20 billion refinery project. In an interview with the Financial Times, Obasanjo suggested that if the refinery succeeds, it could boost investment from both Nigerians and foreigners.

Officials from the Dangote Group recently expressed their frustrations, claiming that international oil companies obstruct the refinery’s operations by either refusing to sell crude oil or charging up to $4 above the standard price. They also accused the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority of intentionally issuing licenses to individuals for importing contaminated fuel. In response, the regulator denied these claims, saying that Dangote’s diesel was inferior compared to imported ones.

Speaking during the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa)-EAC Secretary-General Roundtable in Nairobi on Wednesday, EAC boss Veronica Nduva said the stays were distorting trade within the region.

The existence of numerous stays of application and countries’ duty remission is an impediment to the intra-EAC trade, she said, as the finished products that benefit from these measures cannot access the regional market at preferential tariff treatment.

This is due to the fact that all finished products that benefit from a country’s duty remission once sold in the EAC Customs Territory attract duties, levies and other charges provided in the EAC Common External Tariff (CET).

“Partner states are still requesting stays of application. This has meant that we have a distortion to the common instruments (of the CET) that were adopted by all partner states,” Ms Nduva said.