Broadcasting
Furera Isma Jumare, Florence Chikezie, Ayanda More, others Join the Lineup of Speakers for PMI’s Africa Conference

Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s leading association for project professionals, has announced its lineup of speakers to include Furera Isma Jumare, Director-General, Jigawa State Investment Promotion Agency; Florence Chikezie, Founder, ReDahlia & Entrepreneurs.ng, Eloy Young Entrepreneur Award; Ayanda More, Founder & CEO, Apara Global Africa; and Ananth Natarajan, CEO, Cybereum for its Africa Conference set to return to an in-person format for the first time since the pandemic.
Now in its seventh year, the 2022 edition is themed Sustainable Growth for Social Good: Connecting Ideas, People and Projects. The conference will bring over 400 delegates from across the continent to discuss how to optimise the delivery of Africa’s development and business transformation projects.

Florence Chikezie
Conference delegates will meet and hear from some of the most influential people shaping Africa’s future. Among the growing list of confirmed speakers are Joseph Cahill, Chief Customer Officer, PMI; David Pilling, Africa Editor, Financial Times; Henry Coco-Bassey, Music NFT pioneer; Daneil Yu, Founder & CEO, Wasoko; Chikezie Nwosu, CEO, Waltersmith Petroman Oil; Ebo Richardson, Group Director, Transformation & Enterprise Programmes, Equity Group; and Simi Nwogugu, CEO, JA Africa.
This year’s agenda comprises a dynamic mix of lively panel discussions, keynote interviews, in-depth peer-to-peer conversations, inspiring talks, and plenty of networking opportunities. In addition, the Tony Elumelu Foundation will be hosting a ‘pop-up’ mentoring station. The event is open to senior business executives and those involved in the project economy keen to learn how changemakers and project professionals in Africa are seizing the region’s incredible growth opportunities.

Joseph Cahill
This year’s event places an emphasis on the importance of women, youth and education in Africa’s sustainable growth trajectory and will cover a wide range of topics, from new ways of working in the Metaverse and pioneering NFT projects, to spotlights on Africa’s emerging music, film, and tech industries.
George Asamani, Business Development Lead, Africa, PMI said, “The world has undergone some seismic shifts over the past two years and not one sector was left completely immune, including project management. The line-up of speakers reflects our view on how the profession will transform and how projects will be delivered across sectors that contribute majorly to the economy”.
“Necessity is the mother of all invention and now innovation. We are thrilled that the Africa Conference has grown in influence and is able to attract such an exceptional panel of speakers and at the same time drive the narrative around social good and sustainability forward. We look forward to sharing new learnings and perspectives with the PMI community as we look for ways to make ideas a reality.”
Taking place in partnership with the Financial Times, the PMI Africa Conference is one of the most highly anticipated gatherings of change leaders in project management, bringing rising leaders, lawmakers and businesses from across the continent under one roof for three days of lively discussion, community building and knowledge sharing.
The conference brings together captains of industry, government, and stakeholders from the project management sphere – project, programme, and portfolio managers with similar career goals to share best practices, earn professional development units (PDUs), meet like-minded professionals, learn and retain valuable skills and knowledge.

Furera Isma Jumare
Project Management Institute (PMI) is the leading professional association for project management and the authority for a growing global community of millions of project professionals and individuals who use project management skills. Collectively, these professionals and “changemakers” consistently create better outcomes for businesses, communities and society worldwide.
PMI empowers people to make ideas a reality. Through global advocacy, networking, collaboration, research, and education, PMI prepares organisations and individuals at every stage of their career journey to work smarter so they can drive success in a world of change.
Building on a proud legacy dating to 1969, PMI is a not-for-profit for-purpose organisation working in nearly every country around the world to advance careers, strengthen organisational success, and enable project professionals and changemakers with new skills and ways of working to maximise their impact. PMI offerings include globally recognized standards, certifications, online courses, thought leadership, tools, digital publications, and communities.
Broadcasting
Spotify RADAR Africa Turns the Volume Up on FOLA and Thakzin

Spotify is turning the spotlight toward the next wave of African music innovators with its latest RADAR Africa picks: Nigerian Afrobeats talent FOLA and South African Afro House DJ and producer Thakzin. As part of Spotify’s ongoing commitment to discovering and amplifying emerging voices across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), RADAR continues to champion boundary-pushing artists shaping the sound of tomorrow.
FOLA, born Folarin Odunlami, first caught attention with his freestyles on social media, quickly making a name for himself with his blend of Afrobeat rhythms and soulful storytelling. His breakout EP What A Feeling, featuring the Bella Shmurda-assisted hit “Who Does That,” laid the foundation for a fast-rising career that now includes collaborations with BNXN, Magixx, and BhadBoi OML. “Looking at where I’m coming from, I see every opportunity as a blessing. So, it’s a blessing to have been selected, just like others before me,” says FOLA. “I want my fans to know that in the midst of all the noise, I made something they could truly connect with, feel and share with those who mean something to them. I want everyone who listens to at the very least, recognise that they’re witnessing the early days of something truly special.”
On the southern tip of the continent, Thakzin’s journey began in Ivory Park, Johannesburg, where early jazz and kwaito influences, plus a deep respect for traditional percussion, shaped his signature sound. With co-signs from Black Coffee and international tastemakers like Laurent Garnier, his genre-defying approach to Afro House, heard in his 2023 anthem “The Magnificent Dance,” is setting global dance floors alight. Following the release of Magnificent Dance, his version of Horns In The Sun by DJ Kent became a viral hit across South Africa and gained global traction, potentially surpassing the success of Magnificent Dance itself. Thakzin’s sound is rooted in African spirituality and healing, inspired by the rhythmic power of traditional drums. Shaped by a musical upbringing and guided by his father, a keyboardist, he blends rich harmonies with percussive elements to create an immersive Afro-house experience. His music evokes emotion, movement, and ancestral energy, anchored in freedom and African expression. In recognition of his role in shaping 3-step, Thakzin was the first cover artist of Spotify’s 3 STEP playlist.
Spotify RADAR isn’t just a platform, it’s a launchpad. It reflects Spotify’s commitment to empowering local artists across SSA and delivering the best listening experience in the region. From Lagos to Johannesburg, RADAR celebrates the diversity of talent on the continent, offering artists equal access to global audiences.
“At Spotify, we believe in the power of African storytelling through music. FOLA and Thakzin are both incredibly unique artists who represent the spirit of RADAR—fresh voices with global potential,” says Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa. “By amplifying their journeys, we hope to inspire more creators across the continent to believe in their vision and reach for bigger stages.”
With FOLA and Thakzin stepping into the spotlight, one thing is clear: Africa’s future sound is already here, and Spotify is where you find it first.
Broadcasting
Paradigm Initiative Applauds Malawi’s Judiciary for Outlawing Criminal Defamation

Paradigm Initiative (PIN) commends the decision by the High Court of Malawi, sitting as the Constitutional Court (ConCourt), which finds that section 200 of the Penal Code of Malawi, criminalising defamation, is unconstitutional. This follows a unanimous ruling by Justices Chifundo Kachale, Fiona Mwale, and Mzondi Mvula.
The decision by the three-judge bench concludes a case brought by Joshua Chisa Mbele against the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General, where the latter leveled charges against Mbele for alleged defamatory statements made regarding a public official in Malawi. In his defence, Mbele challenged the constitutionality of section 200 of the Penal Code of Malawi, which criminalised defamation, arguing that this provision infringed the right to freedom of expression as provided for under section 35 of the country’s Constitution, as well as running counter to Malawi’s obligations under regional and international human rights law.
In its commendable ruling, the ConCourt upheld the right to freedom of expression enshrined in the Malawian Constitution and described the punishment of imprisonment, as outlined in Section 200 of the Malawi Penal Code, as having a “chilling effect on public discourse and democratic participation.” In a ruling delivered on July 16th, 2025, the court said it did not find Section 200 of the Malawi Penal Code reasonable or necessary in light of the civil remedies available to deal with defamation.
PIN celebrates this win, having expressed concerns in the past over Malawi’s repressive laws through the Londa report on the state of digital rights and inclusion in Malawi and a joint advocacy statement calling for the repeal of laws infringing on freedom of expression.
PIN hopes that this decision will stir the legislature in Malawi to repeal laws that have a bearing on freedom of expression such as the Electronic Transactions and Cybersecurity Act 2016, which is increasingly being deployed as a weapon to criminalise freedom of expression and media freedom in Malawi with broad provisions such as section 87 that criminalises publication of offensive communications and an overly broad section 91 of the Act (prohibiting cyber spamming) which has been used to target individuals for insulting the President.
Acknowledging the judiciary’s vital role in promoting fundamental rights and freedoms and ensuring that repressive laws are outlawed, PIN applauds the progressive decision. The Malawi judiciary has demonstrated this leadership with a landmark case that can lead to further legislative reforms in Malawi and inspire other African judiciaries to adopt a human rights-based approach to adjudicating over such cases.
Broadcasting
Canal+ Clears Final Hurdle to Acquire South Africa’s MultiChoice

France’s Canal+ said Wednesday it had cleared the final regulatory hurdle for the buyout of Africa’s largest pay TV enterprise, MultiChoice, and further expand its footprint on the continent.
The company said in a statement that the South African Competition Tribunal had given its approval for Canal+ to acquire the approximately 55 per cent of MultiChoice shares it does not already own.
The approval “clears the way for us to conclude the transaction in line with our previously communicated timeline” by October 8 at the latest, Canal+ chief executive Maxime Saada said in a statement.
“I’m excited about the potential this transaction unlocks for all stakeholders… the combined Group will benefit from enhanced scale, greater exposure to high-growth markets and the ability to deliver meaningful synergies,” he added.
Canal+ is present in 25 African countries through 16 subsidiaries and has eight million subscribers, according to the French group.
MultiChoice operates in 50 countries across sub-Saharan Africa and has 14.5 million subscribers, it says. It includes Africa’s premier sports broadcaster, SuperSport, and the DStv satellite television service.
“It is a hugely positive step forward in our journey to bring together two iconic media and entertainment companies and create a true champion for Africa,” Saada said about combining Canal+’s French language offerings with the English and Portuguese content on MultiChoice.
Canal+ hopes that the acquisition will allow it to grow to 50 to 100 million subscribers in a few years, from 27 million currently.
The mandatory share offer of 125 rand (6 euros) per share values MultiChoice values the company at $3.0 billion (2.6 billion euros).
The approval came with several public-interest conditions worth about 26 billion rand over three years and keeping MultiChoice’s headquarters in South Africa. Shares in Canal+ climbed 1.3 per cent in trading in London, and are up 12.8 per cent this year.
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