AGP Executive Report

Judicial Accountability Push (Kenya): Kenya’s Judiciary will start publishing individual judges’ performance data, with the JSC framing it as constitutional accountability—tracking clearance rates, backlog management, case flow and public perception—while insisting judicial independence stays protected. Immigration & Work (Spain): Spain plans to legalise about 500,000 undocumented workers and link them to jobs to boost growth, despite far-right backlash. Press Freedom vs Prosecution (Ghana): A Ghanaian politician’s arrest and prosecution over public remarks is denounced as “persecution,” with critics arguing civil remedies were being turned into criminal punishment. Party Turmoil (Nigeria): Oyo APC primaries deepen in crisis as Adebayo Adelabu disputes official voting figures and membership claims. Publishing/Media Watch: CJID urges Nigerian journalists to intensify investigative health reporting to drive policy change. Culture & Books: Tunis’ contemporary art scene gets a spotlight, while Roger Ballen’s South Africa-led photography continues to travel through lectures and retrospectives.

Arts & Culture Loss: Johannesburg mourns Maria McCloy, the DJ, publicist and style-maker who “made the city feel possible,” with tributes centring her “doing love” and the community she built. Books & Reading Spaces: The Kingsmead Book Fair returns 23 May, betting on slow, in-person conversations and traditional literacy even as media habits shift. Publishing & Talent: Nigeria’s PU Prime launches its multi-year “Dream Fund” in Abuja to keep children in school, starting with sustained sponsorship and digital learning support. Security & Governance: Nigeria’s VP Kashim Shettima urges commanders to keep coordinated pressure on terrorists in the North-East while strengthening intelligence and civil-military cooperation. Rights & Law: Botswana removes colonial-era criminal provisions on same-sex relations, though July court battles and social backlash loom. Industry Signals: FESPA doubles down on sustainability with ISO 20121:2024 for event management. Local Media Skills: Premium Times and CJID train journalists on investigative, ethical health reporting.

Health & Accountability: Nigeria’s CAPPA has premiered “Sweet Poison,” a documentary linking sugar-sweetened drinks to rising non-communicable diseases and environmental harm, using policymakers, clinicians, patients and traders to “connect the dots.” Publishing & Culture: The McDermid Debut Award 2026 shortlist spotlights fresh crime voices ahead of the Theakston Old Peculier festival, while Nigeria’s print-media decline is framed as a loss of archives and authenticity as audiences shift online. Sports & Storytelling: Eliud Kipchoge’s Cape Town marathon marks a pivot from records to education and climate legacy, and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is named UEFA Europa League Player of the Season after a trophy-winning campaign. Business & Tech: AI.cc launches an enterprise translation API aimed at replacing legacy translation infrastructure, and South Africa’s SARB signals rate-hike risk as April inflation hits 4% amid fuel-linked pressures. Arts & Community: Lagos curator Ugoma Chinelo Ebilah opens Mbari Kola, a private pan-African art society with a publishing-focused foundation.

Impeachment Pressure in South Africa: Political analyst Lukhona Mnguni urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to let the parliamentary impeachment inquiry run without court-driven delays, warning that legal challenges could look like an attempt to dodge accountability in the Phala Phala saga. Literary Pipeline: The Commonwealth Short Story Prize named South Africa’s Lisa-Anne Julien as an Africa regional winner, with publication in Granta as the prize’s biggest career signal. Biodefence Push: Island Pharmaceuticals hired former BioCryst executive Raymond Taylor to accelerate Galidesivir for Marburg under the FDA Animal Rule, aiming to widen Ebola/Sudan virus opportunities. Gold Financing: West Wits Mining secured a ~US$53m senior loan to ramp Qala Shallows production. Girls’ Education in Kenya: Kakenya’s Dream continues protecting Maasai girls via its two schools in Narok. Ebola Screening at US Entry: The CDC ordered enhanced screening and quarantine steps for travelers linked to recent Central/East Africa Ebola activity. Cybercrime Crackdown: India’s cyber police arrested 35 and held 54 under preventive custody in a month-long sweep tied to fraud networks.

Information Crackdown: Gulf states are moving fast to control what people can film and share after US-Israel strikes on Iran, with mass arrests in Qatar and Bahrain and expedited trials in the UAE. Nigeria Education Payments: The federal government has started paying N4bn in outstanding Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) allowances to scholars abroad, with embassies set to disburse the first 50%. Publishing & Heritage: Azerbaijan’s Icharishahar reserve drew international attention at WUF13 with high-level visits, while Nigeria’s Shettima is set to unveil a new counterterrorism book in Abuja. Africa Tech & Markets: Africa Bitcoin Corporation gets approval to move from the JSE AltX to the main board. South Africa Economy: Stats SA reports April inflation at 4.0%, driven by fuel, housing and transport pressures. Books & Culture: A new book argues Dutch slavery numbers were far higher than official figures, and South Africa’s Princess Nandi Zulu is running the Cape Town Marathon for children’s charities.

Aid Shock and Accountability: A new wave of reporting revisits how Western donors’ “transaction-like” aid deals collapsed after the US froze foreign development assistance and USAID was shut down, leaving African health and food programmes scrambling to reconfigure priorities. Publishing and Power: In Nigeria, Omoyele Sowore’s cyberbullying case drags on as he seeks case reassignment after a judge rejected his no-case bid—another reminder of how courts shape the media ecosystem. Books in the Crossfire: In the US, Alex Haley’s “Roots” is banned again in Knox County Schools, sparking a fresh backlash as families mark the book’s 50th anniversary. Africa-Korea Startup Push: Nigeria’s foreign ministry opens applications for the AfCFTA Startup Acceleration and Partnership Programme 2026, targeting about 30 startups with acceleration and market access in Korea. International Law for Cybersecurity: A new Africa-focused study led with the African Union aims to help countries turn cyber rules into clearer national positions.

WHO Leadership Race: Campaigning for the next WHO director-general is already heating up as Tedros’ term ends in August 2027, with a mix of WHO insiders and regional leaders emerging as names to watch. Ebola Containment: The DRC outbreak is escalating fast, with the US moving to limit entry from the affected region as WHO declares it a public health emergency of international concern. Health & Care Access: World Hypertension Day programming is expanding across Africa and Asia, backed by Merck Foundation scholarships aimed at widening specialist capacity. Publishing & Culture: Sally Rooney’s Hebrew translation of Intermezzo lands with a BDS-aligned Israeli publisher, keeping the Palestine debate in the literary spotlight. Local Water & Housing: Maui County signs an MOU to acquire West Maui water infrastructure—an example of how public control can reshape housing and resilience planning. Creators & Media: South Africa opens entries for the 2026 Content Creator Awards, pushing recognition and training for the creator economy. Sports & Global Reach: Senegal picks Rutgers as its World Cup training base, turning a university campus into a publishing-and-attention magnet.

Cultural Archives Boost: The Getty Foundation has awarded $1.8m in new grants to expand access to Black visual arts archives, adding to $4.5m since 2022 and pushing digitisation plus public-facing community projects. Private Lending Push: Citi and BlackRock’s HPS Investment Partners launched a €15bn private credit program for sub-investment-grade corporate debt across Europe, the Middle East and Africa—Citi originates, HPS funds, and risk shifts off Citi’s books. Syria Real Estate Signal: Emaar is exiting its $500m Damascus joint venture and will run The Eighth Gate independently, a bet on post-war investment momentum after sanctions lifted. Nigeria Market Mood: Investors pulled back on the NGX, with equities down N81bn and the All-Share Index easing as trading stayed cautious. Courtroom Tension: Nigeria’s Justice Crack case continues amid claims of militarised court access, with lawyers and journalists reportedly harassed during proceedings. Book Culture Flashpoint: A US school district debate over banning Alex Haley’s Roots is reigniting questions about “age-appropriate” rules and who gets to decide.

Court Ruling Clock: Nigeria’s Federal High Court in Abuja has set May 26 to deliver judgment in the suit challenging Goodluck Jonathan’s eligibility for the 2027 presidential election, after parties filed briefs and INEC stayed away for lack of representation—raising fresh stakes for the race. Literary Spotlight: The DAG Prize for Literature has named its finalists for the $20,000 award, with the shortlist drawn from 220 applications. Media & Health Push: Merck Foundation says it has 124 media winners across 32 countries for its 2025 awards, and is now opening applications for 2026 recognition. Publishing & Culture: Durban kicked off the Articulate Africa Book and Arts Fair 2026, with Dr Gcina Mhlophe drawing crowds as the city leans into UNESCO City of Literature status. Economy Under Strain: A Nigeria-focused commentary warns that missing labour and budget implementation data is turning economic governance into “selective transparency,” leaving citizens without verifiable facts.

Public Transport Funding Shock: Cape Town’s MyCiTi bus expansion is at risk as proposed national changes could phase out the Public Transport Network Grant, threatening jobs and the Cape Flats rollout for 1.4m residents. Open Contracting Push: Sierra Leone showcased progress on transparent public procurement at the Open Government Partnership conference in Rabat, spotlighting how procurement shapes anti-corruption reform. Electoral Finance Scrutiny: Nigeria’s SERAP urged INEC to investigate alleged ₦800bn APC diversion for campaign purposes, calling for disclosure of donors and lawful funding sources. Budget Reporting Explained: Nigeria’s budget office said delays in quarterly reports stem from the repeal/re-enactment of the 2025 Appropriation Act and extending implementation to June 2026. Drug Trafficking Crackdown: NDLEA seized cocaine and opioids hidden in carton walls bound for the UK and Australia, alongside major skunk destruction operations. LGBTQ Rights Update: Botswana moves to formally repeal same-sex criminalisation sections after earlier court wins, despite religious-backed opposition. Books & Learning Angle: Rhodes University’s classroom libraries in South Africa’s Eastern Cape are boosting early reading access—filling a gap left by stalled provincial support.

Public Transport Funding Shock: Cape Town’s MyCiTi bus expansion is wobbling as officials warn proposed national cuts could phase out the Public Transport Network Grant by 2027/28—threatening jobs, commuter costs, and the Cape Flats rollout meant to serve 1.4m people. Budget Clarity in Nigeria: The Federal Government says delays in Quarterly Budget Implementation Reports stem from how the fiscal year is set by law, not the usual January–December calendar, after the 2025 Appropriation Act was repealed and re-enacted. Cost-of-Living Pressure: South Africa’s April inflation is expected to jump again as fuel-linked transport costs bite, feeding into the Reserve Bank’s next rate decision. Courtroom Fuel Fight (Kenya): A petition seeks to halt EPRA’s latest pump price hike, arguing insufficient public participation and demanding a full pricing breakdown. Road Safety Alert (Kenya): A Climax Coach bus overturn near Chepsir, Kericho, left multiple injured and reports of deaths. Publishing & Culture: A new Palgrave book spotlights how African indigenous languages show up—or get sidelined—in digital political communication. Heritage Push (Lagos): Pan-Atlantic University and the Yemisi Shyllon Museum align with the Eko Tourism Foundation, with book donations to boost research and cultural tourism.

Digital Silk Road: China’s “Digital Silk Road” is moving beyond cables and ports into AI, 5G, smart cities and surveillance partnerships across the Middle East—reshaping how governments govern and how tech ecosystems get built. Publishing & Culture: Summer’s biggest book-to-screen push is lining up romance, thrillers and epics for streaming and theatres, while Photo London opens in a new home and keeps the art-book circuit buzzing. Nigeria Courts & Elections: A bid to stop Goodluck Jonathan from contesting in 2027 stalls again as INEC fails to show up, with the court adjourning for proper service. Tax & Entertainment: South Africa’s Sars issues a final demand against jazz star Nduduzo Makhathini’s company over alleged VAT debt, escalating pressure on high-profile creatives. Books & Faith: Nigeria’s Bible Society of Nigeria gears up for its 59th national board meeting, with translation and publishing at the centre. Sports & Reading: Kenya dominates the 10,000m at the African Senior Athletics Championships, and a new “A History of the United States in 100 Objects” format keeps the object-history trend rolling.

Ghana Debt Shock: A University of Ghana finance professor says Ghana’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme “could have been avoided” if the government had approached the IMF earlier, arguing the delay made the eventual bailout “the most pricey IMF programme” in its history. Health Advertising Clampdown: Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health bans patient treatment testimonials in health service ads and orders media outlets to verify medical claims before publishing. Zimbabwe Gender Milestone: President Mnangagwa appoints Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza as Zimbabwe’s first female Chief Justice, with Justice Paddington Garwe named deputy. Books & Courts Spotlight: A new book on Kenyan constitutionalism spotlights how courts under the 2010 dispensation are shaping global constitutional debates. Creative Culture: Ghana’s “creative renaissance” is framed as builders creating new platforms and institutions from scratch, while Zimbabwe’s Harare weekend programme blends theatre, jazz, wellness and silent book clubs.

Judiciary Breakthrough (Zimbabwe): President Mnangagwa appointed Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza as Zimbabwe’s first female Chief Justice, with Justice Paddington Garwe named Deputy Chief Justice—an appointment celebrated as both symbolic and practical progress for women in top public leadership. Politics & Party Stakes (Nigeria): In Delta State, feelers say Justice Akuyoma has stepped down, clearing the way for Orode Uduaghan to inch closer to the APC ticket for Warri North ahead of 2027. Courtroom Tension (Nigeria): Human rights activist Efemena Umukoro backed the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku after Wong Box’s detention and ongoing cyberstalking-related trial. Books Under Pressure (US): Knox County Schools in Tennessee banned Alex Haley’s Roots from libraries under the state’s Age-Appropriate Materials Act, adding to a growing list of removed titles. Publishing/Access (Africa-China): A Gambia seminar pushed for deeper Africa–China knowledge exchange beyond infrastructure and trade, using research and publishing as the bridge.

School Book Ban: Knox County Schools in Tennessee has removed Alex Haley’s “Roots” and expanded the ban to 119 titles, reigniting fights over how slavery and Black history should be taught. Digital Sovereignty: A South Africa-focused opinion piece argues citizens’ data is legally protected but physically hosted and controlled by foreign infrastructure, exposing a gap between policy and real control. Publishing & Research: Springer Nature released a new pediatric diabetes textbook edited by Nigerian-born Dr. Benjamin Udoka Nwosu, underscoring Africa-linked global academic publishing. Media & Community: Independent Media announced editorial appointments across its brands, while South Africa’s Gauteng education department says it’s investigating alleged financial misrepresentations at Eden Park Secondary School. Trade & Payments: A Lake Chad Basin report says AfCFTA still can’t move value across borders because formal payments route through dollars, while informal settlement systems keep trade flowing. Energy Costs: South African fuel price recoveries look steadier for June, with diesel set to benefit most.

Publishing Survival Push: Nigeria’s publishers are urging deeper collaboration, faster tech adoption and clearer policy support to keep the industry competitive, with speakers at the Nigeria International Book Fair calling for partnerships instead of rivalry. Integrity & Access: Researchers at a global research-integrity conference backed an African code rooted in Ubuntu, arguing current ethics models don’t fit local realities. Media Under Pressure: A Nigerian civil-society report warns that digital surveillance is rising ahead of 2027, chilling journalists and civic voices. Education & Language: Ghana’s Confucius Institute launched a virtual classroom to expand Chinese-language teaching amid teacher shortages. Culture & Books: A new “Discovery Trail” project is turning students into authors and illustrators, while Cannes’ drug crackdown and a broader “newsroom slow death” theme underline how culture and media are being reshaped. Loss & Legacy: The Yusufu Bala Usman Institute chair Samuel Osoba (92) has died, adding to a week of notable book-and-ideas obituaries.