I love horses. They move with both strength and restraint at the same time. You can’t force a horse to trust you, you have to earn it. And once you do, the partnership is everything. It’s a reminder that the strongest leaders, the strongest people, aren’t always the loudest in the room. Sometimes they are calm, grounded, and confident enough to move with purpose, not pressure.
Venezuela just ended all energy deals with Trinidad.
They say T&T helped the US seize a Venezuelan oil tanker.
T&T says that’s not true. But the gas deals? Gone.
Now the region’s caught in the middle.
BBC, Reuters and Al Jazeera reports.
Talk to me in the comments. Hit repost or share to your story.
Drake gave us music. I’m looking at the economics. Because this may not just be about whether the albums are good. It may be about leverage, obligations, catalogue power, platform power and what superstar artists can demand next. Favourite tracks so far?
Sources: UMG Q1 earnings call, UMG Q1 2026 results, Variety, Pitchfork, Music Business Worldwide
I have always been very clear that I think digital ID whilst having lots of great features is problematic from a data and security perspective. However, I personally don’t believe every disagreement with government policy needs to involve standing in the middle of central London surrounded by emotionally charged crowds, heavy policing and people with completely different agendas. And as a black woman especially, I’m very aware that certain environments can become dangerous very quickly. But that does not mean you are powerless.
If, like me, marching is not your thing, here are other ways people can object, question or push back:
• Read the actual policy proposals yourself instead of relying on online panic or government PR
• Write to your MP and formally object or ask questions
• Support digital rights and civil liberty organisations
• Learn about data privacy, facial recognition and surveillance laws
• Be intentional about what apps, platforms and permissions you give access to
• Push for stronger legal protections and transparency around data use
• Vote based on civil liberty issues, not just personality politics
• Have real conversations with your family and community so people understand both the risks and the benefits
• Stay informed about how “optional” systems evolve over time
• Understand that protecting privacy does not automatically mean somebody is hiding criminal activity
Whether you support digital IDs or not, I think people should understand what is being built before blindly accepting or rejecting it.
This week, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu spoke at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, where he touched on credit ratings, African risk, refining capacity, local value addition and why Africa cannot keep scaling by only looking outwards.
Whether you agree with him or not, the wider question is important:
Can Africa build real economic sovereignty while external institutions still shape how its risk, capital and future are priced?
What are your thoughts?
Sources: Africa CEO Forum, Reuters, NTA, The Cable.
This is actually such a creative form of civic resistance.
Because I don’t think the economic hitmen of the world quite anticipated Nigerians spamming the World Bank’s account telling them to stop lending Nigeria money.
It’s funny on the surface but it’s also governance pressure in real time.
However, it is important to know that if the world bank deems your country as problematic is it the ordinary citizen who will pay the price as they will price it in as additional risk so if you’re applying for a loan or job or Visa these things are all factored in.
Sources:
Reuters, The Guardian, The Punch, World Bank project disclosures, public reactions on Instagram/X, reporting around Nigeria’s proposed $1.25bn World Bank facility
Rwandan President Paul Kagame talking about African sovereignty, foreign pressure and the need for African countries to stop waiting for permission to protect their own interests. His wider point was simple. Africa cannot keep complaining about exploitation while still allowing external powers to shape its politics, weaken its economies and dictate its direction. He said African nations must learn to say no, even when the pressure comes through sanctions, lectures or so called partnerships. Whether people agree with him or not, the conversation is important. Because African unity cannot just be a slogan. It has to show up in trade, policy, security, investment and the confidence to negotiate from a position of self worth. What are your thoughts?
America spent years warning African countries about becoming too dependent on China. But what happens when the world’s biggest economy also finds itself exposed to another superpower through supply chains, minerals, technology and trade? This Trump Xi meeting was bigger than diplomacy. It was about leverage, vulnerability and who controls the systems the global economy still depends on when the world becomes unstable. And maybe that’s the real lesson here for everyone, not just Africa. Dependency is not only about loans. Sometimes it is about who controls the things your country cannot function without.
Sources: Reuters, Forbes, AP, CBS, Premium Times, Washington Post
Don’t take it from me 🤷🏽♀️
if you’re interested in returning home to or building/investing in Africa or the Caribbean make sure you join my WhatsApp channel the link in bio
Saudi Aramco’s warning about the Strait of Hormuz got me thinking about something bigger. This is no longer just an oil story. It is a logistics, refining and coordination story. Countries like Nigeria suddenly become strategically more important when shipping routes become uncertain. But opportunity alone is not enough. The real question is whether producers can move quickly enough to turn disruption into long term leverage. Nigeria is moving, but the market may still be moving faster. And if Africa gets this moment right, it could strengthen the continent’s bargaining power in global energy markets far beyond this crisis.
Sources: Reuters, NUPRC, NMDPRA, ThisDay, Premium Times
