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TECNO Glory Night Awards, Co-Hosted with TikTok Live and Confederation of African Football (CAF), Celebrated Africa’s Top Influencers and the “Power Your Moment” Spirit...
TECNO Glory Night Awards (www.TECNO-Mobile.in), jointly organized with TikTok Live and CAF, celebrated the creativity of pan-African KOLs powered by TECNO AI. With the launch of TECNO's "Power Your Moment" campaign during AFCON, this theme has been widely recognized by KOLs, stimulating the creation of a large amount of creative content and fully showcasing their power moments in everyone's lives.
As TECNO elevates its long-standing relationship with AFCON into its new title as the Official Global Partner, the brand gathered Africa's leading digital voices for a landmark celebration in Morocco. This signature event spotlighted the influencers whose creativity, authenticity, and cultural impact embody the spirit of "Power Your Moment."
The ceremony was conceived as a tribute to the individuals who, through their creativity, narrative power, and cultural impact, are shaping the future of digital expression across Africa. Influencers from more than twenty countries attended the evening, joined by AFCON football legends, media partners, and TECNO executives. Together, they formed a rare cross-section of talent, influence, and creative leadership.
Throughout the evening, TECNO presented five major awards, each recognizing a unique dimension of creative excellence. The award winners are as follows:
The Moment Excellence Award
Presented to influencers who best captured the emotional soul of "Power Your Moment," delivering stories filled with depth, authenticity, and resonance. These winners stood out through their compelling narratives that deeply resonated with audiences across Africa. Their content showcased authentic moments of triumph and emotion, creating powerful connections that exemplified what it means to truly "Power Your Moment." Through their creative storytelling and genuine engagement, they captured hearts and inspired communities, earning recognition for their ability to transform everyday experiences into memorable digital moments.
Winners:
Nigeria: @ ultimatekombo2
Tanzania: @ eng_makelele
Morocco: @ hajar_arssalanee
"This award represents every creator across Africa who believes their story matters," said @ ultimatekombo2 from Nigeria. "TECNO has given us the tools and platform to turn our everyday moments into something powerful. This recognition inspires me to continue creating content that resonates with our communities and showcases the beauty of our shared experiences."
The Moment King/Queen Award
Celebrating the influencers whose outstanding data performance, interactions, views, and follower growth, redefined true influence during the campaign. These creators dominated the digital landscape with content that not only captured attention but sustained engagement at remarkable levels. Their ability to consistently connect with massive audiences while driving meaningful interactions demonstrated their mastery of the platform and their genuine influence within their communities.
Winners:
Nigeria: @ liquorose_
Ivory Coast: @ MIMImimitiktok0101
Senegal: @ fallu_etsesvideos
The Creative Spark Award
Recognizing influencers who consistently push the boundaries of creativity, finding novelty in the ordinary and presenting imaginative, breakthrough content. These winners transformed simple concepts into extraordinary experiences through innovative approaches and fresh perspectives. Their work challenged conventions and inspired others to see familiar moments through new creative lenses, proving that innovation thrives when imagination meets authentic expression.
Winners:
Mali: @ sagaba1
Kenya: @ therealchiche
Morocco: @ brahimlogia
@ therealchiche from Kenya expressed her excitement: "Winning the Creative Spark Award pushes me to keep innovating and breaking boundaries. The #MyPowerMoment campaign challenged us to see creativity in new ways, and I'm honored that my vision connected with audiences across the continent. This is just the beginning of what African creators can achieve."
The Visual Master Award
Awarded to influencers whose works demonstrated exceptional visual artistry, mastery of composition, color, and light, turning every frame into an aesthetic experience. These creators elevated mobile photography and videography to an art form, crafting visually stunning content that captivated audiences. Their technical excellence combined with artistic vision resulted in content that didn't just tell stories but created immersive visual journeys.
Winners:
Egypt: @ ali_hustler
Nigeria: @ jennifrank29
Cameroon: @ mayole_francine
The TECNO Partner Award
A tribute to long-term creator partners who deeply align with TECNO's brand philosophy and especially contribute to the communication of TECNO AI. They are the true companions of the brand, resonating with TECNO's vision of blending technology with human inspiration. These partners have consistently demonstrated their commitment to showcasing how TECNO's innovative AI technology empowers creators to unlock their full potential and share their unique moments with the world.
Winners:
Uganda: @ solo . md
Senegal: @ cheikhetaltesse
Nigeria: @ izziboye
"Being recognized as a TECNO Partner means everything to me," shared @ solo . md from Uganda. "TECNO AI has transformed how I create content and connect with my audience. This partnership goes beyond technology, it's about believing in African voices and giving us the resources to amplify our messages. I'm proud to represent this vision and excited for what we'll build together."
The winners were selected through the #MyPowerMoment campaign, a continent-wide call for entries that invited creators to submit original photo or video content inspired by one of four themes: Power your Glory, Power your Rise, Power your Joy and Power your Creativity. Submissions captured moments of personal transformation, pure happiness, or imagination-driven expression, reflecting the diversity of stories that define African digital culture today.
The TECNO Glory Night Awards not only celebrated achievement, they reaffirmed the brand's commitment to empowering Africa's creative ecosystem. By bringing together influencers from across the continent at AFCON, TECNO strengthens the bridge between sport, technology, and culture.
The brand's investment in the creator community aligns with its ambition to foster deeper integration between its technology offerings and the cultural forces shaping African markets. This celebration is part of a wider effort to strengthen TECNO's association with AFCON, engage creators, and elevate KOL-driven campaigns through emotionally resonant content.
As the evening concluded, the atmosphere reflected a sense of collective pride, not only for the winners but for the continent's creative momentum. The Glory Night Awards marked a defining moment for Africa's next generation of storytellers, who now carry their trophies as symbols of recognition, visibility, and their rising role in shaping Africa's digital narrative.
The night may have ended, but the moments created will continue to shine, because with TECNO, every moment has the power to become extraordinary.
Along with KOL Night Awards, TECNO curated an exclusive product experience zone: brand guides walked Joeboy through its latest devices, spotlighting AI-driven photography features tailored for content creators—aligning with the "Power Your Moment" ethos. The demo let the artist test real-time editing tools, streamlining on-the-go creative workflows.
A highlight was the 3D photo station with TECNO AI : KOLs posed with the device, which offers boosted low-light performance and portrait optimization—key capabilities to elevate their visual content. Many snapped behind-the-scenes shots instantly, turning the experience into shareable moments that mirrored the event's festive energy.
At the TECNO AI Ecosystem showcase, KOLs engaged with interactive demos: trying VR gear linked to the smart ecosystem, or testing AI translation/summarization tools on the MEGAPAD. These hands-on sessions highlighted how TECNO's interconnected tech empowers creators to expand their creative reach and efficiency.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of TECNO Mobile.About TECNO:
TECNO is an innovative, AI-driven technology brand operating in more than 70 countries across five continents. Committed to transforming the digital experience in emerging markets, the brand combines contemporary design, cutting-edge technology, and artificial intelligence. Today, TECNO offers a comprehensive AI-powered ecosystem, including smartphones, wearables, laptops, tablets, intelligent gaming devices, the HiOS operating system, and smart home solutions. Guided by its “Stop At Nothing” philosophy, TECNO continues to lead the adoption of advanced technologies and encourages individuals to relentlessly pursue the best version of themselves.
Four new board members strengthen Afrobarometer scope for youth empowerment, technology, governance, and finance
Afrobarometer (www.Afrobarometer.org) has appointed four distinguished professionals to its board of directors, strengthening the organisation's commitment to rigorous research, youth leadership, and citizen-centred evidence.
The new board members bring expertise spanning governance, elections, youth empowerment, technology, and finance. The appointees are:
- Bupe Lughano Kabaghe (https://apo-opa.co/4aqwCho), a governance and development professional specialising in policy research, stakeholder engagement, and youth empowerment. With experience across Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States, she designs and delivers initiatives that promote inclusion and sustainable development. She holds a master's degree in global governance and diplomacy from the University of Oxford and is the founder of the Abana Afrika Foundation, which has empowered more than 450 young people through leadership and advocacy programmes.
- Mathias Hounkpe (https://apo-opa.co/4aZ4dPA), a Beninese elections and governance expert with more than 20 years of experience promoting democratic processes in West Africa. He currently serves as country representative of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) in Gabon and previously led IFES programmes in Mali and Chad. A former head of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa's Political Governance and Democratic Consolidation programme, he is also a lecturer on elections and governance and co-author of a comparative study on electoral-management bodies in West Africa.
- Rita Sraha (https://apo-opa.co/4rXu68u), a chartered accountant and business consultant with extensive experience in finance, corporate governance, and strategic management. She currently serves as acting managing director and board member of Ghana Post Company Ltd. Over a career spanning nearly three decades, she has held senior leadership roles at Kwame Asante & Associates and worked across both private and public sectors in Ghana and internationally.
- Sherif Helal (https://apo-opa.co/4arafbx), an Egyptian electrical engineer focused on applying technology and artificial intelligence to social and economic development. With a background in engineering and innovation, he works at the intersection of technology, business, and the public good and is developing the Social Knowledge Engine, an AI-powered concept designed to foster accountability, data sharing, and inclusive growth.
Afrobarometer Board Chair Amina Oyagbola said the new members reflect the organisation's strategic focus on youth leadership, accountable governance, and technological transformation.
“Africa's future will be shaped by a new generation of leaders and by how effectively we harness technology for the public good,” Oyagbola said. “Our new members bring strong credentials in youth leadership, governance, and digital innovation, reinforcing Afrobarometer's capacity to generate citizen-centred data that speaks to the aspirations of young Africans and supports evidence-based decision making across the continent.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afrobarometer.For more information, please contact:
Maame Akua Amoah Twum
Afrobarometer communications manager
Email: maameakua@afrobarometer.org
Telephone: +233208326343
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About Afrobarometer:
Afrobarometer (AB) is a trusted source of high-quality data and analysis on what Africans are thinking. With an unmatched track record of 430,000+ interviews in 45 countries, representing the views of more than three-fourths of the African population, AB is leading the charge to bridge the continent's data gap. AB data inform many global indices, such as the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, Transparency International's Global Corruption Barometer, and the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators. The data are also used for country risk analyses and by credit rating and forecasting agencies such as the Economist Intelligence Unit. All AB data sets are publicly available on the AB website and may be analysed free of charge using AB's online data analysis tool.
Visit us online at www.Afrobarometer.org.
The African Development Fund grants Guinea nearly $26 million in additional funding to develop an electricity interconnection with Mali
The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund approved additional financing of $25.79 million for Guinea for the 225 kV Guinea-Mali electricity interconnection project.
The financing, agreed in Abidjan on 10 December 2025, from the African Development Bank Group's concessional window includes a loan of approximately $22 million and a grant of $3.79 million to Guinea.
The project will contribute to the socioeconomic development of Guinea and Mali by providing inhabitants with better access to high-quality, low-cost energy.
The additional financing will support the continued implementation of the project, initially funded with approximately $41 million from the African Development Fund in December 2017. It will raise the total project cost in Guinea from $346 million to $372 million. Alongside the Fund's contribution, the project is co-financed by the European Union, the World Bank, the European Investment Bank and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID). The implementation period will run from January 2026 to December 2028.
The new resources will enable the installation of 37,500 additional electricity connections. The project also includes the development of medium-voltage feeders at HV/LV substations to support rural electrification, as well as institutional assistance for key national bodies, including Électricité de Guinée (EDG) and the Electricity and Water Regulatory Authority (AREE). It will also cover the operating costs of the Management Unit and the consulting engineer. This intervention will help strengthen governance and increase electricity access—two persistent challenges for the sector. In 2024, national access stood at just 52 percent, with stark differences between urban areas (89 percent) and rural areas (21 percent).
The project will directly benefit households by improving living conditions, as well as essential socio-economic infrastructure such as schools, health centres, artisanal workshops and women's groups. Productive users will gain access to reliable electricity to expand their activities. Strengthening these structures will boost employment, reduce poverty and enhance social cohesion.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).Media contact:
Aissatou Diallo
Communications and External Relations Department
media@afdb.org
About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa's leading development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). Represented in 41 African countries, with a field office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org
Prime minister Ousmane Sonko of Senegal presides over the opening ceremony of the first edition of the west African festival of arts and culture...
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On Sunday, 30 November 2025, the City of Dakar, host of the event, welcomed the official launch of the first edition of the West African Festival of Arts and Culture. The opening ceremony was held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Ousmane Sonko. Jointly organized by the ECOWAS and UEMOA Commissions, in partnership with the Republic of Senegal, the initiative gives concrete expression to a project conceived nearly thirty-eight years ago, aimed at strengthening regional integration through arts and culture.
In his address, the Mayor of Dakar, Abass Fall, recalled Senegal's legendary hospitality, described as the “Land of Arts and Culture,” and highlighted Dakar's plural identity as a “cosmopolitan, lively and vibrant city.” He underscored ECOFEST's vocation as a bridge between West African peoples and as a platform dedicated to the promotion of talents that shape the cultural vitality of the region.
For his part, Prime Minister H.E. Ousmane Sonko recalled that the Festival seeks to promote integration, social cohesion, peace and development through culture. This ambition is fully aligned with the resolve of the Government of Senegal to make culture a pillar of economic and social development, as well as an essential vector of sovereignty.
Delivering her message on behalf of Dr. Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr commended the leadership of the President of the Republic of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, for his commitment to culture and sub-regional integration. She also extended her gratitude to the President of the UEMOA Commission, Abdoulaye Diop, for his decisive role in the realization of ECOFEST. She further paid glowing tribute to the artists, creators, religious and traditional leaders who embody the living memory of the peoples of West Africa.
Anchored in ECOWAS Vision 2050 – “An ECOWAS of the Peoples: Peace and Prosperity for All” – the Festival highlights culture as a key lever for social cohesion, lasting peace and inclusive development. In a regional context marked by political and security crises, the chosen theme, “Political Mutations and Crises in West Africa: What Can Culture Do?” invites reflection on the role of the arts as spaces for expression, resilience and the reconstruction of social bonds. ECOWAS recalled that culture has always been at the heart of the dynamics of resistance and renewal, from the great West African empires to the present day.
The ceremony was enhanced by performances from renowned artists: Sidiki Diabaté (Mali), Ismaël Lô (Senegal), Solange Cesarovna (Cabo Verde) and Gyakie (Ghana). Through the subtle notes of the kora, traditional dances and powerful voices that resonated within the Grand Théâtre Doudou N'Diaye Coumba Rose, the audience and officials shared a moment of deep emotion and artistic communion.
ECOFEST 2025 will run until 6 December, featuring a rich programme of exhibitions, concerts, performances, professional meetings, workshops and cultural exchanges. This first edition seeks to showcase the diversity of artistic expressions from a region of multiple identities, united by a shared cultural heritage.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).New International Rescue Committee (IRC) data shows thousands of women and girls at risk as aid cuts cripple gender-based violence services in West Africa
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Across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, over 55% of gender-based violence (GBV) survivors supported in early 2025, have been left without continued access to essential, safe and confidential services for their recovery following broad funding cuts.
In Menaka, Mali, nearly 90% of survivors' cases are still waiting for full support.
In Burkina Faso, 52% of GBV cases remain unaddressed in the Sahel and North regions, with over 500 women and girls at risk of losing access to dignity kits, awareness sessions, and case management at the time of analysis.
In Nigeria, between 42% and 67% of GBV cases remain “open” following program closures across Borno, Adamawa, Katsina, and Zamfara States, leaving hundreds of women and girls without access to critical support.
In Niger, 26% of GBV cases in Diffa and Tillabéri are no longer being actively managed. In Balayera, IRC was the only actor providing protection services.
More than half of all survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) have lost access to critical support services following the initial complete suspension of essential funding in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Nigeria, according to data collected by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). As the protection gap widens, which leaves women and girls increasingly vulnerable to violence, isolation, and long-term harm, the IRC urges the international community of donor governments to significantly increase funding for organizations responding to GBV.
The abrupt suspension of case management, which came after large funding cuts in the first half of the year, deprived survivors of a vital service that had supported them from the moment they disclosed violence. Many had been accessing safe spaces where they could speak freely and receive life-saving medical care, psychosocial support, and legal assistance. Suddenly, survivors, many still grappling with ongoing trauma or threats, were left without anywhere to turn, their recovery interrupted, their choices curtailed, and their needs unmet.
Services shut down entirely for three to five months, depending on the country. Now, even as some programs have been brought back to partial operation, fewer than 55% of specialized GBV caseworkers have been rehired, meaning there is now limited coverage of GBV services in those locations.
Safiatou,* who lost access to IRC services for women at risk in eastern Mali, said:
“With the end of the project, I feel isolated. I keep my problems to myself because this project was special. It always gave us the opportunity to share our fears and concerns through listening sessions and awareness activities that addressed the challenges we face. The staff always responded to our concerns: they were like doctors to us girls.”
Yolande Longang, Women's Protection and Empowerment Technical Advisor for IRC in West Africa, said:
“When services were shut down, survivors were left in the dark. With urgent medical care and emotional support disrupted, survivors were left to endure their trauma in isolation. In contexts where access to comprehensive protection services including health, psychosocial, legal, and community-based support is largely limited or unavailable, their suffering remained invisible and unaddressed.
And when services finally resumed, in some locations, they were a shadow of what was needed. Even GBV case management was only partially restored, and support was limited to the most critical cases, those involving clinical management of sexual assault or imminent risk to life. This left countless survivors without the help they urgently needed, including girls at risk of child marriage and women experiencing intimate partner violence.”
GBV frontline workers were confronted with cases where survivors accessed services with significant delays; this is particularly troubling in cases of sexual assault, with GBV responders unable to provide the essential care within the critical 72-hour window following the assault. In regions where the IRC was the primary or sole provider of GBV services, the suspension has left a dangerous vacuum. With limited coverage and resources from alternative actors, many communities now rely on under-resourced local mechanisms that struggle to meet the demand for essential GBV support.
As humanitarian actors face severe funding cuts, administrative barriers, and security constraints, many open cases are left without follow-up care. Community-based organizations, though trained, lack the resources to fully assume service delivery, and government structures are too under-resourced to absorb the growing caseload.
Without urgent action to restore funding or mobilize alternative support, hard-won gains - from having appropriate levels of staffing to respond to GBV to working with communities to see GBV as a rights violation and women and girls as equal actors - risk being reversed. Operating within a broader ecosystem of humanitarian services, continued reductions in foreign aid are placing unprecedented strain on local organizations and decentralized systems already operating at their limits.
Urgent and sustained funding is essential to support GBV response organizations, including local organizations, to help close the widening gap in resources needed to protect women and girls. At the same time, it is essential to strengthen local structures and systems that provide vital support to survivors. In this world of hyper-prioritization in humanitarian response, we remind all actors that GBV prevention and response are lifesaving services and must be included in all response plans.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Rescue Committee (IRC) .