In Côte d’Ivoire, the Singrobo-Ahouaty hydropower dam was meant to showcase President Alassane Ouattara’s vision of green growth and inclusive development. One year after the GreenFakes investigation exposed the project’s environmental costs, residents of the village of Singrobo say conditions have only worsened. Construction has ground to a halt without any official explanation. Behind the promises of modernisation, they describe inadequate compensation, damaged homes and nearly a decade of losses that, they say, have never been properly addressed.Yverin Konan’s house partially collapsed after heavy rains in June. The former fisherman from the village of Singrobo says several neighboring homes have also been destroyed or severely damaged. He blames blasting carried out during construction of the Singrobo-Ahouaty dam, located just a few kilometers away. “The cracks started opening wider and wider, and then, well, that’s how it started collapsing,” he explains in a voice message sent along with photos and videos. “It’s not even habitable anymore. It’s dangerous.”Last year, as part of the GreenFakes investigation done in partnership with media outlets Mediapart, Africa Uncensored, and Mongabay, Mediapart revealed the environmental costs associated with the megaproject. Documents produced by the French environmental consultancy Biotope and obtained by Climate Whistleblowers (CW) estimated that filling the reservoir could submerge more than 1,100 hectares (2,718 acres) of forest and aquatic ecosystems while threatening vulnerable species.The dam’s developers and financiers, who had pledged that the project would not harm the environment, have yet to respond publicly to the shortcomings identified by GreenFakes. But the damage extends well beyond the environment.One year later, CW returned to Singrobo. According to CW, no environmental compensation measures have been implemented on the ground. More strikingly, residents describe an unexpected development: Construction has been at a virtual standstill for months. The machinery has fallen silent, and no official explanation has been provided.The Singrobo-Ahouaty dam was intended to become a flagship infrastructure project. Planned to generate 44 megawatts of electricity from the Bandama River, about 140 kilometers northwest of Abidjan, it was promoted as West Africa’s first large hydropower project developed under a public-private partnership. The total investment was estimated at more than €170 million ($200 million), including €110 million ($129 million) for the design and construction of the dam itself.The 35-year concession was awarded in 2013 to Ivoire Hydro Energy (IHE), a special-purpose company created for the project by a former executive of Côte d’Ivoire’s national electricity utility. Financing was expected to come from private investors and several development finance institutions, including the African Development Bank (AfDB). Construction was awarded to the French engineering group Eiffage, while U.S.-based GE Vernova was selected to operate the facility once completed.Throughout construction, affected communities were repeatedly urged to be patient in the name of the public interest and economic development the project promised to deliver.Residents say they have never been compensated for cracks that appeared not only in their homes, but also in classrooms and the village health center. They say government-appointed experts inspected the damage, but that blasting was intentionally less intense on the day of their visit. According to residents, the assessments never acknowledged any link between the damage and construction activities.”They came and said they were old cracks,” recalls Nanan N’Dri Kouassi, the chief of Singrobo.The conclusion continues to fuel resentment, particularly for owners of homes that were newly built after dam construction began. One of the damaged houses belongs to Adama Coulibaly and Tena Traoré. Their home was built only five years ago under the resettlement program linked to the dam, after project developers relocated them to the outskirts of Singrobo.Beyond the cracked walls, the ceiling is sagging and the wooden fittings are deteriorating. “Getting water is a problem. There’s no water nearby,” Adama Coulibaly says. “That’s why my children and I have health problems because of the dirty water.” To support his claim, his wife, Tena Traoré, pulls out a stack of medical records belonging to one of their children. Coulibaly then picks up a wooden shelf, which crumbles in his hands.The couple says they have never received a formal property title. The only document they possess is a village land transfer certificate signed by the village chief in 2019.For residents such as Yverin Konan, the suspension of construction now feels like a form of justice.“Today, I say glory to God,” he says while looking toward the nearly abandoned facilities.Yet the former fisherman describes himself as an animist. For him, the Bandama River and the wildlife it once sustained, including monkeys and crocodiles, were far more than a source of income; they were sacred beings. “If I could perform other rituals to destroy it, I would. I’m happy that the dam has stopped.”
Read briefing Kaspersky’s latest survey highlights a protection gap between macOS and Windows-based devices. While macOS has long been regarded as the more secure operating system, 12 percent of its users reported malware infections compared with 9percent of Windows users. Moreover, only 35percent of macOS owners install dedicated security software, versus 42 percent of Windows users. According to Kaspersky’s latest global survey, Windows users report a higher adoption rate for most security measures, while macOS users show a modest advantage in a few privacy‑focused actions. At the same time, during the past year macOS users reported higher percentages than Windows users for a number of cybersecurity incidents.The largest gap in cybersecurity approaches appears in the habit of not opening suspicious emails or links, with 62 percent of Windows users following this practice compared to 51 percent of macOS users. What’s more, when it comes to cybersecurity software installation, macOS users are also lagging behind. While among Windows users 42 percent reported using digital‑life‑protection software, for macOS this rate is only 35percent, what Kaspersky security experts call a worryingly low figure.It is noteworthy that 12 percent of macOS respondents said they fell victim to phishing (fake emails, websites or messages) over the past year compared with 9percent of Windows users. Moreover, during this period macOS users faced more scams and investment frauds (16 percent vs 13 percent), privacy violations (11 percent vs 8 percent) and thefts of personal data (12 percent vs 7 percent).To counter these specific threats, robust anti-malware and anti-phishing protection is essential. Malware authors put a lot of effort into developing new, more powerful and stealthier versions of stealers, spies and other classes of malicious payloads, while relying on phishing techniques that allows them to get access to user’s data.
Read briefing World Bank: Developing countries will be better off due to AI African Business
Read briefing The High Court has declined to strike out a case challenging the governments decision to allow duty-free rice into the country.
Read briefing Africa’s Young Disruptors: Part Two African Business
Read briefing Kenyans are not safe, our children are not safe, investors are not safe and foreigners are not safe. Foreigners are not safe, Investors are not safe, no one in Kenya is safe.
Read briefing The young disruptors making their mark in African business African Business
Read briefing The young disruptors making their mark in African business African Business
Read briefing Africa’s Young Disruptors: Part One African Business
Read briefing IEBC has opened a procurement process for key election infrastructure, including KIEMS kits, ballot papers and the voter register, with bids due in early September.Why it matters: This procurement determines operational readiness for 2027 and could affect all counties if timelines slip or bids are challenged; mark for sensitive editor review.
Read briefing Linda Mwananchi leaders are urging Kalonzo Musyoka, Rigathi Gachagua and Fred Matiangi to back Edwin Sifuna for president in 2027.
Read briefing Guinea demands local refining as raw gold exports banned African Business
Read briefing Former Justice Minister Justin Muturi has publicly pressed IEBC to clarify the status of boundary delimitation, warning that unresolved constitutional questions could trigger crisis and post-election litigation before the 2027 vote. The intervention follows a broader debate over whether delimitation can still be completed in time.Why it matters: Boundary uncertainty affects county representation, constituency competitiveness and litigation risk, especially in areas seeking changes to seat allocations. Political reporting sensitive for editor review.
Read briefing Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has reiterated the governments commitment to ensure equitable development.
Read briefing Kilgoris was transformed into a spectacular theatre of love, culture, wealth and political power.
Read briefing African economies are accelerating local solar manufacturing ambitions as they seek to cut dependence on imports and strengthen energy resilience.Why it matters: A consequential climate-and-industrial policy story affecting Africa’s energy transition and manufacturing strategy.
Read briefing A protest reparations panel has approved compensation for 49 police officers, awarding them Sh25.75 million alongside payments to civilians who suffered human rights violations.
Read briefing The EACC has arrested Kitui County Chief Officer Gladys Mami Kivoto and five company directors over alleged conflict of interest and procurement irregularities involving Sh17.48 million contracts.
Read briefing Nurses across the 47 counties have been ordered to report back to work immediately or face legal action from the counties.
Read briefing Can Tanzania become an upper-middle income country? African Business
Read briefing Tanzania’s mining revenues surge as state eyes greater share African Business
Read briefing Most motorists argue that the system has become a source of frustration and financial burden.
Read briefing Deborah Mlongo Barasa, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry in Kenya, speaks during the launch of the National Carbon Registry in Nairobi, Kenya, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Henry Naminde, File)NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya has introduced a cap on the amount of carbon emissions credits it will authorize for sale to overseas buyers, unveiling one of Africa’s most detailed rule books for international carbon trading.The country has set a 10 million metric ton (11,023,113 ton) carbon dioxide equivalent budget for international carbon market transactions up to 2030. It establishes a ceiling against which every request will be assessed under the country’s new carbon markets guide.The guide, released Monday, creates a framework for approving projects under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which allows countries to trade emission reduction credits to help meet global climate targets.“It introduces a national carbon budget for trading to safeguard our Nationally Determined Contribution,” or NDC, Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa said.The Paris Agreement, signed just over a decade ago, commits countries to keeping the rise in global temperatures by the year 2100 compared with preindustrial times “well below” 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and says they will “endeavor to limit” them even more, to 1.5 degrees Celsius.Kenya’s carbon budget covers emissions reductions generated in the energy, transportation, industrial processes and waste sectors, with annual allocations capped at 1.67 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Officials say the cap is intended to prevent Kenya from overselling carbon credits that it may later need to meet its own NDC under the Paris Agreement.The framework replaces an often uncertain approval process characterized by its three-stage decision pathway comprising No-Objection, Approval and Authorization.“The guide establishes a national carbon budget for trading as a binding safeguard,” Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary Festus Ng’eno said, adding that it provides state agencies with practical decision-making tools throughout a project’s life cycle.The guide also introduces a conditional list of priority activities covering renewable energy, transportation and waste projects. Forests and other land-use projects are excluded for now while the country develops stronger baselines and data to manage reversal risks. Officials say inclusion on the list does not guarantee approval but is intended to speed the review of projects that align with Kenya’s development priorities.Kenya has emerged as one of Africa’s largest carbon market destinations, attracting investments in clean cooking, renewable energy, mangrove restoration and forest conservation. The government says the new framework will improve investor confidence by making decisions more predictable while protecting climate integrity and ensuring local communities benefit from carbon market projects.“Predictability, transparency, and institutional coherence are essential to attracting quality investment,” Ng’eno said, adding that government decisions will be based on “clear, published criteria designed to deliver national benefits without compromising Kenya’s climate integrity.”The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Read briefing Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia was on Tuesday arraigned before the Milimani Law Courts over alleged inciting remarks made during a political rally in Kieni, Nyeri County.
Read briefing 