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Author: Web Master

COURIERS AT THE CROSSROADS

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Once the fleet-footed antidote to Addis Abeba’s traffic paralysis, motorcycle couriers now find themselves sputtering toward obsolescence. A pandemic-era ban on passenger services throttled their earnings, and a looming mandate to ditch petrol engines threatens to finish the job. Riders who once pocketed up to 2,000 Br a day now count themselves fortunate to complete one or two deliveries for a fraction of that. For many, routine stops by traffic officers, fines for lapsed paperwork, or overnight detentions have become occupational hazards. City authorities have given the capital’s 12,000 registered motorbikes two years to go electric. For most, the cost does not add up. An e-bike costs over 350,000 Br, nearly 10 times the monthly income of many riders, and seldom covers more than 100Km on a single charge. Charging points remain rare, maintenance costs are steeper, and range anxiety is constant. The talk among riders increasingly turns to quitting altogether.

Leaders of the Motorbike Owners Association warn of a cost spiral. Even as revenue dries up, expenses such as GPS renewals, municipal taxes, and association dues persist. Missing a GPS renewal deadline alone invites a 500 Br fine, while delivering spare parts without receipts risks confiscation. The Addis Abeba Revenue Bureau is drafting regulations to tax online traders and impose fines of up to 100,000 Br on vehicles carrying undocumented goods. Compliance has become a maze. Each bike should carry a GPS tracker, speed limiter, and uniform insignia, while petrol models can only continue operating if their engines are scrapped or fully converted. Officials cast the transition as a public good to ensure safer roads, cleaner air, and a leap toward modernity. But, owners are pleading for softer landings in the form of concessional loans, phased conversion schedules, or hybrid allowances.

The national e-mobility strategy is even bolder, framing e-motorbikes as the linchpin of a 10-year decarbonisation plan. It sets an annual domestic assembly capacity of 63,900 units and aspires to achieve 30pc domestic production of all new EVs by 2030. Promised sweeteners include low-interest financing, duty-free imports of batteries and chargers, insurance incentives, and quick-swap charging bays designed to top up in 30 minutes. The plan even envisions retrofitting 15pc of all vehicles within a year.

Ministry Revamps Special Needs Education Promising Inclusion

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The Ministry of Education has unveiled a long-overdue plan to transform the country’s fragmented approach to special needs education.

The proposal establishes a new and autonomous department for special needs education, signalling a national shift from token gestures to institutional integration. The push comes after years of criticism that the existing education system left too many children with disabilities on the margins. The new department is expected to address low participation rates and end the patchwork of programs and fragmented efforts that have long characterised the official approach to special needs education.

Students with disabilities, representing 11.1pc of the student population in primary schools and 2.8pc in secondary education, can pursue mainstream inclusion in regular schools, enrol in special classes within mainstream schools, or attend entirely separate special schools. Depending on their needs and local context, they may also participate in adult training programs or alternative basic education centres.

The Ministry, overseeing a population of 22 million students across the country, has also committed to hiring more teachers and specialists who have received vocational and professional training, with certification from health institutes. These personnel will work in all three types of educational settings, supporting students who are visually impaired, deaf, or who have autism, multiple disabilities, or intellectual impairments.

The Ministry will provide more “on-the-job training,” including instruction in the use of Braille and other assistive materials. Colleges and universities will also be expected to graduate more teachers with specialised qualifications. For the first time, a uniform national standard will be established, requiring all schools to be accessible and equipped with materials tailored to students’ individual needs.

Special needs education fell under the directorate of the Pastoralist & Special Needs Desk. With the upgrade to full departmental status, Minister Berhanu Nega (Prof.) is expected to deploy more staff, better supervise ground-level operations, and focus on identifying areas for improvement.

“It’ll have an autonomous mandate, under the Minister,” said Meseret Bekele, head of the department.

With the support of the World Bank, more than 35,000 schools have been grouped into roughly 7,000 clusters, each costing about 16,000 dollars to equip. A cluster comprises five or six schools, with one designated as a support centre equipped with the materials, technologies, and facilities to support students with disabilities. Each cluster will have a teacher assigned to support all schools within that group, a position designed to encourage the sharing of resources and expertise across the system.

The other schools in each cluster share these resources, allowing the Ministry to spread scarce funding more widely. About 1,450 of these clusters are currently fully equipped and operational, with plans to build another 150 in the coming year and 600 more over the next four years.

“To build all of them at once is impossible,” said Meseret. “We don’t have the financial capacity. That’s why we created clusters.”

However, the directive spells out what schools should provide, from access to facilities and adapted classrooms to directional signs that students with disabilities can easily follow.

The new policy introduces incentives for teachers and students. Teachers in special schools and classes will receive a monthly allowance of 800 Br, while itinerant teachers who work across the 1,450 centres for inclusive education support will get 1,500 Br a month. Principals in special schools will see their salaries topped up by a monthly 1,050 Br. However, these payments will apply to all cluster schools.

According to Meseret, payments will be made in accordance with Civil Service Commission rules after the directive receives approval.

“Our focus is on providing real support for them,” she told Fortune. “Our goal is to reach as many schools as possible with our limited resources.”

Students will receive support as well. Those with disabilities will be eligible for an annual stipend of 1,000 Br for educational materials and 1,500 Br for uniforms. If a school does not have a feeding program, eligible students will also receive a monthly stipend of 1,800 Br for food and transport. Nonetheless, if a feeding program exists, the monthly transport allowance drops to 1,000 Br. Those who study away from home will receive an additional monthly rental allowance of 1,500 Br.

According to Ketema Baleyen, an inclusive education coordinator at the Ethiopian Blind Association, the high cost of tuition and living expenses often forces students with disabilities to move away from their families to pursue their education.

“These students seek education alongside people who have a better outlook and opportunities,” he said.

The gap between policy and practice remains a major concern.

Wase Weretaw, a civics teacher for the visually impaired with over 11 years of experience, currently teaches at Misrak Ber Elementary School in Addis Abeba, near the Megenagna area. He sees the potential for progress but has doubts about implementation.

“I know many clusters in terms of implementation, but there is no real commitment when it comes to execution,” Wase told Fortune. “Books aren’t available for either teachers or students. They rely on their own printing processes. This should be prepared during the summer break.”

He insisted that incentives alone are not enough so long as there is no consistent implementation.

“In general, life for people with disabilities in Ethiopia is very challenging,” he said.

The Association, representing over 17,000 members across 31 branches, remains deeply concerned about the accessibility of schools and the conditions faced by students with disabilities. Its leaders often receive complaints about testing procedures, material shortages, and poor school conditions that add to students’ frustration. For Ketema, the president, awareness of disability issues is much higher in major cities than in rural areas, where children with disabilities are less likely to attend school. He recalled a visually impaired student struggling to take ICT courses and finding it difficult to secure a job afterwards.

“Now we’ll have to see how well it is going to be implemented,” he told Fortune. “We hope this new system will solve the problems that have been holding us back.”

According to Alemayew Tekilehaymariam (PhD), a lecturer at Addis Abeba University who specialises in special needs and inclusive education, recalled laws on the books before, but have not always translated into real change.

“In the past, we had many laws,” he said, “but the real question is how well they will be implemented.”

For Alemayehu, who teaches in one of the 22 universities that offer assisted learning to students with special needs, and others, the fate of the new directive depends not only on the wording of the policy but on the strength of leadership and the seriousness of the government’s commitment to seeing it through. He believes the directive could help close the gaps created by shortages of materials, inadequate facilities, and a lack of incentives.

“It’s a good initiative, but how well it works depends on leadership,” Alemayew said. “Commitment, accountability, patience, and ensuring accessibility are all crucial.”

Alemayew advocated for the use of individual education plans (IEPs) to support students on a case-by-case basis.

“All of this will be helpful to them,” he told Fortune. “We can’t say it’s perfect, but it will help reduce shortages and expand training opportunities.”

High Voltage Meets Low Capacity in EV Conversion Drive

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Federal transportation authorities are pushing for the conversion of old, fuel-powered cars to electric vehicles, expecting about 15pc of the country’s vehicle fleet to undergo the shift. However, their desire faces a strong backlash as technicians, retrofitters, and owners tasked with carrying out these changes raise red flags over the practical realities of implementation and cost.

Experts estimate that conversion costs for cars range from 5,000 to 15,000 dollars, while buses can exceed 30,000 dollars. Beyond these, there are the hidden costs of battery replacements, non-standard maintenance, and the challenge of complying with increasingly complex and evolving regulations.

For many transporters, the prospect of electrifying ageing vehicles brings little comfort, despite the authorities’ declared efforts to address air pollution and reduce fossil fuel dependency. Alemu Sime (PhD), minister of Transport & Logistics (MoTL), issued a draft regulation last week, outlining a series of technical and procedural steps for vehicle owners to comply.

Only vehicles aged between 20 and 25 years may be retrofitted, with those older than 25 strictly barred from conversion. All conversions would take place in certified garages meeting stringent requirements, including a minimum floor area of 190Sqm and a ceiling of at least five metres, equipped with explosion-proof ventilation, automatic fire-suppression systems, industrial three-phase electricity, and a climate-controlled room for battery storage.

One such garage, Gerar EV Workshop, is located on Mauritius Street in the Gofa area. It is the city’s earliest dedicated electric vehicle garages where Yonatan Sisay, a technician, works at the frontline of the domestic EV revolution. He and his team are working on retrofitting a 1960s-era car, and the challenges are mounting.

“The expenses are through the roof,” Yonatan told Fortune, noting that, despite a surge of interest from vehicle owners looking to switch to electric, the numbers do not add up for most. “Even if the government subsidises the sector, the battery costs are higher in the source countries.”

Alemu’s directive lays out a mix of financial incentives from a 100pc tax exemption on imported EV components to access to zero-interest loans for up to seven years, and a direct subsidy covering half the conversion cost for public transport vehicles within the target age bracket. Technicians, meanwhile, are required to hold one of four nationally certified qualifications in battery management, high-voltage safety, power electronics, or retrofit design engineering.

However, Yonatan was candid about the scale of the problem. Most of the minibuses and public transport vehicles on the roads are not only old but also riddled with rust and structural fatigue.

“Except for the shell, all of the spare parts have to be bought, making the process more difficult,” he said. “It’s easier to buy a new vehicle than to retrofit an old one from top to bottom.”

At Gerar EV Workshop, which has been open for two years and handles up to 15 EVs a day, the reality is that the cost of converting a 25-seat vehicle, especially the batteries, can soar to one million Birr, a figure that outpaces the value of many of the vehicles currently in service.

Some systems, like cooling, are not yet included in the directive. Kedilmagist Ibrahim, an advisor at the Ministry, draws a distinction between private and public transport vehicles, disclosing that the 20-year threshold applies only to public transport vehicles. For private cars, owners have the prerogative to opt for retrofitting.

Kedilmagist hopes to see commercial spaces transformed into battery-swapping stations, as swappable batteries become the norm and retrofitting ramps up. According to him, motors will be replaced and the system modernised from manual to electric in a few years.

Yet, the industry response has been cautious, if not outright critical. Eshetu Mekonnen, CEO of Universal Engineering & Manufacturing Plc, a company that has ambitions to retrofit vehicles locally, is wary of the proposed garage space requirements. He argued that the proposed garage space range is suitable for the European standard that allows for efficient workflows.

The Ministry will require all retrofitting work to be conducted in a certified garage with a minimum floor area of 190Sqm and a maximum of 590Sqm, equipped with a five-metre ceiling height, fitted with three-phase 400V industrial electricity, and a separate, climate-controlled battery storage room.

At the lower end, the space is sufficient for one or two vehicles with basic lifts and storage, while the higher limit can accommodate up to six vehicles, along with dedicated zones for battery testing and electronics. Most of the existing garages, particularly in Addis Abeba, fall well short of these standards, with small spaces, low ceilings, and poor electrical infrastructure the norm.

“Only a few facilities could meet this without major upgrades or relocation,” said Eshetu.

Urban garages would need costly expansions, while higher potential might exist in industrial zones or at technical colleges. Eshetu would prefer to see the authorities consider a shared model where several small garages cluster around a certified large-scale retrofit centre, optimising space and costs.

The proposed age limit for vehicles eligible for retrofitting has also been a subject of misgiving. Eshetu is blunt in his assessment, arguing that vehicles aged 20 to 25 years are already beyond their mechanical prime.

“Cars in this bracket are mechanically compromised,” he told Fortune. “Chassis fatigue, corrosion, and degraded wiring make them inefficient and unsafe for conversion.”

Second-hand minibuses and taxis in this age group might sell for between 800,000 Br and 1.8 million Br, but the design modifications needed for batteries, motors, and high-voltage safety systems add as much as 10pc to 20pc to the total bill, pushing retrofit costs beyond the value of the vehicles themselves.

“In many cases, the conversion bill exceeds the vehicle’s remaining value,” Eshetu warned. “Large-scale retrofits should be restricted to vehicles less than 20 years old, with older vehicles reserved for demonstration or pilot projects.”

However, he acknowledges that while the draft regulation rightly spells out the need for specialists in battery technology, power electronics, and EV diagnostics, the domestic industry is starting from a low base. There are no dedicated EV retrofit or lithium-ion battery management courses, although general electrical and mechanical programs are offered at institutions like Addis Abeba Institute of Technology and Adama Science & Technology University.

“Most of the expertise in the sector is self-taught or comes from limited international exposure,” he said.

Eshetu presented a three-phase roadmap for building local capacity, which included pilot programs at selected technical and vocational schools, focusing on battery assembly, EV safety, and motor controls. He also would like to see a dedicated national EV training centre with simulation labs and public-private partnerships, integrating EV modules into university engineering programs. The long-term goal is to create domestic battery assembly and testing facilities, along with a network of certified retrofit workshops in major cities.

“Building local expertise through these structured steps should be non-negotiable,” he told Fortune. “If we import everything and train no one, we remain dependent forever.”

The technical and economic barriers are apparent, but some believe they are not insurmountable.

Bereket Tesfaye, program manager for Ethiopia at Pure Earth and an e-mobility expert, is convinced that converting fuel-powered vehicles to electric is technically feasible, provided it is handled with careful planning and consideration. Drawing on a new feasibility study, Bereket argued that light-duty vehicles, taxis, and small buses are the most promising candidates for conversion. The retrofit of older or heavy-duty vehicles, he believes, faces high costs associated with electric motors, expensive batteries, advanced controllers, and highly skilled technicians.

These, Bereket warned, often make it more economical to buy new electric vehicles, especially for those with high annual mileage.

“These hidden costs can quickly erase any perceived savings,” he cautioned. “Developing local expertise should not be optional,” said Bereket. “It’s the foundation for long-term sustainability.”

Bereket called for a robust regulatory framework, including mandatory safety and certification standards for retrofitted EVs, uniform battery and motor specifications, tax exemptions, low-interest financing, and regular inspections. Without these measures, converted vehicles could quickly become a safety hazard. Infrastructure remains a critical bottleneck in the absence of nationwide fast-charging networks, specialised workshops, safe battery recycling facilities, and grid upgrades needed for the anticipated demand.

For all the problems, Bereket sees clear benefits in pushing forward with the transition. Retrofitting could generate thousands of green jobs in workshops and battery management, reduce fuel imports, lower urban air pollution, and improve public health. However, he insisted on a phased approach, focusing first on high-use fleets such as taxis, ride-hailing cars, and government vehicles.

“Attempting full-scale conversion of all internal combustion engine vehicles in the short term is unrealistic due to financial, technical, and logistical constraints,” he said.

61000

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The volume, in tonnes, Koshe landfill in Addis Abeba receives annually. The plant erected to generate power from the dry waste has a design capacity of 8,690tns of feedstock a year, barely 14pc of what is locally available. Processing between 25pc and 30pc of Koshe’s organic stream would require nearly five times the proposed capacity.

Retail Dreams Dim in Addis Abeba as City Auctions Fall Flat

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The Addis Abeba City Administration’s recent attempt to lease hundreds of commercial units in public housing projects has floundered, revealing a deepening malaise in the capital’s retail property market.

A staggering three-quarters of nearly 400 units up for lease went without a single bid, a startling reversal from a previous round a few months ago, when similar offerings attracted an avalanche of interest. The outcome has raised questions about the city’s pricing strategy, the appeal of its development projects, and the broader economic realities facing businesses in the capital.

Earlier this month, the City’s Housing Development & Administration Bureau concluded its second round of bidding for 373 commercial units scattered across eight of the 11 districts. While 439 hopefuls purchased bid documents, only 92 units found bidders. More than 75pc of the shops and offices offered, comprising some 281 spaces, were left without a single offer. The scale of the gap is even apparent during the first round, when 319 units were made available and drew a robust crowd of 1,530 bidders.

Not only did the number of bidders drop dramatically in this second round, but the offers themselves were markedly lower per square meter.

The commercial units are public-owned condominium properties, part of the city’s corridor development projects, and were distributed across Kolfe Qeranyo, Arada, Lideta, Yeka, Gulele, Kirkos, Bole, and Akaki Qality districts. Kolfe Qeranyo saw the largest batch with 84 units up for bid, followed by Arada with 75 and Lideta with 54. To bidders and would-be tenants, it was required to present a residential ID, purchase the bid documents, and deposit either 50,000 Br for shops located near corridor roads or 30,000 Br for other areas, in the form of a certified payment order.

The underwhelming outcome has left officials and market participants searching for answers. According to Feysel Selman, head of the government housing management team at the Bureau, the city officials have yet to identify the reasons for the slump in interest.

“The reason for the decline in the number of participants is still unclear,” Feysel told Fortune.

The previous bidding rounds had been buoyed by intense competition, especially for high-profile locations. Back then, the highest price hit 18,500 Br a square meter for a shop in the prime Amist Kilo area of Arada District, a stone’s throw from St. Mary’s Coptic Orthodox Church.

This time, interest once again concentrated on Arada, particularly around the Arat Kilo area, on King George Street, known locally as the former “Joly Bar” area, a retail strip with a storied past. The site, once home to supermarkets like Abadir, underwent a transformation as part of the city’s corridor project. Old buildings made way for “Arat Kilo Plaza,” which now houses new shops. The Bureau offered 12 units for rent in the latest round, starting at a baseline of 2,000 Br for a square meter. Bidding was fierce, and it was here that the highest offers of the round emerged.

Tenaghe Gebre topped the list of bidders with a winning offer of 11,600 Br a square meter for a compact three-square-meter unit. Wendesen Eshetu followed with 10,335 Br a square meter, also for a three-square-meter space. The third-highest bid was placed by Tewodros Tilahun, who committed 8,050 Br for a larger, 10Sqm unit. These eye-catching numbers, however, mask deeper worries about the health and logic of the market.

Tesfaye Tadesse, a veteran intermediary in the area, called the current bid prices “expensive compared to the local market rate,” noting that prevailing rents for similar commercial spaces reach around 2,000 Br a square meter.

“The Bureau’s current price is almost five times higher than the market price in this area,” he said.

The city initially planned to use the site as a taxi terminal, but it is now a parking lot, a shift Tesfaye sees as a missed opportunity to create the bustling retail environment bidders hoped for.

“If the area had been a taxi terminal, it would have turned into a vibrant marketplace,” he said. “But now, it is difficult to make money here. People don’t live in this area. There’s little foot traffic, and even the rent prices are too high.”

Other sites also saw actions, particularly those around Bel Air on Haile Sellassie Street, the Adwa Bridge on Côte d’Ivoire Street, and Tewodros Square on Mahatma Gandhi Street. Still, for many bidders, optimism was mixed with caution.

Gashaw Alemayehu, who secured a three-square-meter shop in the Joly Bar area for 7,205 Br a square meter, described the bidding as “tough,” with most interest focused on Arat Kilo.

“People were offering very high prices to win the bid compared to other parts of the city,” he said.

Gashaw recounted how, after results were posted, crowds flocked to the site, eager to rent or buy the new shops. However, he insisted the premium was justified.

“Considering the area, I don’t think the bid I paid is expensive,” he told Fortune. “I believe once I set up my business, I’ll be profitable and can pay the rent without any difficulty.”

Others, like Biniyam Gelaye, who won a 65Sqm space near Tewodros Square with a bid of 2,561 Br, remain less certain. Biniyam had mixed feelings.

“Even though I offered a high amount and managed to win, when I think about it now, it feels expensive,” he admitted. “It’ll be challenging to run a new business in that area while paying this much per square meter.”

In the district around the African Union headquarters on Ras Lulseged St., the Bureau auctioned 14 commercial units, all of which were snapped up. These shops were uniquely rented in U.S. Dollars, a policy the Bureau says is a holdover from previous joint bidding rounds involving the Finance Bureau and the City Building Permit & Control Authority.

“To keep the consistency of the existing transaction, the Bureau continued renting these units in dollars,” said Feysel.

The highest successful bid in this area reached 42 dollars a square meter.

The largest commercial space on offer in this round, a 128Sqm unit near Tewodros Square, went for 6,630 Br. Other companies took part as well. Leo African Trading Plc rented a shop near Tewodros Square for 2,595 Br, while Amaga Plc secured a space in the Shola Market area for 3,050 Br per square meter. Feysel described the process as open and transparent.

“So far, the Bureau has not received any grievances or complaints about the bidding process,” he said.

He disclosed that the unrented units will be put up for auction again in the coming weeks.

Real estate insiders attribute the market’s unpredictability to a confluence of factors. They see rents in Arat Kilo artificially inflated compared to other busy areas such as the Megenagna and Sarbet areas.

“During the bidding process, brokers, not the actual business owners, often submit inflated bids and later transfer the properties at higher prices,” said Hiskeal Yilma, co-founder and deputy general manager of Agafari Property Marketing Plc.

Group bidding, where participants coordinate to drive up prices for a favoured winner, is another problem.

“These practices are driving up the bidding prices beyond market levels,” Hiskeal said.

The supply of quality retail space, already tight following the demolition of shops in areas such as Arat Kilo, Piassa, and Cazanchis, is another factor. These neighbourhoods, home to major government offices, private companies, and universities, attract high traffic. That demand, in turn, has helped push rents higher. But challenges remain. With limited parking and the removal of taxi terminals as part of corridor development, businesses face shrinking foot traffic and rising operating costs.

“To cover these costs, traders may charge higher prices, which risks losing middle- and low-income customers,” Hiskeal cautioned. “I don’t believe most of these businesses will generate sustainable profits given the competition and high operating expenses.”

He urged city officials to address intermediaries, investigate inflated bids, and move toward a bidding system more closely tied to market realities and location. Transparency, he added, should remain a top priority in future rounds.

The Concept of Money

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The demand of modern life places a heavy burden on every individual to be their own chief financial officer. We are expected to navigate a constant stream of complex decisions from managing credit, decoding investment platforms, and strategising for a decades-long retirement yet, for the vast majority, the fundamental principles of money management remain a frustrating mystery. This knowledge is too often relegated to specialist tracks in business or economics, leaving most citizens to learn through painful trial and error. The result is a silent, systemic failure: an epidemic of financial anxiety, paralysing debt, and squandered potential. I believe this lack of preparedness is a monumental educational oversight, and that comprehensive financial education covering the essential pillars of saving, strategic spending, and long-term investing must be integrated into the core of school curriculum starting at an early age to equip every student with the tools for lifelong economic security.

The urgency of this demand is perhaps best illustrated by my own journey of delayed understanding. Honestly, it’s profoundly embarrassing to admit that this critical knowledge about budgeting and wealth-building was only truly acquired in my early thirties. That realization hit me after years of financial carelessness, driven by a simple cycle: momentary impulse spending and a complete lack of financial foresight.

I remember the day I decided I have had enough.

The decision to break that cycle which didn’t come from suddenly receiving a big inheritance or a huge raise; it came from a simple, internal reckoning that forced me to take control. What followed was an intense, self-directed crash course in fiscal responsibility, fueled by countless hours of watching videos and diving into online resources about saving, guilt-free spending, and, most importantly, investing. That this foundational wisdom the practical “science and psychology” of money had to be sought out haphazardly, rather than being delivered systematically through formal education, highlights a critical, monumental gap in our preparation for life. Current educational structures operate under the flawed assumption that financial literacy is an optional, skill to be specialised.

For students who choose not to pursue finance or business on campus, the core principles of wealth creation remain an abstract concept. Yet, financial decision-making is a universal requirement, affecting every career path, income bracket, and family structure. The core pillars of this essential knowledge are not arcane theories; they are simple, actionable skills that should be as fundamental to navigating society as reading and arithmetic. Learning early on to consciously segment income, allocate funds for necessities versus wants, and designate resources for future growth profoundly transforms the relationship an individual has with their money.

One of the most profound lessons I learned was the concept of purpose the “why” behind every cent. Without a clear goal, money is a passive object, easily dissipated by fleeting desires. If there is no defined destination for your savings, whether that is a large investment, an emergency fund, or even a smaller, cherished goal like a vacation, then financial progress will inevitably stall. For years, I rationalised small, daily expenses away, convincing myself that since my small paycheck couldn’t buy anything big anyway, there was no point in saving just a little. I didn’t bother to save as little as 20 Br, thinking it was trivial. However, the simple, powerful arithmetic is undeniable: saving that 20 Br daily accumulates to 7,300 Br over the course of a year. That is enough for new clothes, or a small but crucial addition to an emergency reserve.

This realisation transforms careless spending into cautious allocation, giving every small monetary unit greater weight and a clear destination. A mandatory financial curriculum would also decisively dismantle the pervasive misconception that one must earn more before one can manage better. This destructive line of thinking traps millions in perpetual under-saving, as they wait for an elusive higher salary before practicing discipline. But true financial freedom is not about the size of the paycheck; it’s about the effectiveness of the percentage that is saved and invested.

Introducing young students to the concept of investment, the idea of making your money “work for you” demystifies a process often seen as exclusive to the wealthy. It plants the seed of compound growth early, enabling even those with modest incomes to build a significant foundation over time. If this perspective were instilled in school, students would enter the workforce with a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to their earnings, focused on building assets rather than just maximising consumption.

In conclusion, the time for financial education to be an elective luxury is long past. By introducing mandatory money management classes at an early age, schools can preempt the debt crises and financial illiteracy that plague adult populations. This education is not merely about balancing a ledger; it’s about teaching behavioral science, long-term goal-setting, and personal accountability. It provides a roadmap for students to transition from being careless consumers to thoughtful stewards of their wealth, capable of achieving long-term goals like financial independence and security for their families.

The lessons I learned in my thirties certainly sparked a positive change, proving it’s never too late. Yet, equipping the next generation with this indispensable knowledge is the single most responsible investment we can make. It secures both their future well-being and the economic stability of our society. Financial education is the crucial head start they truly deserve.

Unpainted Childhood

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I often see girls as young as ten with faces fully made up; foundation, blush, mascara, glittering nails, and lipstick that announces itself from across the room. Children styled to look like young ladies. I see them at children’s birthdays, malls, restaurants, playgrounds, even in church. Their clothes and expressions say “grown up,” but their eyes still hold the softness of childhood. It’s jarring.

When I speak to some of their parents, many of them tell me the same thing: “She wanted to wear it.” It sounds harmless. The child asks, the parent agrees, everyone’s happy. But behind that simple answer hides a quiet crisis of values: a surrender to pressure, to imitation, to the growing belief that a girl’s confidence must come from what she applies to her skin rather than what she builds within herself.

As a mother, I’ve seen firsthand how early this imitation begins. My daughter Gabriella isn’t even two years old. Every morning, she watches me get ready. She sees me apply deodorant and rub sunscreen onto my face. Because I don’t wear makeup, foundation, lipstick, or mascara there isn’t much to imitate. But even then, she insists I “put some” on her too. I smile, pretend to apply it, and she lights up, kisses me, and tells me how much she loves me. It’s a tender moment, but it’s also a daily reminder: children don’t just listen to us, they study us. Every gesture, every routine, every choice becomes a lesson.

When little girls constantly see their mothers applying makeup, they learn that beauty is something to be put on. They absorb the idea that a bare face is incomplete, that natural skin isn’t enough. And once that idea takes root, it doesn’t go away easily. What begins as imitation quickly becomes identity.

Many mothers tell me, “It’s just a phase, she’s experimenting.” It’s harmless, they say. And society rewards that imitation. Compliments pour in “You look so pretty!” “What did you do differently!” and suddenly the makeup isn’t part of an imitation anymore; it’s a ticket to approval. The child starts to believe that her unpainted face doesn’t deserve the same praise. And once that belief sinks in, the natural joy of being herself is replaced by a dependence on artificial beauty. They start to believe that They are not good enough. They learn early on that beauty is something you apply, not something you feel.

We’ve entered an age where little girls are growing up in reverse, they portray who they think they should be instead of themselves. They see beauty not as natural, but applied. And if you’re not keeping up with the trend, you’re invisible.

We rarely pause to ask what this means to a child’s emotional development. When a fifteen-year-old is taught even unintentionally that she must apply makeup to feel beautiful, we are teaching her to skip an entire stage of life. Childhood becomes something to hurry through instead of something to cherish. The innocence that should be protected becomes an image to be polished.

When beauty becomes something you apply, it becomes something that can be taken away. A girl who feels beautiful only with makeup will always chase that feeling through products rather than self-respect. She learns to measure her image rather than values like kindness, intelligence, and creativity.

We cannot blame these children. They’re not the architects of this culture; they are the victims. The clearest mirrors they have are their parents, especially their mothers. If they see us constantly creating a false appearance, they will inherit our insecurities; and if they see us comfortable in our own skin, they will inherit our confidence.

It’s easier for me to shield my daughter from makeup than it is for a mother who wears it daily. Years ago, I decided to avoid all sorts of makeup except for very special occasions, for my health, for my skin, for simplicity, and because my father taught me to believe that I’m naturally beautiful. That belief has stayed with me, and every day, my husband Mike, who also isn’t a fan of makeup, reminds me of it.

When I look at these young girls covered with makeup, I see confusion. I see children trying to navigate a world that they are not ready for.

We can reclaim childhood for our children by setting boundaries that are rooted in self esteem. This isn’t about judging parents who wear makeup. It’s about recognizing how easily adult’s habits spill into children’s lives. Every mother has to be aware of her child’s development of a sense of identity.

Letting children be children isn’t old-fashioned, it’s an act of preservation. It’s protecting their imagination, their innocence, their freedom and that their worth is not up for visual assessment.

We mothers choose health over hype, confidence over cosmetics, and authenticity over appearance and make sure that our daughters stand tall without makeup. Let’s give them that gift back. Childhood isn’t a phase to be outgrown; it’s a foundation to be protected.

We don’t need more little girls pretending to be women. We need more little girls proud to be girls, messy, bright, curious, fearless, and real. We need to give them time, time to grow, to dream, to play, and time to be innocent. Childhood isn’t a rehearsal for womanhood; it’s its own beautiful chapter. Let’s let them live, unfiltered, unpainted, and see a reflection of themselves in the mirror.

Billions in the Shadows Strain to Step into the Capital Market

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The pension funds have long operated in the shadows of the domestic financial system, rarely entering the public debate about the future of the capital market. When the topic of the soon-to-launch Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX) arises, discussions tend to centre on retail investors, banks, and a handful of private firms.

However, the pension funds remain the most underappreciated and potentially transformative investors, for now hiding in plain sight. For decades, the pension structure was divided between two main entities.

The Private Organisations’ Employees Social Security Agency operated under the Ministry of Labour & Social Affairs, while the Civil Service Commission oversaw the Public Servants Social Security Agency. Together, these agencies managed vast retirement savings, but both institutions were boxed in by strict government supervision and limited investment options.

That paradigm shifted in 2011, when a pair of laws shook up the governance of the pension system. Both funds fell under the regulatory oversight of the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE), which enabled a more unified approach to regulation.

These reforms granted the agencies financial and operational autonomy, and for the first time, the power to invest without prior approval from the Ministry of Finance. Perhaps more important than investment autonomy was the robust collection mechanism established by the reforms.

The pension agencies were granted broad powers to secure contributions directly from employers, in some cases going so far as to debit the funds straight from a company’s bank account if payments were missed. This foreclosure-style system all but guarantees a steady stream of revenue, making the pension funds among the country’s few institutions with stable, enforceable, and predictable cash flows.

The Public Servants Social Security Agency can collect contributions from government entities and, when necessary, direct the Ministry of Finance to withhold overdue sums from federal subsidies. The Agency can even order banks to withdraw funds from the accounts of defaulting institutions.

Likewise, the Private Organisations’ Employees Social Security Agency can enforce collections from private employers, recover arrears through delegated bodies, and, if required, sell property to satisfy unpaid obligations.

This legal structure means pension funds are insulated from many risks that plague other institutions. Their revenue is not a function of market swings or voluntary payments. Rather, it is secured by law, backed by the banking system, and enjoys priority of collection over most other debts.

Globally, pension funds are heavyweight investors. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, for example, manages more than 531 billion dollars in assets for 22 million Canadians as of mid-2025. The National Pension Service of Korea invests a little over half a trillion dollars, primarily in equities, over the same period.

The appeal of pension funds as institutional investors comes from their steady cash inflows, long investment horizons, and preference for low-to-moderate risk returns. This makes them natural participants in securities markets worldwide, where they channel funds into government bonds, infrastructure, corporate debt, and established stocks.

The Public Social Security Service Agency collected 52.9 billion Br in pension contributions and disbursed 21.2 billion Br in payments, earning 10.4 billion Br on investments in the first nine months of 2023. The Private Social Security Service Agency, which covers about 2.3 million employees and 57,000 retirees, brought in 28.7 billion Br and posted profits of 9.75 billion Br for the 2023/24 fiscal year.

Despite the considerable volume of funds at their disposal, about 90pc of these annual inflows are currently parked in low-yield Treasury bills, earning rates of 12pc to 15pc that are barely keeping pace with inflation, eroding real returns. The agencies have made some cautious forays into real estate, acquiring property in Addis Abeba and regional centres such as Hawassa, Bahir Dar, Jimma, and Harar, a tentative but meaningful step toward broader portfolio diversification.

Even a modest reallocation of these reserves toward the ESX could provide the market with badly needed liquidity and long-term stability.

The launch window is promising. With the Exchange operational and the Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA) actively issuing directives, the pieces are finally in place for pension funds to play a catalytic role.

The agencies now enjoy three decisive advantages. Their revenue is secure thanks to powerful collection mechanisms. They have regulatory flexibility to invest without seeking approval from the Ministry of Finance. Their oversight by the Central Bank opens the door to strategic and diversified investments, ranging from government securities to corporate bonds and regulated investment funds.

If policy and governance frameworks are sound, pension funds could emerge as the anchor investors the country’s nascent capital market needs, thereby instilling confidence and market depth.

Yet, greater autonomy carries risks. Pension funds should be vigilant against political meddling or speculative bets. Their stewardship should be defined by prudence, transparency, and professional management.

A coordinated effort between the Central Bank and the Authority could set out clear investment guidelines, spelling out asset classes, risk thresholds, and reporting requirements for pension funds. With capacity-building, tailored incentives, and market products designed for long-term institutional investors, Ethiopia can safely and productively channel pension assets into the capital market.

Sesame Export Faces Bitter Harvest

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The once-flourishing sesame export sector is facing a formidable downturn, as global market prices tumble and long-held competitive edges erode. Traditionally viewed as a premium product due to its soil-driven organic quality, sesame now struggles with shrinking profit margins, subdued export volumes, and an increasingly saturated international market.

The latest blow came with a sharp fall in the lowest global prices. Sesame from the Humera Belt, in the western part of the country bordering Sudan, recently dropped to 1,400 dollars a ton, while from Wollega, southwest of the country, it slipped to 1,350 dollars. The decline comes on top of lower export volumes and increased competition, making it harder for exporters to hold their ground. Many are reconsidering their place in a market that once offered robust returns.

For years, Ethiopia has built a reputation for high-quality sesame used for food, edible oil extraction, and confectionery. Its sesame was in demand, especially during the off-season when other major producers were out of the market. Exporters recall a time when they could count on a quality premium and a seasonal window that ensured strong sales. However, these advantages are fading as cheaper sesame from other countries enters international supply chains.

Expectations for the 2025 season were high, with many exporters anticipating a rebound in global prices after last year’s slump. Instead, the downward momentum persisted, upending earlier forecasts that they could recapture historical pricing power. Exporters blame declining global market standards, reduced domestic production, and chronic barriers in logistics and finance for their struggles to compete.

Ephrem Demissie, a seasoned figure in the import-export scene with more than a decade of experience, described a difficult shift. He recalled that last year, sesame from Ethiopia was selling on the market for around 1,700 dollars a ton.

“Several exporters anticipated similar or higher prices for this year,” he told Fortune. “Instead, we saw continuous price drops.”

Ephrem attributed part of the decline to production constraints. Sesame is stillgrown mainlyn by smallholders with limited access to mechanisation, which caps output and leaves producers vulnerable to competition from larger and more efficient regional and international suppliers. Despite the market turbulence, Ephrem remains convinced of sesame’s appeal.

“Our sesame is still one of the highest-quality variants in the global market due to soil conditions and organic cultivation,” he said. “But quality alone is no longer enough. Many countries are now exporting sesame at half price. Buyers seeking cheaper alternatives have shifted toward these markets.”

Ephrem plans to export up to 100 containers of sesame this year, along with white pea beans, red kidney beans, and soybeans. He believes that Ethiopia with 510 oilseed and pulse exporters under the Ethiopian Pulses, Oilseed, &  Spices Prosessors Exporters Association (EPOSEA), can remain competitive if it increases its export volume and adds value by processing sesame into finished products. Without those changes, he warns, more exporters could turn their attention to other commodities.

Tigist Abera, an exporter with four years in the business, echoed his concerns. The price decline is hitting profit margins hard, especially for companies that bought their sesame at higher domestic prices before the global market took a turn for the worse. “Several countries are offering cheaper alternatives, making it harder for Ethiopian exporters to penetrate the market,” she said.

For Tigist’s company, sesame is now the main export, as the coffee season will not begin until January. The slowdown in sesame exports is straining finances during what would typically be a key period for revenue.

Yeshiwas Ademe, a major shareholder of Tungsten Export Plc, has worked in the sector for over 30 year, managingd several export businesses before launching his own company two years ago. He recalled when Ethiopia enjoyed a strategic edge by exporting sesame from September to December, coinciding with the off-peak season in other major producing countries. Prices tended to rise during this window, as global supply was tight. That advantage has largely disappeared.

Countries such as Nigeria, Uganda, Burkina Faso, and Sudan are now shipping sesame for 1,200 dollars a ton, luring buyers away from Ethiopia. This price gap has driven key buyers away. A decade ago, China bought nearly half of Ethiopia’s sesame. Today, Chinese imports are a fraction of that volume, with other big buyers, such as Turkey, Israel, and the UAE, also sourcing more from cheaper suppliers.

Export volumes have suffered, too. Five years ago, 359,000tns of sesame were exported, but by 2025 this volume had dropped to 210,000tns. According to Yeshiwas, domestic instability, weak infrastructure, and rising production costs caused the decline.

“It’s hard to stay in the global market when other countries are selling at half our price,” he told Fortune.

Over the past two years, his company has exported between four and 10 containers annually, and hopes to expand if the market stabilises. If conditions remain unfavourable, he may have to switch to other products.

A recent survey by the Ethiopian Pulses, Oilseeds, & Spices Processors Exporters Association (EPOSEA) emphasised the continued importance of sesame. Sesame remained Ethiopia’s top oilseed, covering more than one million hectares of farmland. Soybean follows at 690,000hcts, with green mung bean, red kidney bean, and white pea bean making up the rest of the major pulse crops. The total production area for oilseeds and pulses reached nearly 2.75 million hectares.

Sesame’s farmland grew by over 88,000hct, a rise of 8.5pc, while the overall production area for other key crops expanded by 7.8pc.

But the growth in farmland has not translated into higher profits. According to Edao Abdi, president of the Association and a major shareholder of Edao International Trading Plc, exporters are facing problems at home and abroad. Many bought sesame on the domestic market for 19,000 Br to 20,000 Br a ton, without factoring in shifting global conditions. By the time they were ready to sell globally, the export price had dropped below their cost.

Much of the product remains unsold. More than 90,000tns of sesame are now stored in export warehouses. Since sesame loses its oil content and quality when stored for extended periods, its market value is at risk of further decline. The Association is pushing to move these stocks before the next harvest arrives.

Meeting every two weeks, the Export Price Board, which comprises representatives from the private sector and officials from the ministries of Trade & Regional Integration and Agriculture, as well as the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange, sets minimum export prices based on regular global market analysis. The Board monitors exporters to ensure prices do not fall below the set minimum.

Trade experts argue that price competitiveness cannot be restored solely through domestic production improvements. They urged Ethiopia to deepen relationships with global buyers and fully grasp the import needs of each market. Exporters must closely study global tariff rules, import regulations, and price movements and should pursue tariff-free agreements and recognised market access frameworks to rebuild demand.

Berhan Eshetu is an international commodities market expert who has an MSc in International Trade Policy and trade law with a decade of experience in international trade policy and logistics at Ethiopian Transport & Shipping Logistics (ETSL). He has seen how unpredictable markets, infrastructure bottlenecks, and slow logistics all contribute to the risks facing exporters. He believes aligning domestic prices with global realities, investing in better market research, and expanding trade partnerships are necessary steps to maintain a presence in international markets.

“Several countries, including China, increasingly require environmental sustainability certification as a condition for trade,” said Berhan. “Exporters must develop their business strategies based on market research and realistic forecasting, not just on local prices.”

Domestic sesame prices have remained relatively stable, with sales at 15,000 Br to 18,000 Br a ton, depending on the grade. According to Berhan, who now runs a consultancy, exporters should adapt to changing realities to survive.

Federal trade officials saw the latest export price adjustments grounded in market research. According to Bekele Ketema, foreign market executive at the Ministry of Trade & Regional Integration (MTRI), the price changes were not made arbitrarily.
He saw how China, once a top buyer, has sharply reduced its buys by 6.3pc compared to last year internationally, while countries such as India and Turkey have started producing more for their own consumption or export.

 

“To become a price setter, we need to produce larger quantities of quality product,” he said.

Bekele sees the 400,000tns yield expected for this year through contract farming as a sign of potential. He disclosed that the new export price threshold, implemented on November 4, 2025, may be revised again within two weeks, pending further analysis.

Can the Developing World Weather the Next Financial Crisis?

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As stock markets hit record highs, rising financial fragility is setting off alarm bells across the United States and Europe. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recently echoed these concerns, stoking fears of a looming crisis.

The warning signs are everywhere, and they are disturbingly familiar. Asset prices are climbing well beyond what can be justified by underlying fundamentals, while non-bank financial intermediaries now play a similar role to that of “shadow banks” in the years leading up to the 2008 financial crisis. At the same time, the rise of stablecoins has pulled regulated banks into the opaque world of cryptocurrencies, and vast sums of speculative capital are flooding into AI stocks, driven more by hype than by proven returns.

These trends bear the unmistakable marks of a financial bubble entering its most precarious stage, when even minor shifts in investor sentiment can trigger a sharp correction. The recent collapse of US auto parts supplier First Brands and subprime auto lender, Tricolor, both heavily leveraged and closely linked to non-bank financial institutions, may be early indications of structural vulnerabilities that are only coming into view.

Behind this growing fragility lies the rapid expansion of private financial institutions over the past decade.

According to the Financial Stability Board, these entities, which raise funds from retail investors and leverage their positions through aggressive borrowing, now account for nearly half of the world’s total financial assets. Their appetite for risk has helped drive up asset prices, even amid trade uncertainties and policy volatility. The dismantling of already weak financial regulations under US President Donald Trump has only compounded the threat.

Taken together, these forces could set in motion the manic cycle famously described by the economic historian Charles Kindleberger.

The first stage, “euphoria,” is dominated by optimism and excess. It is inevitably followed by a period of “stringency” as defaults rise and credit tightens, before giving way to “revulsion,” when fear grips financial markets and even solvent borrowers struggle to find financing. Whether this sequence culminates in full-blown panic and collapse depends largely on how governments respond. But even without a crash, the consequences can be severe.

If history is any guide, the question is when, not if, another major financial meltdown will occur. For most of the world’s population, however, the more pressing concern is how a crisis that originates in the US and Europe will affect their own countries.

The precedents are hardly reassuring. Both the 2008 crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic showed that turmoil in the US and other wealthy economies can devastate poorer countries with limited fiscal space and little protection against external shocks. When crises spread beyond financial markets, the damage is swift and far-reaching. Investment dries up, growth falters, and unemployment rises, triggering a chain reaction that reduces export demand and curtails foreign-exchange inflows from tourism and remittances, spreading the pain worldwide.

Entrenched currency hierarchies exacerbate the problem. The dominance of the Dollar, for example, ensures that in times of heightened uncertainty, private capital flows back to the US, causing sharp depreciations and banking crises in lower-income countries. Fears of capital flight further impede governments’ ability to pursue countercyclical macroeconomic policies, making an already-difficult adjustment even harder.

The fallout could be especially severe for debt-distressed countries, many of which built their growth strategies around exports to advanced economies. That model has since been undermined by Trump’s protectionist policies, leaving indebted countries dangerously exposed to a confluence of economic, geopolitical, and climate shocks that threaten to turn the next global financial crisis into a truly catastrophic event.

Developing countries should recognise these risks and take urgent steps to strengthen their economic resilience. The top priority should be to diversify trade relationships. Confronted with the Trump Administration’s erratic and often unreasonable demands, some have already begun reducing dependence on the US. This process, though necessary, will not be painless.

To bolster their financial resilience, developing countries need to limit their exposure to volatile capital flows by adopting effective capital management tools and strengthening financial oversight, not merely through prudential regulations, but also by curbing speculative and opaque activities. Such safeguards should be in place before the next crisis erupts. In the medium term, reducing dependence on external debt is essential, as is preventing destabilising outflows by redefining the terms under which foreign investors operate.

Admittedly, the Trump Administration’s efforts to steer its trading partners in the opposite direction, toward loosening regulation, particularly of cryptocurrencies, make this task exceedingly difficult. But only by resisting such pressures can developing countries avoid being swept into another crisis not of their making.

The Zohran Way for an African Reawakening

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When Zohran Mamdani won the mayoralty of New York City at the age of 34, the moment meant far more than the rise of a new leader. His victory delivered a jolt of symbolism, echoing especially with Africa’s young majority, where over 70pc of the population is under 35.

It was not only a win for progressive politics in the United States but a signal to Africa’s restless youth, a generation searching for purpose, hope, and representation.

New York is often dubbed the capital of the world, and its mayoralty is considered the second most powerful political office in the United States, trailing only the presidency. Such a position requires vision, intellect, and a solid foundation. That an African now holds this office, a Ugandan-American, a son of the acclaimed African scholar Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair, is no small development. It signals, in many eyes, the return of Africa’s intellectual and moral energy to a world stage that has long overlooked it.

Zohran’s win is not a story built on fear. His campaign leaned into optimism and trust in people, principles, and a sense of justice. He refused to copy the habits of the political establishment. Instead, he took on the system. He ran for the ordinary New Yorker, such as tenants, workers, and immigrants. He did not perform for applause or use division as a means to an end. His approach was grounded in conviction and principle.

During the campaign, he was attacked by powerful figures and faced smear tactics from political opponents, including verbal jabs from Donald Trump, a man who many African leaders treated with too much deference. Zohran did not shy away from these fights, but he kept his dignity intact, holding firm to the rule of law. His sense of assurance, based on moral conviction, seemed to neutralise even the loudest intimidation.

The lesson should not be lost on Africa’s leaders and its youth. Zohran embodied a self-confidence rooted in principle.

By contrast, too many African leaders have met power, especially in the form of figures like Trump, not with backbone but with timidity, seeking approval rather than respect. Zohran, as a son of Africa, earned respect in America by standing his ground. That is the core of what some are now calling “the Zohran Way,” principled politics rooted in courage, not submission.

Africa’s young people are watching. Many are frustrated by corrupt elites, manipulated elections, and political rituals that ring hollow. They see older leaders clinging to office while millions of young Africans wait on the sidelines, hoping for opportunity. In this climate, Zohran’s victory means something. It demonstrates that politics can be transformative and that power, when pursued with integrity, can serve the greater good of the public.

African youth need to see Zohran as more than a source of inspiration. His campaign could be read as a practical guide for how to win. He listened before speaking, built alliances across divides, and turned lofty ideals into real plans. He did not wait for an invitation. He made his own way. The campaign was fueled by people, not by money, and by belief, not by fear. These lessons resonate deeply in a continent where young people are often told to wait for their turn.

Zohran’s victory also marks a return for progressive politics, the idea that democracy should stand for equity, dignity, and justice, not simply for wealth or loyalty to certain groups. Africa once saw such politics in the names of Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Patrick Lumumba, and Meles Zenawi, leaders whose ideals were larger than themselves. However, as the years passed, those ideals were overshadowed by deal-making and personal ambition. The Zohran story offers a reminder that politics can still be grounded in conviction.

Zohran ran as a democratic socialist, but his message was not a rigid ideology. It was about everyday ethics of caring for neighbours, inclusion, and hope. He proved that politics rooted in morals and care can still succeed, even in a cynical environment. This is a lesson for Africa’s youth, who can find faith again in the power of ideas to shape the future.

Africa is entering a new season of elections, including in Uganda, Somalia, Djibouti, and Ethiopia. These are not contests for power but moments that test the continent’s very direction. Too often, elections in Africa have become mere ceremonies that only reinforce the status quo, leaving voter trust at an all-time low. Yet, as these cycles continue, Zohran’s story shines a light of organised hope in the place of despair and ingenuity over imitation. His message urges not to ask for inclusion, but to seize the moment at the ballot box, through civic work, and ideas that move people.

The Zohran Way is about courage, confidence, and creativity. It is about fighting not out of anger, but out of love for justice and people. It is about a generation unwilling to let fear steal their future.

Zohran’s triumph should be read past another chapter in American politics. It is, in many ways, an African story, proof of what can happen when belief and preparation meet, when integrity and opportunity cross paths. It should serve as a reminder that Africa’s greatest strength lies not in its ruling class, but in its youth. If young Africans reclaim the moral and intellectual courage that marked Zohran’s campaign, the continent could rise, not by waiting for help from outside, but by betting on itself.

The future, after all, belongs to those who imagine it. Zohran has done just that. Now Africa’s youth have a chance, not to copy, but to draw inspiration and move forward in their own way. The Zohran Way is about building something new.