MwitendaHub

11/04/2026

ZAMBIA'S ENERGY FUTURE TAKES SHAPE AS ZPEC OIL REFINERY BREAKS GROUND IN NDOLA 🙌

Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo has hailed the ZPEC Oil Refinery project as a game-changer for the region. The ground-breaking ceremony in Ndola brought together top government officials, including Energy Minister Makozo Chikote and Commerce Minister Chipoka Mulenga.

The refinery will process crude oil into finished petroleum products, boosting energy security and creating jobs 🌟. Local contractors, transporters, and suppliers will benefit from the project, which is expected to attract downstream industries and stimulate economic growth.

Senior Chief Chiwala provided land for the project, highlighting the partnership between government and traditional authorities 🤝. The facility will reduce Zambia's reliance on imported fuel, stabilizing supply chains and easing foreign exchange pressure.

Construction will roll out in phases, with early works starting immediately. The plant will be a major investment in the Copperbelt's energy sector, and government is committed to ensuring local residents benefit from the project 💪.

11/04/2026

11/04/2026

Meta's pushing the boundaries with AI-driven ad creation 🤖. By 2026, their system will generate complete ads – copy, visuals, targeting, and testing – all on its own. No human input needed. This means big changes for copywriters, art directors, and creative agencies worldwide 😬.

The pitch? Efficiency, speed, and cost-effectiveness. Big brands love it, but what's lost when machines take over ad creation? Great ads connect humans; they make us feel seen 👀. Can AI replicate that? Does it matter if a human didn't create it, as long as it works? 💭

10/04/2026

Qualcomm has announced the 10 startups selected for its fourth Qualcomm Make in Africa Mentorship Program, part of the Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform. This equity-free program supports early-stage startups applying advanced connectivity and processing technologies to innovative solutions. The selected startups, from over 1,200 applications across 45 African countries, will receive mentorship, training, and resources, including Arduino AI platforms, business coaching, and IP education.

The startups, operating in sectors like agriculture, assistive technology, and smart cities, will benefit from 1:1 technical mentorship, engineering consultations, and patent filing guidance. One startup will receive a Social Impact Fund grant, while all participants will get a $5,000 stipend and up to $5,000 in patent filing reimbursements.

Zambia's QualiKeeper Investments Ltd is among the selected startups, developing an affordable AIoT livestock monitoring system for rural environments. "Africa's innovation ecosystem is flourishing," said Wassim Chourbaji, Qualcomm's President, Middle East and Africa. The program aims to drive African high-tech innovation and support societal impact through wireless technology ¹ ² ³.

Would you like to know more about the Qualcomm Make in Africa program or the selected startups?

25/03/2026

22/03/2026

Norway is actively developing large-scale offshore seaweed farms, particularly along its rugged coastline and in nutrient-rich northern waters like off Trøndelag, to tackle climate change through dual-purpose marine innovation.

These cultivation efforts focus on fast-growing kelp species that excel at photosynthesis, drawing substantial amounts of carbon dioxide from seawater—and indirectly from the atmosphere—far more rapidly than terrestrial plants, sometimes up to 50 times faster.

Projects such as the Seaweed Carbon Solutions pilot, involving research organizations like SINTEF alongside industry partners, have established demonstration farms spanning hectares with thousands of meters of cultivation lines.

These initiatives test scalable techniques for growing, harvesting, and utilizing biomass in ways that support both carbon removal and sustainable energy production.

The harvested seaweed serves as versatile feedstock for renewable biofuels, including biogas, bioethanol, and other bio-based fuels, helping displace fossil alternatives while fostering a circular blue bioeconomy.

Additional products like bioplastics, fertilizers, animal feed, and even biochar emerge from the process, enhancing economic viability.

Although current pilots capture modest quantities—such as around 15 tonnes of CO₂ from 150 tonnes of biomass—the emphasis lies on proving cost-effective methods, refining technologies, and preparing for future upscaling.

Norway's cold, productive ocean environment positions it as a leader in ocean-based climate solutions that simultaneously sequester carbon and generate clean energy resources.

22/03/2026

🏔️ Austria's given old oil tanks a new lease on life, transforming them into one-of-a-kind indoor climbing hubs. These towering cylindrical structures offer a unique opportunity for massive climbing walls, hard to find in traditional gyms. By preserving the industrial vibe and blending it with modern design, they've created spaces that cater to climbers of all stripes – from newbies to pros. It's a killer example of adaptive reuse, turning neglected industrial relics into thriving community hotspots 🌟.

22/03/2026

A total of $160 billion American imports are critical, concentrated, and come from geopolitically distant trading partners.

To maintain competitiveness in a new era, the US will need to enhance national economic security. One step is clear: The United States will need to bolster its ability to procure or develop critical materials and to address manufacturing gaps that could become strategic choke point.

22/03/2026

Lol