Purchasing Power Drops In Major African Cities Half-Way Into 2025
The quality of life may deteriorate.
Some of the major cities in Africa are seeing a decline in purchasing power halfway through 2025, while other cities are seeing an increase in purchasing power, according toNumbeo’s “Purchasing Power Index” report, which measures relative purchasing power based on average net salaries.
Losing purchasing power means residents are unable to afford basic products and services. There are consequences, experts warn. With lower purchasing power, people may face restrictions on purchases, fewer businesses may expand, and the quality of life may deteriorate.
The Five Cities in Africa Losing Purchasing Power
Lagos, Nigeria
Abidjan, Ivory Coast,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Accra, Ghana
Alexandria, Egypt
Why This Matters
Purchasing power reflects the individuals’ ability to afford goods and services. As News Central reports, stronger purchasing power contributes to poverty reduction and a better quality of life. When wages are higher than the cost of living, for example, people have better access to essential services such as housing, healthcare, education, and nutrition, which improves overall well-being and economic stability.
Low purchasing power is often associated with weaker economies, but that’s not always the case. In most cases, purchasing power is also linked to the gross domestic product, economic diversification, and income distribution.
Many African nations rely heavily on the export of raw materials. However, factors such as price volatility, limited job creation, and income inequality prevent the benefits from trickling down into the broader population.
In Nigeria, the naira’s decline has reportedly made everyday essentials more expensive. Meanwhile in Ghana, the inflation crisis is straining household budgets.
According to Numbeo’s Purchasing Power Index, the African nations with the lowest purchasing power so far in 2025 are as follows:
Cameroon
Nigeria
Ivory Coast
Ethiopia
Madagascar
Uganda
Ghana
Rwanda
Egypt
Tanzania
In Cameroon and Nigeria, people are struggling with high inflation and currency instability. People in the Ivory Coast and Ethiopia are facing structural economic challenges, including a heavy reliance on primary commodities and limited industrialization, according to News Central Africa.
Everyone’s Freedoms Are At Risk When LGBTQIA+ Rights Are Attacked
The LGBTQIA+ community is not the only group affected
In recent years, we’ve witnessed an alarming rise in efforts to suppress expressions of gender identity, ban the use of pronouns in schools, and roll back protections for the LGBTQIA+ community. While some frame these moves as cultural or political battles, make no mistake: these actions are part of a broader agenda to shrink civil liberties, silence dissent, and marginalize anyone who challenges the status quo.
The LGBTQIA+ community is not the only group affected, but they are among the first targets. History shows that when authoritarian forces seek control, they begin by isolating and vilifying marginalized communities. What starts as a ban on pronouns or a restriction on gender-affirming care quickly escalates into broader attacks on racial justice, economic equity, reproductive rights, and freedom of thought.
These threats are not theoretical. They are playing out in school districts, statehouses, and courtrooms across the country. Laws are being passed that erase queer and trans identities from curricula, criminalize gender-affirming healthcare, and punish educators and parents who affirm their students’ identities. These laws pave the way for other forms of repression.
Targeting LGBTQIA+ people is a way to test the public’s tolerance for cruelty. If the public accepts restrictions on one group’s identity, it becomes easier to justify discrimination against others based on race, religion, economic status, or immigration background. It’s a playbook that relies on fear, scapegoating, and the hope that communities won’t come to each other’s defense.
It also fractures coalitions. Anti-LGBTQIA+ policies are often designed to divide movements for justice and equity. They attempt to distract from systemic failures by blaming vulnerable groups. When solidarity breaks, the power of collective action weakens.
This is not just a moral issue. It’s a democracy issue. Freedom of expression, the right to live authentically, and protection from discrimination are core to any functioning democracy. Undermining these rights for one group undermines the whole system.
The National Civil Rights Museum has actively engaged in promoting gender rights and LGBTQIA+ inclusivity through various educational programs, exhibitions, and community events. In alignment with its mission to foster dialogue and understanding, the museum has participated in events that celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ community. During Pride Month, the museum has participated in festivals, offered storytelling and activities for families, and shared historical facts about gender rights through community forums, thereby creating an inclusive space for learning and celebration.
The museum’s commitment to inclusivity is evident in its exhibitions that highlight the contributions of LGBTQIA+ individuals to the civil rights movement. The Speaking Truth to Power exhibit focuses on the life of Bayard Rustin, a gay civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in organizing the 1963 March on Washington. By showcasing personal narratives, the museum educates visitors on the intersectionality of civil rights struggles.
The museum’s collaborations with local organizations like Mid-South Pride, Tri-State Black Pride, and OUTMemphis further its advocacy for gender rights. Through its initiatives, the Museum demonstrates its ongoing commitment to highlighting the diverse narratives within the civil rights movement and advocating for the rights of all individuals, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Institutions, communities, and leaders must act. That means passing inclusive policies, showing up at school board meetings, donating to LGBTQIA+ organizations, and speaking out — even when it’s unpopular. It also means recognizing that protecting queer and transgender people protects all of us. Justice isn’t a zero-sum game; it grows stronger when it’s shared.
When we defend LGBTQIA+ rights, we defend the right to tell the truth about who we are. We defend the freedom to learn, to love, to speak, and to live fully. That fight benefits everyone.
We either push back against injustice in all its forms — or we allow it to grow, unchecked, into every corner of society. The choice is ours. We choose true freedom. We choose community.
Dr. Russ Wigginton serves as the President of the National Civil Rights Museum. He assumed this role in 2021, and has vast experience in education, fundraising, operations, and community engagement. Wigginton was the Chief Postsecondary Impact Officer for Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) from 2019-2021, where he led the organization’s work for postsecondary access, retention, and completion. He was vice president for student life and dean of students at Rhodes College in Memphis from 2017-2019, where he oversaw the college’s co-curricular experience for students.
Elevating Your Excellence: The Unyielding Vision Of Pastor Jamal Bryant In The Fight For Economic And Civic Justice
Bryant is a beacon of relentless advocacy, a visionary leader whose unflinching dedication to justice consistently transforms challenges into opportunities for empowerment.
In an era often characterized by corporate recalibrations and political polarization, the commanding voice of Pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant stands as a formidable force, meticulously orchestrating movements designed to hold major corporations accountable and galvanize the Black electorate.
As the esteemed Senior Pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Bryant haschampioned spiritual upliftment and consistently demonstrated a profound commitment to social and economic justice, positioning himself as a true maverick for change who stands firmly on principle.
Indeed, Bryant is a beacon of relentless advocacy and a visionary leader whose unflinching dedication to justice consistently transforms challenges into opportunities for empowerment. With every impassioned sermon and every strategic call to action, he redefines the modern pulpit, moving beyond traditional religious confines to powerfully champion economic fairness and civic participation.
His intellectual prowess, undeniable charisma, and deep empathy allow him to connect with diverse audiences, galvanizing communities to demand accountability and forge a path toward true equity.
He is not merely a pastor but a pivotal architect of progress, an unyielding voice for the voiceless, and an enduring testament to the power of principled leadership in the fight for a more just society.
Bryant’s recent endeavors underscore his unwavering dedication to justice, particularly his assertive stance against the perceived erosion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within corporate America. His call to action began with a strategic boycott of Target, ignited by the retail giant’s decision to scale back programs aimed at supporting Black employees and fostering partnerships with Black-owned businesses.
This initial protest, initiated as a 40-day “fast” during Lent, swiftly evolved into a full-fledged, sustained boycott, sending an unequivocal message that corporate values must align with the communities they serve.
The strategic shift to Target was not arbitrary. Bryant believes the company had “betrayed and walked away from our community,” as he articulated in an exclusive interview with USA TODAY. “We’re done with Target, and then our next focus will be around Dollar General.”
This transition highlights Bryant’s methodical approach, which impacts sales and leverages collective consumer power to demand corporate responsibility.
Dr. Bryant was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1971. However, the theological leader proudly admits that Baltimore, Maryland, raised him.
Drawing from a compelling personal journey—from being kicked out of two high schools to becoming the first person ever admitted into Morehouse College with a GED and holding degrees from Duke University and Oxford—he brings three decades of experience as a civil rights activist and community leader.
In this multifaceted space, he generously shares sermons, reflections, teachings, and stories that chronicle his past and critically inform a collective future. He invites Christians and non-Christians alike to sign up for his daily inspirations, short, powerful messages designed to offer peace, ground in faith, and spark inspiration, underscoring his belief in God’s word to reveal, repair, and restore.
Beyond corporate accountability, Pastor Bryant is a formidable force in civic engagement, leveraging the historic power of the Black church to mobilize voters and drive change. He recently spearheaded Project 5-5-5, an ambitious initiative launched in Atlanta at The Carter Center.
This project is a direct counter-narrative to what Bryant describes as the “conservative, far-right Republican agenda Project 2025,” designed to trouble its objectives and significantly bolster voter turnout across Georgia.
The kickoff event for Project 5-5-5 brought together a powerful coalition of national organizations and influential public advocates, including Mayor Jazzmin Cobble of Stonecrest, Esq., Mo Ivory, and Congressman Hank Johnson. Key partners, such as the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, 100 Black Men of DeKalb, and Divine Nine fraternities and sororities like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and Sigma Gamma Rho, coalesced to support the collective mission.
The resounding message, articulated by Yatonya Oliver of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., was that “Getting into ‘good trouble’ is not a solo event,” emphasizing the collective action required to “get folks out to vote to save democracy.”
In an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE, Dr. Bryant elaborated on the genesis and objectives of Project 5-5-5. He stressed the urgent need to mobilize the Black community, particularly a younger demographic that expresses disillusionment with the electoral process.
Bryant highlighted a critical shift from mere voter turnout to voter education, advocating for an informed electorate that votes on “policy, not personality.”
This educational blueprint aimed to equip Divine Nine organizations, faith-based groups, civic entities, and grassroots movements with speaking points and strategies for engagement in everyday spaces, from barbershops to fraternity meetings.
The strategic timeline for Project 5-5-5 included a major statewide voter registration drive on Oct. 5, leveraging the collective strength of partnering entities, culminating in a robust turnout effort on Election Day, Nov. 5.
New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, under Bryant’s leadership, committed to registering 2,000 Black men, identified as the largest unpolled demographic within the Black community. The church deployed a fleet of vehicles to senior centers and college campuses, providing crucial education on the significance of Project 5-5-5 and the importance of voting.
Bryant’s influence extends to digital platforms, where he continues disseminating his message. His podcast, Let’s Be Clear, serves as a vital channel for informing his audience about ongoing initiatives, including the boycotts of Target and Dollar General.
The pastor further elaborated on our perceived notions of friendship and invites “to the cookout,” which left us with a false sense of how companies actually saw us.
“Take a moment and catch up on the latest episode of Jamal Bryant podcast: Let’s be clear on YouTube. I want you to know everything that’s going on with @target and @dollargeneral ….. knowledge is power! This Thursday @rpcoalition@revjjackson and I are demonstrating outside of Target outside,” Bryant captioned on the Instagram post.
His call to action, exemplified by a planned demonstration outside Target alongside Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, underscores his belief that “knowledge is power” and collective action is paramount.
Trump Administration Is Forcing DOE Employees To Sit At Home And Get Paid
Federal courts have halted the attempt, by the Trump administration, to layoff DOE employees. Costing the Department of education $7 million.
The US Department of Education has placed half of its workforce on leave and is paying $7 million per month.
American Federation of Government Employees Local 252 (AFGE) conducted an analysis after employee cuts. Nearly 1,300 employees accepted severance packages, labeled as buyouts at the beginning of 2025, scheduled to end on June 9. The Trump administration has made it clear its intent to reduce the number of federal agencies, hence, the attempt to push out federal employees.
However, the legality of the buyout packages is under challenge in federal court. In May, a federal court ruled that the dismantling of the DOE is a government overreach. After which, all employees were reinstated and placed on administrative leave. As a result, the current employees will continue to be paid until a resolution is reached.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon echoed the Trump administration’s claims that gutting federal agencies will create a leaner, more efficient government.
The cuts reflect “commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers,” McMahon said.
CNN reported on the Trump administration’s attempts to push forward with the layoffs. The administration appealed to the Supreme Court to supersede the Boston-based 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals’ previous ruling. Subsequently, the Supreme Court declined to intervene.
Lawyers for the DOE responded to the appeal, citing current law as Trump attempts to expand his authority. The filing outlines the limits of the executive branch.
“The government has been crystal clear in acknowledging that only Congress can eliminate the Department of Education,” the filing stated.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration argues that the power to reduce the size of the federal government lies within the executive branch.
A DOE lawyer, Ariel Shepetovskiy, shared her views with CNN about collecting a paycheck without fulfilling her job duties.
“It feels like garbage to receive pay in exchange for doing nothing,” Shepetovskiy said. “I also feel shame because on some level I feel like a parasite for American taxpayers,” said Shepetovskiy.
Furthermore, Robert Jason Cottrell points out the irony in the situation. Paying employees who are not working is certainly an inefficient use of resources.
“I almost feel like a leech on the system. I am able-bodied and able to go to work to help the nation’s mission to educate our future generations. And I’m not doing that right now.”
Earn Your Leisure, Steve Harvey Announced For 5th Invest Fest In ATL
'We created Invest Fest to educate and empower our community on how to build real wealth,' said Troy Millings
The producers behind Earn Your Leisure have announced that Invest Fest is slated to return to Atlanta in August with a lineup of heavyweight figures in the financial space.
The latest festival will be the fifth one the duo is doing, and it promises to be the most ambitious year thus far. Along with Steve Harvey, EYL Co-FoundersRashad Bilal and Troy Milling are holding Invest Fest Aug. 22–24. The event will feature speakers who will uplift those in attendance with lessons in financialempowerment, entrepreneurship,culture,and innovation.
🚨 The First Wave of Invest Fest 2025 Speakers is HERE! The biggest business festival in the world returns for Year 5 — Bigger Than Ever.
Business, Culture, Networking, Investing, & Entertainment — all under one roof
The number of people anticipated to make it out to the festival should surpass 25,000, where the attendees, over the course of three days, will have a chance to hear keynote speeches, wealth-building panels, live interviews, vendor activations, musical performances, pitch competitions, and curated networking events all in the name of giving attendees the tools and knowledge to build and sustain wealth.
KeyAnnouncementsfor InvestFest2025:
–BillionairesonStage: Billionaire entrepreneur Jack Dorsey and NBA legend-turned-mogul Magic Johnson will headline the main stage, offering rare insights into business resilience, tech disruption, and wealth-building in underserved communities.
– The Deal Room: A VIP-only experience where accredited investors will meet with entrepreneurs, offering exclusive access to vetted equity deals and high-level investment opportunities
The Hustle Don’t Stop: An Atlanta Octogenarian Opens Nail Salon
Wilson is now the proud owner of the Bee nails, located on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Atlanta.
Beatrice Wilson, an 80-year-old Atlanta woman, opened her eighth business, Bee Nails, on June 4.
Wilson is now the proud owner of the nail salon located on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Atlanta. She spoke with 11 Alive News about her accomplishments and her age. The octogenarian is not burdened by working in the mature stage of her life. In fact, she thinks the opposite. The ability to meet and interact with people daily is her driving force behind opening the salon.
“I feel you’re never too old; it’s never too late to follow what you love doing,” Wilson said. “Personally, I love being away from home and talking and interacting with people.”
In addition to owning seven salons throughout her life, Wilson is also a dedicated employee. Prior to opening Bee Nails, Wilson worked in multiple car dealerships. She officially retired in 2021.
Wilson chooses to continue to work after retirement. The retiree is pleased with her decision to open Bee Nails. However, many elders are not necessarily afforded the luxury of choice. The Pew Research Institute estimates that “19% of adults ages 65 and older are employed today. In 1987, only 11% of older adults were working.”
As the baby boomer generation reaches retirement age, the cost of living has risen. Pension plans are no longer a reliable source of income, and there are disadvantages to receiving Social Security early.
“Changes to the Social Security system, which raised the age that workers receive their full retirement benefits from 65 to 67, likely have encouraged older adults to delay retirement and continue working, according to labor economists.”
Elders face complications even after receiving full benefits and returning to less labor-intensive part-time positions in the workforce.
Wilson is technically one of these workers. While fulfilling the duties of a salon owner, she will, hopefully, not be subjected to rough physical labor.
Travis Hunter Purchases $3.275M Home In Jacksonville
He and his wife are now residents in the gated community of Deerwood Country Club.
Travis Hunter has purchased a $3.275 million home in Deerwood Country Club, the Jacksonville, Florida-based gated community .
According to The Jacksonville Daily Record, the Heisman Trophy winner with the University of Colorado and the second player selected in this year’s NFL Draft, bought an 8,125-square-foot, two-story, five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home that has a four-car garage.
Records show that the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie bought the 13-room home on May 30.
The agent, Angela Stringfellow, who sold Hunter the home, said the sale set a record for the Deerwood Country Club. The house sits on a 7.5-acre property that includes a pool and a tennis court. NFL Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champion LeRoy Butler, a star with the Green Bay Packers in the 1990s, once owned the home.
Hunter isn’t the only Jaguars player (past or present) living in the community; former placekicker Josh Scobee and defensive tackle John Henderson also own property there.
Before entering the NFL Draft, Hunter, a cornerback and wide receiver, became the first true two-way player to win the Heisman since Syracuse’s Ernie Davis in 1961, a capstone on a remarkable season that saw him become the first player in NCAA history to post 92 receptions for 1,152 yards, 14 touchdowns, and four interceptions in a single season.
Hunter recently signed a contract with Jacksonville for $46,649,104 over four years with a fifth-year option.
Kelis Leans On AI Schooling For Her World-Traveling Children
Kelis says she has a general distrust of the formal education systems.
Grammy-nominated singer Kelis is using AI to educate her children.
The singer spoke with the hosts of the Earn Your Leisure podcast about her children’s education while being a world traveler. According to Kelis, she has a general distrust of the regimented education system. Furthermore, her lifestyle is not conducive to her children being in a brick-and-mortar institution.
“I’m not big on the system to begin with. I just never felt like it served us and was so adverse for me. My kids have been on tour with me since they were born,” she said.
Kelis believes homeschooling is the best option for her children who have passports “that rival anybody” and who travel “all around the world.” The “Milkshake” singer favors the AI-based school Fusion Academy for her two children, which allows them to excel at their own pace.
“It’s a new system, and it adjusts according to what he’s learning and what stage he’s at. So, it’s never just like brushing past something and being like, ‘OK, we got to get to the next stage.’ It’s not rushing him into anything, so if he’s excelling in writing or reading, he could be in fifth grade even though he should be in third or fourth grade,” she said.
The AI Problem
While traditional school systems are not perfect, AI education may not be the answer. Technology-forward schooling, AI programs included, has been implemented in hundreds of school districts around the country. Yet, the technology is truly flawed.
In May 2025, the New York Times reported on “AI Hallucinations.” The term references the inaccuracies generated by multiple artificial intelligence programs such as Open AI, DeepSeek, and Google. Because AI is reliant on information available on the internet, its responses are often an amalgamation of information. Hence, responses may come from unverified sources, non-peer-reviewed studies, or multiple entities relaying “fake news.”
The “hallucinations” are not an anomaly.
“Today’s A.I. bots are based on complex mathematical systems that learn their skills by analyzing enormous amounts of digital data. They do not—and cannot—decide what is true and what is false. Sometimes, they just make stuff up, a phenomenon some A.I. researchers call hallucinations. On one test, the hallucination rates of newer A.I. systems were as high as 79 percent,” the Times reported.
While the systems often include a disclaimer urging users to verify information independently, many do not.
It stands to reason that AI-based educational programs may also include multiple inaccuracies. Unfortunately, children are in the learning stages. With no foundational knowledge of new topics, many are unsure if the information that they have received is suspect. For Kelis, online schooling is working. Other homeschool parents are also relying on the technology. Needless to say, relying on technology alone may prove to be a disservice to educating children.
As college graduates across the country step into the job market, Atlanta is stepping up as a great option.
Following the excitement of college graduation season, with many young adults crossing the stage and moving into the next chapter of their lives, one city has emerged as the prime destination. According to report by CoworkingCafe, Atlanta has been named the best big city in the United States for recent graduates.
Atlanta’s return to the top spot, dethroning last year’s champ, San Francisco.
The recent study assessed 290 different cities with populations of 400,000 or more. Categories such as economic factors, lifestyle perks, and job opportunities were evaluated.
As reported by CoworkingCafe, Atlanta combines cultural vibrancy and economic strength, both of which allow recent graduates to find opportunities in the city.
Atlanta’s median income is on the rise, hitting $82,201—a $2,287 increase over the past year.
Atlanta also hosts a high percentage of residents with bachelor’s degrees at 50.5%, as well as a competitive rate of graduate-level jobs. The city also performed well in terms of benefits. Nearly 64% of its residents are covered by employer-based health insurance, landing the city at No. 14 nationally.
Lifestyle offerings have been identified as one of Atlanta’s biggest draws. With 733 leisure establishments and nearly 24 co-working spaces per 100,000 residents, the city ranks second and first, respectively, in these categories among large metro areas
Housing affordability also remains one of Atlanta’s strongest advantages. Rent prices sit just under 1% above the national average.
However, the city is not perfect. Atlanta has exhibited a few warning signs for graduates in accordance with the study details. There’s been a slight decline in the number of young adults with bachelor’s degrees and a drop in employer health coverage, both of which could eventually impact the long-term quality of the city’s workforce and access to benefits.
CoworkingCafe’s analysis took in a range of data from such sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U.S. Travel Ban Jeopardizes Lifesaving Surgeries For Haitian Children
A U.S. travel ban affecting 19 countries is putting the lives of sick Haitian children in jeopardy.
The International Cardiac Alliance (ICA), a nonprofit that facilitates heart surgeries for children from low-resource countries, says at least a dozen Haitian children may miss lifesaving procedures due to travel restrictions recently enacted by the Trump administration.
The travel ban went into effect May 9 under President Donald Trump, and it targets travelers from 19 nations. While it allows some exemptions, such as those attending major events like the Olympics, there is no mention of patients seeking treatment through humanitarian channels like ICA.
ICA Executive Director Owen Robinson said the organization currently has five open surgery slots in the U.S., but they may go unused with the new ban.
“Some kids could wait a few months, but others, if they don’t travel now, they may not survive,” he said.
The ICA’s work is important because the new ban situation is particularly dire for patients like 16-year-old Fabienne Rene of Port-au-Prince, who suffers from rheumatic heart disease. She can no longer attend school due to shortness of breath and symptoms.
Her father, Fignole Rene, called the travel ban’s implications “heartbreaking” as it will prevent them from flying through the U.S. en route to the Dominican Republic for treatment.
In total, ICA has over 300 Haitian patients on its waiting list, and for many, traveling for treatment is the only feasible option. While some patients are placed in regional hospitals in Haiti, political instability and safety concerns in Haiti have made it nearly impossible for foreign medical teams to work within the country itself.
“We used to operate there,” said Robinson. “Now, it’s just too dangerous.”
As reported by NBC News, Dr. John Clark, a pediatric cardiologist affiliated with ICA, said many children in Haiti suffer from preventable diseases like rheumatic heart disease due to untreated infections such as strep throat. Despite knowing the cause of the disease, with Haiti’s severe shortage of trained physicians, access to early care is minimal.
Currently, the ICA is appealing to the U.S. government for exemptions.
“These are real children with no other options,” said Clark. “They deserve a chance at life.”
As of now, it remains unclear whether the Trump administration will reconsider the policy for urgent medical cases.
