GOOD MORNING CHOP FAMILY!
New month - New you. Guess what, there are only about 150 days until 2027. Can you believe that? So kick it in to high gear and keep the momentum going. But before you take off, lets read the latest edition of the The Chop.
"A person who changes their track inside the thick forest does not forget where the path began."
Following this Middle East conflict, is like watching a yo-yo, up and down, or a ping pong match, back and forth. On again off again, like Ben Affleck and J-Lo, I mean this is exhausting!
Trump says Iran is begging for a deal so he is pausing airstrikes - for the sake of “global stability,” Iran says - “That’s a Lie!” Who knows what is really going on, all we know is that oil is spiking, and the ripple effect is being felt all across the globe, and most definitely on the streets of Africa.
BUSINESS
Bezos V Musk - The Battle for African Skies
Starlink - the internet satellite provider owed by Elon Musk dominates the market share to provide internet services in Africa and it currently operates in 27 African nations. Ironically, it can not legally operate in South Africa (Musk’s fatherland) due to local policies.
In comes Bezos and Amazon Leo - their own version of satellite internet. Leo just got regulatory approval to operate and South Africa, and has eyes on expanding across the continent.
Two mega billionaires are duking it out in the skies of Africa and the good thing about this is - Africans will ultimately benefit from this healthy competition. This should translate into more satellites in space, wider coverage across the continent bringing services to the most remote areas of Africa and most importantly it should mean lower prices.
Starlink has been a game changer for local hospitals, schools, business and even the Daily Chop. Having the ability to work from anywhere, is invaluable. Previously getting reliable internet service was a real struggle, even for those with means.
So keep fighting Musk and Bezos so my rates may drop!
A Nigerian Film Just Made Cannes History, and Crossed $1M in Europe.
Here's one to be proud of. Akinola Davies Jr.'s "My Father's Shadow" has sailed past $1.1 million at the box office in France and the UK, remarkable numbers for a subtitled, arthouse African drama in foreign cinemas. But the money is only half the story. The film made history as the first Nigerian feature ever selected for the official lineup at the Cannes Film Festival, the most prestigious stage in world cinema.
This isn't a big-budget spectacle. It's an intimate, semi-autobiographical story of two young brothers spending a day with their father in Lagos against the backdrop of Nigeria's tense 1993 election, told in Yoruba and English. Foreign audiences are paying, and turning up, for a quiet, deeply Nigerian story told entirely on its own terms.
Quick Bites [AI SUMMARY]
→ 🎤 Tems is quietly having a monster week too. Her single "What You Need" hit a new peak of #39 on the US Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, making Tems the first solo African artist to reach that particular milestone. Burna Boy grabbed the headlines, but Nigeria basically ran the global charts this week. Two flags, one very good seven days.
→ 💸 Africa's quiet answer to the dollar is growing up. The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) lets businesses in different African countries pay each other in their own local currencies, instead of both converting through US dollars and paying fat fees on each side. It's technical and unsexy, but the potential is massive: the continent loses billions a year to cross-border payment friction. Every trader who can pay a supplier directly in naira-to-cedi is a small win for African financial independence, exactly the sovereignty theme running through today's edition.
What Else is Cooking?
🎵 Burna Boy made history.
Let's take a moment to celebrate. Burna Boy has become the first African artist in history to top the Billboard Global 200 songs chart, the definitive ranking of the biggest songs on the planet. The track: "Dai Dai," his official 2026 World Cup anthem recorded with Colombian icon Shakira, which also hit #1 on the Billboard Global Excl. US chart and climbed to a new peak of #55 on the US Hot 100.
Afrobeats to the World!
Dish of the Day 🥘
We tried a dish from Nigeria, one that I have never had before -Miyan Muka. This aromatic soup is from the northern region of Nigeria.
This deeply traditional, soup is built from a base of finely ground, sun-dried baobab leaves (kuka), which give the dish its distinctive rich green color and velvety texture. The powder is whisked smoothly into a slow-simmered, spicy broth packed with dried fish, tender catfish, smoked meat, locust beans (dawa dawa), and local spices. Soo Good!
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