Panel 54 Podcast

Charles Murito - Africa in the Age of AI

Artificial Intelligence is no longer science fiction , it’s already reshaping how we learn, heal, farm, and tell stories. In this episode of Panel 54, Somoina Kimojino, Kenyan media and radio veteran, steps in to host while Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh are on assignment. She sits down with Charles Murito, Google’s Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, Government Affairs & Public Policy, and Interim Country Director, to explore what AI means for Africa.
From healthcare gaps to personalised education, food security to digital infrastructure, Murito shows how AI can drive transformation, but also warns of risks around security, jobs, and data. Together, they unpack Africa’s readiness: policy frameworks, connectivity, and the urgent need to skill the next generation.
The conversation asks: will Africa simply consume imported AI, or can it localise, innovate, and lead in the multipolar digital future?If this dialogue shifts how you think about AI’s role on the continent, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more perspectives told through an African lens.
Lagos to Lamu. Cape Town to Cairo. This is Panel 54.
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Edgar Wamalwa - Africa’s Debt, Dependency, and "Africapitalism"

Africa fuels the world with cobalt, cocoa, oil, and gold , yet still carries over $1.1 trillion in external debt. In this episode of Panel 54, hosts Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh sit with Edgar Wamalwa, a strategic consultant and project finance expert with over three decades in banking and infrastructure, to unpack Africa’s paradox of plenty.
From Kenya’s ballooning public debt to the DRC’s cobalt wealth and South Africa’s models of industrial financing, the conversation dives into dependency, leadership, and the short-termism holding the continent back. Wamalwa challenges the “begging bowl” mindset, weighs whether Africa can rewrite global economic rules, and asks if Africapitalism private-sector driven, inclusive growth can chart a sustainable path out of debt.Like, Subcribe and follow Panel54 poddcast https://linktr.ee/panel54pod
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Tom Mukhwana & Babior Newton - Telling Africa's Story

In this episode of Panel 54, hosts Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh sit down with journalist Tom Mukhwana and author Babior Newton to tackle one of the biggest questions of our time: who gets to tell Africa’s story?
We dive deep into the media and power dynamics that shape the global narrative, asking the tough questions: Why do conflicts in Sudan and the DRC go largely ignored while Ukraine and Gaza dominate headlines? How do foreign powers like China influence African sovereignty through mining deals and arms shipments?
Can African writers and journalists reclaim their voice amidst global media biases and publishing barriers?
From censorship and geopolitics to cultural critique and economic power plays, we explore the fight to control Africa's narrative. This isn't just a conversation—it's a critical reframing of how the world sees the continent.
Tune in to discover how we can reclaim our story before others write it for us.

Jerotich Seii - China in Africa: Progress or Plunder?

China in Africa: Progress or Plunder?
They call it development. hosts Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh sit down with Jerotich Seii — humanitarian, social justice advocate, and active citizen  to rip open the myth of China’s “partnership” with Africa.
From ports in Djibouti to debt-laden railways in Nairobi, Jerotich asks what no leader will: are we selling our sovereignty for shiny infrastructure, letting forests fall for freight corridors, and locking future generations into chains disguised as contracts?
This is not just about bricks and steel. It’s about power, identity, and the dangerous new scramble for Africa — one where the price tag is hidden, but the damage is permanent.
Lagos to Lamu. Cape Town to Cairo. This is Panel 54, a global perspective through an African lens.
 
📩 Let’s talk: hello@panel54pod.com🎙 Recorded on location in NBI🎧 Produced by Commex Africa and E & C Talent
#Panel54 #ChinaInAfrica #DebtTrap #AfricanSovereignty

Cynthia, Musa , Chris Ochieng & Elly - The Beautiful Game!

In this special conversation, Panel 54 brings together sports manager Cynthia Mumbo, sports scientist and broadcaster Musa Abdi, Chris Ochieng (Gor Mahia striker), and Elly Asiete (Mathare FC captain) with hosts Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh to explore football’s grip on Africa, from CHAN pride to Premier League passion.
The discussion moves beyond the game itself into identity, business, and politics, asking why millions of Africans pledge loyalty to clubs they have never visited, how local leagues can rise to rival global giants, and what it will take for African football to inspire the next generation. They examine how football influences national identity, shapes diplomacy, and becomes a tool for telling Africa’s story to the world.
From boda boda banter to billion-dollar rights deals, from grassroots tournaments to the rise of women’s football, they reflect on the power of sport to unite nations, create opportunity, and challenge the status quo.
Lagos to Lamu. Cape Town to Cairo. This is Panel 54, a global perspective through an African lens.
📩 Let’s talk: hello@panel54pod.com
 

Panel 54 Podcast - Pres. John Kufuor, Pt 2

In Part Two of this conversation with His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, former President of Ghana, the discussion moves beyond the early years and into the heart of his presidency, from ushering in Ghana’s golden age of business to striking oil, reforming health and education, and navigating diplomacy across Africa.
He reflects on the challenges of leadership, Africa’s economic future, and the lessons he believes the next generation must learn to shape the continent’s destiny. This is the conclusion of this special two-part series with one of Africa’s most respected statesmen.
Lagos to Lamu. Cape Town to Cairo. This is Panel 54, a global perspective through an African lens.
 
 
📩 Let’s talk: ⁠hello@panel54pod.com⁠
🎙 Recorded on location in Accra, Ghana
🎧 Produced by Commex Africa and E & C Talent

Panel 54 Podcast - Pres. John Kufuor, Pt 1

In this special two-part, on-location interview, Waweru Njoroge sits down in Accra, Ghana with His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, former President of the Republic of Ghana and one of Africa’s most respected statesmen.
Part One traces his journey from Kumasi’s royal roots to Oxford’s law halls, to Ghana’s presidency and beyond. We explore the early life that shaped “The Gentle Giant,” his role in guiding Ghana through democratic transition, and his candid views on Generation Z, Pan-Africanism, and Africa’s place on the world stage.
From Accra to the African Union, from the law courts of London to the heart of Ghana’s democracy , this is a rare conversation with a leader whose quiet strength shaped a nation.
Lagos to Lamu. Cape Town to Cairo. This is Panel 54 , a global perspective through an African lens.
Hosted by Waweru Njoroge , a seasoned Kenyan journalist, media disruptor and strategist and Ndu Okoh, a fearless cultural critic, media maven and journalist , taking you beyond the headlines into the heart of Africa’s most urgent conversations.
📩 Let’s talk: ⁠hello@panel54pod.com⁠ 🎙 Recorded on location in Accra, Ghana 🎧 Produced by Commex Africa and E & C Talent
 

Peter Kagwanja - Violence in Africa!

In this episode of Panel 54, public intellectual and scholar Prof. Peter Kagwanja joins Waweru and Nduh for an unflinching conversation on the nature and function of violence in Africa. From colonial brutality to the tactics of modern regimes and resistance movements, Kagwanja explores how violence has become a tool — not just for survival or protest, but for control, manipulation, and power.
Is violence always irrational? Or is it calculated — deployed with purpose and often misunderstood? The conversation traces the evolution of violence across history, media, and statecraft, revealing how both local and foreign actors shape its meaning to serve different ends.
“Violence is not necessarily irrational. It has logic, it has purpose, it has means, it has ends.” – Prof. Peter Kagwanja
This is a sobering look at how violence is framed, normalized, and weaponized — and why decoding its language is essential to understanding power in Africa today.

Mbugua Ng'anga - Media For Sale

In this episode of Panel 54, investigative journalist and editor Mbugua Ng'anga joins Waweru and Nduh for a revealing conversation about the slow death of media neutrality in Africa. As global powers like China invest heavily in newsrooms and training programs, soft power—not censorship—is reshaping what counts as news. Sponsored content is no longer the exception; it is becoming the default. They unpack how journalism is being compromised by funding pressures, how state-aligned narratives slip into editorial decisions, and why many African outlets are struggling to draw the line between coverage and influence. This is a sobering look at the future of media in a world where headlines are for sale.
📩 Contact: hello [@] panel54.com .

Winnie Kabintie - Is Pan-Africanism Relevant Now?

In this episode of Panel 54, youth advocate and policy analyst Winnie Kabinti joins Waweru and Ndu  for a sharp and unfiltered look at the promise and problems of Pan-Africanism today. From Nkrumah’s original vision to the fragmented realities of modern leadership, they explore whether unity still means something or if it has become just a convenient slogan. As Africa’s under-27 majority grows more connected and vocal, questions emerge
Who truly owns the Pan-African agenda? And are foreign actors quietly steering the narrative to serve their own interests? It is a bold conversation about power, identity, and the unfinished work of continental solidarity.
 
📩 Contact: hello [@] panel54.com