A candid, unsparing wrap up conversation about media, power, and Africa’s place in the world in 2025, part 1

Japan and Africa meet at a critical moment in a changing world. One is navigating demographic pressure, technological transition and a complex security environment. The other is rising in strategic importance as the global order shifts toward multipolarity. In this episode of Panel 54, hosts Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh sit down with His Excellency Ambassador Hiroshi Matsuura, Japan’s Ambassador to Kenya, to explore the future of Japan Africa relations beyond aid and assistance. The conversation traces Japan’s six decade partnership with Kenya and the continent, from early development cooperation to today’s focus on industrialisation, technology transfer and human capital. Ambassador Matsuura reflects on Kenya’s transformation over the last twenty five years, the role of trust in long term diplomacy, and why Japan sees Africa as a partner in solving global challenges rather than a recipient of charity. They unpack trade imbalances, Japanese investment in manufacturing, geothermal energy at Olkaria, climate resilience, innovation hubs, and the growing importance of AI and digital technologies. The discussion also widens to geopolitics, examining Japan’s position in a multipolar world, its alliance with the United States, the Indo Pacific framework, and how Africa can use shifting alliances to pursue strategic autonomy. From samurai bonds and development finance to cultural exchange, values and legacy, this episode asks a central question. Can Japan and Africa build a generational partnership that moves from infrastructure to innovation and from aid to agency? Lagos to Lamu. Cape Town to Cairo. A global perspective through an African lens. 📩 Let’s talk: ⁠hello@panel54pod.com⁠ 🎙 Recorded on location in Nairobi, Kenya 🎧 Produced by Commex Africa and E & C Talent

Poaching networks, shrinking habitats, foreign market demand and political neglect are reshaping conservation across the region. And rangers are paying the highest price. In this episode of Panel 54, veteran ranger Michael Lenaimado joins Waweru Njoroge to break down what’s really happening on the front lines.

Ndu Okoh and Waweru Njoroge step away from the guest chair and turn the lens on themselves.In this special introspective episode of Panel 54, the hosts reflect on the conversations that shaped the season:

In this episode of Panel 54, Seth Bokpe, one of Ghana’s leading investigative journalists, joins Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh to expose how illegal mining has reshaped Ghana and the wider region. From Chinese-backed operations to local political collaborators, Seth breaks down how corruption, weak regulation and foreign demand for gold have created a perfect storm.The conversation digs into destroyed forest reserves, polluted rivers, armed protection networks, and the staggering human cost borne by rural communities.

Wars without victory, alliances without trust, and peace that profits the few. The Horn of Africa remains one of the most strategic yet unstable regions in the world, and understanding why means following the money. In this episode of Panel 54, Prof. Hassan Khannaje, Director of the Horn International Institute for Strategic Studies, joins Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh to unpack the business of chaos — how instability has become a system, not a symptom. The conversation explores how foreign powers, regional elites, and institutional weakness have turned conflict into profit, from Sudan’s gold trade to foreign bases in Djibouti. Prof. Khannaje breaks down how peacebuilding has been reduced to process over progress, and why Africa must reclaim control of its own peace agenda. From Somalia’s endless donor dependency to the geopolitics of the Red Sea, this episode examines how governance, greed, and global interest intersect to keep the continent in perpetual crisis. Like, Subscribe and follow : ⁠https://linktr.ee/panel54pod⁠ 📩 Let’s talk: hello@panel54pod.com 🎙 Recorded on location in NBI KENYA 🎧 Produced by Commex Africa and E & C Talent

Africa’s influence on the world isn’t just political or economic; it’s cultural. From music and fashion to film and festivals, soft power is becoming the new diplomacy.

In this episode of Panel 54, economist Kevin Kigima Ng’ang’a joins Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh to unpack China’s “debt trap” and what it really means for the continent’s independence and future growth.

In Episode 17 of Panel 54, hosts Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh sit down with Retired KAF Colonel, Seth Shava and former CIA Station Chief, Ralph Goff to unpack how artificial intelligence and drone warfare are reshaping security, sovereignty, and the future of conflict.

In Episode 16 of Panel 54, hosts Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh sit down with veteran Kenyan diplomat, Tom Amolo and former Ambassador to Germany and US, to unpack Africa’s missing seat at the world’s top table.

In Episode 15 of Panel 54, Stella Agara a Governance and Youth Development Specialist joins Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh to unpack a continent at a crossroads, where young Africans are pushing back against corruption, foreign influence, and the quiet capture of democracy. From Kenya’s Gen Z protests to Malawi’s ballot revolution, from China’s growing economic footprint to the shadow of global interests shaping local politics, Stella breaks down how governance, debt, and dependency collide with a new generation unwilling to be silent. The discussion digs into accountability, leadership, and what it means to demand sovereignty in a world still trying to tell Africa how to run its affairs. It is bold, uncomfortable, and necessary — a conversation about power, ownership, and the courage to choose a different future. 📩 Let’s talk: hello@panel54pod.com

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,

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.

n 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?

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.

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  

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

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  

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.

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 .