Heavy rains that could be linked to climate change have flooded Senegal's famous Pink Lake with possibly toxic water, washing away nearly a quarter of a million dollars worth of artisanally-mined salt and devastating the local tourism industry. (AFP News Agency) rfi.fr/en/science-env…

Sierra Leonean lawmakers have passed legislation to introduce a gender quota in parliament -- a major campaign promise by the president -- following years of delays and false starts news.yahoo.com/sierra-leone-i…

Sierra Leone is spending 22% of its national budget on education. I spoke to Barram to find out if it will work. My latest for The Guardian theguardian.com/global-develop…

My scoop about Senegal's football academy, Diambars, training some the country's best players: three of whom are in the squad for tonight's game. thetimes.co.uk/article/hi-tec…

We had pitched a story on Dakar Fashion Week, but then our editors at The Guardian asked us to take a different tack, and look at Senegal’s local tailoring scene — coincidentally something I’ve been dying to write about for years theguardian.com/global-develop…

“Secure #digital identities represent the cornerstone of e-government and a pre-requisite for the delivery of many services to citizens” A conversation with James Claude in African Business / Tom Collins globalvoicegroup.com/news-article/a…

I want the world to know about Emma 💜 Cancer may have taken her, but she never let any illness define her This is the story of our final few months together. One day, I promise, I will tell the rest, and I'll get to Antarctica for our honeymoon too 🐧❄️ inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyl…

Teenage girls are turning to rat poison as an unsafe abortion ‘epidemic’ spirals. Tom Collins reports – free to read ⬇️ telegraph.co.uk/global-health/… The Telegraph

My reporting from Sierra Leone which is facing a teenage pregnancy and abortion “epidemic,” according to medical professionals. telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…

In 2018, #SierraLeone's President Bio, introduced bold reforms to revolutionise the country's education sector. Tom Collins sat down with Barram to talk about his education drive and if it would help him win next year's polls. theafricareport.com/268342/sierra-…

Ivory Coast authorities laid bare how they are still battling multi-million dollar chocolate companies to improve wages for poor cocoa farmers. My latest for Al Jazeera English aljazeera.com/features/2022/…

This was a grim story to work on with Tom Collins. Senegal is home to hundreds of thousands of young talibés - students who attend islamic schools known as daaras. Many of them are forced to beg and suffer horrific abuse. telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…

Child beggars are common in Senegal. Often they are talibés - boys forced to beg while living at Islamic schools. We found 30 runaway talibés who all claimed to have beaten and abused at the hands of their masters. With photos from Sam Bradpiece 🎥✒️📸 telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…

Does anyone have any recommendations for economists/analysts who can talk about Senegal's predicted 8% GDP growth this year?

My reporting on Sierra Leone's psychiatric hospital where until 2018 patients were chained to the walls. It has undergone a dramatic refurbishment with help from US charity Partners In Health, but still the only mental health facility for a population of 8.1m people. theguardian.com/global-develop…

Senegal is on track for "big growth in 2023 and 2024" due to the development of the two oil and gas projects, says Mark Bohlund senior credit analyst at REDDIntelligence. Reporting by Tom Collins. african.business/2023/02/trade-…

Latest reporting on Burkina for Telegraph World News telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…

Private debt is surging in Africa as an alternative form of finance. My latest for African Business african.business/2023/03/financ…

Benin's cotton industry contributes around 40% to its GDP and 80% of exports. With a new industrial park, the country aims to generate approximately $11.6bn in revenues, by transforming locally grown cotton into world-class clothing. Tom Collins reports african.business/2023/04/resour…

NEW: As Ivory Coast cracks down on child labor at the local level in the cocoa industry, the country grapples with drawing the line between abuse and family chores, reports Tom Collins. newlinesmag.com/reportage/ivor…